the contributors
JULY 2011 WRITERS
Originally from the flatlands of central Illinois, Justin Hamm now lives near Mark Twain territory in Missouri. He is the author of the poetry chapbook Illinois, My Apologies (RockSaw Press, 2011). His work has appeared or is forthcoming in Nimrod International Journal, The New York Quarterly, Cream City Review, Spoon River Poetry Review, and a host of other publications. Recent work has also been nominated for the Best of the Net Anthology and the Pushcart Prize. Justin earned his MFA from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 2005. His current project is a free course for creative writers living in and around the small community of Mexico, Missouri.
John Paul Calavitta hales from Cleveland Ohio, and received his MFA in poetry from the University of Washington, Seattle, where he is finishing his PhD in English and eco-criticism.
Seth Marlin grew up in Port Austin, MI, met his wife in the Upper Peninsula, and is currently pursuing his MFA at the Inland Northwest Center for Writers. His work has appeared in M-Brane, Wit's End, and Short Story America, and he can be reached via email at [email protected].
M.J.Iuppa lives on a small farm near the shores of Lake Ontario. Recent and forthcoming poems in Grey Sparrow Journal, The Bryant Review, Tar River Poetry, The Apple Valley Review,
5923 Quarterly, tinfoildresses, The Chariton Review, The Raleigh Review, Victorian Violet Press, Le Mot Juste, 2009, Nova Scotia Review, Blueline, The Centrifugal Eye; in the following anthologies: From the Other World: Poems in Memory of James Wright, edited by Bruce Hendrickson and Robert Johnson, Lost Hills Books (2007); Eating the Pure Light, Poems honoring Thomas McGrath, edited by John Bradley, Backwaters Press (2009; The Poets Guide to the Birds, edited by Judith Kitchen and Ted Kooser, Anhinga Press (2009); Beyond Forgetting: Poetry and Prose about Alzheimer’s Disease, edited by Holly Hughes, Kent State UP (2009); Eating her Wedding Dress: A Collection of Clothing Poems, edited by Vasiliki Katsarou, Ruth O’Toole and Ellen Foos, Ragged Sky Press (2009); a lyrical essay in Gulf Coast, fiction in The Northville Review and Six Sentences; a chapbook, As the Crow Flies, Foothills Publishing, (2008). And most recently, a second full collection, Within Reach, Cherry Grove Collections (2010). She is Writer-in-Residence and Director of the Arts Minor Program at St. John Fisher College; and is currently serving as a poetry advisor for the New York Foundation for the Arts (2007-2011).
G. David Schwartz is the former president of Seedhouse, the online interfaith committee. Schwartz is the author of A Jewish Appraisal of Dialogue. Currently a volunteer at Drake Hospital in Cincinnati, Schwartz continues to write. His new book, Midrash and Working Out Of The Book is now in stores or can be ordered.
Originally from the flatlands of central Illinois, Justin Hamm now lives near Mark Twain territory in Missouri. He is the author of the poetry chapbook Illinois, My Apologies (RockSaw Press, 2011). His work has appeared or is forthcoming in Nimrod International Journal, The New York Quarterly, Cream City Review, Spoon River Poetry Review, and a host of other publications. Recent work has also been nominated for the Best of the Net Anthology and the Pushcart Prize. Justin earned his MFA from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 2005. His current project is a free course for creative writers living in and around the small community of Mexico, Missouri.
John Paul Calavitta hales from Cleveland Ohio, and received his MFA in poetry from the University of Washington, Seattle, where he is finishing his PhD in English and eco-criticism.
Seth Marlin grew up in Port Austin, MI, met his wife in the Upper Peninsula, and is currently pursuing his MFA at the Inland Northwest Center for Writers. His work has appeared in M-Brane, Wit's End, and Short Story America, and he can be reached via email at [email protected].
