Roberta Annicks (Peotone, IL): Her poems have appeared in five different literary magazines, including Profiles, Talisman, Welcome Home, Poetry Forum, and Context South.
Elizabeth C. Axford (Del Mar, CA): Elizabeth C. Axford, M.A. is an award-winning songwriter, arranger, composer, poet, and author. Her songs and arrangements have been heard on artists' CDs, in videos, on the radio, in TV commercials, on PBS, CNN, and the CW, on Internet web sites, as ringtones, as sound chips in greeting cards and gift bags, and in musical theatre productions. During her 25 years of teaching piano, she has done hundreds of arrangements for piano and keyboards as well as composed original piano pieces, instrumentals, and songs. Her Piano Press Studio received the "Best of Del Mar" award from the U.S. Local Business Association for 2008 and 2009. She received an ASCAPLUS Award for the 2009-2010 distribution year. Ms. Axford is the author of "Song Sheets to Software - A Guide to Print Music, Software, Instructional Media and Web Sites for Musicians" Book/CD-ROM (Scarecrow Press, 2009). More info at http://www.pianopress.com
Richard H. Behm (Stevens Point, WI): He has published poems in The Southern Review, The Kenyon Review, Southern Poetry Review, Poem, Michigan Quarterly Review, California Quarterly, and Yankee, among others. He has four new poems forthcoming in The Sewanee Review, wherein he has appeared several times since the late 1980's, and two poems coming out in an anthology of poems about baseball from Southern Illinois University Press. He is a professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and a three-time winner of fellowships from the Wisconsin Arts Board, twice in poetry and once in fiction.
Brad Belt (Marion, IL): He is a published songwriter with ten songs on "Golf is a Cussin' Game" available at www.bradbelt.com, and two songs on "Reflections" by Carl Sanders, available at www.outbackrecords.com. He is an experienced singer and guitarist, and is putting final touches on two additional albums. As regional workshop coordinator for the NSAI Marion, IL chapter, he is active in the coffee house and club network in Southern Illinois, and makes occasional trips to Nashville where he gives acoustical renditions of his works. He is completely devoted to his family and his music. "I write about things that have an emotional impact on me personally. Things that make me cry, things that make me happy or mad, things that make me laugh, even things that drive me crazy - these are the things that end up in my songs."
Karen Benedetto (New York, NY): She has been a poet as far back as she can remember, when, at an early age, she taught herself guitar and put her poems to music. Her work has been recognized in a number of international songwriting competitions and professional showcases. Her debut songwriter CD, "Right From the Start…the Songs of She Benedetto" is a various-artists recording that includes a range of musical styles from cabaret, pop ballads, and novelty material, through folk, country, and inspirational/gospel selections. Singers from the NYC Cabaret, Broadway, and Concert stages interpret the seventeen songs in the collection, with two selections on the CD performed by Karen herself. "The Call," written in response to 9/11, received radio airplay both across the U.S. and abroad. This powerful and timeless anthem of healing and unity has had a part in numerous live commemorative events in churches, spiritual centers, and civic gatherings, and has been heard on several occasions at the United Nations. "The Perfect Gift," a unique way of looking at Christmas with love as the perfect offering, is part of "A Holiday Sampler" CD as well as of "Holiday Heart," a Hospice benefit recording. "Southern Rains," written in response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, is part of a Red Cross benefit recording produced and performed by vocalist Pamela Palmieri. A member of the performing rights organization ASCAP, she presently has thirteen songs out with publishers in Nashville, Philadelphia, and Michigan. She is honored to be recognized for "A Pencil and A Pad" ("The Songwriter Song") in The 6th Annual Art of Music Writing Contest. Thank you, Liz, for all of your wonderful and inspiring work! She can be reached at BenedettoBarlow@IntheFlowMusic.com and through her web site http://www.KarenBenedettoSongs.com.
Toni La Ree Bennett (Seattle, WA): After receiving a Ph.D. from the University of Washington and teaching English for five years, she now divides her time between financial management, traveling, learning Italian, breeding finches, and writing poetry. Recently published works include Inside/Outside in Fox Cry Review (2001), Thermal Pools in Bogg #70 (2000), Mezza Ragna and No Pastel Princess in The Muse Strikes Back (1997), A Floating Face in Hawaii Pacific Review, Vol. 10 (1996), and Bennett Island, New Zealand in Puerto del Sol, Vol. 30, #1 (1995).
