Hilary Barngrove McQuilkin

Hilary Barngrove McQuilkin began her radio career at Bowdoin College. There, for a few hours once a week, she hosted a morning reggae radio show. Shortly after college she landed a more serious gig: working as a morning show producer at 560 WGAN in Portland, Maine. She then sidestepped into freelance reporting for the Maine Public Broadcasting Network, documenting Maine traditions, everything from fiddlehead canning to slate headstone carving to steeplejacks.

In 2005, Hilary began filing stories for New Hampshire Public Radio. Her radio features have also aired on NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday and Voice of America.

During the early morning hours and, really, whenever she finds a spare moment, Hilary writes fiction. In July 2008 she earned a MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Southern Maine’s Stonecoast program. Her first published story can be found in the small journal, Crosscut.

A native of Pasadena, California, Hilary is pleased to report that, as of now, she has still lived more than half of her life in The Golden State. Only recently has she learned to endure New England winters. She lives north of Boston with her husband and their large dog, Ox.