M.J.Iuppa lives on a small farm near the shores of Lake Ontario. Recent and forthcoming poems in Grey Sparrow Journal, The Bryant Review, Tar River Poetry, The Apple Valley Review,
5923 Quarterly, tinfoildresses, The Chariton Review, The Raleigh Review, Victorian Violet Press, Le Mot Juste, 2009, Nova Scotia Review, Blueline, The Centrifugal Eye; in the following anthologies: From the Other World: Poems in Memory of James Wright, edited by Bruce Hendrickson and Robert Johnson, Lost Hills Books (2007); Eating the Pure Light, Poems honoring Thomas McGrath, edited by John Bradley, Backwaters Press (2009; The Poets Guide to the Birds, edited by Judith Kitchen and Ted Kooser, Anhinga Press (2009); Beyond Forgetting: Poetry and Prose about Alzheimer’s Disease, edited by Holly Hughes, Kent State UP (2009); Eating her Wedding Dress: A Collection of Clothing Poems, edited by Vasiliki Katsarou, Ruth O’Toole and Ellen Foos, Ragged Sky Press (2009); a lyrical essay in Gulf Coast, fiction in The Northville Review and Six Sentences; a chapbook, As the Crow Flies, Foothills Publishing, (2008). And most recently, a second full collection, Within Reach, Cherry Grove Collections (2010). She is Writer-in-Residence and Director of the Arts Minor Program at St. John Fisher College; and is currently serving as a poetry advisor for the New York Foundation for the Arts (2007-2011).
G. David Schwartz is the former president of Seedhouse, the online interfaith committee. Schwartz is the author of A Jewish Appraisal of Dialogue. Currently a volunteer at Drake Hospital in Cincinnati, Schwartz continues to write. His new book, Midrash and Working Out Of The Book is now in stores or can be ordered.
MAY 2011 WRITERS
Anton Frost is a poet living in Grand Haven, Michigan.
Jenny Robertson is a native of northern Minnesota, a graduate of Carleton College, a plein air painter, a mom, and a 2008 winner of the Michigan Writers Cooperative Press chapbook competition for fiction. Several of her poems have appeared in the Dunes Review, and she hopes one day to earn an MFA from a not-too-shady institution. She lives near Traverse City, Michigan.
Eric Cairns is a student at Lake Superior State University majoring in Fine Arts Studies.
Anton Frost is a poet living in Grand Haven, Michigan.
Jenny Robertson is a native of northern Minnesota, a graduate of Carleton College, a plein air painter, a mom, and a 2008 winner of the Michigan Writers Cooperative Press chapbook competition for fiction. Several of her poems have appeared in the Dunes Review, and she hopes one day to earn an MFA from a not-too-shady institution. She lives near Traverse City, Michigan.
Eric Cairns is a student at Lake Superior State University majoring in Fine Arts Studies.
APRIL 2011 WRITERS
Nathan Lipps grew up in the small, rural town of Scottville, MI. He spent his childhood on his family's asparagus farm, exploring the woods in Summer, and building igloos in Winter. He currently is an MFA student at Wichita State University where he also teaches English.
Matt Smythe lives in Canandaigua, NY with his wife and three kids. By day, he writes advertising copy. By night he authors fishingpoet, a blog about life, the outdoors and the necessary intersection of the two. His poems have appeared in Re Dactions, Blueline, Long Shot, Ganargua Review, Yale Anglers Journal, Frantic Egg and Noochbomb (online).
Raymond Holmes is currently an MFA candidate at University of Missouri-St. Louis. He also works as an associate editor for WomenArts Quarterly Journal. His poetry has previously appeared in Iron Horse Literary Review.
Denis Robillard was born in Northern Ontario and now teaches high school in Windsor, Ontario. For the past 15 years several of his poems have appeared in the small presses and on line magazines across Canada, The USA and England and Scotland. Some of those include: Rattle, Rampike, Word Riot, Nashwaak Review, Algoma Ink, Cliff Soundings (Michigan), Sidereality, Orange Room Review, Dogzplot Magazine, Dusty Owl, Dufus and many more. In 2011 Robillard will be published in Windsor Review and Bolts of Silk. He is also an avid photographer and traveler. You may see his article work on occasion in the pages of Hey Philippines Magazine.
