FLASH FICTION BY DONAL MAHONEY: "GOOSE EGGS"

Nominated for Best of the Net and the Pushcart Prize, Donal Mahoney has had work published in the United States, Europe, Asia and Africa. Some of his earliest work can be found at http://booksonblog12.blogspot.com/.

FICTION BY JERRY MULLINS: "THE BRIDE"

 

“Jerry Mullins grew up in central West Virginia, and has lived in the Washington, DC suburbs in recent years. His work has recently been published in or is forthcoming from Columbia University Journal-Catch and Release, Wilderness House Literary Review, The Broadkill Review, Tower Journal, Indiana Voice Journal, Newfound Journal, Literary Yard, Foliate Oak, Homestead Review, Literary Nest, and internationally in Nazar-Look (Romania) and Southern Cross Review (Argentina).” 

FICTION BY JOHN RICHMOND: "THE FUTURE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES"

John Richmond has “wandered” parts of North America for a good portion of his life.
            These “wanderings” have taken him from a city on the Great Lakes to a small fishing village (population 400) and then on to a bigger city on the Great Lakes- Chicago- then, eventually, New York City.
            Since then, John Richmond has made his way to a small upstate New York town and has sequestered himself in his office where he divides his time between writing and discussing the state of the world with his coonhound buddy- Roma.
            Recently, he has appeared in the The Corner Club Press, The Tower Journal, Stone Path Review, Meat for Tea: The Valley Review, Rogue Particles Magazine, From the Depths, Flash Frontier (N. Z.), The Birmingham Arts Journal, Riverbabble (2), The Writing Disorder, Lalitamba, Poetic Diversity, Marco Polo Arts Magazine, Embodied Effigies, ken*again, Black & White, SNReview, The Round, The Potomac, Syndic Literary Journal, Ygdrasil (Canada), Slow Trains, Forge Journal, and is forthcoming in The Corner Club Press, and The Greensilk Journal.

FICTION BY ROBERT WEXELBLATT: "BEEN EVERYWHERE"

 Robert Wexelblatt is professor of humanities at Boston University’s College of General Studies. He has published the story collections Life in the Temperate Zone and The Decline of Our Neighborhood; a book of essays, Professors at Play; two short novels, Losses and The Derangement of Jules Torquemal, and essays, stories, and poems in a variety of journals. His novel Zublinka Among Women won the Indie Book Awards first-place prize for fiction. His most recent book is The Artist Wears Rough Clothing.  Another, Heiberg’s Twitch, is forthcoming.
 http://www.bu.edu/cgs/faculty/humanities-faculty/wexelblatt/

INDIANA VOICE JOURNAL AUGUST 2015 "THE NATURE ISSUE" #13

"Friends of Mother Nature" © Jim Warren

Welcome to our Nature Issue! I am deeply grateful to all the talented folks who've poured their art, wisdom, words, and wonder into this special themed edition of IVJ.  A warm thank you to the legendary artist Jim Warren for gracing our cover page with his beautiful painting "Friends of Mother Nature", and to the multi-talented editor Stacy Savage for honoring us with an interview and a poetry contest for a really great cause.

Indiana author Gene Stratton Porter once said, "Nature can be trusted to work her own miracle in the heart of any man whose daily task keeps him alone among her sights, sounds and silences." I believe that's true. Enjoy the wonder, and thank you to everyone who supports Indiana Voice Journal in one way or another. ~Janine Pickett

IN THIS ISSUE

ABOUT COVER ARTIST JIM WARREN

INTERVIEW

POETRY,  A CONVERSATION, AND A CONTEST WITH POETRY EDITOR STACY SAVAGE 

POETRY

ELIZABETH BROOKS: "INDESCRIBABLE PLEASURE", "QUICK DIP", "THE LURE OF THE MOON"

PIJUSH KANTI DEB: "A RURAL LOVE STORY", "BITING ON ASS", "AN ENCHANTING PAMPAS"

MICHAEL ENEVOLDSEN: "SHADOWS OF MOUNTAINS", "WINTER’S SLEEPY EYE" 

CINDY BOUSQUET HARRIS: "SERENGETI TANGENT", "FLAMINGOS OF GRUISSAN"

STEVE KLEPETAR: "LI BO'S GARDEN", "MINNESOTA", "ENTERING THE OLD WOOD" 

