A

B

Dorothy Baird is a former college teacher and editor. She is infected by poetry, both its writing and its reading, and hopes others enjoy what she writes. Though she and her family have been corporate tramps, Dorothy currently lives in Chapel Hill, NC.

Frederick W. Bassett is a retired academic who lives with his wife Peg in Greenwood, South Carolina. He enjoys writing poetry and fiction, reading widely, and watching their grandchildren grow up. His poems have been published in more than eighty journals and anthologies. He is the author of four books of poetry and two novels. His most recent book is Honey from a Lion: A Novel (1914).

Joann Bishop is working on two manuscripts and an autobiography which in the future she hopes to have published. Recently, she visited Moore’s Creek Battlefield and intends to include in her writing travels she made over the years from childhood to adulthood. She lives in Jacksonville, NC.

Rachel Bronnum lives in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Her work has been published in several OMP anthologies including: A Funny Thing, Mountain Time, and The Outer Side of Life. Currently working on a collection of her poetry, she has renewed appreciation for the excellent anthologies Old Mountain Press consistently produces!

C

Nancy Hall Cody has previously contributed to OMP’s When We’re Together, Looking For Santa, and A Funny Thing.She has written a story that was accepted for publication in Hometown Memories’ Field Mules and Buttermilk Cornbread Book; and family histories for publication in Hearthstones of Home and Clay County Heritage Books. She and her husband of 41 years reside in Hayesville, NC. Her family is the joy of her life.

Michael Colonnese is a novelist and a poet who lives in Fayetteville, NC, where he serves as the Managing Editor of Longleaf Press and directs the Creative Writing Program at Methodist University. His latest book, Double Feature, won the 2014 Gell Poetry Prize.

Jim Clark is the Elizabeth H. Jordan Professor of Southern Literature and Dean of the School of Humanities at Barton College in Wilson, NC. His books include Notions: A Jim Clark Miscellany; two collections of poetry, Dancing on Canaan’s Ruins and Handiwork; and he edited Fable in the Blood: The Selected Poems of Byron Herbert Reece. He has also released two solo CDs and three with his band The Near Myths.

Shannon Cuthrell is a student journalist and an established poet. Her poetry book, The Great Repression, was published by Think Piece Publishing earlier this year. Her poetry has been published in two of Old Mountain Press’ poetry anthologies Appalachian State University’s The Peel Literary and Arts Review, Some Weird Sin Literary Magazine, Boone’s Beet Zine and Think Piece Publishing’s blog. In her free time, she enjoys watching Bill Murray movies and consuming copious amounts of coffee.

D

Phebe Davidson is a Contributing Editor at Tar River Poetry and a staff writer for The Asheville Poetry Review. Her book reviews, poems, and essays appear regularly in print and online. Her most recent book, What Holds Him to this World, won the 2013 SC Poetry Archives Book Award. Phebe lives in Greenville, SC.

Tom Davis’ publishing credits include Poets Forum, The Carolina Runner, Triathlon Today, Georgia Athlete, The Fayetteville Observer’s Saturday Extra, A Loving Voice Vol. I and II, Special Warfare., and Winston-Salem Writers’ POETRY IN PLAIN SIGHT program for May 2013 (poetry month). He’s authored the following books: The Life and Times of Rip Jackson, The Most Fun I Ever Had With My Clothes On, The Patrol Order; and The R-complex. www.oldmp.com/e-book  Tom lives in Webster, NC.

Nancy Dillingham is the author of eight books of poetry and short fiction. She and her co-editor Celia Miles have published three anthologies of WNC women writers and are currently working on a fourth, coming out in the fall. Her book of poems HOME was nominated for a SIBA award. Her work appears in Pine Mountain Sand & Gravel, Vol. 18, and her chapbook 1950: Poems from Finishing Line Press comes out in September. Nancy lives in Asheville, NC.

F

Dena M. Ferrari is a regular contributor to OMP, Dena’s poetry are featured in Westchester Community College of NY Phoenix (1975); Writers Alliance Poets World-Wide anthologies has dozens of her published works. Dena’s own books, Poems From the Hearth (2010) and Come Closer My Dearies (2013), Charmed Times Three will release in 2015, shows diversified writing styles, leaving a Living Legacy for her grandchildren. She and her husband, Peter live in Vass, NC.

Joanne Kennedy Frazer is a retired social justice educator. Having been fueled and fed by a gifted writing group, writing poetry has become the passion of her third stage of life. Recently, three of her poems have been turned into a song cycle by San Francisco-based composer, C.M. Fuentes, and will be premiered in the next year by a Raleigh chamber group. Frazer lives in Durham, NC.