Nathan Lipps grew up in the small, rural town of Scottville, MI. He spent his childhood on his family's asparagus farm, exploring the woods in Summer, and building igloos in Winter. He currently is an MFA student at Wichita State University where he also teaches English.
Matt Smythe lives in Canandaigua, NY with his wife and three kids. By day, he writes advertising copy. By night he authors fishingpoet, a blog about life, the outdoors and the necessary intersection of the two. His poems have appeared in Re Dactions, Blueline, Long Shot, Ganargua Review, Yale Anglers Journal, Frantic Egg and Noochbomb (online).
Raymond Holmes is currently an MFA candidate at University of Missouri-St. Louis. He also works as an associate editor for WomenArts Quarterly Journal. His poetry has previously appeared in Iron Horse Literary Review.
Denis Robillard was born in Northern Ontario and now teaches high school in Windsor, Ontario. For the past 15 years several of his poems have appeared in the small presses and on line magazines across Canada, The USA and England and Scotland. Some of those include: Rattle, Rampike, Word Riot, Nashwaak Review, Algoma Ink, Cliff Soundings (Michigan), Sidereality, Orange Room Review, Dogzplot Magazine, Dusty Owl, Dufus and many more. In 2011 Robillard will be published in Windsor Review and Bolts of Silk. He is also an avid photographer and traveler. You may see his article work on occasion in the pages of Hey Philippines Magazine.
JANUARY 2011 WRITERS
Jonathan Moore is a student at Drake College, studying writing.
Cameron Witbeck is a 22 year old writer from Michigan. He works as an associate poetry editor for Passages North literary magazine and studies in the MFA program at Northern Michigan University under Austin Hummell and Beverly Matherne. His work has appeared, or is forthcoming, in Cream City Review, Panache, Strongverse and others.
William Kyle lives in St. Louis, where he is currently an M.F.A. candidate at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Jim Davis is a graduate of Knox College and now lives, writes and paints in Chicago. His poetry and short fiction have appeared or are forthcoming in Midwest Literary Review, The Ante Review (U. of Virginia), Chiron Review, The Café Review, Red River Review, The Houston Literary Journal, Feathertale Review, and Town Creek Poetry, among others. Jim’s first poetry chapbook is forthcoming from Mite Press. In addition to the arts, Jim travels the world as an international semi-professional football player. True story.
Christina M. Rau is a professor of English at Nassau Community College and the founder of Poets In Nassau, a reading circuit on Long Island, NY. Her poetry most recently appeared in Dark Sky Magazine and River Poets Review , and she is the guest co-editor of the forthcoming 2011 Long Island Sounds Anthology. She loves moonbeams, puppies, and of course, sarcasm.
Kelli Allen is an award winning poet and scholar. She is the managing Editor of Natural Bridge, a journal of contemporary literature. She currently lives and teaches in St. Louis, MO.
Jonathan Moore is a student at Drake College, studying writing.
Cameron Witbeck is a 22 year old writer from Michigan. He works as an associate poetry editor for Passages North literary magazine and studies in the MFA program at Northern Michigan University under Austin Hummell and Beverly Matherne. His work has appeared, or is forthcoming, in Cream City Review, Panache, Strongverse and others.
William Kyle lives in St. Louis, where he is currently an M.F.A. candidate at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Jim Davis is a graduate of Knox College and now lives, writes and paints in Chicago. His poetry and short fiction have appeared or are forthcoming in Midwest Literary Review, The Ante Review (U. of Virginia), Chiron Review, The Café Review, Red River Review, The Houston Literary Journal, Feathertale Review, and Town Creek Poetry, among others. Jim’s first poetry chapbook is forthcoming from Mite Press. In addition to the arts, Jim travels the world as an international semi-professional football player. True story.