JOAN LEOTTA: "RED HAWK"

HAMEETA KAUR MALHOTRA: "CONFINED PARAKEET", "LONESOME TREE", "AND A POET WAS BORN"

DIKE OKORO: "CONFIRMATION", "DON'T FORGET", "LAGOS, NIGHT" 

SCOTT THOMAS OUTLAR: "RUSH HOUR", "YAWNING STARS", "FILL IN THE BLANKS"

SUNIL KUMAR POUDYAL: "EARTHQUAKE"

CECILIA SOPRANO: "OLD STRUCTURES", "ON THE MOUNTAIN"

VISUAL ART 

JEFFREY Z ROTHSTEIN: VISUAL ART "CORNFIELD" AND "ENCHANTED KINGDOM"

CREATIVE NONFICTION/ESSAY

FAITH BRITT: "SECRETS OF A MOREL HUNTER"

JENISE ERICKSON: "GETTING WET WITH BIRDERS" ESSAY AND PHOTOGRAPHY

RAYMOND GREINER: "A PLACE TO LOVE"

K.R. RIORDAN: "WHERE IS THE THICKET? WHERE IS THE EAGLE?"

FICTION

TIMOTHY A. CLEMENTS: "PETTY IS DEAD"

JEFF FLEISCHER: "DOVE"

BELINDA HUBERT: "WONDER"

JOSHUA STEELE: "THE CLEARING"

A TRIBUTE TO "CECIL THE LION" 

ABOUT COVER ARTIST JIM WARREN

Signed Limited-Edition

 JIM'S STORY

Jim Warren began painting and selling his art in high school over 40 years ago. Now considered a “Living Legend of the Art World”, Jim continues to create his unique style of art seen the world over.

His talents won him a first place award at his first art show in 1975. Soon after Jim began painting illustrations for books, movies and record album covers, most notably the Grammy Award winning cover for Bob Seger’s “Against the Wind” in 1981.

POETRY, A CONVERSATION, AND A CONTEST WITH POETRY EDITOR STACY SAVAGE

Available on Amazon

Mrs. Stacy Savage is a poet from Anderson, Indiana. She has published eight poetry books, seven of which the royalties benefited charities. Her work has also appeared in Birds and Blooms magazine, Ideals magazine, Asian Geographic magazine, The Heron’s Nest haiku journal, and various publications. In May 2010, she won second place in Spring Mill State Park’s nature poetry contest for her poem, “In Southern Indiana“.  Her poem, “Whispers of Poets Past”, was published on board 20 to 30 city buses in Lafayette as part of an arts project called Words on the Go. Last October, one of her poems was published in a wildlife calendar in Africa. She was a judge twice for the Best Books of Indiana competition in the poetry category.  Recently, she read some of her work on "The Smiley Morning Show" on WZPL radio. Most of Savage's work has been published under her former name of Smith. Stacy agreed to talk with IVJ about her charity work.

ELIZABETH BROOKS: "INDESCRIBABLE PLEASURE", "QUICK DIP", "THE LURE OF THE MOON"

Elizabeth Brooks Manatee River

Elizabeth Brooks resides in Tampa, Florida. She is originally from Trinidad and Tobago.  A lover of life, family, friends, a good book,  lots of laughter and continues to grow and accept many challenges.  She is a librarian by profession and a part-time reference librarian at Saint Leo University, St. Leo Florida. 

PIJUSH KANTI DEB: "A RURAL LOVE STORY", "BITING ON ASS", "AN ENCHANTING PAMPAS"

Pijush Kanti Deb is a new Indian poet with more than 234 published or accepted poems and haiku in more than 75 national and international magazines and journals,[print and online] including Down in the dirt, Tajmahal Review, Pennine Ink, Hollow Publishing, Creativica Magazine, Muse India, Teeth Dream Magazine, Hermes Poetry Journal, Madusa’s Kitchen,Grey Borders, Dead Snakes, Dagda Publishing, Blognostic and many more.
His best achievement so far is the publication of his first poetry collection,’’Beneath The Shadow Of A White Pigeon’’ published by Hollow Publishing. It is available on AMAZON and BARNES AND NOBLE.

