Jaleh Afshar: Jaleh Afshar was born in Los Angeles, California and currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she will be graduating from the University of Utah with a BFA in graphic design. She spends most of her time painting and creating kinetic type, while also working at Fighting Dinosaur, a SLC advertising agency. Aside from design work, she also enjoys taking care of her rabbit, named Bunny. (issue 4)
Lester Allen: Postal dude by day, beer-drunk, pen-wielding madman by night. Lester has scattered his poems across the small presses with poems recently appearing in Up the Staircase, Seven Circle Press, and decomP. He has a new chap avaliable titled ‘A Cockroach in The Penthouse.” you can reach him @ lesterjallen@gmail.com or on myspace @http://www.myspace.com/mad_cap. (issue 6)
Jackie Allenberg: Jackie was born in PA and has lived there all of her life. She has one younger sister and graduated from Penn State (NK Campus) with a Bachelors degree in Business Management/Marketing in the spring of 2005. She worked in the banking industry (National City & Dollar Bank) for five years while attending college. Currently, she is working for Snodgrass as an Internal Bank Auditor. Jackie has taken two trips to Chile to visit family, where her mother was born. The first trip was in December-January 2004, and the second January-April 2007. This is Jackie’s first published article on Chile. (issue 1)
Zoe Alexandra: Zoe Alexandra is a twenty-three old writer from New York City. Her writing has appeared in various online and print publications including Best Erotica 2007 (Arnoldo Mondadori Editore- Milan Italy), Best Lesbian Erotica 2007 (Cleis Press), My Time – Lunch Book (Poet Plant Press), Zygote in My Coffee, Deconstruction Quarterly, Silenced Press, Mad Swirl, The Common-Line Project, Indite Circle, Remark, Erotic Writers & Readers Association, Thieves Jargon, Sisters of the Page, Instant Pussy, Word Riot and The Cerebral Catalyst. Future work will appear in Debris, Agua and a print issue of Zygote in My Coffee She is awaiting the realease of her first chapbook with Scintillating Publications entitled, “Cock Shy”. (www.myspace.com/zoe_tang ) (issue 3)
Appelquist: A native and resident of Kansas City, Missouri, Appelquist is continuing her education in American Literature (with an emphasis on modern poetry), Creative Writing, and Spanish. Utilizing a wealth of experience spanning North and Central America, and 26 years, she continues to build upon an already daunting body of work. Stylistically compared to Hart Crane, fan of Camille Paglia, called by one interviewer, “haunting and sardonic…” her work strives to illustrate the explicitly duplicitous nature of being a default citizen of the U.S. in this fast and strange post-modernist age. Her works can be found, also, in an upcoming Kill Poet anthology, Falling Star, Pomegranate, Panda, and her local newspaper, The Kansas City Star. (issue 8 )
Sophie Argyris: Sophia Argyris was born in Belguim, spent much of her childhood in Scotland, and now lives and works in London. Her poetry has been published in many print and online magazines including Inclement, The Scruffy Dog Review, Volume Magazine, Pyramid, Argotist, Silenced Press and Red Pulp Underground. Her work will also appear in two anothologies in 2008, ‘Scream’ (published by EditRed) and ‘Zygote Abstract’ (published by Red Pulp Underground). (issue 5)
Rachel Arnold-Sager: Rachel Arnold Sager, 26, was born in Charleston, WV before moving to Pittsburgh to attend some kind of college. She currently works as a graphic designer downtown, and happily engages in the joys of writing, reading books and watching movies…then writing again about those books and movies. See also: dancing, illustration, dinosaurs. (issue 2)
Cecilia Austin: Cecilia Austin was born in the Philippines and studied to become a scientist in Brussels, Belgium. She now lives in San Francisco, California with her
husband where she also continues to grow as a poet. Her other poems can be read at clearcandy daily (http://welcometoappleciders.blogspot.com) (issue 2)
Sofiul Azam: Born in Sherpur District, Bangladesh, in 1981, Sofiul Azam has earned Honours and Masters in English Literature from Rajshahi University. He has a book of poems titled Impasse, which was published from Pathak Shamabesh, Dhaka way back in 2003. His poems have appeared in literary journals across the world like Poetry Magazine, Lowe Prose & Poetics, Both Sides Now, The Journal, Orbis, The Cannon’s Mouth, Monkey Kettle, Postcolonial Text, Trillium Literary Journal, Red River Review, The Flash Review, Apollo’s Lyre, etc and some of them are anthologized as well. Moreover, he is now working on In Love with a Gorgon, his second collection of poems. His research interests include post-colonial theories with reference to cultural politics and emancipatory aesthetics in the domain of post-colonial literatures across the globe, and he is writing “Not Afraid of Double Rejections: Notes on a Cultural Translation in Post-colonial Literatures”. He lives in Dhaka and teaches English at Victoria University of Bangladesh. (issue 4)
Karl Backman: Karl is a Swedish artist who has tried his hand at various trades, such as grave digging, working in a slaughterhouse, betting shops, drawing comics, and running a punk club in the early 90’s, but his paintings are what stand out the most in the present day. Karl began painting around 6 years ago and hasn’t stopped since. He’s had his work in a gallery, as well as finding a place in the homes of private collectors. His work can be viewed at myspace.com/karlbackman. (issue 5)
Shane Bailey: Shane Ryan Bailey lives and works in Lincoln, Nebraska. His literary influences have primarily been Virginia Woolf, William Faulkner, and Joyce Carol Oates. He is interested in capturing all of humanity (including its darkness and violence) within his writing. His fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in Rosebud, Litbits, Out of the Gutter, and Faraway. (issue 6)
Natalie Banks: Natalie is a student from the UK studying Journalism and hopes to pursue a Journalistic career involving photography. She enjoys traveling and takes this opportunity to engage her hobby of photography. She is particularly interested in coasts and landscapes as she feels these can capture the feeling of a certain place well. Animals are also an interesting choice when taking photographs as the camera can capture certain expressions otherwise not seen in ‘real life’. Natalie would aspire to pursue a career in Travel Journalism that involves her photography hobby in particular. (issue 2)
Miles Bell: Miles J. Bell is 36 and from England. He has had around 70 poems published across the small press, and has released three chapbooks into the wild, the latest of which is available here. His only real plans are to watch Casablanca again at some point, and remain the only man in the West never to have put up a shelf. He is in love with a math teacher, but not her subject. (issue 1)
Jason Bingham: Jason Bingham graduated from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Arts in Revolutionary Studies. He is currently living and working in Los Angeles, California. (issue 8 )
David Blaine: On April 12, 1955 David Blaine was born in a pizza patch in the Bronx, New York. When he was young, Mafia hoods roughed him up and stole his middle name. His parents moved him to rural Michigan when he was 3. Dave still resides there, living and working with his wife, children and cat. He received a Master of Fine Arts degree from his grandfather’s alma mater, Whasamata U. His poems and prose have appeared in many publications including Blue Root, Third Eye, Arsenic Lobster, Contemporary Rhyme, Stimulus Respond, Calliope Nerve, and The Quirk. David says he could live off his writing, as long as someone else would pay his bills.
