Weekly Artist

Name: Zara Kand


I was born to eccentric, touring musicians in London, in February of 1987. They took me all throughout Europe during my childhood years, which exposed me to much of the culture that inspires me still to this day. I now live in Los Angeles, CA where I spend all my time oil painting and working on other creative projects such as writing and making strange music.

My paintings are spawned by personal emotion as well as observations of the external world, with concepts that usually focus on the social, spiritual (and sometimes indirectly political) aspects of humanity; typically you'll see my compositions involving bizarre or unsettling figures contrasted by the serene landscapes that envelope them. I try to bring out the emotion in these by using eye catching colors. Another project of mine is an upcoming book titled "Cry of the Chrysalis: A Venture into Creative Purpose and Development", which serves as a guide towards discovering one's greatest creative potential through autonomous thinking, and includes interviews and artwork by a handful of notorious underground artists.

Link: http://zarakand.com

Name: Madeleine Swann

I write stories of the surreal, weird and odd, sometimes with a horror edge. I've been lucky enough to be included in anthologies as well as having a collection out now with Burning Bulb Publishing called The Filing Cabinet of Doom.

It includes a novella of the same name set in a black and white soundless world. A travelling carnival arrives to a quiet town where a psychic announces the end of the world. While the townsfolk panic three people make their way to Head Office at the Council - a far off and dangerous place. I've also written for Bizarre and The Dark Side magazines.

Website: http://madeleineswann.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MadeleineSwann

Author Interview: [click here]

Other info you might wish to know about my book THE FILING CABINET OF DOOM – a collection of 17 Bizarro stories:


What is THE FILING CABINET OF DOOM?

It’s a surreal comedy set in a black and white world where people communicate via speech bubbles and no sound exists. During a visit by a traveling carnival a psychic informs a village that the world will end soon. Three people make their way to the Head Office of the Council – a distant and dangerous place – to find out what’s going on while the psychic stays behind to face the wrath of the villagers.

In addition to the novella bearing the collection’s title, this book is JAM PACKED with sixteen BONUS short stories of the bizarre for your perusal, including:

Amongst the Dust and the Mice
Care For a Dance?
Dimension Lake
Feathers and Fame
Girl in the Picture
I Can See You
Invite Ghosts and Earn Pounds
My Own Real Doll
One Phone Call Away
Son, I’m Afraid I’m a Zombie
The Annual Essex Medical Convention
The Blue Seashell
The Marzipan King is a Dick
The Problem Rock
Time Tastic Tours
We Interrupt With This Message
Buy your copy today at amazon.com!

Beneath the Surface: The Lost Boy: Second Edition:
Print version ISBN-13: 978-1481929028 and ISBN-10: 148192902X.
Kindle version ASIN: B00AXOMYTS

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Filing-Cabinet-Doom-Bizarro-Stories-ebook/dp/B00LG968PA/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1404555715&sr=8-1&keywords=the+filing+cabinet+of+doom

Name: Erren Grey Wolf

I was born in York, north of Toronto, Canada. My parents were immigrants from Great Britain. My mother is Scottish, my father is English, but both have a strong Irish ancestry. I was conceived in Durham County, England, before my parents immigrated to Canada, so I have joked in the past that I was manufactured in England and exported to Canada. Of course, that is just the physical vehicle to which I am referring. My Mum and Dad did not give birth to my soul, which is a great deal older than my Earthly vessel.

Website: http://www.errengreywolf.ca/

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/errengreywolf

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Beneath-the-Surface/475574459149862?ref=stream

Email: errengreywolf@yahoo.ca.

Other info you might wish to know about my book:


THE LOST BOY
In Beneath the Surface: The Lost Boy, an unusual boy is born on a spaceship bound for the planet Midgard, but his very birth brings sorrow to his family. Out of grief for the death of their mother, Sean Archer blames and abandons his baby brother in the forest by an old oak tree. He goes away hunting, never realizing the full consequences of his heartless act. The mysterious Queen of the Forest finds the sad, abandoned child and comforts him. She notices he is able to see her subjects, the elementals (fairies) of her forest, and feels connected to him. While she holds the child in her arms, she gazes into his future, but upon witnessing visions of horrific events, she decides to steal him away into the Otherworld to protect him. When Sean returns and finds Erren gone, guilt strikes him down and he becomes repentant. He sees his mother’s spirit and she tells him, “The forest took him.” Sean then begins his noble quest to find his lost brother, to right the wrong he had done, unaware his search is awakening his latent telepathic gift. Inevitably, he comes to realize the longer he hunts, the more he doubts his sanity. The forest becomes haunted and there is a battle of wills as the mystical Queen Elaya tries to stop him from taking her little boy.

