Contributor’s Note
Amy Blakemore is an undergraduate at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Ever since she learned cursive in the second grade, writing has staked a presence in her life one that would later assist her in documenting and overcoming an eating disorder. With pieces of prose and poetry from this period of her life to keep the memory fresh, she is now reanalyzing these darker moments in order to communicate an honest, revealing experience to a larger audience. This semester, she is studying in Bath, England to begin a collection of poetry not only on eating disorders, but the larger problems that surround them, including the power of perception, the relationship with the body, American beauty culture, and, essentially, what it really means to be a woman in today’s society.
WORKS
The 40 Acres
Jim Stills
Epilepsy has a Cause
The Lake
“The pine trees around the lake were so thick that hardly any sunlight got through, even though it was noon and sunny. I remember him saying, Theyd have to pump sunshine in here to get any light at all.” The Lake
Contributor’s Note
Louis Bourgeois is the Executive Director of VOX PRESS, INC. His memoir, The Gar Diaries, was nominated for the National Book Award in 2008. He lives, writes, and edits in Oxford, Mississippi.
WORKS
White Tailor's Cross
“Patrick Healy was a man of courage and poetry who could stitch the words together like a grand quilt or a dainty christening gown, as it suited him.”
Contributor’s Note
Currently a St. Paul resident, Nancy Cook has lived, among other places, in Ohio, upstate New York, New Mexico, New England, Virginia, and Maryland. She has spent much of the last fifteen years attempting to integrate various parts of herself: sole parent, community lawyer, teacher, and writer. Her eclectic publication record reflects this; her work has appeared (or will soon appear) in a variety of literary, social policy, and law journals, including the Southern Anthology, Florida Review, WestWard Quarterly, the Sentinel Quarterly, the Washington Lawyer, the Virginia Journal of Social Policy & Law, a Red Skies sci-fi Anthology, and Harvard Womens Law Journal.
“A few years ago, I traveled to Ireland with my then 70-year-old Aunt Margie and my young daughter, Healy. Not far from Blarney, we went by a house my aunt believed her great-great-grandfather had built. Unannounced, we knocked at the door, and soon found ourselves inside the house, welcomed by Irish cousins who still live there. Among the stories they shared were those of Peg O’Leary, who came back to Ireland to die, and of the ‘White Tailor,’ Denis Healy. The stories are as true as my memory and Irish family legend allow. I made up the name of Gerry Connell and his backstory and I’ve filled in some details, but otherwise, the people all lived and all the place names are real.”
WORKS
The Invisible Man
Contributor’s Note
Samantha Mang is from the Metropolitan D.C. area and is currently a senior majoring in English at George Mason University.
WORKS
Uncontrolled
Contributor’s Note
Kenneth Matthews has Tourette Syndrome. He grew up knowing there was something wrong with him, but without insurance, his family ignored the tics. In the late stages of puberty, the severity of the disorder progressed to the point that he grew seriously concerned. When he first met with a neurologist, it took her less than two minutes to come up with the diagnosis. With an understanding of why his body behaves so strangely, and after having faced the many difficulties that go along with his disorder, he took a different view of life. He determined that if he does not have control of his body and the things he says, then he will have control of his life. In his career, he actively pursue technology. In his hobbies, he actively pursues his love of creative writing. In his relationships, he surrounds himself only with people that offer respect and understanding. He hasn’t always but is now living a fulfilled life.
WORKS
Who Are You!
“My uncle always described us as assimulated traditionalists. Men in our family went in to construction or the military. These were acceptable choices for warriors.”
Contributor’s Note
DeAnna Quietwater Noriega is half Apache and a quarter Chippewa. She has been a writer and story teller since childhood. She has had work accepted in four anthologies. Her writing has appeared in online magazines like, Magnets and Ladders and Generations, a native literature magazine. She lives with her husband, youngest daughter three grandchildren, 8th guide dog, five horses, barn cat, assorted other critters in Fulton Missouri.
WORKS
Personal Propaganda
Contributor’s Note
Isabella Skovira is currently a sophomore at New York University. She enjoys reading, writing, and exploring the city. When shes not at school, she lives at home with her parents, three siblings, and her dog, Sunshine. You can contact Isabella at izzo22@optonline.net.