Christina M. Rau is a professor of English at Nassau Community College and the founder of Poets In Nassau, a reading circuit on Long Island, NY. Her poetry most recently appeared in Dark Sky Magazine and River Poets Review , and she is the guest co-editor of the forthcoming 2011 Long Island Sounds Anthology. She loves moonbeams, puppies, and of course, sarcasm.
Kelli Allen is an award winning poet and scholar. She is the managing Editor of Natural Bridge, a journal of contemporary literature. She currently lives and teaches in St. Louis, MO.
OCTOBER 2010 WRITERS
Joanne Lowery’s poems have appeared in many literary magazines, including Birmingham Poetry Review, Eclipse, roger, and Poetry East. Her most recent collection is the chapbook Scything published by FutureCycle Press. She lives in Michigan.
Rose Postma is a MFA student at the University of Missouri¬–St. Louis and received her MA in English from Eastern Kentucky University. Her work has appeared in Plainsongs, Steam Ticket and Atlanta Review
Emily Wick is an undergraduate student studying English Literature and Writing. She also currently interns at Coffee House Press in Minneapolis. Though she enjoys city life, nothing compares to an escape up north to Lake Superior, where she comes alive while camping, hiking, and exploring.
Joanne Lowery’s poems have appeared in many literary magazines, including Birmingham Poetry Review, Eclipse, roger, and Poetry East. Her most recent collection is the chapbook Scything published by FutureCycle Press. She lives in Michigan.
Rose Postma is a MFA student at the University of Missouri¬–St. Louis and received her MA in English from Eastern Kentucky University. Her work has appeared in Plainsongs, Steam Ticket and Atlanta Review
Emily Wick is an undergraduate student studying English Literature and Writing. She also currently interns at Coffee House Press in Minneapolis. Though she enjoys city life, nothing compares to an escape up north to Lake Superior, where she comes alive while camping, hiking, and exploring.
SEPTEMBER 2010WRITERS
Robert James Russell was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan and co-founded the indie comic book publisher Saint James Comics in 2009 (www.WhoisSaintJames.com). He has had work featured by Year Zero Writers, The Legendary and Leaves & Flowers, and is currently working on his debut novel, excerpts of which appear on his website (www.robertjamesrussell.com). Robert lives in Detroit with his dog, Chewie.
Jacob Kaiser is currently working away on his first chapbook. His work has been published in fourpaperletters, amphibious, The Battered Suitcase and recently accepted by Grey Sparrow Press to be featured in Spring of 2011. He currently attends Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo and is working towards a master's degree in English. Jacob can be reached at [email protected].
Robert James Russell was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan and co-founded the indie comic book publisher Saint James Comics in 2009 (www.WhoisSaintJames.com). He has had work featured by Year Zero Writers, The Legendary and Leaves & Flowers, and is currently working on his debut novel, excerpts of which appear on his website (www.robertjamesrussell.com). Robert lives in Detroit with his dog, Chewie.
Jacob Kaiser is currently working away on his first chapbook. His work has been published in fourpaperletters, amphibious, The Battered Suitcase and recently accepted by Grey Sparrow Press to be featured in Spring of 2011. He currently attends Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo and is working towards a master's degree in English. Jacob can be reached at [email protected].
JULY 2010 WRITERS
Robert Louis Henry lives and studies in Tennessee. He's editor-in-chief at Leaf Garden Press (dot com.) His latest book is free at http://wesmokeoffthesamecigarette.info.
Benjamin T. Lambright lives in a fortified bunker somewhere under Mount Pleasant, MI. He is a creative writing major at Central Michigan University and his work has appeared in Dexter and P.S. Magazines as well as The North Central Review. If you buy him a drink, he'll tell you why cats smile.
Robert Louis Henry lives and studies in Tennessee. He's editor-in-chief at Leaf Garden Press (dot com.) His latest book is free at http://wesmokeoffthesamecigarette.info.
Benjamin T. Lambright lives in a fortified bunker somewhere under Mount Pleasant, MI. He is a creative writing major at Central Michigan University and his work has appeared in Dexter and P.S. Magazines as well as The North Central Review. If you buy him a drink, he'll tell you why cats smile.