Beneath the Surface: The Lost Boy: Second Edition:
Print version ISBN-13: 978-1481929028 and ISBN-10: 148192902X.
Kindle version ASIN: B00AXOMYTS

Name: Levi Stribling

AKA: L.P. Stribling

Levi Stribling is a writer of speculative fiction originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico. He has been writing both poetry and prose since 2008. When he's not reading or dabbling in foreign tongues, he spends his time pondering the preposterous in search of unopened doors to the creative side. He is currently a graduate student of Middlebury College, and lives in Washington State with his wife Kerrie.

When writing poetry, Levi lets go of all restraint and allows the words to come, saving structure for the later drafts. Prose he approaches differently, using outlines for longer pieces and discovery-writing shorter ones. In the conviction that creativity reigns, Levi always allows the story to unfold as it will, leaving the structure and sense of it all to fall into place later. Levi is an austere proponent of the maxim, 'writing is re-writing and that there is no better teacher than experience.




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Name: Amanda Marie Breton

I am a graduate student at Johns Hopkins University working toward a Masters of Science and Medical Writing. In May 2012 I graduated from Mount Holyoke College as a biology major and psychology minor. I am from Connecticut. I was editor for the Health and Science section of The Mount Holyoke News for which I have written over a dozen articles. My work has also appeared in The Montague Reporter and Encyclopedia of Earth. When I am not writing about scientific discoveries, I write poetry and fiction novels. 

I mostly write non-fiction science and medical articles. I find topics that I am interested in and I know others will be interested. I also choose topics that will educate my audience on important issues. I use different tones depending on the subject matter of my article and the audience. I like to grab my audience using humor, personal stories, and creative language. Most importantly, I want to make science accessible to the general public. In my poetry, I write whenever I have a great deal of emotion that I need to release in the form of words. The novel that I am working on right now is science fiction.

Links:
http://www.eoearth.org/article/The_History_and_Toxicity_of_Chlorine?topic=49557

https://twitter.com/Amanda_M_Breton

 
Likes: Stephen King, Star Wars, pizza, The Big Bang Theory, National Geographic, Lewis Thomas, huskies, all animals, science, history, psychology, reading

Status: Enjoying my youth, taking one day at a time, and focusing on me.

Education: Queensland University of Technology – Bachelor of Fine Arts: Creative and Professional Writing.


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Name: Victoria Veach

Name: Rhiannon Caitlin Morgan

AKA: Chicago Roses

I'm a second year English Literature and Creative Writing student at Aberystwyth University. I work part time as a barmaid in the Student Union.

My writing career has just started, but I have a long running ambition to write for on-screen animation productions. I love writing characters that seem to have a poignant affect on my audience. Otherwise I write about my own experiences. I'd describe my style as a work in progress.

Email: rcm13@aber.ac.uk

Links:
https://twitter.com/ChicagoRoses
https://chicago-roses.tumblr.com

Education: Aberystwyth University, English Literature & Creative Writing BA (2nd year)

Likes: Weird tea, bears, the blues, books, and apples.

Dislikes: Being cold, smelling of tequila, sleepless days and nights, and mushrooms.

"A tramp, a gentleman, a poet, a dreamer, a lonely fellow, always hopeful
of romance and adventure." -C. Chaplin




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Name: Lucy Montague Moffatt


Lucy Montague-Moffatt is a 23 year old writer, comedian and student from Dublin. She has a poem and short story featured on the ebook Wordlegs Presents: 30 under 30 available on Amazon and a short story in the recently published collection 30 Under 30 and The Bohemyth. She was one of the winners of the Fishamble: Tiny Plays. She was commissioned to write the first year play for Inchicore College of Further Education last year, which was performed in March 2012 and has been commission to write the play this year too. She was a Funny Woman Competition 2012 finalist. She wrote and performed two comedy shows as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2011. Lucy is currently a columnist for the UCD Observer.

