BUONGUSTAI

BUONGUSTAI:

BRERETON-KARABETSOS

Tamara-Lee Brereton-Karabetsos is a fiction writer based in Athens, Greece, where she explores the anatomy of memory and the ways we are transported by the places we inhabit. With a background in health science, she brings a visceral precision to her work, examining how identity moves through the body. Between the rhythms of motherhood and the ancient echoes of her adopted city, she writes into the atmospheric depths of human transformation. Follow her journey on socials @Tamaraleewrites.

BERN

Alan Bern received an MA in Creative Writing, English Literature, and Translation from Boston University studying with poet Anne Sexton and classicist Donald Carne-Ross. Alan is a Pushcart nominee and has published three books of poetry and a hybrid fictionalized memoir, IN THE PACE OF THE PATH, UnCollected Press, 2023 about growing up in Berkeley, California, where he still lives, and was a librarian. Alan has a chapbook because lack, July 2024, from back room poetry,  and a full-length hybrid of his poetry, prose, and photos, based on his relationships with his second home, Italia, especially Napoli and the South, Dreams of the Return, Old Scratch Press, 2025– Find him.

BURGESS

Krystal Burgess a.k.a Lauren Van-Kay graduated with honors from Texas A&M University Kingsville with a degree in English. There, she fell in love with the female characters and nature-infused stories of Kate Chopin, Virginia Woolf, Caroline Kirkland, Zora Neale Hurston, and Margaret Fuller. Her poetry has been published in Writers Bloc. She is currently seeking publication for her first novel, The Barewater Inn.

DAUGOVISH

Oleg Daugovish earned his Ph.D. in 2001, and has been researching the delicate lives of California strawberries. He documents his discoveries in peer-reviewed journals. Aside from writing about plants, Oleg completed a humorous memoir about growing up in Latvia during Soviet times and many non-fiction pieces.

D’ERRICO

Chris D’Errico is an artist, writer, and musician whose writings, music, and art have appeared in various analog & digital mediums for the last three decades. He dropped out of college to become a blue collar working stiff, and has zero academic credentials, but recently earned a Certificate in Cannabis from College of Southern Nevada. Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, D’Errico has spent the past twenty-six years writing and making art in Las Vegas, Nevada. He has also worked as a restaurant line cook, a neon sign maker’s helper, and a pest control operator, among other vocational adventures.

DU PREEZ

Marco du Preez was born in Cape Town. His father was a soldier and his mother a florist. He followed in his father’s footsteps by joining the South African Air Force and has served as a soldier for twenty-seven years. He holds a BA degree in Public Administration, and Honours degree in International Relations from the University of Pretoria. He is married, has two sons, and lives in Pretoria.

DUTTAGUPTA

Dr. Suvajeet Duttagupta embarked on an unexpected journey into the world of art. For years, writing was a private pursuit, but he’s recently found the confidence to share his distinctive horror-adjacent stories. His work has appeared in Tasavvur Magazine, The Berlin Literary Review, Brown Hound Press, Twisted Tongue Press & Effy.

FERNANDEZ

Beatriz Fernandez is a member of Old Scratch Press.

FLEMING

Robert Fleming (b. 1963) is a visual poet and digital artist from Lewes, Delaware. He is an editor @ Old Scratch Press and Instant Noodles magazine. His books are White Noir (an Amazon bestseller) and Con-Way in 4 in 1, #4. He is an award-winner: 2026 Semifinalist People’s Artist, 2025 Massachusetts poetry Olympics silver and bronze medals; 2022 San Gabriel Valley CA-broadside, 2024/2021 Best of Mad Swirl poetry, Delaware Press: poem (third, two honorable mentions [HM]), graphic design: 4 HM, photography: 1 HM; nominations: 2025 Best of Short Fiction; 2023 Blood Rag Poet, two Pushcart, and three Best of the Net. Find him.