G

Christian George lives in Indian Trail, NC. He also attends Appalachian State University during the school year. His work has been previously published by Old Mountain Press in the anthology A Funny Thing. He has also won first place in several local poetry competitions. He plans on continuing writing in college while he attains a degree in English. Writing has allowed Christian to clearly communicate his emotions and opinions on different topics.

James Gibson, Northville, Michigan, combined his experiences in the American West and his fascination with Native American culture to write the five novels of the Anasazi Quest series, available at www.PentacleSPresS.com  as well as The Last Ride, a traditional western set outside Tucson, Arizona. Anasazi Princess and Anasazi Journey are now available as Kindle Books on Amazon.com.

Marian Gowan is author of Notes from the Trunk, published by Old Mountain Press ( www.oldmp.com/mariangowan.htm ). Her work has appeared in several Old Mountain Press anthologies and regional publications. Most recently, she contributed to her writing group’s anthology, Crossings, published by Old Mountain Press and nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She retired to the NC mountains from western NY in 2001.

H

Kerri Mai Habben lives in Raleigh, NC. A graduate of Peace College and North Carolina State University, her work has appeared in literary journals, The New and Observer, and other publications throughout the United States and Canada. She has recently compiled a collection of creative non-fiction essays she is working to publish.

Melissa Hager lives in Taylorsville, NC. A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, "Miss Mel" is a children’s librarian who hopes to inspire the love of poetry in children and teens. She co-leads Art of Poetry at the Hickory Museum of Art, as well as co-edits The Alexander Muse teen literary magazine. Her work has been published in Bloodshot Journal of Contemporary Culture, The Lyricist, Wild Goose Poetry Review, 234, Art of Poetry, and other publications.

Karen Hammond lives in Falls Church, VA, with her husband David. She has been writing for her children and grandchildren for many years. This story is a chapter in her yet to be published book Birdie Told Me, a collection of stories of living on Roanoke Island, NC.

John Haugh has been published in Notre Dame Magazine, Rat’s Ass Review, The Wall Street Journal, and elsewhere. He won the Nancy Heggem Poetry Award, and is working on a chapbook with the Winston-Salem Writers and Writers Group of the Triad. Mr. Haugh serves on the Board of the WGOT and held a Board position with Barrington Writers’ Workshop. He was a NCAA national champion in fencing and grew up in Powell’s City of Books.

Joseph Haymore retired from the U.S. Army in 1975 to live in his childhood home near Sanford, NC. He is a veteran of two combat tours in Vietnam and three tours in Germany. He is currently 60% disabled with several medical problems caused by his exposure to Agent Orange. He has been diagnosed with PTSD. He began writing poetry and prose as a vehicle to help him deal with PTSD. He never considered himself a serious writer until he joined the Writers’ Ink Guild of Fayetteville in 2000. A year after joining the Guild he was elected president and served in that capacity for ten years. His primary interest is formalist poetry.

Robert Hewett lives in Louisville, KY and writes in several genres including Children; Romance; Old West Romance/ Adventure; Humor and Skits. He has been named Poet of the Month on several worldwide sites and Poet of the year on:

www.publishingwithpassion.com , a poetry forum. You can find some of his writings at roberthewettsr.hubpages.com (no www or http://)

J

David "Buzz" Jones, D.D., L.L.D., with 30 years in the ministry, is from Hartsville SC, but now resides in Henrietta, NC. You may read his five published book for free at www.buzzwrites.com

K

K. D. Kennedy Jr. has published four (4) books of poetry, short stories, and essays: Our Place In Time, Waiting Out In The Yard, For Rhyme Of Reason, and Progenitors: A Kennedy Genealogy. He has also published works in over twenty anthologies and periodicals. He has served as Chairman of the following: The Board of Trustees of Barton College, the North Carolina Board of Ethics, the North Carolina Theatre, and the Building Committee of the Duke Power Performing Arts Center.

Nita Hallford Killebrew is fascinated with birding and enjoys writing poetry about raptors. While vacationing in Ireland, she went hawking with a hawk named W.B. Yeats. She is grateful to Old Mountain Press for including her poems in A Funny Thing and Looking for Santa, and she plans to continue birding and writing in Lilburn, GA.

Jo Koster continues to teach English and Medieval Studies at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC, while keeping up her responsibility as minion to her cats Neville, Max, and Miss Fancy Pants. Most of her work is in progress.

L

Patsy Kennedy Lain still rambles the roads in Hubert, North Carolina, with pens in her pockets, papers in her car door along with paints, an easel and brushes in her trunk plus a camera all to capture the wonders of life through words, art or flashes. She has published works in several magazines, anthologies and a local newspaper as well as many honors and awards.

