Contributors

About Our Lovely Authors
(In Alphabetical Order)

Henry Alley is a Professor Emeritus of Literature in the Honors College at the University of Oregon.  He has four novels, Through Glass (Iris Press, 1979), The Lattice (Ariadne Press, 1986),  Umbrella of Glass (Breitenbush Books, 1988), and Precincts of Light (Inkwater Press, 2010).  His Leonardo and I was winner of the Gertrude Press 2006 Fiction Chapbook Award.  His stories have been published over the past forty years in such journals as Seattle Review, Outerbridge, Virginia Quarterly Review, Clackamas Literary Review, Gertrude, and Harrington Gay Men’s Quarterly Fiction. Christopher Bram, author of Gods and Monsters, writes, “Henry Alley is an excellent writer. His fiction is artfully artless, clear, concise, and real. Best of all, he regularly tells stories that nobody else is telling.”  Alley’s most recent novel, Precincts of Light, explores the Measure Nine crisis in Oregon, when gay and lesbian people were threatened with being made silent. Henry's work in Bay Laurel: Ashland 

 Emily May Anderson lives in Columbus, Ohio, where she works as an adjunct professor and a freelance proofreader. She holds an MFA from Penn State University and has published poems and book reviews in a range of publications including Mid-American Review, Green Mountains Review, Diverse Voices Quarterly, Sweet, and others. She loves reading her poetry aloud to anyone who will listen. Emily's work in Bay Laurel: Presence, We'll Always Have California 

Beth Ann is a poet who still likes to eat, so she is often found dodging traffic and tourists while commuting to a part-time job. You can follow her on Twitter, @themirthfulpen, where she tweets about games, writing, and random silliness. Beth's work in Bay Laurel: Storyteller Speak

Jessica Barksdale is the author of twelve traditionally published novels, including “Her Daughter’s Eyes” and “When You Believe.” Her novel “Becca’s Best” is forthcoming from Ghostwoods Books.  Her short stories, poems, and essays have appeared in or are forthcoming in Salt Hill Journal, The Coachella Review, Carve Magazine,  Mason’s Road, and So to Speak. She is a professor of English at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, California and teaches online novel writing for UCLA Extension. You can read more at www.jessicabarksdaleinclan.com. Jessica's work in Bay Laurel: Turnip

L. Shapley Bassen shared the following biographical tidbits with us: "2011 Finalist for Flannery O’Connor Short Fiction Award, is Fiction Editor for http://www. prickof thespindle.com/. (Poetry & Fiction) reviewer for Horse Less Press, Small Beer Press, http://the rumpus.net/, Drexel U’s http://www. leafscape.org/press1/, http://brooklyner.org/, http://www. bigwonderful press.com/, Melusine, New Pages, Galatea Resurrects. The Literary Life blogger http://www. sobriquet magazine.com/. Over two decades has been published/prize-winning (poetry/fiction) in many lit magazines and zines (Kenyon Review, American Scholar, Minnetonka, Persimmontree, etc.). Reader for http://www. electricliterature.com/; 2009 winner of the Atlantic Pacific Press Drama Prize. (Audio excerpt at http://boundoff.com/ , June ’11) Prizewinning, produced, published playwright (Samuel French https://www.samuelfrench.com/customer/profile , ATA in NYC, OH, NC), and commissioned co-author of a WWII memoir by the Scottish bride of Baron Kawasaki. (Audio 2 poems: http://2river.org/2R View/15_3/poems/bassen.html)". L. Shapley Bassen's work in Bay Laurel: Salix Babylonica, Art in Search of America 

Dennis Milam Bensie grew up in Robinson, Illinois where his interest in the arts began in high school participating in various community theatre productions. He holds a degree in Theatre Costume Design from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and completed an apprenticeship in theatrical wig construction at Los Angeles Opera. His costume and wig design for Valley of the Dolls at Empty Space Theatre in Seattle garnered him a feature article in Entertainment Design Magazine and a Seattle Times Footlight Award for Best Design. 1n 2012, his video WE DO THE (WIG) WORK took first place at the Washington State Labor Council Film Contest and was shown at the Seattle International Film Festival. Bensie’s first book, Shorn: Toys to Men, was published by Coffeetown Press and was a pick by the International gay magazine The Advocate as “One of the Best Overlooked Books of 2011″. His second book, One Gay American, was released in September 2012 to rave reviews. Dennis lives in Seattle with his three dogs. Dennis's work in Bay Laurel: Grade Books, My Cousin Deborah 

