John Swinconeck is a professional journalist and had been working at newspapers since 2001. His humor columns were recognized by both the Maine Press Association and twice by the New England Press Association. His photography has been recognized by the New England Associated Press News Executives Association and twice by the Maine Press Association.

John left the newspaper business during a round of newsroom layoffs, something endemic to many papers across the country. He started theFiver, a music blog focused on developing playlists for every occasion with wit and humor.

“TheFiver allows me to develop writing skills for the web while focusing on a favorite subject of mine – music, and also keeps my graphic design skills honed,” he said. “It gives me a reason to follow a topic – like a beat reporter

He spends his time between New York City and southern Maine.