MICHAEL ENEVOLDSEN: "SHADOWS OF MOUNTAINS", "WINTER’S SLEEPY EYE"

Michael Enevoldsen is a poet and photographer, who lives in Denmark, just outside the capital of Copenhagen. He has education as both a gardener and preschool teacher. The latter he finished at the University College of the city of Roskilde in 2015. His interests include literature, metaphysics, philosophy, meditation and nature - particularly bird watching and hiking. His poems have appeared in some international magazines, including Lummox Poetry Anthology 4 (USA)  Calliope: Literary and Visual Arts Magazine (USA) Yellow Chair Review (USA), The Commonline Journal (USA), Time of Singing, (USA), Aquillrelle Anthology (Belgium) and Section 8 Magazine (one micropoem combined with two of his photos) (USA). Also he has works in the forthcoming issue of  Madison's Lake Anthology.

CINDY BOUSQUET HARRIS: "SERENGETI TANGENT", "FLAMINGOS OF GRUISSAN"

Cindy Bousquet Harris is a poet and a licensed marriage and family therapist. Her poetry has appeared online and in print journals including The San Diego Poetry Annual, In the Mist, and Spectrum Magazine. Born and raised in the Midwest, she now lives in southern California with her husband and their children.  <[email protected]

STEVE KLEPETAR: "LI BO'S GARDEN", "MINNESOTA", "ENTERING THE OLD WOOD"

Steve Klepetar’s work has appeared in nine countries, in such journals as Boston Literary Magazine, Deep Water, Antiphon, Red River Review, Snakeskin, Ygdrasil, and many others.  Several of his poems have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net.  Recent collections include Speaking to the Field Mice (Sweatshoppe Publications, 2013), My Son Writes a Report on the Warsaw Ghetto (Flutter Press, 2013) and Return of the Bride of Frankenstein (Kind of a Hurricane Press).

JOAN LEOTTA: "RED HAWK"

Joan Leotta has been playing with words by writing and performing since childhood Joan recently completed a month as a Tupelo Press' 30/30 poet and has work  the Spring in Knox Literary Magazine, Eastern Iowa Review and forthcoming in Silver Birch Review. In addition to work as journalist, short story writer, author, poet and essayist, Joan performs folklore and "women-in history" stage shows. She often walks the beach in Calabash , NC with husband Joe. Her four books of historical fiction (Legacy of Honor series) are available from Desert Breeze Publishing and on Amazon along with her newly released collection of short stories, Simply a Smile. Her first picture book, Whoosh! (about a father and young daughter's day out sledding) can be pre-ordered from TheaQ and will be released August 2015.

Find her at www.joanleotta.wordpress.com and on FACEBOOK

HAMEETA KAUR MALHOTRA: "CONFINED PARAKEET", "LONESOME TREE", 'AND A POET WAS BORN"

 

Hameeta Kaur Malhotra is a student of M.A. English at Panjab University campus, Chandigarh, India

 

DIKE OKORO: "CONFIRMATION", "DON'T FORGET", "LAGOS, NIGHT"

Dike Okoro, a poet and short story writer, teaches at Concordia University Wisconsin, Mequon. He was a finalist the Iliad Poetry Award and a recipient of a Sam Walton Fellowship. His poetry, stories, and nonfiction have appeared in Witness Magazine, World Literature Today, Yellow Medicine Review, The Caribbean Writer, Reverie and elsewhere. He is the author of the poetry volume, Dance of the Heart. He received his PhD in English from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. 

SCOTT THOMAS OUTLAR: "RUSH HOUR", "YAWNING STARS", "FILL IN THE BLANKS"

 Scott Thomas Outlar survived the chaos of both the fire and the flood...barely. Now he spends the hours flowing and fluxing with the ever changing tide of the Tao River while laughing at and/or weeping over life's existential nature. His words have appeared recently in venues such as Yellow Chair Review, Dissident Voice, Poems-for-All, Tuck Magazine, and Clockwise Cat. Links to his published material can be found at 17numa.wordpress.com.

SUNIL KUMAR POUDYAL: "EARTHQUAKE"

 Sunil Kumar Poudyal is a poet, writer and journalist from Nepal (Country of Mt. Everest-South Asia). His poem, Earthquake, was written under stress while the quakes were still happening in Nepal.