FOCARILE

Dean Christopher Focarile is a poet and novelist.  Dean earned his M.B.A. from the NYU Stern School of Business and his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School.  He is currently working on his (mostly) poetic memoir.

FRATER

Ron Frater resides in a small town in the picturesque beauty that is New Zealand’s South Island, where he lives with his partner, an excess of dogs, and a self-opinionated parrot. He writes across a range of genres. Find him.

FULCHER

R. David Fulcher is an author of horror, science fiction, fantasy, and poetry. Major literary influences include H.P. Lovecraft, Dean Koontz, Edgar Allen Poe, Fritz Lieber, and Stephen King. Fulcher’s first novel, a historical drama set in World War II, Trains to Nowhere, and his second novel, a collection of fantasy and science fiction short stories, Blood Spiders and Dark Moon, are available from Authorhouse and Amazon. David’s work has appeared in numerous small press publications including Lovecraft’s Mystery Magazine, Black Satellite, The Martian Wave, Burning Sky, Shadowlands, Twilight Showcase, Heliocentric Net, Gateways, Weird Times, Freaky Frights and the anthologies Dimensions and Silken Ropes. His most recent work is the poetry collection Howling Into the Void (May 2026). Other titles include the DPP collection Halloween Party 2019. A passion for the written word has also inspired David to edit and publish the literary magazine, Samsara, which has showcased writers and poets for over a decade. Fulcher resides in Ashburn, Virginia, with his wife Lisa, and their rambunctious cats. Fulcher’s short story collection, The Pumpkin King and Other Tales of Terror, is also availabe Stateside on Kindle Vella where the first episodes are free! Fulcher’s new horror collection Asteriod 6 is now available. Find him.

HOFFMANN

Sharon Hoffmann is a writer based in Atlantic Beach, Florida. Publications include New York Quarterly, Beloit Poetry Journal, Alice Walker: Critical Perspectives, Isle of Flowers, South Florida Poetry Journal, Assignment, Letters, Poetica, Wild Roof, Sho, Qu and other magazines. Awards include fellowships from Atlantic Center for the Arts, Florida’s Division of Cultural Affairs, and three Pushcart nominations.

KALOURIA

Tonia Kalouria a former soap actress and language teacher, is an Ohio poet whose anthologies include Thriving, Yonkers, A Glass of Wine With Edgar, Quoth the Raven, Lifespan IV, Love, Nothing Ever Happens in Fox Hollow, Evermore, Purr and Yowl, Poems From the Lockdown, The Ohio Bards 2026 Anthol, A Cosy Romance, Tales from the Bedside, and Way Words, Habits, Anth. She has poems in littleoldladycomedy.com, Lighten Up, The 5-2 Crime Poetry Weekly, The Literary Vegan, The Nature of Our Times, and Poets for Science, among others.

KAPP

Kenneth Kapp lives with his wife in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, writing late into the night in his man-cave. He enjoys chamber music and mysteries. He has been nominated for the Pushcart Price. His stories have appeared in more than one hundred publications worldwide. Find him..

KOUAGHEU

Josiane Kouagheu is a journalist, writer, photographer, painter and poet from Cameroon. Her works have appeared or are forthcoming in Brittle Paper, African Writer Magazine, Kalahari Review, Frontier Poetry, Prairie Schooner, The Nomad review, Apricity Magazine, Al Dente Journal, Double Dutch Magazine, Barzakh Magazine, Up North Lit and elsewhere.

LECKER

Richard Lecker  is an aspiring writer of nonfiction and poetry and caregiver for his mentally challenged sister Martha, who has inspired him to chase his dreams.

LEWIS

Alecia Lewis is a poet whose works have been published in MockingHeart Review, Verbatim, Mythulu Magazine, The Underland Review, The Ladybugzine, The Bayou Blues, Red Clay Poetry Anthology, SALT in the Wound, and Roots and Ruin. She was January 2025’s featured poet in She was 318 Central magazine’s January 2025 featured poet, and Poet Laureate 2025 in Poetry AEX’s scavenger hunt.