Linne Black (Winston-Salem, NC): She performed in country-rock bands all over North Carolina for years, then began writing for Excellorec Music in Nashville, headed up by well-known writer/publisher Bob Tubert. During the years she wrote for Excellorec, she had songs recorded by some major artists and a host of independent artists. In the late-70's, she was signed to RCA as an artist/writer and was produced by the famous Chet Atkins. Her songs made it to the charts and got great reviews in Billboard. Today, she has her own publishing company, Seeing Stars Music (BMI) and has entered into several co-publishing agreements with larger companies. She co-operates NextNumberOne Music Group that includes Pitchy Women (ASCAP), Target Top Ten (BMI), and Seeing Stars (BMI), with addresses in Nashville, Alabama, and North Carolina. Mickey Gilley, Alabama, Barbi Benton, Melanie Ayers, Tommy Overstreet, Linda Darrell, Mary Lou Turner, Brenda Pepper, Susan Lea, Mike Wells, Billy Crash Craddock, and a host of independent artists have recorded her songs. She was recently selected as the NSAI workshop coordinator for the Winston-Salem, NC chapter. She wrote Sing A Love Song, Porter Wagoner, one of the featured songs for Porter Wagoner's recent TNN special Company's Coming. She is now co-writing regularly with established Nashville staff writers, as well as other prolific songwriters in and outside of Nashville. She is happily married to Bill. Her day job is as a Registered Nurse (to support her songwriting habit), and she has spent eighteen years as EMT-D on the volunteer rescue squad/fire department.
Dr. Ronald K. Burke (Sherman Oaks, CA): He is professor emeritus of Speech Communication at Syracuse University and a free lance writer residing in southern California. His three published books include Samuel Ringgold Ward: Christian Abolitionist, Frederick Douglass: Crusading Orator for Human Rights, and American Public Address: A Multicultural Perspective. Other publications include articles for academic journals and poetry. His poems have appeared in New Mirage Quarterly, Poet's Corner, Blue Collar Review, Timbooktu Online Journal, Mayhem Publishing Online, Tucumcari Literary Review, Raskolnikov's Cellar, Melting Trees Review, Clark Street Review, Nomad's Choir, AIM, Thorny Locust, among others. "In Jazz There is Unity" appeared in the Haight Ashbury Literary Journal, Vol. 19, #1, 2000.
Marianna Busching (Walkersville, MD): She has been a compulsive writer since age seven. She is a serious professional classical singer who is winding down a career after having appeared in such places as Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. She is on the faculty of The Peabody Conservatory. She won a Poet's Award at Converse College and has been invited to read her poems at Border's. The latest of her poems to be accepted for publication include "Supper" by Living Church, and "Songs from the Couch I and II" by Mausoleum. A Washington composer set five of her poems to music especially for her voice. She premiered them at the Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C., and they have been performed frequently since. Stephen Butterman (Ypsilanti, MI): He is currently pursuing a Masters degree in creative writing at Eastern Michigan University. He has published two nonfiction books on bicycle touring, one with Wilderness Press, the other with Anacus Press. He has published poetry, essays, and fiction in several dozen publications including Immaculate Cauldron and Cornfield Review (two literary journals of Ohio State University), Inland, Baja Times, Wyoming Rural News, American Gardening, Hartford Woman, Paperback Parade, Atrocity, and Catholic Forester.
Loraine Campbell (Seattle, WA): Her poems and short stories have appeared in Grit, The Sun, Chrysalis Reaer, Aim, Writing for our Lives, Works and Conversation, Potato Eyes, Sweet Pea Review, Papyrus, Pulse, Chiron Review, Circle Magazine, Struggle, Dana Literary Society, Hard Row to Hoe, Bellowing Ark, The Awakenings Review, and The California Quarterly. "Silent Way" is from a self-published chapbook titled "Marooned."
Fern G. Z. Carr (Kelowna, BC, Canada): She is a musician, lawyer, language teacher, and past president and director of the local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Music is an integral part of her life. She has given private piano lessons, served as an accompanist, and taught choir at the high school level. She plays the piano every day and enjoys singing and performing with a university choir. Her poetry has been published in Canada, the USA, England, Wales, and Australia. Her publication credits include: Canadian Writer's Journal, Thalia: Studies in Literary Humor, Green's Magazine, Writer's Guidelines and News Magazine, John Milton Magazine, Jewish Women's Literary Annual, Once Upon A Time, FreeXpres-Sion, Time for Rhyme, SPCA Connection, Dream International Quarterly, VQ Online, Gentle Reader, Krax, and Candelabrum.