To contact Dave visit http://davidblaine.blogspot.com. (issue 1)
Melinda Blount: Melinda Blount is a mother and poet living a quiet life in small town, Ohio. She is an avid collector of anything, amassing a wealth of useless objects that clutter up the corners of her apartment. Melinda’s work has recently appeared in PoetryFish, Willow Review, Oak Bend Review and Nothing but Red. When Melinda isn’t writing she’s thinking about finishing her debut novel, which is in perpetual first draft. (issue 7)
John E. Bodnar: John Bodnar is a 23 year old freelance photographer from Pittsburgh, PA. He frequently photographs models, local bands, weddings and more in his free time. He has a degree in Multimedia Technology and also knows web and graphic design. His portfolio, as well as services offered, can be viewed at www.johnebodnar.com (issue 2)
Andy Boerum: Andrew Boerum lives in New Hyde Park NY and is losing his hair. He’s 33. He is also the author of “The Itchy Mind of Not Knowing.” (issue 2)
Gerald Bosacker: Gerald Bosacker studied journalism, but found success as a graphic arts salesman, which evolved through serendipity and pandering to his superiors, into a Vice Presidency of an international corporation, a role neither deserved or greatly appreciated. Early retirement, an unskilled and naive victim of corporate politics, provided opportunity for his first love of weaving words into meaningful poetry. Starting late, Bosacker churns out tons of poetry, and displays them pro-bono, hoping for acclamation or bare acceptance, while he is still mortal. (issue 5)
Mel Bosworth: Mel Bosworth lives and breathes in Massachusetts. He enjoys writing, running, and growing his beard, Eddie. Visit his blog at www.eddiesocko.blogspot.com for more entertainment. He can also be reached at meljb77 at gmail dot com. (issue 6)
Louis E. Bourgeois: Louis E. Bourgeois was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and raised in the Slidell/LaCombe area, as well as East New Orleans on Bayou Sauvage. He has published translations, fiction, memoirs, poetry, and interviews in over two hundred magazine and journals in North America, Europe, and Asia. Bourgeois’ books include, Through the Cemetery Gates, The Distance of Ducks, The Animal, Cora Falling Off the Face of the Earth, White Night, Fragments of a Life Thirty-two Years Gone, OLGA and a forthcoming collection of short prose, The Gar Diaries. In 2006, his poetry was accepted for inclusion in Scrivener’s Best American Poetry 2007. Bourgeois is also co-founder and editor of VOX, an independent experimental literary journal based in Oxford, Mississippi. (issue 3)
Teresa Tumminello Brader: Teresa Tumminello Brader was born in New Orleans and lives in the area still. She received a B.A. in English from Marquette University and is the mother of two grown children. Her stories have appeared or are forthcoming in Rumble, Hobart, The Ranfurly Review, 971 Menu, and elsewhere. (issue 4 & 5)
Judy L. Brekke: Born in and again resides in Minnesota. Spent between 1969 and 1982 in the Bay Area. Co-Editor of JUICE, now an e-zine. Writing since age 10 with some seriousness since 1974. Winner of the Ina Coolbrith Memorial Poetry Award in 1978 and 1979 with the poems sharing a place in the University of California (Berkeley) Archives. Wrote and illustrated a children’s book of poetry in 1981- never submitted - it rests on her bookshelf. Working on a book of poetry with Stephen S. Morse, ‘Places that Linger’, dedicated to their granddaughter. Published in: Studio One, The Walrus, JUICE, Eskimo Pie, Seldom Nocturine, Mystery Island, Poets for America, James River Poetry River, Poetry Super Highway, A Strange Road: A Revolution In Ideas and Artistic Expression, Zygote in My Coffee, Wilderness House Literary Review, and A Bereavement Project. (issue 1, 2 & 5)
Zachary C. Bush: Zachary C. Bush, 23, is a writer of poetry and prose. He lives in south Georgia. His work has appeared in over two dozen small press journals this year. He is also the author of two forthcoming chapbooks of poetry through Scintillating Publications (2007) and Pudding House Publications (2007). He has more recent poetry forthcoming in places like, GHOTI Magazine, The Noneuclidean Cafe, R.KV.R.Y Quarterly, The 2007 Poet Plant Press: LUNCH Anthology, and THE COMMONLINE PROJECT. In December, he and his two fat cats will be moving to New York City where he will continue writing, living, and possibly studying in a MFA program. (issue 1 & 2)
Rick Byerly: Rick Byerly is a fine art photographer who currently resides in Pittsburgh, Pa and who has just started showing his work in galleries. His work can be seen on his website at www.uniquetake.com. He is also currently in the process of compiling Pittsburgh area artists/events in a directory, which can be viewed at www.pghgalleries.com (issue 1 & 3)
Alicia Calton: Alicia is a photographer and student from Kentucky, where she is currently pursuing a bachelor of fine arts degree at Eastern Kentucky University. She has been involved with photography for less than a year, and is currently self-taught; however with her enthusiasm for this form of art, she is determined to become a well known female artist. View more of her work at www.myspace.com/aliciacphotography (issue 6)
C.B. Canga: C.B. Canga was born at a naval base in Jacksonville, Florida in 1976. Early on, he discovered that a piece of paper and some crayons opened up a magical door to distant lands and daring adventures. His childhood imagination and art was fueled by early Japanese Animation, Science-Fiction movies, and classical fairy tales. In 2002 he received his BFA, in Illustration, from the Academy of Arts University in San Francisco. In 2004, he returned to the Academy of Arts Illustration Department as a drawing instructor where he teaches to this day. www.cbcangaart.com (issue 3)
A.T. Chou: A.T. has recently left her long-time home of Los Angeles to explore the world, while also expanding her range as a writer. She is currently located in London, where she divides her time between writing, yoga, cheese, traveling and being a solicitor. (issue 5)
