Contributors - Mused - the BellaOnline Literary Review Magazine

<%@ Language=VBScript %> Contributors - Mused - the BellaOnline Literary Review Magazine

MUSED

BellaOnline Literary Review

Spring 2010
Volume 4, Issue 1

Contributors

	Clemencio M. Bascar Clem M. Bascar is a columnist in the Zamboanga Today and Zambnonga Peninsula Journal. He has won First Place, National Poetry Contest jointly sponsored by the PRAMA Foundation, Inc. and the United Nations Information Center in the Philippines (2002). He lives in the Phillipines with his wife, and has three children.

	Mark Berkery Mark was born to itinerant Irish parents which set the scene for a restless life. Like the Gypsy he couldn´t accept the moribund values of a soulless society, what passed for important or posed as spiritual. The resulting roller-coaster of experience and inner conflict eventually gave way to a love of the simple sense of nature that he now teaches in a form of meditation. He also expresses his ongoing exploration of nature´s spiritual value through his writing and pictures at www.beingmark.com.

	Judy Bowers Judy Bowers is a quilter from Washington State. She is disabled with little feeling in her fingers. However, Judy enjoys a challenge and specializes in custom quilting using photos on fabric, miniature quilts, original designs or abstract quilts, and pictorial quilting, including portraits of people, animals and landscapes. You can view her blog at http://goldendogquilting.blogspot.com.

	Tara Lynne Brown Tara Lynne Brown is a freelance writer residing in Cary, NC. She is the self-proclaimed "Carrie Bradshaw of the South." Instead of Manolos she wears hiking boots, and in lieu of cosmos she drinks sweet tea. Tara Lynne received a 2009 scholarship to attend the Southampton Writers Conference. She is currently penning a dark collection of interconnected short stories. www.taralynnebrown.com.

	L. J, Ashton Christie Ashton, 48, lives just south of Austin, in a town where one can get into serious trouble when they snitch their Dad´s cameras. Passions include the Blues, BBQ ~ cooking it and eating it ~ and photography. The photobug took hold of Ashton early in life from the time she was given that Kodak Instamatic and her love for photography has grown from that moment. Ashton loves to travel, whether it´s the US or just exploring the back roads of Texas....looking for BBQ joints and photo opportunities.

	Aneta Cruz Aneta Cruz grew up in the Czech Republic. Her dream was to be an astronaut when she was a child. Though she did not become one, she´s been fascinated with the universe ever since. She figured out, at an early age, that a pen and paper are all she needs to escape the everyday Earthly life. Beside writing poetry, she is finishing up her nonfiction narrative. Aneta is attending CSU (English Major). She lives with her husband and two children in Southern California.

	Joanne Cucinello Joanne Cucinello is a poet and writer, who to date has published three books of poetry and an illustrated Children´s Fairytale. Her works include lyric essays and free form poetry, often visionary and insightful. Joanne is a member of the Academy of American Poets and the Society of Children´s Book Writers and Illustrators. She has been published in "Shadows Ink Selected Poems 2008" and “A Splash of Verse 2008" with an Award of Excellence. Site:http://icthebridge-moonspirit.blogspot.com/.

	Nancy Dietrich Nancy Dietrich has supported her writing habit as a parking attendant, veterinary nurse, Arabic teacher and equine drug dealer. She gained notoriety as a columnist for the UW-Seattle’s Herald in the early 90’s where readers hated and loved her in equally disturbing proportions. She now writes from a town no one has heard of, supported by her canine and cavy muses. She leaves her house only for chocolate and the occasional gallop on her black draft horse. She blogs at www.nancydietrich.com.

	Stacey Dye Stacey has loved words forever. She is moved by music, inspirational quotes and words engraved on rocks in her pockets! Having written everything from poetry to ad copy, it wasn’t until 3 years ago that she began to pursue the art of poetry. Her primary focus is the human condition. Stacey lives with her husband Dennis, critters Izzy and Elly. She´s been featured in Camroc Press, Poor Mojo´s Almanac(k), Dew on the Kudzu, Sketchbook as well as being a previous contributor to Mused.