Todd Cecil (Nashville, TN): He is a UNC Chapel Hill Graduate. He is currently a musician and songwriter in Nashville, TN working on original music featuring slide collage guitar with emphasis on lyrical content and performance. Song clips and further information can be found at www.toddcecil.com. His publication credits include "Buicks" in Penmanship: A Creative Arts Calendar 2001, "Raising Perfect" and "Kiosk" in Way Station Magazine 2001, and "Next" and "When She Writes" published in Offerings 2002.
Kelly Clark (Glenview, IL): She is a teacher and a writer of poetry. She is the fourth of seven children.
Patricia Clark (Grand Rapids, MI): The author of "My Father on a Bicycle" and "North of Wondering," she teaches at Grand Valley State University, where she is
also the university’s poet-in-residence. Her work has appeared in The
Atlantic Monthly, Slate, Poetry, and many other places. "She Walks Into
the Sea," a new collection of poems, will be out in 2009 as well as
"Given the Trees," a chapbook.
Laura Cobrinik (Boonton Township, NJ): She graduated from Caldwell College (magna cum laude) in May of 1988. She is a former member of Women Who Write in New Jersey, and is now a graduate student at The Palmer School of Library and Information Sciences, Brookville, NY. Her other works of poetry have appeared in Interface, The Delta Epsilon Sigma Journal, The Storyteller, Library Mosaics, The Jewish Woman's Literary Annual, The Quarterly of The National Writing Project & The Center For The Study of Writing and Literacy, Manna, Haiku Headlines, and The Aurorean: A Poetic Quarterly. Her poem, "If Emily Dickinson Was Jewish," won third prize in the National College Poetry Contest, 1996. She has also been published in the "Chatter, New Jersey" column of the New Jersey section of the Sunday New York Times on numerous occasions. Her poems have also appeared in the Spring 2002 issue of the ALA/ASCAL journal, Interface, and the December, 2002 issue of TheAurorean: A Poetic Quarterly.
Robert Cooperman (Denver, CO): He is the author of three collections of poetry, most recently "The Widow's Burden" (Western Reflections). His second collection, "In the Colorado Gold Fever Mountains" (Western Reflections) won the Colorado Book Award for Poetry for 2000. His first book, "In the Household of Percy Bysshe Shelley," was published by the University of Central Florida Contemporary Poetry Series and was nominated for several national awards. "The Emigrants' Buffalo Hunt" is forthcoming from Conundrum Press. His work has appeared in The American Poetry Review, Mississippi Review, California Quarterly, and many other prestigious literary journals. He lives in Denver with his wife Beth. Previously published poems included here are "A Member of the Orchestra" (Plainsongs), "Gregorian Chants" (Willow Springs), "Impetus" (Purple Monkey Review), and "Attempted Music" (Potomac Review).
Deborah A. Dessaso (Washington, DC): She is a native of Washington, DC and a published writer and poet. Her essays and poems have appeared in the Washington Post, the Washington Informer, and several local and national literary and small press publications including Obsidian, Parnassus Literary Journal, Writer's Exchange, The Mage, and Dialogue. Her poem "The Tuning" was previously published in The Aardvark Adventurer, April, 1998.
Jim Dewitt (Deceased): An educator for over thirty-one years, he taught Language Arts from the elementary to university levels. He also authored linguistics textbooks. Over 2,000 of his poems and writings appeared in various publications, including journals and university presses, throughout his writing career.
Gelia Dolcimascolo (Atlanta, GA): A former modern dancer and the daughter of a concert pianist and composer, she is currently a writing lab assistant and facilitator of The Writers' Circle at Georgia Perimeter College in Atlanta. She has taught creative writing through the college's Continuing Education Division. Her poems have been published in Poets, Artists & Madmen, bluemilk, Dancing Shadow Review, Mediphors, The DeKalb Literary Arts Journal, and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She has co-authored two poetry chapbooks, Adagio and Encore!, and is preparing a collection of her own poems. Her poetry addresses familial and personal relationships through the arts. Previously published poems included here are "Pianos" (bluemilk, 1998; Adagio, 1997), "Opus" (Adagio, 1997), and "Papa's Imbalance" (Adagio, 1997). "Danse Poetica" was previously published in Adagio, 1997.