CECILIA SOPRANO: "OLD STRUCTURES", "ON THE MOUNTAIN"

Cecilia Soprano lives in Westchester County and makes her living as an organic gardener and artist.   Her poems and artwork have been published in La Joie magazine and UC at Santa Barbara among others.  Her artwork is often featured on the covers of Inner Directions magazine. 

She is a member of the Greenwich Art Society and the Katonah Museum Art Association.  She has published three small books and has had several one woman art exhibits.  Her love of nature and gardening provides the space for uninterrupted inspiration.  Her intention is to make images and words that describe beauty and uplift the human spirit.   My art is about making the simple sacred and the ordinary extra-ordinary.

"The reason why we exist is to remember why we exist and to realize our interconnectedness with all things."    WEBSITE:  www.Amichiart.com or CeciliaSoprano.com

JEFFREY Z ROTHSTEIN: VISUAL ART "CORNFIELD" AND "ENCHANTED KINGDOM"

Jeffrey Z Rothstein is a free lance writer and artist, whose work has appeared most recently in Fallen City Writers Anthology, Red Fez, Mud Season Review, Kitchen Sink and The Newer York Press. He has also appeared in numerous shows and live readings.  JZRothstein presently lives just outside of Madison Wisconsin, a town which is extremely tolerant towards artists and their eccentric work habits. Visit PhlegmTurtlePalace

FAITH BRITT: "SECRETS OF A MOREL HUNTER"

Although I am a graphic designer, I live for the outdoors. Besides writing and designing, some of my greatest pleasures include hunting for mushrooms and spending summer afternoons in my family's backyard swimming pool. I recently finished my education at Clarke University and am eager to enter the workforce!

JENISE ERICKSON: "GETTING WET WITH BIRDERS" ESSAY AND PHOTOGRAPHY

Jenise Erikson is a Louisiana native, but currently lives in the mountains of Arkansas. She has an M.A. in English and a B.A. in Criminal Justice and worked in the construction industry for many years as well as being reared in a cabinet shop. She likes being outdoors whether hiking, mountain biking, painting or writing.
We live in a grand world and can’t experience it all personally, but we can learn from one another. That’s the beauty of words. Please visit her website at: Mama's Madness

RAYMOND GREINER: "A PLACE TO LOVE"

Raymond Greiner's writings include short stories and essays published frequently in various literary journals and magazines:  Branches magazine, La Joie Journal, Literary Yard Journal, Nib Magazine, Canary Literary Journal, Bellesprit Magazine, Freedom Journal, Grace Notes Literary Magazine. His latest book, a collection of fiction, nonfiction, and two novella's titled Hinterland Narrative is available on Amazon. Raymond lives in a remote area of southern Indiana in a cabin far off a lightly traveled road with his two dogs Orion and Venus. He is a frequent contributor to Indiana Voice Journal.

 

K.R. RIORDAN: "WHERE IS THE THICKET? WHERE IS THE EAGLE?"

I am currently a student at Seattle University, diligently working towards my Bachelor of Arts in English Literature & Creative Writing.  My works have appeared in the Percival Review, a literary journal out of Olympia, Washington. 

My goal in life is to transfer the passion of literature and writing which I possess onto younger generations. 

TIMOTHY A. CLEMENTS: "PETTY IS DEAD"

Timothy A. Clements holds an MFA in writing from Lindenwood University and lives nearby in St. Charles, MO with his wife and two children. 

JEFF FLEISCHER: "DOVE"

Jeff Fleischer is a Chicago-based author, journalist and editor. His fiction is most recently published in the Chicago Tribune's Printers Row literary journal and Steam Ticket Third Coast Review. He is also the author of non-fiction books including "The Latest Craze: A Short History of Mass Hysterias" (Fall River Press, 2011), "Rockin' the Boat: 50 Iconic Revolutionaries" (Zest Books, 2015), and a civics book coming in spring 2016. He is a veteran journalist published in Mother Jones, the New Republic, the Sydney Morning Herald, the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine, Mental_Floss, National Geographic Traveler and dozens of other local, national and international publications.