	Firefly Tausha aka Firefly first started writing 3 years ago. Encouraged by fellow artists in her circle she has been on a long journey growing in her own art. Finally comfortable in her writer´s skin she has now started writing short stories and fiction. She is the mother of 2 girls and currently resides in the Southern US. Her works can be found at http://blackdahliasoul.deviantart.com/.

	Teresa Ann Frazee Teresa Ann Frazee has been an artist for over 20 years. She has presented juried, invitational and solo exhibitions in galleries, museums, and other venues with countless awards and honors. Additionally, she has always pursued her other love, writing. Inside her world of make believe she creates what she knows to be true. To view Teresa’s paintings please go to www.frazeefinearts.com (Teresa’s Gallery).

	Marita Froimson Marita Froimson has been taking pictures for as long as she can remember. She is intrigued by textures and basic shapes and is always trying to capture the mood that makes each photo unique. She has been working as a graphic designer for the past 20+ years, but is secretly hoping to some day travel the world as a full time photographer. She currently works out of her studio in Worcester, Massachusetts. You can visit her website at: http://www.marita-f-design.com.

	Deborah Gardiner Even as a young child, Debi gravitated towards artistic pursuits. Photographing with her Kodak brownie camera at about 5 years of age and oil painting from age 10, her interests eventually led her to college where she received a BFA in design, and a career in graphic design. Her company Gardiner Design is approaching 25 years in business. Specializing in logo design, illustration and web-design, Debi still enjoys oil painting and continues to hone her photography skills. www.gardinerdesign.com.

	Catherine Hensley Catherine Hensley is a writer and editor living in Massachusetts. She has an M.A. in creative writing and media studies from New York University. A native of Louisiana, her work has appeared in the Baton Rouge Advocate, the state’s largest newspaper, and the online literary journal, Quiet Mountain: New Feminist Essays. She received her B.A. in English from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. www.CLHediting.com.

	Amanda Hill Amanda resides the Pacific Northwest where she can usually be found preparing a tasty meal, chauffeuring her two sons, meeting all of her husbands needs and reading Jane Austen simultaneously.

	Laura Dorsey Huerta Laura graduated from St. Mary’s College in Moraga, California, with a B.A. degree in Management. Currently, she is seeking to publish her first novel, The View from Canopy City, which is a fantasy/love story. Laura is a breast cancer survivor since January 2007 and has given several radio interviews on her experiences. Besides writing, Laura enjoys designing contemporary quilts, drawing, and growing roses in her spare time.

	Melissa Knoblett-Aman Melissa Knoblett-Aman is a freelance writer who has loved all forms of writing for as long as she can remember. She currently serves as BellaOnline’s editor for Catholicism and Cats, and writes for Squidoo.com. Melissa also enjoys many other creative activities, like digital photography and crafting projects. She loves natural beauty, especially mountains and waterfalls. Visit her at her BellaOnline sites or at her Squidoo page: http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/melryn.

	Margaret Koger Maggie Koger is an Idaho native and former English teacher who lives and writes in Boise. She grew up on a farm where weather, plants, animals and people complemented each other in response to the daily challenges of survival. She writes poetry because the composing process reveals the beauty of the universe and the grace of the ordinary. Her poetry has appeared in several small magazines, most recently in Avocet. Mused is her first appearance in an online literary publication.

	Stephanie Arwen Lynch Arwen also writes as Marilu Mann. She is the current president of the American Tarot Association. Writing since she was old enough to realize verbs and nouns created word pictures, Arwen uses poetry as a creative opener when she is stuck. As Marilu Mann,she is celebrating the release of the third novel in her Lusting Wild series this year. Visit her at http://www.tarotbyarwen.com where she explores the Tarot through food, poetry and other unusual paths.

	Shawn Major Shawn Major is a Canadian studying in the PhD Creative Writing and Literature program at Aberystwtyth University, Wales. Her thesis is a steampunk novel and in 2008 she edited and co-published The Strange: An Anthology of Speculative Literature. Shawn´s most recent writing encompases science fiction, neo-Victorianism, urban fantasy, magical realism, and poetry.