I have been a writer for as long as I can remember. When I was eight I wrote a series of short stories about a group of girls who called themselves ‘The Animals’ and went around their neighbourhood beating people up. Obviously this was either the first sign of creativity or first sign for my parents to stop me watching Gladiators. Since then I have been writing anything that can be written as much as possible.

I enjoy writing short fiction as the smaller length gives you more time to explore the words you are using and who the character really is. I love how so much can be found in what is not said.

When I write comedy I need to be in completely different mood than when I am writing short stories or plays. This can be annoying when I really need to get a funny script written or the deadline for my column is approaching and I just cannot muster the strength to be witty. Sometimes I try to write serious content but end up writing comedy unintentionally. Once I wrote a short story I thought was really sad and all the people who gave me feedback for it said it was “so funny”. Oops!

My ultimate dream is the write a comedy sitcom for TV. I am working on a number of pilots at the minute and am doing a lot of research in the form of watching television. It is not procrastinating, it is work! I am also always working on some kind of novel but never have enough time to dedicate all my time to it, especially since I am back in college this year. Maybe one day, when I am working in a writer’s room for a sitcom I created, I can find time in-between series to write novels. That would be lovely.

Links:
http://www.wordlegs.com/magazine/viewitem.php?id=116

http://www.universityobserver.ie/author/lucymontaguemoffat/

http://www.amazon.com/wordlegs-presents-30-Under-ebook/dp/B007JOBT7S

http://www.amazon.com/wordlegs-presents-30-Under-ebook/dp/B007JODMUA

http://www.writing.ie/news/30-under-30-innovation-and-talent-from-wordlegs/


Twitter: twitter.com/LuSay
Education: Not very much. Currently working on a BA in randomly chosen subjects.
Likes: Beetroot
Dislikes: Cucumber
Status: Mainly internet dating
Anything else: My other hobbies include Hello Kitty, cycling my bike Dora and being a vegan



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Name: Caitlin Hoffman
Aka: Taylor Adams (my alter ego- she co-edits Visceral Uterus, an e-zine)


Caitlin is bad at writing bios. She has written four novels, none of which are published, all of which are in dire need of editing. Aside from that, she tries to live as best she can but fears she's not very good at it.


My writing isn't so much an art as it is emotional regurgitation on paper. I can't be sure where the inspiration comes from, but often I feel I'm channelling a force that's beyond my understanding.
Through written word, I long to connect with my reader. I want to reach an area of their soul that was previously unknown to them. Make them feel something- maybe even make them feel better. I don't want to distract people from their problems with petty escapism. Rather, I'd like to commiserate with them through my words. If they're in pain or choking on self-disgust, if they're sufferring but don't have the words to explain it, I'd like to say it for them.

Email address: caitlinhoffman@rocketmail.com

Twitter: @CHWrite

Education: An utter lack thereof.

Likes: Veganism, pigs, puppies, depravity, imagination, psychedelics, Martin Millar, Tennessee Williams, Virginia Woolf, Hunter S. Thompson, Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs, Katherine Dunn, music (especially punk, nu metal, indie, and opera), creating, trying, loving, orgasms, dreams, epiphanies, scars, tattoos, feminism, art, alternative subculture studies, nude photography, and impulses.

Dislikes: Bullies, judgement, animal abuse, floods, robberies, rape, overdoses, racism, sexism, homophobia, disparity of wealth, destroying, failing, hate, blue balls, nightmares, self-deprecation/self-loathing, eating disorders, botched tattoos, corporate art/music, needless censorship, and consequences.

Status: Forever in love; Confused (and not just because I'm bisexual)

Anything else:
I'm baffled, honoured and elated that anyone bothered to read this far. Thank you for collecting facts on a largely unimportant person!



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Name: Brent Rankin

Brent Rankin, fortunate or not, was born to a destiny. He was to be a writer. As a child, he wrote poetry, short stories, even a novel or two. These were childish things. At the University of Texas, he studied literature. He read the classics. He emulated them. Then came the time he had to put away childish things and become responsible. Life has its harsh lessons. Here and then, now and then, he wrote. Always that haunting in the back of his mind of “what if”.