Website: www.JeffFleischer.com (blog is www.JeffFleischer.com/blog)
Twitter:@jefffleischer
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Jeff-Fleischer/e/B00PIXRK52/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1

BELINDA HUBERT: "WONDER"

In addition to writing fiction and poetry, Belinda Hubert is currently working on a novel, titled Shrink Wrapped and a collection of short stories about life in the Midwest. She works as a clinical psychologist in a private practice in Lowell, Indiana.

 http://buelasprairiepractice.blogspot.com/

JOSHUA STEELE: "THE CLEARING"

Father. Husband. Writer. 

https://www.facebook.com/jsteele1

"A TRIBUTE TO CECIL THE LION" BY ANNA MARIE

REST IN PEACE, CECIL

His mane blew back in gold majestic blends
His face running  through deep African winds
Champion among wilds, swift King among beasts
A dirty man's snare, he was taken from his peace

INDIANA VOICE JOURNAL JULY 2015 ISSUE #12

"Detroit" Photo courtesy of David J. Thompson

The stories, poems, and visual art in this issue of IVJ are diverse, important and powerful.  In Disappearing Search, a poem by Deonte Osayande, we learn what it's like to grow up in a community where black girls go missing without so much as a nod from the rest of the world. Allison Whittenberg tackles the tough issues of rape, pregnancy, and "choice" in Ride The Peter Pan. Nicole Murphy Bagwell's poem, From Mouths to Hands, shows us the horrifying results of intolerance and bullying, which often lead to teen suicide among the LGBT community.

All the works in this issue bear witness to a greater beauty, a greater truth which lives in the world. In us. We are all connected. Not by race or environment, not by works or social class, not by religion or politics, but by our common human experiences. By the passion, love, and compassion written in our spirits which gives rise to hope, and voice to unity.

Wishing you all a happy, safe Independance Day this month.  And a happy one-year anniversary to Indiana Voice Journal! ~Janine Pickett, editor

IN THIS ISSUE:

 VISUAL ART

"Detroit" by David J. Thompson


POETRY

Poetry By Nicole Murphy Bagwell: "From Mouths To Hands"
 
Three Poems By Darren C. Demaree: "Nude Male With Echo #61", "Nude Male With Echo #62", "Nude Male With Echo #63"
  
Poetry By Woodrow Hightower: "Twin Revolutions"

Three Poems By Andrew Hubbard: "Big John's Liquors", "Joy Starke", "The Veteran"

Two Poems By Dan Jacoby: "Wisdom of Solomon", "On Returning To St. Louis"
 
Three Poems By Peycho Kanev: "Against", "An Odd Occurrence", "Calculations" 
 
Three Poems By Donal Mahoney: "After Burying A Wife", "There's a Cliff Ahead", "Nearing the Finish Line"

Six Poems By Milt Montague: "A Grandfathers Reverie", "Eitan My Love", "Maya", "Michaela My Heart", " My Grands", "Parting"

Three Poems By Deonte Osayande: "Twisted Origins", "Raven",  "Disappearing Search"

Three Poems By Arthur Powers:  "1903", "Tax Day",  "From Starks to Mount Carroll"
 
Three Poems By Cindy Rinne:  "Womb-Door I,II,III," "Memory Pockets,"  "Curls Dyed Gray"

Three Poems By Scott Sherman: "They Used to Talk About Burning Cities," " Riding Into Sunsets," " #85"
 
Two Poems And Visual Art By Cecilia Soprano: "Bokie",  "The Buddha's Garden"



NONFICTION

Flash Essay By G David Schwartz:  "July Shards: Darkness Is Not Only For Night, Its Also For A Drink"
 
CNF By Tom Sheehan: "I Now Burn Pellets In My Stove"



FLASH/FICTION

Fiction By DB Cox: "Paint It Black"
 
Flash Fiction By Mitchell Grabois:  "Beautiful Suit"

Fiction By Raymond Greiner: "The Blues"

Flash Fiction By CN Hueston: "They Called Her Detroit"
 
Fiction By Adam Matson: "The Witch Of Malibu"
 
Fiction By Matt McGowan: "Saint John's"
 
Fiction By Alan Semrow: "Hard Chairs"
 
Flash Fiction By Phil Temples: "Cat Nipped"

Fiction By Allison Whittenberg: "Ride the Peter Pan"

Photography By David J. Thompson: "Detroit"

David J. Thompson's photos have appeared in a number of journals both in print and on-line. He lived in Detroit from 1997 until last October. He has been traveling since then.

Please visit his website at ninemilephoto.com.