Anna Betts was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. She was and still is, quiet, shy and introverted. She discovered her talent for writing early, beginning with a diary and a few short stories, poetry came a bit later. She completed the standard requirements of childhood, which included education. It was in high school where the dream to become a playwright was born. She first majored in theatre then changed to journalism, graduating from Webster University. She then followed the usual path of adulthood, marriage and children. Until recently she worked in the customer service field and is currently writing full time. She has two completed poetry collections, an untitled collection of short stories, and one day hopes to finish her science fiction novel. As with most writers she dreams to be published, more importantly to be heard. Anna's work in Bay Laurel: This November Night, A Song for Autumn 

Volodymyr Bilyk is a writer, translator and visual artist. His book of visual poems was recently published in the series This is Visual Poetry, book of asemic short stories CIMESA was published in White Sky Books, book of visual poems SCOBES published by No Press and book of poetry Casios Pay-off Peyote published by The Red Ceilings Press. His works appeared in The New Post-Literate, A-Minor magazine, REM magazine, Cormac McCarthy's Dead Typewriter, The Otolith, Altered Scale, Ex-Ex-Lit, Truck, Maintenant, Apparent Magnitude, The Gin Mill Cowboy and many others. He is co-editor of Extreme Writing Community and was guest editor of Halvard Johnson's TRUCK in July. Among the authors he had translated are Ezra Pound, Gertrude Stein, James Joyce, Kurt Schwitters, Anne Waldman, Charles Reznikoff, Billy Childish, Leonard Cohen and others. Volodymyr's work in Bay Laurel: Woo, Lobe to Lap


Kris Bluth lives in Eugene, Oregon and spends his evenings falling asleep to a DVD of Mystery Science Theater 3000.  His poems have most recently appeared in Every Day Poets, Denali, Groundwaters, and Doves & Serpents. Kris's work in Bay Laurel: Neighborhood Association 

Claire Boyce is a poet, a painter, and a musician.  She currently resides in Denver, Colorado where she is inspired by the nuances of everyday life, and nature.  She has been published in the online journals The Avocet and Rebelle Society.com.  She has received recognition for her visual art, most recently being selected to be in the Anti-Defamation League’s Show, “Imagine a World Without Hate”, in which she entered three oil paintings with corresponding poems. Claire's work in Bay Laurel: Box of Leaves

Candyce Byrne was raised by gypsies—no, not really. In a peripatetic military family. That experience convinced her that old beliefs never die but rather bob just below the surface of what we naïvely call reality. Her two beautiful sons grew up on Childe ballads and local theatre. She lives in a mythical Texas town with her husband of nearly 40 years, a pediatrician, and an aging dire wolf called Al—well, really half border collie/half Labrador retriever, but she's big and black and hairy and the mail lady is terrified of her. Candyce's work in Bay Laurel: Afternoon Café, Eleusis, Suppose We Are Leviathan 

Darlene P. Campos is an undergraduate at the University of Houston's Creative Writing Program. Her work has been selected for publication by A Celebration of Young Poets, The Four Cornered Universe, The Collegiate Scholar, The Aletheia, Linguistic Erosion, Prism Review, Houston & Nomadic Voices, The Writing Disorder, Red Fez, and Cleaver. She has been invited to hold readings of her short fiction by Avant Garden and Bacchus, both located in Houston's midtown district. She currently works as a writer for The Daily Cougar newspaper and Kesta Happening DC magazine and is a fiction judge for Yeah Write Review. Darlene's work in Bay Laurel: Growing Up Non-Puerto Rican 

Wanda Morrow Clevenger lives in Hettick, IL––population 200, give or take.
She used to keep birds but they kept committing suicide, so now she randomly
kills orchids. For access to more of her works in progress, visit: http://wlc-wlcblog.blogspot.com. Wanda's work in Bay Laurel: Icons of a Sort, twenty two under the seat, Alter Ego 


Amanda Crum is a thirty-something writer, artist, wife and mother living in Kentucky. When she's not releasing her creativity in one form or another, she's watching horror films with her husband. Amanda's work in Bay Laurel: The Cloud Seeds