When the time came, Brent retired from his chosen occupation. He had no regrets with that aspect of his life. He did well. Still, what if?

Then, it happened. His novella, “The fisher man,” was published as an e-book, available on Amazon, Booktango, and others. Two flash fiction pieces accepted by Linguistic Erosion, an intriguing ezine with imagination. And on and on and on.

Now, a childish wandering mendicant, Brent Rankin spends his time at his laptop, in the alleys where he lives, writing. And writing. And writing.

rankinbt@yahoo.com




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Name: Devon Ellington

AKA: Annabel Aidan, Cerridwen Iris Shea, Jenny Storm, Christiane van de Velde, and Christy Miller.

Devon Ellington publishes under a half a dozen names in fiction and non-fiction.  Her plays are produced in New York, London, Edinburgh, and Australia.  Her Jain Lazarus Adventures are published by Solstice, and she has a paranormal romantic suspense novel (as Annabel Aidan) with Champagne Publishing.  She’s published hundreds of articles and short stories, and teaches writing both online and in person.  She was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the Cape Cod Writers Center, and is part of the writing team for the National Marine Life Center (www.nmlc.org).

I work from character first.  The character starts telling me the story, and I trust the character to take me through the first draft.  In subsequent drafts, I pull it all apart and re-structure it, so that the structure supports the story I want and need to tell.  What makes people tick fascinates me, and everyone has a story.  You just have to care enough to find it.  I’m a big believer in writing every day, no matter what.  If “life gets in the way” and you constantly make excuses not to write, you don’t want it enough.  There’s nothing wrong with that, but own it, and stop blaming external elements because you’re not writing.  If you want to write, you put your butt in the chair and write every day, no matter what else is going on.  You meet deadlines and keep commitments.  If that means the occasional all-nighter, that’ s what you do to get it done.  Writer’s block is a luxury that those of us who pay the bills by the pen don’t have.


Follow me on Twitter:  @DevonEllington

My almost-daily writing blog on the ups and downs of the freelance writing life is Ink in My Coffee:  http://devonellington.wordpress.com


Main website:  www.devonellingtonwork.com
The Jain Lazarus Adventures:  http://hexbreaker.devonellingtonwork.com
Ink in My Coffee:  http://devonellington.wordpress.com 

Education:
BFA in film and television production from NYU.  Spent over 20 years working backstage on Broadway, and in film and television production.
Studied sustainability with Dr. Jonathan Tomkins of U. Illinois Urbana/Champaign, World History with Professor Jeremy Adelman of Princeton University, and Greek/Roman Mythology with Professor Peter Struck of U. Penn.

Likes:
I’m interested in almost everything except math and anchovies.  The world is a fascinating place.

Dislikes:
Deliberate cruelty.

Anything else:
If you want to do something, go and do it. No excuses.  Don’t wait for things to happen -- MAKE them happen.








--Assumption of Right (written as Annabel Aidan.  Published by Champagne Books.  Cover artist Trisha FitzGerald).

--HEX BREAKER:  A  Jain Lazarus Adventure.  By Devon Ellington.  Published by Solstice Publishing.  Cover art by PJ Friel.

--OLD-FASHIONED DETECTIVE WORK.  A Jain Lazarus Adventure.  By Devon Ellington.  Cover art by PJ Friel.

--DEATH SPARKLES.  The story “Sea Diamond” by Devon Ellington is included in this anthology by Draconis Enterprises.  Cover art by PJ Friel.  



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Links:
http://allpoetry.com/poems/by/xxzombieROT



Contact Email address: mikayla.oglesby@yahoo.com


Education: 3rd year college student.

Likes: Learning new things, reading, sushi, writing, video games, new experiences, making music, intellectual conversations, learning about people. 

Dislikes: Closed-minded people, pity parties, extreme pessimists.

Status: Involved. 




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Name: Tyler James Gates

Tyler Gates exists barely in small town rural Midwest. His life is dotted with violent encounters with hillbillies, night jobs, alcohol binges, gas station explosions, and the occasional cult abduction. Besides pretending to be a writer he occupies his time with bouts of extreme paranoia and competition vomiting. Tyler is currently working on several novels about nothing and one about everything else.