Stephen Clark: Stephen John Clark was born in 1970, in a small coal-mining town in County Durham, in the North East of England. He has participated in the activities of the Leeds Surrealist Group since 1994, a year after it was founded by Kenneth Cox, Bill Howe and Sarah Metcalf. He has written for and edited Manticore, the Leeds Surrealist Group’s broadsheet. While currently writing his first novel he is producing illustrations for publication. He has also provided record cover art for Sharron Kraus, Glissando, Bagio, Jazzfinger and Her Name is Calla. The Bridge of Shadows, a book combining Stephen Clark’s poetry and Bill Howe’s photography, will be published by SURREALIST EDITIONS 13th October 2007. (issue 2)
Coeur: is a 23 year artist who lives in Nantes and Tours, France. He has been studying graphic design for three years and likes to paint on recylable materials. His favorite subjects to paint include animals and the elderly. (issue 8 )
Andrea Combs: Andrea Combs is a native of Eastern Kentucky where she resides with her teenage daughter. She is currently enrolled in Creative Writing classes at Hazard Community & Technical College. She enjoys reading and writing poetry and trying new things. (issue 8 )
Jennifer Maria Cordoba: Jennifer Maria Cordoba is a multi-media artist whose primary disciplines are photography and painting. She is based out of Miami, Florida and travels as often as she can to various destinations across the globe, documenting via visual imagery the places she’s been to along the way. You can see more of her work at www.jennifermaria.com or visit www.myspace.com/jennifermaria. (issue 3)
Lisa Cronkhite: Lisa M. Cronkhite has published work in Combat Magazine, Clark Street Review, Salome Magazine, The Penwood Review, Scrap & Stamp Arts Magazine, The Shepherd, Soul Fountain and Fighting Chance Magazine. She is currently taking a writer’s course for children based in Connecticut, also hoping to earn some college credits along the way. Lisa currently resides here in the U.S. with her husband and two children. She suffers from the Bipolar disorder and writes as a coping skill in the hopes for better understanding. (issue 6)
Eric Davis: Eric Davis is an artist and writer living in Houston. He has previously written for ArtLies, Spot, ArtsHouston, Journal of Contemporary Art and Art on Paper. One of his artist interviews was recently included in Resistance and Persistence: Selected Writings by Sean Scully (London: Merrell, 2006). His poetry has been included in a public poetry project in Livingston, MT. Hole is Davis’ first published work of fiction. (issue 1)
Elliot Dorfman: Elliot Richard Dorfman taught in the New York City School System for more than three decades, as well as giving private vocal and piano lessons. He founded Suma Play Productions, Inc., and was artistic director of the American Youth Repertory Company, Off Broadway. After retiring, he moved with his family from the borough of Brooklyn to Johnstown, New York. Among his successful former students are American tenor, Daniel Rodriguez, and character actress, Kelly Wolf. Mr. Dorfman, a former member of the NY Dramatist Guild and Associated Music teachers League, has appeared and written for radio and television. His plays (dramas and musicals) have been presented on the professional stage, schools and centers. Mr. Dorfman’s recent short stories have or will be published in the following magazines: Delivered (four stories), Twisted Dreams (two stories), Bewildering Stories (four stories), Golden Visions (six stories), Static Movement Magazine (three stories),NVH Magazine (two stories), The Tiny Globule (four stories),Perpetual (two stories), Black Petals , Blood Moon Rising, and Demonic Tome. Poems have appeared in Falling Star, Orange Room Review, Debris, and Golden Vision. (issue 6)
Doug Draime: Doug Draime has been a presence in the ‘underground’ and small press since the late 1960’s, being part of the notorious Los Angeles poetry scene of the latter 20th Century. His most recent books are “Eyetone” and “Next Exit: One”(w/Bill Shute), both from Kendra Steiner Editions, “Spiders And Madmen” (Scintillating Publications, 2006), and forthcoming from Kendra Steiner Editions, “Next Exit: Three” w/Misti Rainwater-Lites, and also “Dancing On The Skids” from Tainted Coffee Press, coming out at the end of the year. His poems, short stories, and plays continue to appear in publications worldwide. He lives in the foothills of Oregon. (issue 2)
Aleathia Drehmer: Aleathia Drehmer was born in the 70’s to set of wanderlust parents. She has an odd sense of humor and likes to be observant. Writing started as a portal to another dimension when she was 10 years old and she is still floating in space. Her work has been published in numerous online and print journals including Laura Hird, The Cerebral Catalyst, Haggard & Halloo, Zygote in My Coffee, Mystery Island, and Silenced Press. She has upcoming work in Agua and Cause & Effect. A collection of her work can be visualized at www.myabdication.blogspot.com. (issue 3 & 5)
Michael Estabrook: Seems I’ve been writing poetry for so long that Methuselah should be taking notice, but in reality, time is simply doing its thing streaking ahead blithely pulling all of us along for the wild ride whether we like it or not; reminds me, I’ve published 15 chapbooks over the years, the last one just came out about my Dad, and before that was “when Patti would fall asleep,” about my wife, guess you could say I’m a family man. (issue 3)
Amanda Fetters: Amanda Fetters: is a female organism who has been on this planet for a quarter-century. She currently resides in Seattle, where she enjoys playing her guitar, lying on the floor, and writing. She is an autodidactic writer/poet/professional artist. (issue 7)
Brent Fisk: Brent has had work appear in Prairie Schooner, Rattle, Fugue, Southeast Review and Cincinnati Review among other places. He has won the Sam Ragan prize from Crucible, Barton College’s lit. mag and also received his fourth Pushcart nomination. In addition, Fisk has received honorable mention in Boulevard’s Emerging Writers contest, and the Willow Award in the last issue of Willow Review. (issue 3)
D.E. Fredd: D. E. Fredd-lives in Townsend, Massachusetts. He has had fiction, poetry and essays published in several journals and reviews. He received the Theodore Hoepfner Award given by the Southern Humanities Review for the best short fiction of 2005 and was a 2006 Ontario Award Finalist. He won the 2006 Black River Chapbook Competition and most recently received a 2007 Pushcart Special Mention Award. A novel, Exiled to Moab, published by Six Gallery Press will debut in 2008. (issue 4)