Poetry By Nicole Murphy Bagwell: "From Mouths To Hands"

Nicole Murphy Bagwell is from Chicago, Illinois, but she has been an Arizona resident for the past six years. She's a lover of cats and a new found poet. She enjoys writing about the LGBT community, and her goal is to bring awareness to teen suicide. She is also a devoted Chicago Blackhawks fan, and even has a tattoo to represent her love for the team. You can follow her on twitter: @AdditkedRiot 

Three Poems By Darren C. Demaree: "Nude Male With Echo #61", "Nude Male With Echo #62", "Nude Male With Echo #63"

Darren's poems have appeared, or are scheduled to appear in numerous magazines/journals, including the South Dakota Review, Meridian, The Louisville Review, Grist, and the Colorado Review. 

He is the author of "As We Refer To Our Bodies" (2013, 8th House), "Temporary Champions" (2014, Main Street Rag), and "Not For Art Nor Prayer" (2015, 8th House).  He is the Managing Editor of the Best of the Net Anthology. Darren is currently living and writing in Columbus, Ohio with his wife and children.

www.darrencdemaree.com

Poetry By Woodrow Hightower: "Twin Revolutions"

Woodrow Hightower is a native of West Point California. He is a poet currently working on a first volume of material, loosely titled “So Low” and has lived in many different locales throughout the US. His work has been called “highly original and playfully abstract.” Currently Hightower resides in San Francisco’s Mission District with wife Twyla and their two Tibetan spaniels.

Three Poems By Andrew Hubbard: "Big John's Liquors, Joy Starke, The Veteran"

Andrew Hubbard recently moved back to Indiana after ten years in Houston, Texas.  He has had five books published, including, most recently, his first book of poetry, "Things That Get You," which was produced by Interactive Press. 

Two Poems By Dan Jacoby: "Wisdom of Solomon", "On Returning To St. Louis"

Dan Jacoby was born in 1947 in Chicago. He is a graduate of St. Louis University. He has published poetry in Belle Rev Review, Black Heart Press,  Canary, Chicago Literati, Clockwise Cat, Cowboy Poetry Press, Dead Flowers a Rag, Floyd County Moonshine, Indiana Voice Journal, Haunted Waters Press, Deep South Magazine, Lines and Stars, Red Booth Review, Wilderness House Literary Review, Steel Toe Review, Red Fez and the Vehicle. He has work soon to be published in Bombay Gin, Fishfood Literary Magazine, Maudlin House, R.KV.R.Y., and the Tishman Review.. He is a member of the American Academy of Poets.

Three Poems By Peycho Kanev: "Against", "An Odd Occurrence", "Calculations"

Peycho Kanev is the author of 4 poetry collections and two chapbooks, published in USA and Bulgaria. He has won several European awards for his poetry and he’s nominated for the Pushcart Award and Best of the Net. His poems have appeared in many literary magazines, such as: Poetry Quarterly, Evergreen Review, Hawaii Review, Cordite Poetry Review, Sheepshead Review, Off the Coast, The Adirondack Review, Two Thirds North, Sierra Nevada Review, The Cleveland Review and many others.

Three Poems By Donal Mahoney: "After Burying A Wife", "There's a Cliff Ahead", "Nearing the Finish Line"

Nominated for Best of the Net and the Pushcart Prize, Donal Mahoney has had work published in the United States, Europe, Asia and Africa. Some of his earliest work can be found at http://booksonblog12.blogspot.com/

Six Poems By Milt Montague: "A Grandfathers Reverie", "Eitan My Love", "Maya", "Michaela My Heart", " My Grands", "Parting"

Milt Montague is a 90 year old who has been writing only for 4 years. The following poems are about his 3 young grandchildren who are native Indianians residing in Indianapolis.

Three Poems By Deonte Osayande: "Twisted Origins", "Raven", "Disappearing Search"

Deonte Osayande is a writer from Detroit, Mi. His poems and essays have been published in over a dozen publications including Word Riot, The Missing Slate, and New Poetry From the Midwest and have been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. He has been a member of the Detroit Poetry Slam Team multiple times which he now manages. He's currently teaching at Wayne County Community College, and through the Inside Out Detroit Literary Arts Program. 

