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Jerry Bradley retired from the military after thirty years of service in 2008. He now has the opportunity to concentrate on his writing. He and his wife, Laura, raised three children, a daughter in the Army, a daughter married to Army, and a son in the Air Force. Jerry is the Vice-President of the Fayetteville Writers’ Ink Guild and facilitator for Writing Can Help. He and his wife Laura are currently living in Raeford, NC.

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Jeanne Charters used to make her living as a Vice President of Marketing for Viacom TV writing television commercials. Now, she’s a featured writer in WNC Woman magazine each month. Her YA historical novel, Shanty Gold, has just been acquired by Rogue Phoenix Press and will be published in 2015. Jeanne lives blissfully in Asheville, North Carolina, with her husband, Matt Restivo, and her therapy dog, Bucky.

Sara Claytor is the author of three poetry volumes plus part of a poetry collection Carrboro Poetica with three other poets. Her poems and fiction have appeared in over 130 publications. Sara lives in Carrboro, NC, where she coordinates the monthly NCPS Reading Series at McIntyre’s Fine Books and is one of the radio hosts for Carolina Book Beat, focusing on NC poets and poetry.

Nancy Hall Cody has written several poems relating to people or incidents in her life. She has written about childhood memories and poems for birthdays, anniversaries and funerals. Recently friends and family have encouraged her to have them published. Nancy lives in Hayesville, NC, with her husband of forty years. They have two grown children and four grandchildren, whom she adores.

Vicki Collins lives in Graniteville, SC, and teaches English at the University of South Carolina Aiken. Her poetry and prose appear in various journals. Her current project is a manuscript of literary criticism about Appalachian literature, film, and television.

Thomas Rain Crowe is a prize-winning poet and an internationally- published author of thirty books, including the multi-award winning book of nonfiction Zoro’s Field: My Life in the Appalachian Woods (Univ. of Georgia Press, 2005); The Laugharne Poems written in Wales and published by Welsh publisher Carreg Gwalch in 1997; and the classic contemporary Celtic language anthology Writing the Wind: A Celtic Resurgence. As an editor, he has worked with Beatitude magazine, Katuah Journal and the Asheville Poetry Review. He is founder and publisher of New Native Press. His literary archives have been purchased by the Duke University Special Collections Library. He lives in the Tuckasegee community of rural western North Carolina.

Shannon Cuthrell resides in the blissful Appalachian mountains of North Carolina. Her poetry has been published in Appalachian State University’s literature review, Old Mountain Press’ poetry anthology called "Mountain Writings" and her articles have been published in U the Magazine. Her poetry collection entitled "The Great Repression" is scheduled to be published in Fall 2014 by Think Piece Publishing. She spends her free time obsessing over Bill Murray and coffee.

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Phebe Davidson is a Distinguished Professor Emerita of the University of South Carolina Aiken. She 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, 96 Press, 2014) won the SC Poetry Archives Book Award. She lives in Greenville, SC.

Joy W. Davis has been writing poetry for as long as she can remember. She is originally from Baltimore MD, but now live in Laurel Hill, NC. She has had her poetry published many times. She a divorced Mom of a 14 year old daughter and also enjoy reading and genealogy.

Tom Davis’s 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; A children’s coloring book, Pickaberry Pig, The Patrol Order; and an action adventure novel, The R-complex. Tom lives in Webster, NC.

Nancy Dillingham, Big Ivy poet, is the author of seven books of poetry and short stories and co-editor of three anthologies of writings by western North Carolina women writers. She lives in Asheville, NC.

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Dena M. Ferrari is a regular contributor to the OMP Anthology Series. Her poetry has been featured in Westchester Community College of NY Phoenix (1975), and in Charles Weyant’s book, An Odyssey in Broken Rhythms and Ragged Lines (2006). Writers Alliance Poets World-Wide anthologies has published many of her works. Dena’s own books, Poems From the Hearth (2010) and Come Closer My Dearies (2013), shows diversified writing styles, leaving a Living Legacy for her grandchildren. She and her husband, Peter live in Vass, NC.

Ann Fogelman, a writer of memories in prose and poetry was born in Reading, Pa. Her work has appeared in The Noble Generation, That Thing You Do, Pets Across America, Texas Poetry Calendar, Boundless, OMP Anthologies and school publications. Ann is a member of Bay Area Writers League, Gulf Coast Poets, Poetry Society of Texas, and Osher Lifetime Learning Institue at UTMB, Galveston, TX. Ann lives in Friendswood, TX.