LUTWICK-DEANER

Rachel Lutwick-Deaner enjoys a bookish life. She has degrees from Colgate University, North Carolina State, and Queens University of Charlotte. She teaches English at Grand Rapids Community College. Rachel has published recently at Harpy Hybrid Review and Streetlight Magazine. Her book reviews can be found on Instagram @professor.ld.

MARIL

Nadja Maril’s prose and poetry has been published in literary magazines that include, Lunch Ticket, Spry Literary Review and Across the Margin. Her chapbook Recipes from My Garden, a compendium of poems and short essays centered around herbs, a kitchen garden, and family memories was published September 2024 by Old Scratch Press. A former journalist and editor, Nadja has an MFA from Stonecoast at the University of Southern Maine and lives in Annapolis Maryland. You can follow her “Addicted to Writing” posts on Substack  and by visiting her website.

PEARCE

Dianne Pearce (she/her/hers) is the chief editor and bottle washer at Current Words Publishing, and the half-cocked imaginer behind Old Scratch Press and Instant Noodles. Pearce loves helping writers realize the dream of having their work published. Her first collection of poetry, In the Cancer Cafeteria, is due to be released by Old Scratch Press in 2027.

ORTON

Sarah Orton  is a graduate of the University of Utah’s Creative Writing MFA program. She is currently working on a short story collection of fairy tales reinterpreted through a horror lens. She lives with five antisocial cats, one elderly dog, two rambunctious boys, an overabundance of collectibles, and a patient husband in the heart of Salt Lake City. All of her hobbies involve sitting indoors, so don’t expect to find her enjoying any of Utah’s outdoor activities. Her stories have been published in The Sun Magazine, The Reprise, Surely Magazine, The Summerset Review, and Tales from the Moonlit Path.

PATRA

Cithara Patra currently lives in North Carolina with their family. They spend much of their time writing and studying languages. They’re also a big fan of things from the ocean, dachshunds, and making brand new meals. In their spare time, they travel and check out brand new places to eat.

PLENCNER

Athena Plencner grew up on the East Coast. She moved out to San Diego, California during her sophomore year of high school and vows that she may never leave. When she isn’t exploring new worlds on the page, she’s busy creating them—writing fantasy drawn to imaginative realms and stories that explore what lies beyond the familiar. Away from the keyboard, she finds inspiration on the trail, fueled by long runs and adventures that keep her moving as fast as her ideas. Find her.

POSNER

Tina Posner lives in San Diego, California, by way of Austin, Texas, and her native New York City. Her work has appeared in River Heron Review, Oyster River Press, Mantis, Ocean State Review, and more, as well as in multiple anthologies. She works in educational publishing, where she has designed award-winning instructional programs and written over a dozen poetry and nonfiction books for young adults. She holds an MFA in poetry from Pacific University. Find her.

RIPPEY

PB Rippey’s writing appears in, ZYZZYVA, Chaparral, The Pedestal Magazine, Phoebe, The Chattahoochee Review, Askew Poetry Journal, and elsewhere. She is currently enrolled in Bath Spa University’s Masters in Writing for Young People program.

SENAPATI

Saroj Senapati is a writer based in Bengaluru, India, with a background in mechanical engineering and over three decades of experience in production, tool design, and MSME project studies. After retiring from industry, he turned to freelance writing, educational tool development, and digital publishing. His creative work explores resilience, community, and the mystical intersections of technology and imagination. He has authored reflective essays, fiction, and poetry, and is currently focused on flash fiction projects that blend speculative ideas with human emotion. Saroj values clarity, accessibility, and the enduring power of storytelling.

SHEPARD

Ginny Shepard spends her days collecting unusual ideas and asking “what if?” Her work blends folklore, speculative fiction, and a fascination with physics and liminal places. When she isn’t writing, she’s likely experimenting with new recipes or wandering the strange spaces where ordinary life brushes against the impossible.

