contributor bios

[d]avid : [t]omaloff (b. 1972) | racine, WI, US | author, LIONTAMER’S BLUES (six eight press) | likes: jazz | hates: jazz | photography: yes | his work has also appeared in: Ditch Poetry, Otoliths, elimae, and/or, Counterexample Poetics, BlazeVOX 2KX, the Delinquent, and Calliope Nerve | see: davidtomaloff.com

Faryn Black is a writer from Winnipeg, Canada. In previous incarnations, she has fixed jewellery, wrestled Irish Wolfhounds, and rocked the microphone as a radio announcer. Currently the proud momma to a pack of unruly dogs, she is either a descendant of Sitting Bull, or Leonard Cohen’s cousin –depending on what kind of beverage she’s drinking. For no discernible reason, cows make her laugh.

James Dowell lives in Frisco, Texas.  He has a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering he does not use.  He loves devil’s food, looking at the stars, his wife Michelle and his son Arden, reading the Bible, and the romantic poets, Moby Dick & Phantasms of the Living... and like all true poets, listening to the wind, needless to say not in that order.  He has several blogs in development on the web and a particular obsession with Fortean topics.  He believes in God and aliens.  He really did run away and join the circus once upon a time.

Jane Røken believes in coloured lanterns and old tractors. She has been a saxhorn player in a brass band, a research technician in a secret lab, and a member of the Fourth International. Now past sixty, she has not yet decided what she wants to be when she grows up. In the meantime, she writes weird stories and spooky poems. For you. Yes, you.

Jean Brasseur lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, two children, two dogs, six ferrets and other assorted pets. When not working or cleaning up after the aforementioned roomies, she enjoys all types of poetry particularly that written by new and unknown poets. Jean has been writing poetry for as long as she can remember, but only became serious about her craft a few years ago when impending birthdays made her realize it was now or never. Since then her work has appeared in The Battered Suitcase, gutter eloquence,twenty20, the right eyed deer and others.

Jeanie Tomasko is the author of two books of poetry, Sharp as Want (Little Eagle Press) and Tricks of Light (Parallel Press.) She lives in Wisconsin where all kinds of creepy things happen. 

Kevin Ridgeway is a writer from Southern California, where he dwells in a shady bungalow with his girlfriend and a one-eyed cat.  Sometimes he and the cat engage in staring contests.  Recent work has appeared in Underground Voices, Red Fez, The Camel Saloon, Haggard & Halloo and Magic Cat Press.  

KJ likes to make poems a lot. Find his work in Thieves Jargon, decomp, and gutter eloquence.

Lisa Marie Basile is the author of the forthcoming A Decent Voodoo, (Cervená Barva Press, 2012) and a chapbook,Diorama (Wisp Press). She recently was published in Pear Noir!, >kill author, Foundling Review and Moon Milk Review. She is the founding editor and publisher of Patasola Press and currently reads poetry for Weave Magazine. She performs with the Poetry Brothel as Luna Liprari and is an M.F.A. candidate at The New School. She is a member of the Poetry Society of New York.

Margaret Mary is named after St. Margaret Mary of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and was told it was sinful to shorten her name. Unfortunately, she shortens it daily. She started writing poetry when she was homeless, as a way to pass the time. No longer homeless, she is learning jiujitsu and kickboxing in case of a zombie invasion, while finishing her degree in political science. Margaret Mary's poetry tends to be dark, absurd with a half narrative, and sometimes political but mostly not so much. Was it mentioned that she likes puns?

Melanie Browne likes to eat crispy creme donuts while watching the third class steerage dance scene from the movie Titanic over and over again. She also has an online literary journal that you should check out: http://theliteraryburlesque.com/.

Peter Marra is from Williamsburg Brooklyn. Born in Brooklyn, he lived in the East Village, New York from 1979-1987 at the height of the punk – no wave rebellion. His poems explore alienation, sex, love, addiction, the havoc that secrets can wreak and obsessions often recounted in an oneiric filmic haze. He wishes to find new methods of description and language manipulation wrapped in a frenzy. He has either been published in or has work forthcoming in Caper Literary Journal, amphibi.us, Yes Poetry, Maintenant 4 & 5, Beatnik, Crash, Danse Macabre, Clutching At Straws, O Sweet Flowery Roses, Breadcrumb Scabs, Carcinogenic,Carnage Conservatory,Subliminal Interiors,and Calliope Nerve among others. He was recently interviewed by Yes, Poetry and is currently constructing his first collection of poems.

Rachel Marsom-Richmond graduated with her M.A. from Northern Arizona University in May of 2009 and her M.F.A. from Georgia College & State University in May of 2011.  Her poems have appeared in Three Line Poetry, The Bijou Poetry Review, The Camel Saloon, Quantum Poetry Magazine, and The Montucky Review. She has work forthcoming in kitchen, Camroc Press Review, Full of Crow Poetry, and The Penwood Review.    

Tess Pfeifle is eighteen years old, likes camping, abandoned insane asylums and unsolved mysteries.