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Ralph Gillum is a retired teacher and guidance counselor who resides in Northville, Michigan. He has published in a number of journals and anthologies as well as written three books on his hobby of field trial beagles. He also enjoys assisting other writers in editing their work and relishes his monthly meetings with friend and motivator, Jim Gibson.

Millie Glick’s writing appears in various publications. She won 2nd prize in a non-fiction category of The Edmonton Journal titled "The Notice" about expropriation of a prized cottage property. Her poem "Prejudice" is in an anthology titled Life Lights. She is currently writing "Bush Tales" reflecting a decade of experiences in a northern Alberta Indigenous community. Raised in Virginia, she and her husband have lived in Alberta since 1955, and retired in Edmonton, AB.

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, including Longest Hours, Silver Boomer Books, Abilene, TX. Most recently, she contributed to her writing group’s anthology, Crossings, published by Old Mountain Press. She retired to the NC mountains from western NY in 2001.

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Kerri Mai Habben lives in Raleigh, NC where she works as a writer and local historian. A graduate of Peace College and North Carolina State University, her work has appeared in literary journals, The News and Observer, and other publications throughout the United States and Canada. She has recently completed a collection comprised of a decade of essays.

MaXine Carey Harker and husband Berkley, have lived 57+ years in the little one-stop-light town of Grifton, NC, reared 5 children who have produced grandchildren and great grandchildren in far-flung places. Published in national, state, and local publications, she prefers non-fiction, sonnets, and haiku. She’s taught Writing for Publication for 30+ years at Community Colleges, now Rec Center in New Bern. MaXine is 84; her doctor tells her she is 65.

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Arnie Johanson is a retired philosophy professor from Minnesota, who retired to Durham, NC in 1999. His poems have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies, and he has published two chapbooks.

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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.

Brian Lee Knopp is the author of the regional best-selling memoir Mayhem in Mayberry: Misadventures of a P.I. in Southern Appalachia. He also created and contributed to the highly-acclaimed serial collaborative novel Naked Came the Leaf Peeper. A former professional sheep shearer with an M.A. degree in English Literature from the University of Texas at Austin, his book reviews and essays have been published in several regional magazines and local media.

Jo Koster teaches English and Medieval Studies at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC. She spends too much time on administrivia and not enough time on her writing, but her cats still love her, and that counts. Her new chapbook will be out in late 2014.

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Patsy Kennedy Lain lives in Hubert, NC, and has published works in several anthologies and magazines. She has received and enjoyed many awards and honors, and continues to do so, but her primary joy comes from her passion to write and paint.

Heather Lea is originally from Ohio. (Go Bucks!) Her flip-flops now reside in North Carolina. She has two beautiful children who keep her busy and two miniature horses a breeder sold in the disguise of cute puppies. She loves writing and given the choice of eating or writing, she would starve. Her writing efforts are genuine and she is in awe of the authors who surround her with sound advice and encourage her daily.

Blanche L. Ledford’s work has appeared in Mountain Writing, Echoes Across the Blue Ridge, Clotheslines, and other journals. Her book, Planting by the Signs, received the Paul Green Multimedia Award from North Carolina Society of Historians. Blanche lives in Hayesville, NC, and enjoys cooking, writing, and gardening.

Brenda Kay Ledford’s work has appeared in Mountain Writing, Appalachian Heritage, Our State, and other journals. She's listed with A Directory of American Poets and Fiction Writers. Her three poetry chapbooks were published by Finishing Line Press and received the Paul Green Award. Brenda lives in Hayesville, NC. Her blog: http://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 since then has worked in jewelry and custom framing. She has written science fiction, fantasy, and poetry since 2010, and this is her second published work. Katy and her husband live with six demanding cats in a little house stuffed with books and art, in Falls Church, VA.

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Valerie Macon, recently appointed as NC’s Poet Laureate, lives in Fuquay-Varina, NC. Her poetry has won awards, been widely anthologized, featured in online venues, journalized, and sung in concert. Her two books of poetry, Shelf Life and Sleeping Rough, were Pushcart Prize nominees. Sleeping Rough addresses homelessness. She started The Garden of Eaten, a garden to feed the homeless and food impoverished in her community.