Kristina England resides in Worcester, MA.  Her poetry is published or forthcoming in Gargoyle, Haggard and Halloo, Nib Magazine, Poetry Breakfast, Crack the Spine, Extract(s), The Story Shack and other journals.  Her first collection of short stories will be published in the 2014 Poet's Haven Author Series.  For more on her writing, visit http://kristinaengland.blogspot.com/. Kristina's work in Bay Laurel: At the point when you tire of this relationship (and you will), Turning Point, Silver Bird 

K. Foolish is a nineteen year old, two-time-published poet from Connecticut. K. Foolish's work in Bay Laurel: Franklin and the Hummingbirds 

Gary Glauber is a poet, fiction writer, and teacher.  His works have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net. He recently took part in Found Poetry Review’s Pulitzer Remix project. Recent poems are published or forthcoming in; Stone Voices; Emerge Literary Journal; Falling Star Magazine; Flutter Poetry Journal, Four and Twenty, Found Poetry Review, The Bicycle Review; Red Ochre Lit; The Kitchen Poet; Untitled, With Passengers; Chupa Chabra House; Eunoia Review; and Black Cat Lit. Gary's work in Bay Laurel: For Now

Howie Good, a journalism professor at SUNY New Paltz, is the author of the forthcoming poetry collection The Middle of Nowhere (Olivia Eden Publishing). Howie's work in Bay Laurel: love is death turned inside out 

Evan Guilford-Blake’s prose and poetry have appeared in numerous print and online journals, as well as in several anthologies, and won 12 contests. He has twice been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. He has work in forthcoming issues of South Florida Arts Journal and The Helix. Noir(ish), his first novel, was recently published by Penguin’s Dutton/Guilt Edged Mysteries imprint. Also a playwright, more than 40 of his plays have been produced; collectively, they have won 39 playwriting competitions. Eighteen are published. He and his wife (and inspiration), Roxanna, a healthcare writer and jewelry designer, live in the Atlanta area. More information is at www.guilford-blake.com/evan. Evan's work in Bay Laurel: 19 Manhattan Photographs from 1977 

Tom Harding lives in Northampton UK where, when not working, he writes poetry and draws. Tom has been published in various places including Parameter Magazine, Identity Theory, Unlikely Stories and Nthposition. He also maintains a website of his own work at tomarianne.net.  Tom's work in Bay Laurel: Van Gogh In Auvers-sur-Oise

Leigh Anne Hornfeldt is a Kentucky native whose work has appeared in journals such as Foundling Review, Lunch Ticket, Spry, and New Southerner. In 2013 her poem “Laika” placed 2nd in the Argos Prize competition (judged by Dorianne Laux), and in 2012 she was the recipient of the Kudzu Prize in Poetry. She is the author of the chapbook East Main Aviary and the editor of Two of Cups Press, where she is currently co-editing Small Batch, an anthology of bourbon related poetry. Leigh Anne's work in Bay Laurel: 3 a.m. Conversation with the Lady in the Carousel Music Box 

Vicki Hudson (www.vickihudson.com) lives in Northern California with her spouse and their two daughters. She holds a Master of Fine Arts from Saint Mary’s College of California in creative writing with focus on non-fiction writing. In 2007, she was a Fellow at the inaugural Lambda Literary Emerging Writers Retreat. Follow her life and literary musings on Twitter @vickigeist or publication news @vicki_hudson. She blogs about home, parenting, urban farming, food, and more at http://www.throwrockpaperscissors.com/. She is a poet, photographer and freelance writer. She occasionally journeys into short story and longer fiction, while pursuing the vocation to create capturing narrative nonfiction. She writes flash for the fun and challenge it provides. Distractions from writing generally involve playing in the dirt, creating culinary concoctions with what came out of the dirt, feral cat control and constant catching up with literary, news, science, geographic, and other such periodicals that arrive in the mail. When not writing, toddler wrangling or reading, look for her in Azeroth. Vicki's work in Bay Laurel: Captain Harper Says Goodbye, Stone Upon My Heart 

Bonnilee Kaufman is a Learning Disabilities Specialist for the California Community Colleges. She received a partial scholarship to the Lambda Literary Foundation's 2012 Writers Retreat for Emerging Voices.  Her poetry was included in two anthologies: Ghosts of the Holocaust, and Milk and Honey—A Celebration of Jewish Lesbian Poetry. Bonnilee's work in Bay Laurel: Self Portrait in Places 