	Patricia Maulding Patricia Maulding, aka, ´Poppet´, collects old books and silver spoons. She is a freelance artist, poet and photographer who secretly writes songs for the moon. You can find her work at: http://pillpoppet.imagekind.com/.

	Gail Mitkoff Gail Mitkoff was born in NY and spent her childhood living in many places in Montgomery County, Maryland. She spent her adult years in the corporate world as a writer, editor, producer and marketing executive. Gail received numerous awards for her work, including a Gold Award for "Housing in America," a production featured at the United Nations. Gail is an aspiring children´s picture book author. She received a B.S. in journalism from the University of MD and is a member of SCBWI.

	Carol M. Olmstead Carol M. Olmstead is an author, consultant, and speaker who splits her time between the Southwest and the East Coast. She is the BellaOnline Feng Shui editor. Her recent book, the Feng Shui Quick Guide For Home and Office: Secrets For Attracting Wealth, Harmony, and Love, is available at her website, www.FengShuiForRealLife.com.

	Helen Peppe Helen Peppe is a writer and photographer. Her writing and images have appeared in books, anthologies, textbooks, and magazines, including Practical Horseman, Equine Journal, Dressage Today, Equus, Cats Magazine, Dog Fancy, and Dog World. Author of the Maine Stable Guide, A History of the State Theater, and former editor of the Eastern Equerry and Wordplay, Helen´s work has won awards, recently,1st Place in the Word Worth 2009 Essay and Fiction Contest. www.hpeppe.com.

	Kim Sisto Robinson Kim is an educator for the Duluth Public Schools, but her dream job is to write full time from home in her pajamas. She is a national blogger for Skirt Magazine and writes almost exclusively about women´s issues; essays that hopefully make them giggle. She is in the process of working on her first non-fiction book, Entitled-- "I Love You More Than Chocolate: Letters From Kenya". She was recently awarded the Diane Glancy Award in Poetry for her poem, "Afternoon of the Faun."

	Albert Rollins Al Rollins - Retired Local Government Budget Manager. Love to travel the USA with my wife, Janet, and photograph all the wonders of this great country.

	Barnali Saha Barnali is a creative writer, originally from Kolkata, India, currently living in Nashville, TN. She enjoys writing short stories, poetry, travelogues, and occasional articles on social issues. Her creative works have been published in various leading newspapers and magazines in India and also in the United States. Apart from creative writing, her hobbies include painting and photography.

	Andrew Sciandra Andrew is a retired Alternative High School Art Teacher.

	Donna Sciandra Donna is a retired elementary school teacher.

	George Shaw George Shaw has been a potter, builder, scrubber and teacher, among other things. He is now writing full time and seeking a publisher for his first novel.

	Lisa Shea Lisa relishes the challenge of conveying meaning and memorable characters in a limited amount of time and space. She is drawn to the ocean and has spent many quiet evenings watching the sun set over docks and fishing boats. Her stories, poems, and images are often full of natural beauty and peaceful serenity. She also enjoys the expansive possibilities of sci-fi writing. You can enjoy thousands of her photos at http://www.lisashea.com.

	Bhavika Sicka Bhavika Sicka is pursuing a Bachelor´s Degree in English from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, New Delhi, India. She is passionate about literature, and writes because she loves to. In addition to writing, she is an ardent lover of music. When she isn´t busy with her college assignments and her rock band, she enjoys blogging.

	T. Stores T. Stores is the author of Getting to the Point, SideTracks, and Backslide. Her fiction, poetry and essays have appeared in numerous literary magazines. The recipient of grants from the Vermont Arts Council and Barbara Deming Fund, she has attended Bread Loaf and The Community of Writers at Squaw Valley. A graduate of the M.F.A. program at Emerson College, Stores is an associate professor of English at the University of Hartford. Living in southern France with her family while on sabbatical, their adventures are chronicled at her blog: www.strangersinthevillage.wordpress.com.

	Charity C. Tran Charity C. Tran is a Los Angeles native who frequents public transit, arts, and culture. A graduate of USC´s Master of Professional Writing Program, she has published in Mused, Toasted Cheese Literary Journal, and the national journal Main Street News. She recently gained Honorable Mention in Glimmer Train´s Short Fiction Award. In addition to writing stories, Ms. Tran is a singer/songwriter and by day, a web manager. You can keep up with her on her blog (http://www.intellichick.com).