David Treadway Manning lives with his wife Doris in Cary, NC and has work in various journals and collections, most recently the chapbooks, The Girl Who Came Out with the Stars (Old Mountain Press, 2012) and Genes (Finishing Line Press, 2013).

www.davidtmanning.weebly.com.

Alexander Muller is a recent graduate of Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC, and he is currently pursuing a Master’s degree at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC. His poetry has appeared in Sanctuary and Kakalak (2013 and 2014).

George E. Mullin III, also known as Sean, passed away in 2011 at 62 years old. He was a gifted and accomplished musician, composer, artist and writer. He wrote Henry’s Fat Fingers, a piano tutorial. He lived on Venice Beach for many years where he excelled in real estate. His last years were spent with his mother, in Hayesville, NC, in the house on Lake Chatuge that he designed and built with her. His work was submitted with permission from his family by Linda Smith, a frequent contributor to OMP Anthologies.

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Beverly Ohler began writing many years ago after the death of a beloved pet. Four books and a plethora of stories published in collections and magazine later she is still writing, although most of her time is still spent in the Theater Department of Warren Wilson College as a designer. She lives in Black Mountain, where 16 year old, Mikey shares her life.

Martha O’Quinn and her husband live in Hendersonville, NC. She writes poetry and creative non-fiction. Her work has appeared in a number of OMP anthologies, as well as other anthologies and regional publications, both in print and online. She is one of six authors who collectively created Crossings, a poetry and prose anthology published by Old Mountain Press. Martha is mother of two, grandmother of four, and great-grandmother of Penelope Rose.

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Margaret L. Parrish’s poems have appeared in Bay Leaves, Mountain Time, Poem, Poets for Peace and other publications. She lives in Raleigh, NC.

Patricia Podlipec taught first grade for over two decades. After retirement she and her husband moved to Hendersonville NC where she started writing poetry. Her work has been published in several anthologies and a few of her poems have won honorable mentions. Recently she has been writing children’s poetry. Two of those poems won honorable mentions and were published by the North Carolina Poetry Society in their awards anthologies, Pinesong for 2012 and 2014.

Michael Potts, a native of Smyrna, Tennessee, is Professor of Philosophy at Methodist University in Fayetteville, North Carolina. His publications include a novel, End of Summer, a poetry chapbook, From Field to Thicket, and numerous poems published in magazines and anthologies.

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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; 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. Cindy recently moved from the NYC suburbs to a Waynesville, NC, mountaintop.

Dwight Roth is a retired elementary school teacher of 29 years, who grew up in the mountains of Southwestern Pennsylvania. He enjoys writing, poetry, painting, and music. He is a member of the Indian Trail Cultural Arts poetry readers club, and has had poems published on Kym Gordon Moore’s Tea and Poetry Blog Spot. He has been published in Common Ground Magazine, and Mountain Writings Anthology. He and wife Ruth live near Monroe, NC.

Carmen Ruggero fiction writer and poet. Co-authored a poetry anthology: Shaken & Stirred, and short story collection Kaleidoscope, published by BeWrite Books. Adventure Books of Seattle published her short story collection: Eighty-six eggs. Joined Bewildering Stories as an author and review editor. In 2011, she became part of a writers group organized by her hometown newspaper, where she was also a contributing author. Carmen lives in Crawfordsville, IN.

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Dr. Lynn Veach Sadler, native North Carolinian and former college president, has published 5+ books and 72 articles, edited 22 books/proceedings and three national journals, and published a newspaper column. In creative writing, she has published 10 poetry chapbooks and 4 full-length collections (another in press), 100+ short stories, 4 novels, a novella, and a short story collection (another forthcoming) and written 41 plays. As Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet 2013-2015, she mentors student and adult poets.

Jane Shlensky, a veteran English teacher, holds an MFA in creative writing from UNC-Greensboro. Her recent work has been published in a number of magazines and anthologies, including The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature, Emerge Literary Magazine, KAKALAK, Southern Poetry Anthology: North Carolina, and Writer’s Digest. She makes her home in North Carolina with her husband Vladimir and two pushy cats.

Holly Simms resides in Asheville, NC, and has been published in several anthologies and local magazines. She has written two, as yet unpublished, novels and is fishing about for the subject of her third novel. Recently, she read one of her award-winning short stories before a standing-room-only audience at Barnes and Noble. Holly loves living in the mountains. Her favorite city is London.