Daniel Klawitter, among other things, has been an actor, a singer/lyricist for the indie folk-rock band Mining for Rain, and a union organizer for mental health care workers.  His poems have been published in numerous respectable literary journals and magazines both in the United States and in England, including: The Atonal Poetry Review, Focus, The Journal of South Texas English Studies, QuietMountain: New Feminist Essays, and Shot Glass Journal.   A member of the Colorado Poets Center, he has also published two poetry chapbooks, Runaway Muse and An Epistemology Of Flesh, available on Amazon.com (link). Daniel's work in Bay Laurel: Rejection Letter, Thinking Of My Pirate, Starving Artists, A Blurb About The Burb$, Sprechen Sie Deutsch?, The Mooch

Angela R. Lindfors is a stay-at-home writer and mother. In 2007 she studied abroad in Japan and in 2008 she graduated from St. Edward's University. She currently lives in San Antonio, Texas. Angela's work in Bay Laurel: Children Who Kill Their Pets Do Not Always Become Serial Killers (But Sometimes They Do), Tokidoki 

Stephen Logsdon graduated from UT Dallas with a master's degree in neuroscience. This was nearly two years ago now, though he can hardly believe it. After graduating, he spent the obligatory year of his life trying to find himself (and/or a job), although this journey of self-discovery involved only briefly traveling the globe, and only occasionally writing powerful tales that plumb the depths of the human condition. The following year proved far more productive. He spent it working in a rehab center for people suffering from post-acute brain injuries, occasionally trying to write a novel, and occasionally trying to get his depth-plumbing short stories published. Stephen's work in Bay Laurel: Life Afterlife 

Fred Longworth is a writer based in San Diego, California. Fred's work in Bay Laurel: Uh-oh 

Mamta Madhavan’s poetry has been published in anthologies, literary journals and zines all over. She is the author of many children’s poems and short stories. She is a curator on staff at gotpoetry.com. Mamta's work in Bay Laurel: I caught a sunbeam for Cara 

Michael Gillan Maxwell is a writer and visual artist who lives in the Finger Lakes Region of New York state. His work has been featured in a number of journals and anthologies and he serves as associate flash fiction editor for JMWW Quarterly.  A teller of tales & singer of songs, he’s prone to random outbursts, may spontaneously combust or break into song at any moment and can be occasionally found ranting and raving on his website, Your Own Backyard http://michaelgillanmaxwell.com . Michael's work in Bay Laurel: Passing the Last Buoy 

Richard May is the writer of the new book GINGER SNAPS: Photos & Stories about Queer redheaded people.  His short stories have appeared in several anthologies, including most recently ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK, a collection of gay ghost stories.  He lives in San Francisco and is from New York by way of Sacramento. Richard's work in Bay LaurelHe She They 

Jon McDonald lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  He currently has three published novels - a satire, Divas Never Flinch; a humorous vampire thriller, Bloodlines – the Quest and The Seed – An Ironic Political Thriller.  His fourth book Gotta Dance With the One Who Brung Ya – Sex, Scandals and Sweethearts will be published in early 2013.  He won first prize and was published in the New Mexican holiday short story contest, 2009.  He has also been published in Jonathan, Raphael’s Village, ImageOutWrite, and now Bay Laurel.  His website is: www.jonmcdonaldauthor.com. Jon's work in Bay Laurel: Tru North, Dangling Participles, Fly Boys 

Erin McGrath is a poet living in Pasadena, California. Erin's work in Bay Laurel: The House


Michael Mira is a writer and photojournalist who spends time between New York and Texas. He has been writing poetry and non-fiction since 2004 and has practiced photography just as long. He was a former op-ed contributor and reporter-at-large for World Correspondents. His poetry, essays and flash fiction have appeared in various publications, such as: Identity Theory, The Nervous Breakdown, Carcinogenic Poetry, MUSED: BellaOnline Literary Review, Straitjackets Magazine, The Denver Syntax and CommuterLit, among others. Michael's work in Bay Laurel: Side Airbags 

Ben Nardolilli currently lives in Arlington, Virginia. His work has appeared in Perigee Magazine, Red Fez, Danse Macabre, The 22 Magazine, Quail Bell Magazine, Elimae, fwriction, THEMA, Pear Noir, The Minetta Review, and Yes Poetry. He has a chapbook, Common Symptoms of an Enduring Chill Explained, from Folded Word Press. He blogs at mirrorsponge.blogspot.com and is looking to publish his first novel. Ben's work in Bay Laurel: Opus: Hungover and Lament, Sounding Out, Who Hated All Recipes?, Pupil Gifts, You're My Hero 