Blanche L. Ledford is a resident of Clay County, NC. Her work has appeared in many Old Mountain Press anthologies and journals. She won the Paul Green Award from NC Society of Historians for her book, Planting by the Signs. Blanche also received first place for her essay in the Cherokee County Senior Games Silver Art’s Contest.

Brenda Kay Ledford is a native of Clay County, NC. Her work has appeared in many Old Mountain anthologies and journals. Finishing Line Press published her three award-winning chapbooks. Aldrich Press released her latest poetry book, Crepe Roses, last year. She blogs at: www.blueridgepoet.blogspot.com .

K. A. Lewis is living her dream of being a writer. A painter and photographer, she graduated from the Corcoran School of Art in 1986, and has worked in the jewelry business and in custom framing. She has written science fiction, fantasy, and poetry since 2010. Katy and her husband live with five demanding cats in a little house stuffed with books, in Falls Church, VA.

Mike Lythgoe is the author of 2 chapbooks, and a full collection of poetry, Holy Week. See www.brassbard.com . His recent credits include Rockhurst Review, The Petigru Review, Windhover, SIXFOLD, Cairn: The St. Andrews Review, Kakalak, Lythgoe is a retired Air Force officer. He has an MFA from Bennington College. Mike lives in Aiken, SC. He will read at the UMHB in Belton. TX in the fall.

M

MaXine Carey Harker grew up on an Idaho a homestead near the banks of the Snake River. She traded her sandy environment when she married a passing-through sailor from NC and took up a life around and near the ocean and rivers 65 years ago. Writing & travel has always been a compulsion. Five children, 10 granchildren and 7 great grandchildren. She kept a foot in two places West & East. MaXine is 86. Long-time member of NCPS and NCHS.

Celia Miles, a Jackson County native, lives and writes in Asheville. She is the author of several novels, regional based, and a new mystery, The Body at Wrapp’s Mill: A Grist Mill Mystery, available in hard copy and on Kindle; with Nancy Dillingham, she has co-edited three anthologies of western NC women writers’ works, with a fourth out this fall. Visit her website at www.celiamiles.com

Fain Morrison is from Shelby, NC where he has lived all his life. He holds an MBA from Winthrop University and a DD from Emanuel University. He is a free lance writer currently writing a book of limericks. Fain was a pastor for ten years and is now a missionary to India and the Philippines. Fain raises money to build church buildings and as of 2015 has built thirty church buildings in three countries.

N

Jerome Norris has been published in several magazines and collections, the names of which would be unfamiliar to you. Obscurity is his middle name, but he nevertheless keeps churning out prose and poetry with reckless disregard for the consequences. (To date, consequences have been underwhelming.) He is 78, a retired lawyer, and lives with his beautiful wife by a pond near New Bern, NC.

O

Karen O’Leary is a writer and editor from West Fargo, ND. She has published poetry, short stories, and articles in a variety of venues including, Frogpond, A Hundred Gourds, Haiku Pix, Sharpening the Green Pencil 2014, Now This: Contemporary Poems of Beginnings, Renewals and Firsts, Creative Inspirations, and Poems of the World. She currently edits an online poetry journal called Whispers, www.whispersinthewind333.blogspot.com

Martha O’Quinn’s poetry and creative non-fiction has appeared in a number of past OMP anthologies, other regional anthologies and publications, including Long Story Short, an E-zine publication. She is a native of North Carolina and her work reflects her southern heritage. Mother of two, grandmother of four, great-grandmother of one with number two on the way. She and her husband live in Hendersonville, NC.

P

Nancy Posey is an Alabama native living in North Carolina for twenty years. Her first chapbook Let the Lady Speak won the November 2009 Poetic Asides Chapbook Challenge. Her poetry has appeared in Writer’s Digest, Poet’s Market, Branches and other print and online journals. She is one of the coordinators of the first annual Fall Face-to-Face in the Foothills poetry festival to be held Sept. 18-19, 2015, at the Hickory NC Museum of Art.

Michael Potts is Professor of Philosophy at Methodist University in Fayetteville, North Carolina. WordCrafts Press has published three of his books: End of Summer, Unpardonable Sin, and Aerobics for the Mind: Practical Exercises in Philosophy that Anybody Can Do. He also has published a poetry collection, Hiding from the Reaper, and has poems published in a number of literary magazines.

R

Cindy Rickey’s poetry credits include MetroNY; the NY Times blog; Blueline; Avocet, Journal of Nature Poetry; Avocet Weekly; Emerald Coast Review; Kakalak; Red Fez; Poetry Pacific; The Mountaineer; Miller’s Pond Poetry Magazine; On Your Mark; Sacred Visions; an award-winning poetry chapbook, Prompted, and a poetry book, A Year in the Life of an Unemployed Poet. She was a winner of the NYC Office of Cultural Affairs Poetweet contest. She lives in Waynesville, NC.

