Leah Ellingsworth

Leah Ellingsworth is a 49-year-old single parent. She decided that age didn't matter and is determined to get the college education that she always dreamed of getting. She is in the degree partnership program with Chemeketa and Oregon State University. She is currently working on her Bachelor degree in Human development and family science. While attending school fulltime, she works as a Para Educator and is a Polk County CASA. Her first love is writing and has written many children books that she hopes to get published one day. She is on track for graduation from OSU in spring of 2016.

Hannah Madland

Hannah Madland was born in Newberg OR. Over her 20 years on earth she has managed to make the astounding move from Newberg to McMinnville. She is about to earn her AAOT at CCC and is looking forward to a summer off to work on her young adult novel.

Sara Morin

Anita Olson

Anita is finishing her AAOT degree she started over 20 years ago. Marriage and four kids caused a two-decade detour. She is planning on working her way to a Master's degree in Counseling. After parenting two adoptive kids she is determined to be the professional support that she couldn't find during the first few years. She also works to love and empower women in the sex-industry for a fun side job. She loves to read and with the e-reader on her phone she can finish a book now, but misses the smell of an old and well-loved paperback.

Hanni Rebo

Allison Simmons

Allison Simmons has had an unmatched love for reading and writing since kindergarten and is well known in her group of friends for always having a novel and a notebook sharing space in her bag. She aspires to write for the rest of her life and eventually write her own novels focusing on queer and feminist issues. "Fakery" is her first officially published work.

Samuel Lyman Temple

Samuel Lyman Temple wears a variety of hats. In his professional life he is an advocate for, and works within, the prison education system as an employee of Chemeketa. Samuel received his AAOT from Chemeketa and transferred to Eastern Oregon University to finish his Bachelors in Sociology and Anthropology. As an employee of Chemeketa, Samuel is blessed with tuition waivers, which means Samuel, will get to remain a student of Chemeketa just as long as he would like. In Samuel’s private life he is a loving husband and father, an active organic gardener, pet owner, hiker/ camper, and yes… poet. Samuel grew up and has spent most of his 40 years in the foothills of the Western Cascade Mountains bordering on the Willamette Valley. Throughout his life these mountains have been a place for hunting, fishing, trapping, hiking, camping, communing, an occasional source of income, and the only place Samuel has ever truly felt at peace. When Samuel dies, it will be near the mountains he loved.

Caitlyn Wall

My name is Caitlynn Wall. I am a busy mother of 3 rambunctious kids (ages 2, 5, and 7). I have always had an inclination for imagining what things may look like. In "Mindful Images" I wrote what came to mind when thinking about dusky cathedrals. I am honored that you chose this poem for the publication. Thank you!

Editorial Board for Issue 8

Jon Boisvert, Tammy Jabin, Justin Rigamonti, Jeremy Trabue, Jan VanStavern