Rishan Singh is a prize-winning Broadway poet, award-winning academic, academy-recognized biologist and actor. He holds qualifications from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban University of Technology and Cambridge University, London. Though he’s South African, his ancestral roots reside in Sikh religion which originates from Punjab. His short story writing has also been known, though his poetry writing has been popular. He spends time teaching refugees English and is an inspiration to many in SA and overseas.

Linda M. Smith lives in Hayesville, NC, with her husband and two dogs, surrounded by lake and mountain views. They all have inspired her to write poetry and prose. She is an active member of NC Writers Network West and Ridgeline Literary Alliance. Her work has appeared in many anthologies: Red Fox Run, FutureCycle 2012, Echoes Across The Blue Ridge, and many from Old Mountain Press.

Dorothea Spiegel lives with her daughter in Tennessee where she moved from Hiawassee, Georgia. She studied Creative Writing at TriCounty College and John Campbell Folk School, in North Carolina. She is a well known writer in the Blue Ridge area because of her membership in North Carolina Writers Network West and North Georgia Mountains Writers Club, and her annual readings at John Campbell Folk School. She is still writing, mostly poetry, at age 92.

Sheri Stanley resides in the Pacific Northwest, United States, and is an avid reader, writer, songwriter, poet, book illustrator. She also is an oil painter and digital artist. Her work has been represented in many on-line venues including magazines and poet sites. She is an avid golfer, jogger and her favorite time spent is time with her precious family. Her website is: www.poetryandbeyond.net

Wendy S. Stephens lives in Transylvania County, NC, which she considers a magical and inspiring place. An avid traveler, she writes travel blogs as well as short stories featuring friends and family in the locations she and her husband visit. Her work has appeared in Women’s Spaces Women’s Places, Waiting For Santa, and Mountain Writings.

Shelby Stephensons Steal Away is from Jacar Press. He lives near McGee’s Crossroads, NC.

Tonya Staufer found her way back to writing a few years ago. She is a real estate investment broker by day and a writer by night. She and her husband call Saluda, NC home. Her stories have appeared in Spirit of the Smokies, A Long Story Short, Western NC Woman, Moonshine Review, and numerous anthologies.

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Elizabeth (Betty) Watson, a native of MA, now resides in her third southern state in Greenville, SC with Doug at The Woodlands at Furman. She continues her formal education next door at Olli with no exams to cause stress in retirement! Her prose and poetry have appeared in small anthologies, including many published by Old Mountain Press, which never ceases to please her. Let it be known, life is an adventure every day.

Evelyne Weeks is a writer of both poetry and prose. Her collection, The Battle, celebrates a mountain childhood and some of those poems have appeared in The Hollins Critic, Appalachian Heritage, and in Out of the Rough: Women’s Poems of Survival and Celebration. Today she lives in Rock Hill, SC, where she has taught English at Winthrop University since 1989.

Charles F. "Hawk" Weyant and his wife Johanna live in Fayetteville, NC where he has been a member of Writers’ Ink Guild for thirty years. A true imagist poet, his works have appeared in more than two dozen anthologies and his book An Odyssey In Broken Rhythms and Ragged Lines was nominated for a Pushcart Award. He also read on Public Radio for over ten years.

Glenda S. Wilkins grew up on an eastern NC tobacco farm, and believed she’d never live beyond the county line. Decades later, she moved to Europe for almost a dozen years. Her poems are published in the U.S.A., Canada, Spain, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Great Britain. Along the way, she has won several poetry awards. Today, she lives with her husband on an airstrip outside Winterville, NC.

Barbara Ledford Wright frequently contributes to OMP anthology series, including Mountain Writing. Her work has appeared in Muscadine Lines: A Southern Journal, Express Yourself 101 Vol 2 For Your Eyes Only, Kaleidoscope, Fireflies and June Bugs, Yesterdays Magazette, Christmas Presence, Clothes Lines, Women's Spaces Women's Places, Fresh, Mused, Carolina Country. Barbara lives in Shelby, NC.

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C. Pleasants York: Lightning bugs glimmering in jars, memories of springtime evenings on the lawn inspired "Bug Off!" a poem for Christian Noah Bourdon, the five-year-old grandson of C. Pleasants York of Sanford, NC. Noah, a little nomad, lives part of his life in Rhode Island and part in North Carolina, so remembrances of lightning bug evenings and whispered stories in the shadows are especially precious souvenirs of when we're together.

Joseph Youngblood lives and works in Fayetteville, NC, with his family. He writes for pleasure and has contributed to several previous anthologies.