               
His new chapbook, Cover The Sky With Crows, is available here: 
http://eljpublications.com/available-titles/cover-the-sky-with-crows/

Three Poems By Arthur Powers: "1903", "Tax Day", "From Starks to Mount Carroll"

Arthur Powers is from Illinois.  In 1969 he went to Brazil as a Peace Corps Volunteer and lived most of his adult life there.  From 1985 to 1992 he and his wife lived in the Brazilian Amazon, working with subsistence farmers in a region of violent land conflicts; through his experience with the farmers, Arthur came to appreciate more deeply his own Midwestern heritage. 

Arthur received a Fellowship in Fiction from the Massachusetts Artists Foundation and numerous other writing awards.  He is author of two books of fiction and of a poetry chapbook forthcoming from Finishing Line Press (see below).  His poetry has appeared in many anthologies & magazines, including America, Chicago Tribune Magazine, Christianity & Literature, Hiram Poetry Review, Kansas Quarterly, Main Street Rag, Roanoke Review, South Carolina Review, & Southern Poetry Review.

www.arthurpowers.com

Three Poems By Cindy Rinne: "Womb-Door I,II,III," "Memory Pockets," "Curls Dyed Gray"

Cindy Rinne creates art and writes in San Bernardino, CA. She co-authored with Michael Cooper Speaking Through Sediment (ELJ Publications). Cindy’s book, Quiet Lantern, is forthcoming (Turning Point) and spider with wings is forthcoming (Jamii Publishing). Her poem, “Mapping” was nominated for the Liakoura Award by Pirene’s Fountain. Cindy is a founding member of PoetrIE, an Inland Empire based literary community. Her poetry appeared or is forthcoming in Young Ravens Literary Review, Rose Red Review, Eternal Haunted Summer, Cactus Heart Press, The Wayfarer, Dual Coast Magazine, Artemis Journal, Meat for Tea: The Valley Review, and others. www.fiberverse.com

Three Poems By Scott Sherman: "They Used to Talk About Burning Cities," " Riding Into Sunsets," " #85"

Scott Sherman is a graduate of Ursinus College, where he got his BA in English. His most consistent love is creative writing, specifically poetry. His writing often revolves around dreams, youth, and the frontiers experienced in life. 

http://www.shermanwriting.com/

Two Poems And Visual Art By Cecilia Soprano: "Bokie", "The Buddha's Garden"

Cecilia Soprano lives in Westchester County and makes her living as an organic gardener and artist.   Her poems and artwork have been published in La Joie magazine and UC at Santa Barbara among others.  Her artwork is often featured on the covers of Inner Directions magazine. 
 

She is a member of the Greenwich Art Society and the Katonah Museum Art Association.  She has published three small books and has had several one woman art exhibits.  Her love of nature and gardening provides the space for uninterrupted inspiration.  Her intention is to make images and words that describe beauty and uplift the human spirit.   My art is about making the simple sacred and the ordinary extra-ordinary.

"The reason why we exist is to remember why we exist and to realize our interconnectedness with all things."    WEBSITE:  www.Amichiart.com or CeciliaSoprano.com

Flash Essay By G David Schwartz: "July Shards: Darkness Is Not Only For Night, Its Also For A Drink"

G. David Schwartz - the former president of Seedhouse, the online interfaith committee. Schwartz is the author of A Jewish Appraisal of Dialogue and Midrash and Working Out Of The Book Currently a volunteer at the Cincinnati J Meals on Wheels, Schwartz continues to write.

His latest book is Shards And Stanzas  (2011, Publish America).

CNF By Tom Sheehan: "I Now Burn Pellets In My Stove"

Sheehan has 28 Pushcart nominations. In the Garden of Long Shadows and The Nations (Native American fiction collection) were recently published by Pocol Press with solid reviews in Serving House Journal. Now in the Pocol production cycle are Where Skies Grow Wide, Cross Trails, Between Mountain and River and The Cowboys, the last five titles from Pocol Press are all western short story collections. In addition, a new collection, Sons of Guns, Inc. was just released (print and eBook) by Nazar Look Books in Romania and is on Amazon. Where Skies Grow Wide has been released and is available from Pocol Press.

Fiction By DB Cox: "Paint It Black"

DB Cox is a blues musician/writer from South Carolina. His poems and short stories have been published extensively in the small press, in the US, and abroad.  His first collection of short stories called “Unaccustomed Mercy,” published by Studio Books, is available at the Amazon Kindle Store.