Like almost everyone who dabbles in writing I have experimented with many forms and outlets over the years trying to find my medium. I can't say I've perfected my craft but I can say I've learned one thing; writing should be fierce, mean, unscripted, spontaneous, and personal. Besides several larger writing projects I have reluctantly taken on I most often enjoy writing flash fiction and short stories. With as busy as the world seems to have gotten it's great to be able to reach people; even if its just briefly. You can chew me out at gatestylerj@gmail.com.

Here is a bit of my more recently published work:

Small Town Blues @ Paragraph Line
http://www.paragraphline.com/tag/tyler-gates/

Something Lost @ In between Altered States
http://inbetweenalteredstates.wordpress.com/2012/07/03/something-lost-by-tyler-gates/

Education: Enough college to never want to go back.

Likes: Swedish Techno, nude body painting, substance abuse, waterphones, Sun- Tzu's The Art of War, unlicensed firearms, strippers, happy hour.

Dislikes: People who pretend to care; whatever it may be.

Relationship Status: Stalked.

Anything else: I expected times like these I just never thought they'd be so bad, so long, and so frequent.

Name: Pranas Perkunas (pen name)

Pranas Perkunas (pen name) is a writer, musician, and animal rights advocate. He is also working on a novel which he hopes will do very well, for he would like to do much more for animals, like donate substantially to no-kill cat shelters and maybe even bankroll a new one.

Pranas is currently constructing a colossal, Hello Kitty assault robot which will be utilized to effectively deal with wanton animal abusers by stamping them to jelly.

Under his actual name, which will not be revealed here, he has been published in various literary journals such as BLANK GUN SILENCER, SNOW MONKEY, WHISKEY ISLAND, HIDDEN OAK, ETC.

He has also been published on-line in LITERARY EROSION and THE HORROR ZINE.

His favorite writer is Kenneth Patchen.

Contact Email: fehu9@netzero.net




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NAME: Nikaan Matthew

I am a 20 year old student who currently studies Law with Business at Bangor University in North Wales. I grew up in Nottingham, United Kingdom and began writing poetry at the age of 17. At the moment I tend to write around the subject of love and passion but in the future I do hope to be able to expand my subject matter. I never write my poetry on paper and only ever use my laptop to write, whenever I try to write using paper my mind goes blank so I've stopped trying. In the future I hope to publish a collection of poetry entitled 'Droplets of Sunshine' sometime in the future, as well as writing a television sitcom and a fantasy novel, but for now I am just enjoying writing my poetry.

Short Paragraph about the art I do: My art is poetry. Most of my poetry tends to revolve around the themes of love and the different ways in which it can be viewed. When writing I try not to overload on description as I believe that if you let the readers imagination create the images in their head then the poem can have a longer lasting effect. Therefore simplicity is always at the core of everything I write, however I always try to move the reader in a way that they have never felt before.

Contact email: nikaanm@yahoo.co.uk

Facebook: facebook.com/nikaan.matthew1

Education: Currently studying Law with Business at Bangor University.

Likes: Comedy Shows, Films, Football, Liverpool FC, Eating.

Dislikes: Moths!!!

Status: Single (I know you're wondering, 'how!?')



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Name: Jesse James Campen


I am a working student from Maryland, and like to write specifically to entertain. I am currently attending Full Sail University to get my Creative Writing For Entertainment BFA. I like story telling in all forms, including stories from video games and themed music albums.

Right now, the only sort of art I’m involved in is creative writing. More particularly, I like writing sci-fi and fantasy stories, but I’ll settle for anything that makes someone think or laugh too. My technique doesn’t vary from many other writers’. I write a lot, then I edit a lot. One thing is for sure though: I dislike typing, so I write in my pad before typing it all out on my computer.
Contact Email address: jessiecampen@gmail.com.


Twitter: @JessieCampen


Education: I’m currently attending Full Sail University for a Creative Writing for Entertainment BFA.


Likes: Movies, video games, trivia books, television, being with friends and family.

Dislikes: Depressing people, the news, not having money.


Status: Single.


Anything else: I would like to make it known that I’m in a writing team with my brother, Luke Campen. We’ve got a few movie scripts we’ve been working on, but we would like to change the face of the writing industry as a whole with our stories.




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