JUNE 2010 WRITERS
C. Brannon Watts is a poet, educator, and father to twins living in Rockford, IL. His work focuses on the edges of things; the interstitial, and plays with stripped-down language centered on extrapolated sensory detail. His work has appeared in Metazen, Smyles and Fish, Stylus, The Eye, and The Stump. He pets rocks.
M.J. Iuppa lives on a small farm near the shores of Lake Ontario. Recent and forthcoming
poems in The Comstock Review, Tar River Poetry, Iconoclast, Bird’s Eye re View, Poetry Midwest, Apple Valley Review, The Puckerbrush Review, The Hurricane Review, miller’s pond and The Centrifugal Eye; in the following anthologies: From the Other World: Poems in Memory of James Wright, edited by Bruce Hendricksen and Robert Johnson, Lost Hills Books (2007); and forthcoming in Eating the Pure Light, Poems honoring Thomas McGrath, edited by John Bradley, Backwaters Press (2009); The Poets Guide to The Birds, edited by Judith Kitchen and Ted Kooser, Anhinga Press (2009); Beyond Forgetting: Poetry and Prose about Alzheimer’s Disease, edited by Holly Hughes, Kent State UP (2009); Eating Her Wedding Dress: A Collection of Clothing Poems, edited by Vasiliki Katsarou, Ruth O'Toole, and Ellen Foos, Ragged Sky Press 2009; a lyrical essay in Gulf Coast, fiction in The Northville Review, and a poetry review in Tar River Poetry. She is Writer-in-Residence and Director of the Arts Minor Program at St. John Fisher College; and is currently serving as a poetry advisor for the New York Foundation for the Arts (2007-2011).
C. Brannon Watts is a poet, educator, and father to twins living in Rockford, IL. His work focuses on the edges of things; the interstitial, and plays with stripped-down language centered on extrapolated sensory detail. His work has appeared in Metazen, Smyles and Fish, Stylus, The Eye, and The Stump. He pets rocks.
M.J. Iuppa lives on a small farm near the shores of Lake Ontario. Recent and forthcoming
poems in The Comstock Review, Tar River Poetry, Iconoclast, Bird’s Eye re View, Poetry Midwest, Apple Valley Review, The Puckerbrush Review, The Hurricane Review, miller’s pond and The Centrifugal Eye; in the following anthologies: From the Other World: Poems in Memory of James Wright, edited by Bruce Hendricksen and Robert Johnson, Lost Hills Books (2007); and forthcoming in Eating the Pure Light, Poems honoring Thomas McGrath, edited by John Bradley, Backwaters Press (2009); The Poets Guide to The Birds, edited by Judith Kitchen and Ted Kooser, Anhinga Press (2009); Beyond Forgetting: Poetry and Prose about Alzheimer’s Disease, edited by Holly Hughes, Kent State UP (2009); Eating Her Wedding Dress: A Collection of Clothing Poems, edited by Vasiliki Katsarou, Ruth O'Toole, and Ellen Foos, Ragged Sky Press 2009; a lyrical essay in Gulf Coast, fiction in The Northville Review, and a poetry review in Tar River Poetry. She is Writer-in-Residence and Director of the Arts Minor Program at St. John Fisher College; and is currently serving as a poetry advisor for the New York Foundation for the Arts (2007-2011).
MAY 2010 WRITERS
Howie Good, a journalism professor at the State University of New York at New Paltz, is the author of 19 print and digital poetry chapbooks and a full-length collection, Lovesick, published in 2009 by Press Americana.
Mitchell Waldman has previously appeared in or will appear shortly in such magazines as Five Fishes Journal, Wilderness House Literary Review, eFiction Magazine, Ink Monkey, Eclectic Flash, The Battered Suitcase and others. He was included in the anthology, Beyond Lament: Poets of the World Bearing Witness to the Holocaust. He is also the author of the novel, A Face in the Moon, and was co-editor (with Diana May-Waldman) of the anthology, Wounds of War: Poets for Peace.