Hisham M Nazer is a trilingual poet, who writes in English, Bangla and Hindi as well. He is currently working on an M.A. dissertation on T. S. Eliot and Dante, supervised by the department of English, University of Rajshahi. Hisham is a prolific writer, published in several national magazines and international anthologies. Apart from writing fiction and poetry, he is an essayist too, a spiritual speaker and a teacher of philosophy. Himself an occasional painter and sketcher, he loves painting and photography. Wherever art is, he likes to be there. He worked as a sub-editor for two literary magazines- Shasshwatiki (Bengali) and The Browsing Corner (Multi-lingual e-zine). For years now he has been studying and teaching Western and Eastern philosophies. Hisham's work in Bay Laurel: In the Pink Purry Pub 

Yasmin Ramirez is a native El Pasoan. She received her MFA from the University of Texas at El Paso. Yasmin stays active in the literary community and writes And Then, a weekly blog. Her short stories have appeared in The North Texas Review, BorderSenses, cc&d Magazine, Rio Grande Review, and Cream City Review among others. Just recently received an Honorable Mention for "Tastes Like God" in the 2013 Texas Observer Short Story Contest. Yasmin's work in Bay Laurel: Seven

Lucas Scheelk is a poet based in the Twin Cities. He's currently going for an undergraduate degree for English and GLBT Studies at the University of Minnesota. Earlier this year (2012), he was one of the many actors who performed in 20% Theatre Company's "Naked I: Wide Open". Lucas's work in Bay Laurel: Listening to Imogen Heap While Standing Next to a Star Tribune Newsstand 

Nicole Seligman is a fashion blogger, poet, and aspiring six-year-old. She's inspired by places she's lived, waning optimism, and her fluffy roommate Contessa. Nicole is happiest when she is playing dress up and exchanging photos of baby animals with her boyfriend. Nicole's work in Bay Laurel: edna, TX, The Pink House on Wilmes Dr 

John Oliver Simon is one of the legendary poets of the Berkeley Sixties who has remained true to his calling. Published from Abraxas to Zyzzyva, his last book was Caminante (2002) which Gary Snyder blurbed as "a major poem." He is also a distinguished translator of contemporary poetry from Latin America, who received an NEA Fellowship for his work with the great Chilean poet Gonzalo Rojas (1917-2011). He is Artistic Director of Poetry Inside Out, a program of the Center for the Art of Translation, and is River of Words 2013 Teacher of the Year. John's work in Bay Laurel: Her Clutter, My Grime, Isabella 21 Months: Twelve Days

Jay Sizemore writes poetry and short fiction out of necessity. His attention span is too short for novels. Blame the internet. His work has appeared in online and print journals such as DASH, Ayris, Spry, Apercus Quarterly, and Tongue. Currently, he resides in Nashville, TN with his wife and three cats. Jay's work in Bay Laurel: What is seen is felt 

Matt Whitman is currently a graduate student at The University of Alabama. He is 22. Matt's work in Bay Laurel: Frith's First, Once I Dreamed of Athens, I drank campfires 

Jacob Woods studies sociology at Hamline University in St. Paul Minnesota. He is addicted to taking creative writing classes and might major in that as well. He keeps a blog at Good as Gay where he blabbers about LGBTQ soup things and other intellectual matters that concern him. Jacob's work in Bay Laurel: Go Away, I Love You, Touching Your Facebook 

Nicole Yurcaba hails from a long line of coal miners, Ukrainian immigrants and West Virginian mountain folk. She is an adjunct instructor of English and Developmental Reading, substitute teacher and farm hand hailing from West Virginia currently pursuing her Master of Humanities in English at Tiffin University. Her work has appeared in print and online journals such as VoxPoetica, Referential Magazine, Rolling Thunder Quarterly, Decompression, Hobo Camp Review, The Camel Saloon, Jellyfish Whispers, Napalm and Novocaine, Floyd County Moonshine and many others. In life, she enjoys taking the unbeaten path, and usually exits the scene pursued by bear. Nicole's work in Bay Laurel: Saying Goodbye to the Englishman, My Hands, Twenty Dollar Tongue In Cheek