Daniel Gallik: Daniel Gallik has had poetry & short stories published by Hawaii Review, A.I.M., PARABOLA, NIMROD, LIMESTONE (U. of Kentucky), THE HIRAM POETRY REVIEW, AURA (University of Alabama)& WHISKEY ISLAND (Cleveland State University). His first novel, A Story Of Dumb Fate is available at publishamerica.com. LINN’S POEMS will be published in 2008 by deepcleveland.com. (issue 5)
Michael Gause: Michael K. Gause writes in Minnesota. His first self-published chapbook, The Tequila Chronicles, received honorable mention in The Carbon Based Mistake’s 2004 Art Exchange Program Contest. His second, I Want To Look Like Henry
Bataille, was published in 2006 by Little Poem Press and to his knowledge hasn’t won squat. His website is www.thedayonfire.com. (issue 6)
Skinny Gaviar: Skinny was born in Russia, in a town that is in “the middle of nowhere”. He never attended art schools and never wanted to be an artist. In 2004 he met an artist from Madison, WI named Andy Ewen. His drawings inspired Skinny to give it a try. He’s been doing artwork for about 2 years now without even considering himself an artist. And it has always been (and still is) nothing but self-amusement. People often call him an illustrator, but he doesn’t agree with them. He feels more comfortable illustrating the ideas of his own. www.skinnygaviar.com (issue 1)
Lauren Gherardi: Lauren Gherardi is a photographer residing in Jacksonville, Florida. She became interested in photography in high school where she took photography 1-3 and mainly shot landscapes; she still lives on b/w 35 mm and medium format. In late 2006 she received her first digital SLR and decided to start experimenting with people as her subjects. Lauren is currently employed by two local clothing lines, manages “Retro Glam,” her jewelry line (which is made of basic digital art and her photographs) and is perusing her degree in advertising. Her work can be viewed at myspace.com/lmgphotography. (issue 5)
Matt Gondek: Matt Gondek is a self-taught illustrator that currently resides in Pittsburgh, PA. He enjoys playing in bands, namely Doughnuts in November, getting tattoos, drawing and painting. He also co-hosts a quarterly music/art showcase and eats peas straight out of the can. (issue 1)
Howie Good: Howie Good, a journalism professor at the State University of New York at New Paltz, is the author of five poetry chapbooks, Death of the Frog Prince (2004), Heartland (2007), and Apocalypse Mambo (forthcoming) from FootHills Publishing, Strangers & Angels (2007) from Scintillating Publications, and the e-book, Police & Questions (forthcoming), from Right Hand Pointing. (issue 5)
Maria Gornell: Maria Gornell resides in Liverpool. She has been published at the beat, shootsandvines, opium poetry, heroin love songs, blacklisted mag, Litup magazine, Agua issue 1 Scintillating Publications, Heartbeats journal and liverpool 300 poems anthology. Her spoken word can be found on 3 CDs poetry over music volume 2 and 3, plus the Dutch artist Manic M’s album ‘Wrong side of the fence.’ She is also training in counseling and works in group therapy as a volunteer. (issue 7 & 8 )
Carol Lynn Grellas: Carol Lynn Grellas is a Northern California-based writer. She has been widely published in literary journals including most recently, Chanterelle’s Notebook, Dogzplot and Moondance. She has poems forthcoming in Flutter, The Hiss Quarterly and Up The Staircase and many more. Her chapbook, Litany of Finger Prayers will be released in 2008 from Pudding House Press. Her second chapbook, Object of Desire was recently accepted for publication and will be forthcoming from Finishing Line Press. www.clgrellas.com (issue 5)
Sarah Harian: Sarah is twenty years old and grew up in the town of Oakhurst, nestled south of the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. She is currently obtaining her B.A. in English at California State University, Fresno. She has a strong passion for young adult literature and is currently working on her first novel. Her bad habits include staying up writing until four in the morning, fantasizing too often about becoming published, playing ridiculously addictive video games, and reading even more ridiculously addictive genre fiction. (issue 8 )
Curtis Harrison: Curtis Harrison received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the California State University of Long Beach in Creative Writing and Philosophy. He currently lives and writes in Los Angeles, California. (issue 8 )
Gregory Hill: Gregory Jon Hill is a 24 year old writer and musician from Portland, Oregon. (issue 6)
Justin Hyde: Justin Hyde lives in Iowa where he works with criminals. More of his poetry can be found here: http://www.nyqpoets.net/poet/justinhyde (issue 6 & 7)
Aaron Jackendoff: Aaron Jackendoff is a photographer and student hailing from Pittsburgh, PA. He is currently pursuing an education at Point Park University and takes classes in photography and figure drawing to stay informed of various techniques and styles. He photographs various subjects, but seems to gravitate towards portraits, events and photos capturing the essence and movement of everyday life. He currently has an exhibit of dance photos on display, as well as doing commissioned work for local companies. www.jackendoff.com (issue 5)
Alanna Jackson: Alanna Jackson is a Graphic Designer/Graphic Illustrator and has been for the past seven years. She currently lives and works in Pittsburgh, PA and graduated from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh with a BA in Graphic Design in 2004. (issue 1)
Chuck Jackson: Chuck Jackson is a 19 year old professional photographer and promotional designer who hails from Jacksonville, Florida where he currently resides. He started his artistic career when he was quite young; drawing the super heroes he saw on TV and in his comic books and continued on to develop his own personal style. He became involved in photography during high school, where he was in charge of his high school yearbook and became determined to create the kind of photography he wanted to see in print. Jackson fine tuned his photography and skills with digital editing programs, which allowed him the creativity and freedom he desired. He considers himself to be an Internet Photographer, since almost 99% of his work is viewed online. To see Jackson’s personal vision in more detail, visit his website at www.itschuck.com and his Myspace at www.myspace.com/chuckjacksonphoto. (issue 3)