Mike Booker is widely regarded as the greatest amateur masseuse this side of the Potomac.
Once, Charlotte Cunningham-McEachin tried to be an academic, and so she submitted to the Missouri Philological Association’s journal, PMPA - - and got-accepted. But it did not feel like acceptance. So, now she teaches on the border of Mexico at Laredo Community College, questions and combats The Patron System (perhaps to her peril), submits her-writing hesitantly and won Honorable Mention and Third Place at the 5th and 6th Annual Laredo Poetry Festivals in 2008 and 2009. She received an MFA in Writing from Vermont College in 2005, and she grew up reading books under her Oak Tree in the Juniata Township Cemetery in Watrousville, Michigan. She gets to go there this summer.
Michael Lee Johnson is a poet from Itasca, Illinois, published in 23 countries.
Website: http://poetryman.mysite.com. His published poetry books available: through his site, Amazon.Com, Borders Books, and Lulu.com. Now on You-Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih5WJrjqQ18. Author of, The Lost American: from Exile to Freedom, & From Which Place the Morning Rises.
John Swain lives in Louisville, Kentucky. His chapbooks, Prominences and Sinking of the Cloth appeared from Flutter Press and Set Apart Before the World Was Made appeared from Calliope Nerve Media. Full of Crow published his e-book, The Feathered Masks.
Thomas Zimmerman teaches English, directs the Writing Center, and edits two literary magazines at Washtenaw Community College, in Ann Arbor, MI. Poems of his have appeared recently in Blue Fifth Review and Paper Crow. John's latest poetry chapbook is Nights Your Wife Is Gone.
Howie Good, a journalism professor at the State University of New York at New Paltz, is the author of 19 print and digital poetry chapbooks and a full-length collection, Lovesick, published in 2009 by Press Americana.
Mitchell Waldman has previously appeared in or will appear shortly in such magazines as Five Fishes Journal, Wilderness House Literary Review, eFiction Magazine, Ink Monkey, Eclectic Flash, The Battered Suitcase and others. He was included in the anthology, Beyond Lament: Poets of the World Bearing Witness to the Holocaust. He is also the author of the novel, A Face in the Moon, and was co-editor (with Diana May-Waldman) of the anthology, Wounds of War: Poets for Peace.
Mike Booker is widely regarded as the greatest amateur masseuse this side of the Potomac.
Once, Charlotte Cunningham-McEachin tried to be an academic, and so she submitted to the Missouri Philological Association’s journal, PMPA - - and got-accepted. But it did not feel like acceptance. So, now she teaches on the border of Mexico at Laredo Community College, questions and combats The Patron System (perhaps to her peril), submits her-writing hesitantly and won Honorable Mention and Third Place at the 5th and 6th Annual Laredo Poetry Festivals in 2008 and 2009. She received an MFA in Writing from Vermont College in 2005, and she grew up reading books under her Oak Tree in the Juniata Township Cemetery in Watrousville, Michigan. She gets to go there this summer.
Michael Lee Johnson is a poet from Itasca, Illinois, published in 23 countries.
Website: http://poetryman.mysite.com. His published poetry books available: through his site, Amazon.Com, Borders Books, and Lulu.com. Now on You-Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih5WJrjqQ18. Author of, The Lost American: from Exile to Freedom, & From Which Place the Morning Rises.
John Swain lives in Louisville, Kentucky. His chapbooks, Prominences and Sinking of the Cloth appeared from Flutter Press and Set Apart Before the World Was Made appeared from Calliope Nerve Media. Full of Crow published his e-book, The Feathered Masks.
Thomas Zimmerman teaches English, directs the Writing Center, and edits two literary magazines at Washtenaw Community College, in Ann Arbor, MI. Poems of his have appeared recently in Blue Fifth Review and Paper Crow. John's latest poetry chapbook is Nights Your Wife Is Gone.