Carmen Ruggero had gone to the store for a loaf of bread the first week of March and returned to find her home in flames. Eight units burned to the ground. It was a painful experience, but all she could do was to thank God for saving her life, and the lives of 12 other people. Many came to their aid, and that day she came to understand human kindness and our spirit of survival. Carmen lives in Muncie, IN.

S

Dr. Lynn Veach Sadler lives in Pittsboro, NC. A former college president, she has published 5+ books and 72 articles, edited 22 books/proceedings and 3 national journals, and writes a newspaper column on history. In creative writing, she has published 10 poetry chapbooks and 4 full-length collections, 100+ short stories, 4 novels, a novella, and 2 short story collections and written 41 plays. As a Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet 2013-2015, she mentors student and adult poets.

Susan Sadowski is on a permanent high since her retirement as a child psychologist and technical writer. She is a Pisces and her first love is the water. Susan also enjoys gardening, playing piano, painting, and dabbling with poetry. She enjoys being mentored by Mike Lythgoe, a published and honored poet and friend.

Marian Kaplun Shapiro, a previous contributor, is the author of a professional book, Second Childhood; a poetry book, Players In The Dream, Dreamers In The Play; and two chapbooks: Your Third Wish; and The End Of The World, Announced On Wednesday. A resident of Lexington, MA, she was five times named Senior Poet Laureate of Massachusetts. She was nominated for the Pushcart Prize in 2012.

Jane Shlensky, an English teacher and musician, holds an MFA in creative writing from UNC-Greensboro. Her recent work can be found in sundry online and print anthologies and magazines, including The Dead Mule, Prairie Wolf Press Review, Pinesong, KAKALAK 2013 and 2014, 2015 Poet’s Market, NC Literary Review, Southern Poetry Anthology: North Carolina, and Writer’s Digest. She frequently submits to Old Mt. Press anthologies and makes her home in Bahama, North Carolina with her husband Vladimir and two pushy cats.

Rishan Singh is a writer, biologist and an English language instructor. He qualified from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Howard College campus) with a research project that enabled him

to specialize in the plant sciences (biology). He received (writing/literary, in general) prizes/awards from the State Government of India, and more recently, the eThekwini Municipality.

Mary Louise Stark and her husband, cat Purro, and Dog Buddy all live on a large farm in Eastern Walton County near Munroe, GA. They only raise wildlife, grasses, and trees for natural beauty. She has published with Old Mountain Press recently and is an avid writer. She has three married children and six grandchildren whom she doesn’t see often enough. In addition, she loves summer, water, oceans, and birds and is pleased to submit this poem on a favorite theme.

Wendy S Stephens lives in Transylvania County, NC, which she considers a magical and inspiring place. An avid traveler of inner and outer journeys, she writes of both. Her essays and poems have appeared in a variety of publications.

Shelby Stephenson’s recent books: Steal Away (Jacar Press) and a reissue of Fiddledeedee (Press 53). He is Poet Laureate of North Carolina. He lives on the farm where he was born, near McGee’s Crossroads, NC.

W

Elizabeth Watson can tell you more tales of beaches as well as Hawaii and other islands north and south. Her prose and poetry have appeared in regional anthologies including many others compiled by Old Mountain Press. She lives with Doug, whom she met that summer of memories in ME, at (The Woodlands at Furman) in Greenville, SC, and takes full advantage of classes at OLLI and other events at Furman. University near by.

Glenda S. Wilkins grew up on a North Carolina tobacco farm, and believed she’d never live beyond the county line. Decades later, she moved with her husband to Europe for a dozen years. Her poems have been published in Europe, Great Britain, & North America. Thus far, she has won a few poetry awards. Now as a recent widow, life brings new challenges – and a depth to poetry never thought possible. She lives in Winterville, NC.

Barbara Ledford Wright’s work has been published in several anthologies, and magazines. Her stories have appeared in several previous OMP anthologies. She divides her time between living in Shelby, NC and Clay Co., NC.

Y

C. Pleasants York of Sanford, North Carolina is a student of yoga, Zumba, cardio, and sculpt, and each morning she swims after class. "Sun Salutation" is a reflection on the eight-step flow she practices in yoga class and represents eight sunrises experienced on her travels to 26 countries. Hands return to heart center. Namaste.

Joseph Youngblood has contributed to several previous anthologies. He and his family live in Fayetteville, NC where he works as a behavioral health counselor.