Jeff Johns: Johns grew up in the Washington D.C. area where he spent much of his time drawing and painting as an artistic outlet. He moved to southern California in 2003, and after working for a wedding photographer was fascinated at the emotion that an image can produce. After the Tsunami hit southeast Asia in 2005 Johns left California and traveled to Thailand where he did recovery work and worked on photography for a few months. Since then he has traveled all over the world doing relief work in the Philippines and recently in Bangladesh while documenting his travels through his camera lens. In May, 2007 Johns began work on his BA from the Brooks Institute School of Visual Journalism. His future plans include traveling to every country in the world while doing volunteer work and taking pictures along the way. He currently resides in Ventura, California with his dog, Bailey. His work can be found at www.jeffjohnsphotography.com and on myspace at www.myspace.com/goldvein. (issue 4)
Michael Johnsen: Mike Johnsen started writing 40 years ago, and began focusing on poetry in 2003. He has published one collection of poems titled, Garage Sale. His poems have appeared in Between the Lines, and Clamor, a literary journal of the University of Washington. In August, he begins his third residency at the Rainier Writing Workshop’s MFA program, at Pacific Lutheran University, in Tacoma, Washington. (issue 8 )
Michael Lee Johnson: Mr. Michael Lee Johnson lives in Chicago, IL after spending 10 years in Edmonton, Alberta Canada during the Viet Nam era. He is a freelance writer and poet. He is heavy influenced by Carl Sandburg, Robert Frost, William Carlos Williams, Irving Layton, and Leonard Cohen. 250 plus poems published. He is a member of Poets & Writers, Inc; Directory of American Poets & Fictions Writers: pw.org/directory. Recent publications: The Orange Room Review, Bolts of Silk, Chantarelle’s Notebook, The Foliate Oak Online Literary Magazine, Poetry Cemetery , Official Site of Laura Hird, The Centrifugal Eye, Adagio Verse Quarterly, Scorched Earth Publishing, Café Del Soul (The Cynic Online Magazine) and many others. Published in USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Nigeria, Fiji, Africa, India, United Kingdom. Mr. Johnson has a paper book pending publication with iUniverse Publishers. (issue 3)
Sara Renae Jones: Sara Renae Jones is a visual artist based in Chicago. She is currently working on a BFA with an Emphasis in Art Education from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago. Sara’s work has been exhibited in cities such as New York, Minneapolis, Detroit and Chicago and is represented in a number of public and private collections. (issue 5)
Brian Kaldorf: Brian Kaldorf is a Pittsburgh based photographer specializing in editorial and conceptual photography. His photographs have been described as everything from quirky and colorful, to hyperreal and emotive. His work has appeared in local, regional, and national publications as well as many private art collections. When asked about the motivation behind his artwork, Brian simply states “I’m not interested in photographing reality, I just want to make my imagination come alive through my photographs.” Viewers can view more colorful examples of his work at www.briankaldorf.com (issue 8 )
Mel Kenne: Mel Kenne has published four books of poetry, the second of which, South Wind, won the 1984 Austin Book Award. A fifth book, Fault Line, will be published by Yapi Kredi Yayinlari, in Istanbul, later in 2009. In addition, he has translated the work of a number of Latin American, Spanish and Turkish poets, as well as two novels by Latife Tekin (co-translated with Saliha Paker): Dear Shameless Death (Marion Boyars 2001) and Swords of Ice (Marion Boyars 2007). He is presently teaching in the Department of American Culture and Literature, at Kadir Has University in Istanbul. (issue 8 )
Karl Koweski: Karl Koweski is a 32 year old displaced Chicagoan living on top of a mountain in Alabama. He co-edits www.zygoteinmycoffee.com with Brian Fugett and writes a monthly column called ‘Observations of a Dumb Polack’. He also writes a monthly column for www.antimuse.org called ‘Phantom of the Okra’. Karl’s poetry has been published throughout the small press and internet. He has six chapbooks out including a short story collection, Playthings, from www.futuretensebooks.com and Demon Country from www.showcase-press.com. His latest collection, Diminishing Returns, is due out from www.sunnyoutside.com within the next couple months. (issue 2)
Brendan McNally Landry: Brendan is a geographical bastard who has lived in each of the North American time zones and has a special affinity for Appalachia and the SW corner of Indiana. Currently, he calls Denver, Colorado home where he is the co-founder of a non-profit organization, a collector of belt buckles, and a self-taught mandolin picker. He is currently at work on his first collection of short stories. (issue 8 )
Gaynor Lewis: Currently residing in Derbyshire, England, Gaynor Lewis is an active artist, poet and writer. Taking full advantage of the freedom of expression that writing, art and poetry present, she is working on three books at present including a magical book based on a character that she has been painting for many years. She is a licensed artist with Artistic Minds Inc and has exhibited nationally and internationally. (issue 2)
Elizabeth Light: Elizabeth Light is a performance poet, ukulele player, student, and artistic collaborator living in New York City. She has been published in a variety of independent literary and arts magazine, and is in the preliminary stages of creating her own based in the city. She can usually be found in Greenwich Village, screaming poems at the top of her lungs to bewildered passersby. (issue 2 & 4)
Richard Lighthouse: Richard Lighthouse is a contemporary writer and poet. He holds an M.S. from Stanford University. His work has been published in The Penwood Review, West Hills Review, Mudfish, and many others worldwide. (issue 4)
Aine MacAodha: Aine MacAodha is a poet and writer from Northern Ireland and her poetry and opinions have been published in magazines and ezines including, Arabesque Review, Red Pulp Writers, Haiku Ireland, Argotist Online and La Luciole Press.