Randi Drucker (Long Island, NY): She has been writing music since she was seventeen. She was a back-up singer in a local band in New York. She became involved with the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), and has been one of the New York coordinators for many years. One of her songs was a finalist in the ASCAP Lilith Fair songwriting contest.
Mary E. Duncan (Greensboro, NC): She is a poet, author of children's stories, and writes songs for children.
Jim Dunlap (Des Moines, IA): His work has appeared in over sixty small press magazines to date, including Plainsongs, Candelabrum, and the Paris/Atlantic . He has been in the Writers' Digest's Top 100 three times. For the past five years, he has been newsletter editor for his local writers' group and has recently resigned to spend more time on writing and other priorities.
Elaine Erickson (Urbandale, IA): She is a composer and a poet, and teaches piano in her home. She has five books of poems published by Chestnut Hills Press in Baltimore, MD. She has previously been published in The Maryland Poetry Review, Briar Cliff Review, Opus Literary Review, and Lyrical Iowa, among others. She won first place in the Barnes and Noble Contest in Des Moines, IA in April 2003.
David Fagen (Deceased): He was a retired attorney who enjoyed creating humorous satire. He considered himself the illiterate man's Jonathan Swift. He played the flute, specializing in the Baroque scores of LeClair, Blavet, Naudot, Stamitz, and Corelli. His nephew Donald Fagen is of Steely Dan.
Mardelle Fortier (Lisle, IL): She has won many contests in creative writing. She won two contests recently in ByLine Magazine, one for poetry and one for fiction. She has about sixty poems in print, in journals such as Chicago Literary Review, Rhino, and Piedmont Literary Review. Some years ago, she was an assistant editor at Rhino, and is now a poetry editor at DuPage Arts/Life published by Benedictine University. She teaches writing at various Chicago area colleges such as the College of DuPage, and has taught in colleges for seventeen years. She holds a doctorate of comparative literature from the University of Illinois. For years she has been a member of Phi Beta Kapa, and is currently president of the Illinois State Poetry Society. "Katerina Witt Competes" was previously published in DuPage Arts Life, Fall 2003. "Skater to Red Violin" was previously published in Quantum Pulp, Spring 2002. "Composing Poems as Music Plays in a Coffee House" was previously published in Byline Magazine, February 2000.
G. G. Gilchrist (Deceased): A Brooklyn, NY native, he was published in Armadillo/Candleligh t, Timelapse, Iliad, Black Creek Review, Aurorean, and Smile, among others. His poem "inexpressible is music" won an Honorable Mention in the Spring 2000 Iliad Literary Awards Program.
Howard Gold (Las Vegas, NV): He writes on the humorous side of life, on a variety of subjects, sings, and plays the piano. He has been published in the Las Vegas Chapter of the Menza Newsletter.
Peter Grimaldi (Broomall, PA): His poetry has appeared in the following publications: Trains, Philadelphia Poets, The Plastic Tower, Poetry Motel, The White Crow, The Advocate, The Oak, and is forthcoming in Hidden Oak, Red Owl Magazine, and Cleaning Magazine. "Piano Moving," "Piano Dust," and "Music Child" are previously published, having appeared in Fearless and The Oak. He is a lifelong resident of the Philadelphia area, and he teaches language arts in the city of Chester.
Anita Metz Grossman (Deceased): She was a pianist and a composer. She performed both classical and jazz on piano. Writing about music was her chief joy. Her poem "Cadences" was published in bluemilk. She published with her colleague, Gelia Dolcimascolo, two chapbooks, Adagio and Encore.
Michelle Gunning (Battle Creek, MI): She writes poetry and songs, and is the mother of three children, Sarah, Alissa, and Trey. Her poem "Reminded" won an Editor's Choice Award at www.poetry.com.
Kathleen Gunton (Orange, CA): She received her degree from CSULB. She has been publishing poetry for twenty years. Her poems have been published by Hellas, NCR, Free Lunch, The Aurorean, The Christian Science Monitor, Sing!, Heavenly Muse, and Fox Cry Review, among others. She was nominated for a Pushcart in 1999. Her first collection, "Something Untamed," was published in 2000. She is a professional photographer and lives with her husband.