Greg Geis

D.G. Geis divides his time between Houston and the Hill Country of Central Texas. He has an undergraduate degree in English Literature from the University of Houston and a graduate degree in philosophy from California State University. Among other things, he has worked as a structural welder, taught Hellenistic philosophy, and is a former (very former) Anglican priest. His poetry has appeared in 491 Magazine, Lost Coast, Blue Bonnet Review and is forthcoming in Broadkill Review.

D.G. Geis is Blue Bonnet Review's Fall Poetry Contest's winner. Read his winning poem "To a wife drowned while drinking" here. 

Vasilina Orlova

Vasilina Orlova was born on the Russian Far East in 1979. She has lived in Vladivostok, Moscow, London, now is based in Austin, Texas. She holds a PhD in Philosophy, and is now doing her PhD in Anthropology in the University of Texas at Austin. She is the author of poetry books “We Live Once” (Moscow, 1997), “Barefoot” (Vladivostok, 2008), in Russian, and “Contemporary Bestiary” (Austin, 2014), in English. She is the recipient of several Russian literary awards and is a laureate of the Anton Delvig Prize for the poetry book “Barefoot” (2008). Her poetry in English has appeared in anthologies “Di-Vêrsé-City,” “Pushing the Envelope,” in “Dead Beats Literary Blog,” and elsewhere. Her poetry and prose have been translated into English, French, Spanish, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, and Russian.

Read Vasilina's poem "A Nonjudgmental Poem" here. 

Laurie Kolp

Laurie Kolp, author of Upon the Blue Couch (Winter Goose Publishing, 2014), serves as president of Texas Gulf Coast Writers and gathers monthly with other local members of the Poetry Society of Texas. Laurie’s poems have appeared in more than four dozen print and online journals, anthologies and magazines worldwide, including MiPOesias, the 2015 Poet’s Market and Diane Lockward’s The Crafty Poet. Recent and upcoming publications include Scissors & Spackle, Blue Fifth Review, Pirene’s Fountain, Iodine Poetry Journal, North Dakota Quarterly, Turtle Island Quarterly,Hermes Lit Journal and Absinthe Poetry Review. Laurie’s website: http://lauriekolp.com.

Read Kolp's poems "The First Time" and "Breaking Up". 

Julie Gates

Julie Gates is an associate professor of English at Angelo State University, where she has directed the English education program for the past 13 years. Although she is a relatively new poet, her work has been published in Concho River Review, Carcinogenic Poetry, and Visions with Voices.

Read Julie's poem "The Damned" here. 

Robert C. Hamilton

Robert C. Hamilton's poetry has appeared in The Curator and is forthcoming in The Eunoia Review. Two of his poems were selected for a Poetry in the Arts, Inc. prize at the Beall Poetry Festivals of 2011 (judged by John Koethe) and 2013 (judged by A.E. Stallings). Originally from the Pacific Northwest, he has called Texas home since 2003. He currently teaches literature at Wiley College in Marshall, where he is also the faculty advisor to the student literary magazine.

Read Robert's poems "Alabama", "Jawbone of H.Habilis" and "Pedernales Falls".

Graham Russell MacDermott

Graham Russell MacDermott is a direct descendent of the fabled Irish King, Niall of the Nine Hostages.  But then again so are three million other people so he doesn’t take it too seriously.  A retired college administrator, MacDermott divides his time between his lakeside cottage in eastern Canada and his condo in the Rio Grande Valley.  Prior to his college career he was a print and broadcast journalist.  In addition to his poetry, MacDermott paints and is currently putting the final touches to his first full length crime novel.

Read Graham's poems "On the Beach" and "A Visit to Rio Grande City".

Rachna Kulshrestha

Rachna Kulshrestha is an Electrical Engineer who designs integrated circuits at a startup company for a living. She lives in McKinney, TX with her husband and two kids. She is a private pilot and has instrument rating for single engine aircraft. Her work has recently appeared in Prime Number Magazine, Three Line Poetry, Red Fez and is upcoming in Jersey Devil Press.

Read her poems "bending signs" and "complex number".