SILVERS

Ellen Silvers is a financial advisor. While earning an honor’s degree at Brown, she was a guest columnist for the Brown Daily Herald and published The Carberry Guide to the Gentle Art of Program Planning. Ellen spends her free time walking her Doodles, baking challah, singing, and stewarding her Little Free Library. She is a member of Pitch to Published, and a founder of the Platt Writer’s Group. Ellen is in search of an agent for Take the Dog, Leave the House: The Big Sister’s Guide to Divorce. She is also working on the first draft of her novel, Silvergarten.

SMITH

BG Smith’s work has been highly commended in the National Flash Fiction Day Micro Fiction Competition (2026) and published in 101 Words, Quotidian Bagatelle, ScribesMICRO, WATG Press, Dark Moments, Trembling With Fear, among others. After retiring from a twenty-four-year career in federal law enforcement, he writes micro and flash fiction exploring the intersection of technology and human connection. His stories examine how digital advancement both preserves and threatens our most intimate relationships, focusing on memory, loss, and the ways we maintain emotional bonds in an increasingly automated world. Find him.

SMITH

Michael Smith’s fiction has appeared in many journal, among them Fabula Argentea, Witcraft, Literally Stories, Microromance, Heimat Review, The Hooghly Review, Little Old Lady Comedy. To date, he has self-published a historical fantasy called Dinner Time, two volumes in the Gruseltal series, and three collections of short stories, Fonts, Songs, and L less than M, all available from online bookstores.

STEPHENS

August Stephens: Vesper (he/they) is a disabled, neuroqueer trans poet from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is a MSc Creative Writing student at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. His forthcoming works are Opal Age Tribune, new words {press}, Full House Literary, Lilith’s Diaries, and Coin-Operated Press. Find him.

SUPRANOWICZ

Edward Michael Supranowicz is the grandson of Irish and Russian/Ukrainian immigrants. He grew up on a small farm in Appalachia. He has a grad background in painting and printmaking. Some of his artwork has recently or will soon appear in Fish Food, Streetlight, Another Chicago Magazine, The Door Is a Jar, The Phoenix, and other journals. Edward is also a published poet who has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize multiple times.

SWYGART

Rebecca Swygart is an amateur poet currently living in Cornwall, UK.

TERRIZZI

Joanie Terrizzi is a writer, grief coach, and mind-body medicine professor fascinated with depth, human potential, and healing. She’s a former school librarian who still reads too much; she dwells in the WNC mountains where she avoids getting eaten by bears. Joanie’s poetry has appeared in Exterminating Angels Press, Sublimation Literary Journal, and The Nature of Our Times.

VASILEV

Plamen Vasilev is a writer., writing since a very early age. His first writing piece was published in a newspaper when he was ten. Throughout the years he has won numerous writing competitions and has awards from all over the world. He also has several books published online and in US magazines. He also has earned Certificates for Creative Writing from the UK writing centre and from Harvard University.

WILLIAMSON

Ashley Williamson is an Arkansan poet living in the English Lake District. An Oxford University alumna and winner of the Letter Review Poetry Prize and Superlative’s Poetry Prize, her work explores the intersection of science, nature, and the interior world. She also works as a radiographic interpreter in the aerospace industry. Her pamphlet, “Particles & Waves,” was longlisted for the 2023 Mslexia Poetry Pamphlet Competition, and her writing appears in Mantis, BarBar, and La Piccioletta Barca, among others. Find her.

WISNIEWSKI

Linda Wisniewski has been writing ever since she won a loaf of bread in an essay contest in parochial school. After careers as a bureaucrat, librarian, and freelance reporter for the Bucks County Herald, she fully embraced the writer’s life. The author of a memoir, two feminist time-travel novels, and an essay collection, her work has been widely published in anthologies and journals. Linda lives with her husband and two cats in Doylestown, PA.

ZOLA

Jim Zola is a poet and photo artist living in North Carolina.