She has published her first collection of poems titled, Where the Three rivers meet’ with lulu and you can view her information at this link. http://www.stores.lulu.com/ainemacaodha (issue 6)
Shannon Marie: Shannon Marie is a full time professional artist and creative writing instructor. Jump off the deep end, take a chance, follow your passions, dance, sing, create, LIVE. A self taught artist whose work reflects her deep emotions, sometimes dark, sometimes full of fun, sometimes pure peace. Her work often showcases the bare essentials of trees, which Shannon Marie believes reflects the human essence. Highly textured, multi colored paintings and three dimensional wire sculpted paintings are her signature pieces. Passionate Pursuits is her line of dance, yoga, and running related whimsical paintings. A lifelong lover of fairy tales she celebrates the stories by creating altered art, magic wands, shrines, and jewelry to illuminate the deep meaning within them. This multi-talented artists enchanting work can be seen at http://secretsaboutsecrets.blogspot.com/ (issue 1)
Ingrid Marrero: Ingrid grew up surrounded by art in the border town of El Paso, TX. From a very young age, she attended her grandfather’s art exhibitions and remembers studying his paintings until she fell asleep. She went on to major in International Relations and minor in Art graduating summa cum laude before dedicating more time to painting at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago where she moved towards abstraction as a response to the desire for a universal language. She still enjoys doing representational work, loves painting with oil, but also loves creating collages and mixed media pieces. She is highly influenced by other artists, particularly her grandfather who has an MFA in fine art, studied with Mariano, a pupil of Diego Rivera, and whose work is often expressionistic, by her travels, music and architecture, particularly the work of Gaudi. (issue 3)
Pedro Matos: Pedro Matos was born in 1989 in Santarem, Portugal, and currently resides in Lisboa. Matos started painting in 2006 on his own, learning as he went and developing his own unique style. He struggles at time to prove his talent despite his young age and has plans to attend art school next year, majoring in Fine Arts: Painting. He has been published in Myartspace, P’Almada Magazine, Juxtapoz web, Vert Magazine and Arthead SF web. He has had exhibits in Lisbon, and has three upcoming shows, one in Germany this year. His work can be viewed at www.myspace.com/droneh. (issue 4)
Sarah Anne Mayer: Sarah Anne is an amateur accountant and meddler in the photographic medium. She prefers low-fidelity images & savors accidents. Recently returned to Pittsburgh & is excited to continue her hobby in such a beautifully quirky city. Her work/contact can be found in the slightly buggy (but perfectly safe) website:
www.sarahannemayerphotography.com. (issue 2)
Jim McHugh: Jim McHugh’s illustrations have been seen in various publications for over 10 years. He specializes in caricatures, but also enjoys painting pets and dinosaurs. Although a seasoned oil painter, Jim has made a transition into digital
painting and likes to work in both mediums. View more of his work at www.mcillustrator.com. (issue 7)
David McLean: David McLean was born in Wales though he’s lived in Sweden since 1987. As of September 2007, he has almost 250 poems in 104 zines online and in print. Examples are Parameter, Zygote in My Coffee, Erbacce, Sein und Werden,
Venereal Kittens, Clockwise Cat, Mad Swirl, Lit Circus, Gold Dust, The Smoking Poet, Haggard and Halloo, Gargoyle, BlazeVOX, Winamop and foam:e. He has a chapbook called “a taste for mourning” out before Xmas at www.erbacce.com which is a perfect prezzy for your local pastor, priest, or psychiatrist. He has a MySpace page www.myspace.com/david_mclean and information at the Hecale portal. (issue 3)
Corey Mesler: Corey Mesler is the owner of Burke’s Book Store, in Memphis, Tennessee, one of the country’s oldest (1875) and best independent bookstores. He has published poetry and fiction in numerous journals including Rattle, Pindeldyboz, Quick Fiction, American Poetry Journal, Thema, Mars Hill Review, Adirondack Review, Poet Lore and others. He has also been a book reviewer for The Memphis Commercial Appeal and Memphis Flyer. Talk, his first novel, appeared in 2002. His 2nd novel, We Are Billion-Year-Old Carbon, came out in January 2006. His latest poetry chapbooks are Short Story and Other Short Stories (2006), The Hole in Sleep (2006),The Agoraphobe’s Pandiculations (2006), and The Chloe Poems (2007). His first full-length collection of poetry, Some Identity Problems, is due out in 2007, as well as a short story collection, Listen: 29 Short Conversations. He also claims to have written “Hang On Sloopy.” Most importantly, he is Toby and Chloe’s dad and Cheryl’s husband. He can be found at www.coreymesler.com. (issue 2)
Mirth Merchant: John Hussein Brown aka Mirth Merchant is a cartoonist and illustrator living in Houston, Texas. His featured work includes pen and ink drawings, with various characters who are largely drawn from his imagination. He enjoys reading comics, cartoons, illustration and of course, drawing them. His favorite artists include Jack Kirby, Alex Toth and Charles Addams, just to name a few. His work can be viewed at www.flickr.com/photos/mirthmerchant/ (issue 3)
Katrijn Michiels: Katrijn Michiels is an up and coming photographer from Belgium, who became familiar with photography when she started her studies in graphic design in 2004. As she started to explore this subject further, she realized that this was something she wanted to do professionally. As for now she is a self-taught photographer and has a masters degree in graphic design (which shows in her photography). Her work can be viewed at http://www.katrijnmichiels.be/. (issue 4)
Mildred: Mildred is a person. mildred likes to paint and stuff. Sometimes mildred doesnt try very hard because trying takes too much effort. mildred enjoys beers, foods, shooting guns, making music, taking pictures, and doing the do. If you like Mildred’s work, you can see more here: unclemildred.blogspot.com. (issue 7)
John Miller: Though born in Ohio (1933), John N. Miller grew up in Hawai’i (1937-1951), retired from college teaching (literature and creative writing) in 1997, and now lives with his wife Ilse in an elegant geriatric ghetto (”retirement community”) in Lexington, VA. (issue 7)
Mojo: Mojo is born and raised in Syracuse, NY. He has studied art in various forms at Onondaga College and SUNY Oswego and enjoys a variety of mediums, such as acrylics, mixed media and anything he may find lying around. His work is influenced by pop culture, mysticism and the world around him. His work can be viewed at myspace.com/mojo_007 and he can be contacted at mojoshaman2003@yahoo.com. (issue 2)