	Leslie Tribolet Leslie Tribolet lives on Kauai with her husband and animals. She studied at Santa Barbara Art Institute back in the 70’s concentrating on pencil portraits. She was introduced to the Genesis Heat Set Paints in 2007 and loved them because they are dried with heat, which speeds up the process of portrait painting. She has always been drawn to faces, so she decided to try her hand at painting them with Genesis with some good results. She hopes you enjoy what she does whether faces or fruit.

	John Tzikas John Tzikas is a Toronto based poet and lyricist. By day he is a mild mannered salesperson. He studied History at the University of Guelph Canada and received his Bachelor´s of Education at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay Canada. His work has appeared in Ditch Magazine, Quills, Long Story Short, MidWest Literary Magazine, P&W and Word Catalyst to name a few. John performs readings in coffee houses when they are available. In his spare time he cooks, works out daily and of course he writes poetry.

	Phibby Venable Phibby Venable´s work has been published in 2River, Poetrybay, Southern Ocean Review, Sow´s Ear, Voices, the Appalachian Journal and various other national & international magazines. She has published three chapbooks: What I Saw Beautiful, On White Top, and Indian Wind Song. She has published four poetry books: Blue Cold Morning, Blue Water Poems, There Is A White Girl, & Blue Cold Morning – First Collection Of Poems.

	Ann Waller Making her first ocean voyage at the age of 5, Ann is an inveterate traveler. Her wanderlust has taken her to various parts of the U.S., Canada, both coasts of Mexico, the islands of the Caribbean, England, France, Portugal, The Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Monaco, Croatia, Montenegro, China, Hong Kong, and Ukraine. She has a particular fondness for Italy and has returned at least a dozen times to explore the country from the tip of the Alps to the southern shores of Sicily.

	Monica Zikusooka Nature is the source of Monica Zikusooka´s inspiration. Monica is from Washington State with the Pacific Ocean in sight. She especially loves to take macro photos of flowers. Her newest venture is taking portrait photos of her friends. Her photos can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/monicaz22.

	Jody Zolli Jody Zolli has enjoyed writing poetry since she was 7. Poetry runs in the family, though, as both her mother and grandmother wrote poetry, and had a knack for doggerel verse. Jody has enjoyed being a technical writer for 25 years, and feels it is the perfect marriage between creative writing and engineering.

Bridget Aubrey Bridget Aubrey contributed the poem entitled My Kentucky in Spring.

Jancarl Campi Jancarl Campi contributed the poem entitled The Citrus Corner Look.

Mikki Karotkin A native of Hartford CT, Mikki Karotkin graduated from Hampshire College in 1978 at age 33 as the first "older student" to live on campus and take full part in campus activities. After over 20 years in Los Angeles Mikki returned to CT. Writing is like breathing with painting and photography taking second place and singing bringing up the rear. Mikki´s first novel, "Many Voices, One Echo", is about Hartford insurance industry office workers in the 60s and how they changed in a changing society.

Brenda Kay Ledford Brenda Kay Ledford is a member of North Carolina Writers´ Network and North Carolina Poetry Society. She´s listed with A DIRECTORY OF AMERICAN POETS AND FICTION WRITERS. Her work has appeared in "Asheville Poetry Review," "Pembroke Magazine," "Appalachian Heritage," and other journals. She received the Paul Green Award for her poetry chapbooks, PATCHWORK MEMORIES, SHEW BIRD MOUNTAIN, and SACRED FIRE.

Ann McDermott Ann McDermott believes myth to be the roadmap to the human psyche and the place where all serious change in attitude and consciousness begins. She writes desert fables for that very reason. To bring about a revisioning and revaluation of the human´s role in nature. And to pay homage to the Sonoran desert, in which she is blessed to live.

Dawn Merrow Dawn Merrow contributed the poem entitled Blown Glass.

Lisa J. Michaels Lisa J. Michaels is the co-author of the fiction entitled Chloe´s Secret.

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