Mathias Nelson: Mathias Nelson has been published both online and print in numerous magazines, some of which include Zygote In My Coffee, Juice Press, Outsider Writers, and Cherry Bleeds. He will be included in the “My Time” - Words & Images Created During, or Inspired By, the Lunch Break, print book anthology, due out September 03, 2007 through Poet Plant Press. He is the coolest motherfucker living, at least in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and can be reached at http://www.myspace.com/MathiasNelson or mathias_man@excite.com (issue 2)
Carl Palmer: Carl Palmer, 2008 nominee for the Pushcart Prize, is the author of Telling Stories, Memory Moments and Family Matters, books of flash fiction and poetry he has performed at open mikes in the Puget Sound region of the Pacific Northwest. (issue 5)
Dennis Paskorz: Dennis Paskorz is a 22 year-old artist who hails from the Greater Pittsburgh area in PA. He is a Math major at Penn State Behrend, always fighting the Erie winters. If anyone finds themselves in Erie, he suggest Railbenders, his sanity brew. He also has a girl, which he says makes it all worthwhile. To see more of his work, visit: http://www.rosellastudios.net/paskorz (issue 2)
Lyn Perry: Lyn Perry is the founding editor of Residential Aliens, a zine of speculative fiction with a spiritual thread. Lyn enjoys reading, writing, and arithmetic. Well, two out of three anyway. He is the husband of one and the father of two, and goes through a pack a day - of gum. http://residentialaliens.blogspot.com/ (issue 3)
Helen R. Peterson: Helen R. Peterson is the managing editor of Chopper Poetry Journal out of New London, CT and is co-editing a special issue of Fell Swoop, featuring the poets of New London. Peterson has been published in Pedestal Magazine, Images Inscript, Right Hand Pointing, Elimae, Fell Swoop and Poetrybay. In addition, Peterson is going to be included in Poet Plant Press’s anthology: My Time - Words and Art Created During, or Inspired by, the Lunch Break. (issue 4)
Rob Plath: Rob Plath is a 37 year-old poet from New York. He’s published well over a 150 poems in 65+ magazines and journals. He has one book called “Ashtrays and Bulls” (Liquid Paper Press) and four forthcoming: “Tapping Ashes in the Dark” (Lummox Press), “Sour Milk for the Soulless” (Cat Scan Press),” My Soul is a Broken Down Valise” (Pooka Press), and “Hooked to an IV Bag Filled with Bile”-(Scintillating Publications). He is currently the poetry editor of JDS Finch’s print magazine “The Whirliigig,” and also editor of Henry Chalise’s webzine “Neo Lampshadian Outpost.” Back in ‘95 -’97 he was tutored by Allen Ginsberg at Brooklyn College and later in 2002, he performed on a Jack Kerouac tribute CD called “Northport Celebrates Jack” with world-famous musician David Amram. (issue 2)
Cyril Polito: (issue 5)
R.I. Pope: ? (issue 2)
Maxime Portugais: Maxime Portugais was born in Montreal in 1981 and is currently finishing an MA in administration. His passion for painting began a few years ago and he still considers himself as in a learning process. Maxime doesn’t have a formal training as a painter. He learns by himself with help from painters from the internet community. (issue 5)
Dan Provost: Dan Provost’s poetry has appeared in numerous poetry magazines and E-Zines. His fourth chapbook, “The 21’st Century Wretch” was recently published by Scintillating Publication. Provost lives in Worcester, Massachusetts. (issue 1 & 7)
Misti Rainwater-Lites: Misti Rainwater-Lites writes a lot of poetry and the occasional novel. Misti’s poems have appeared online and in print in Zygote in my Coffee, The Cerebral Catalyst, Thieves Jargon, Words Dance, Poesy and several other zines. Her collections of poetry and novels are available at http://www.lulu.com/ebulliencepress. (issue 2)
Nate Reed: Nate Reed is a graduate of Clarion University, with a B.A. in English. (issue 4)
Bonni Reid: Bonni Reid lives in the West End of Vancouver, British Columbia. When not brewing her own visual concoctions, she freelances as a color designer for animation productions including six seasons of Cartoon Network’s “Ed, Edd ‘n Eddy”. Her work can be found at http://bonnireid.com (issue 2)
Rachelle Renken: Rachelle Renken resides in Northeastern Pennsylvania. To date her poetry has been published in various Ezines including, Zygote in My Coffee, Literary Tonic and Words-Myth.
(issue 2)
Charles Ries: Charles P. Ries lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His narrative poems, short stories, interviews and poetry reviews have appeared in over two hundred print and electronic publications. He has received four Pushcart Prize nominations for his writing. He is the author of THE FATHERS WE FIND, a novel based on memory and five books of poetry — the most recent entitled, The Last Time which was released by The Moon Press & Publishing. He is the poetry editor for Word Riot (www.wordriot.org), Pass Port Journal www.passportjournal.org) and ESC! (www.escmagazine.com). He is on the board of the Woodland Pattern Bookstore (www.woodlandpattern.org). He is a member of the Wisconsin Poet Laureate Commission and a founding member of the Lake Shore Surf Club, the oldest fresh water surfing club on the Great Lakes (http://www.visitsheboygan.com/dairyland/). You may find additional samples of his work by going to: http://www.literati.net/Ries/. (issue 4)
Jason Ryberg: Jason Ryberg is the author of seven books of poetry, six screenplays, a few short stories, a box of paper that could one day be loosely construed as a novel and a couple of angry letters to various editors. He lives in Kansas City, Missouri, where he owns and attempts to operate a modest used record store called Little Red Rooster Vinyl and Cds. Feel free to drop him a line at www.myspace.com/whoisjryberg. (issue 7 & 8 )
Enrique Servin: Enrique is a contemporary Mexican artist whose style can’t be defined by an art movement and instead is constantly evolving and changing. He started painting at age 12 and has since studied architecture and then at the film school of Guadalajara, Mexico. His work can be viewed in galleries in London and France. To view more of his work go to www.myspace.com/zervinfoto (issue 6)
Afegbua Shabban: Shabban is the the 10th son of a family of 18 children. He was born on the 19th of April 1973 in a place called Agotelor in Ibadan, the old Oyo State. He is a native of Okpella, the largest village in Etsako in Edo State, Nigeria and was born into a Royal family called the Afegbua Family. (issue 5)
J.D. Smith: J.D. Smith received a 2007 Fellowship in Poetry from the National Endowment for the Arts. His second collection, Settling for Beauty, was published in 2005, and his children’s book The Best Mariachi in the World is forthcoming in 2008 from Raven Tree Press. Further information is available at his web site, www.jdsmithwriter.com. (issue 1)
Gillian Stewart: Gillian Stewart was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, and now lives in Bristol, England. Gillian began her creative journey from an early age and finally got into her first dark room at the age of 16, and has never looked back! Recently she has been influenced by Urban Decay of city life. Gillian is influenced and intrigued by corroding metals, patterns, colours, contrasts and textures that are all around us. She also admires street art and graffiti which she also features in her images. Her work can be viewed and purchased at www.dreamincontrast.co.uk. (issue 2)
Bruce Stirling: Bruce Stirling’s poetry and prose appear in a number of online journals including Eclectica, Underground Voices, Mytholog, Thieves Jargon and Out of the Gutter Magazine. His crime story “Woman-Want” was Co-Winner of the 2007 Fish-Knife Award for Best Very Short Crime Story. His work can be viewed at http://gnomonclature.blogspot.com/. (issue 4)
Abby Stotz: Abby Stotz is a substitute teacher from southeastern Michigan. She attends grad school for Media Studies at Wayne State University. She’s currently obsessed with “The Office,” French movies, and playing old-school Super Mario with her boyfriend. (issue 4)
Ringa Sunn: Ringa Sunn graduated from Carlow University in 2005 with a degree in Creative Writing. Her poetry has appeared in The Critical Point and The Pittsburgh City Paper, and she has had a monologue chosen for performance by Carlow University Theatre. Besides writing, Ringa’s other passion is the theatre. She has done everything from directing to acting and all things in between, but her favorite theatre job is stage managing. Recently, she started her own craft designing business called Isn’t That Something? Her crafting blog can be viewed at: http://somethingcrafts.deadjournal.com She currently works as a barista while finishing her first poetry manuscript. (issue 1)
Matt Sutin: Matt Sutin teaches English, coaches wrestling, and dances salsa just outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has been published in Iconoclast, Spokenwar.com, Grogger.com, Cerebral Catalyst, and Strangeroad.com. In moments when he has been less nervous, he has been a featured reader at Heebs in the House, and the Mid Atlantic Spoken Word Festival. His poetry is also featured in Lines of Sight, a permanent art instillation at Brown University. (issue 3)
Andrea Szegedy: Andrea Szegedy is a young photographer from the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. She shoots digital and film, both Nikon and Canon. She draws all of her inspiration from her talented, loving, and supportive family and friends.
Her main influence is music and her area of focus is live band photography. However, she touches base with portraits and still life as well. Andrea has only been involved with photography for four years now, taking the past couple years more seriously. And while she feels she has improved over the years, without much educational training, she knows she still has much more to learn. Andrea is half of Shoot Me In The Smile Photography and can be reached through email or via Shoot Me’s myspace at www.myspace.com/shootmeinthesmilephoto. (issue 7)
Andrew Taylor: Andrew Taylor was born and resides in Liverpool UK. 3 collections published to-date and numerous poems published around the world. He co-edits the poetry journal erbacce. He likes the connectivity of myspace. Currently finishing a PhD in poetry and poetics. (issue 3)
Jeremy Thieroff: Jeremy Thieroff, 30, is born and raised in Pittsburgh, who reviews local musicians, as well as being one himself. He has played in the bands The Thieves and West Hollywood Cheerleaders. His five favorite artists of all-time are Queens of the Stone Age, Nirvana, The Melvins, The Stooges, and The Beatles. (issue 2)
John A. Thompson, Sr.: John Thompson is a professional photographer and poet residing in Pittsburgh, PA. Being an avid haiku artist, John spends most of his life observing nature. His photography is inspired by the elements of his surroundings. Go here to view and purchase more of his work. (issue 1)
Cheryl Townsend: Cheryl A Townsend is a poet, photographer and past editor of Impetus Magazine. She’s now the Poetry & Visual Arts Editor for epitome magazine and writes book & art reviews for Oranges & Sardines, WomenWriters.net and Mad Hatters. She played Jesus in the indie film Jesus & Her Gospel of Yes with poets Mike Basinski as God and John M. Bennett as Satan. Her poetry has been read & translated internationally in various mags, zines, e-zines & anthologies. Her Photography has been accepted into numerous publications and allowed on several book covers. She lives in Stow, OH with a very patient husband. (issue 6)
Joseph Veronneau: Joseph Veronneau has had poems appear in the following publications: Cerebral Catalyst, Ken*Again, Locust, Because We Write, Chantarelle’s Notebook and many others. He also runs Scintillating Publications, a chapbook publishing press: www.freewebs.com/scintillatingpublications (issue 2 & 3)
Pablo Vision: Pablo Vision occasionally updates http://pablovision.blogspot.com with obscenity, blasphemy, links to recently published work, and information about stuff in print, audio, art, and films. He has remained faithful to the same woman for a number of years, but he is always eager to test his resolve in this matter with attractive gothic girls. (issue 5)
Danielle Vitalo: Danielle Vitalo is currently a freshman in college in New York. (issue 8 )
John Weil: John Christopher Weil has published poetry and fiction this year in the Pegasus Review, Mobius, Wild Violet, First Class and The Oak, among others. He has won journalism awards in the fields of education, public safety and general reporting while writing for national and regional magazines and newspapers. (issue 7)
Janet Yung: Janet Yung lives and writes in St. Louis. Short fiction has appeared in “Writers On The River” and on-line “Foliate Oak”, “Terrain“ and “Flashquake” among others. (issue 7)
Jeff Zoet: If you were looking for his work on a map, you’d want to look to the left of ordinary. Jeff Zoet, who lives in Pittsburgh PA, brings a refreshingly unique style and personality to the world of portrait photography. He works full time as a Motion Graphics Artist and Editor at a Post Production company. But having one successful career in the arts wasn’t enough for Jeff. So he takes that artistic knowledge and applies it to his photography, creating visually interesting photographs that only someone with his creative background could imagine. For more information, visit www.jeffzoet.com (issue 1)
