When We Are

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   Imagination transformed early experiences of mine and helped create "The Blazer with Two Right Sleeves." Now, that piece has a life of its own. And while the story is just that-a story- the shadow of my brother Richard crosses it and has given it life. I am honored that Richard and I will be part of Scribes Valley's latest short fiction anthology.

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  I am a teacher and a lifelong student, a daughter and a parent, a caregiver to my 95-year-old father and a recipient of others' care. I am a dreamer and a doer, an optimist and a realist, a lover of M&Ms and daily workouts on the elliptical. I am a thinker and a writer.
   As a part-time faculty member of the University of Pittsburgh's English Department, I work as a consultant at the school's Writing Center. I also teach Freshman Programs, a course that introduces students to the University and the city. My work, both fiction and nonfiction, has appeared in New Slang, A New Literary Voice by the Women and Girls of Pittsburgh (online); Quality Women's Fiction; Ghoti Online Literary Magazine; First Line Anthology; The Road to Elsewhere (Scribes Valley Publishing); Welcome to Elsewhere (Scribes Valley Publishing); Visiting Elsewhere (Scribes Valley Publishing); SLAB: Sound and Literary Artbook; Pulse: Voices from the Heart of Medicine (online magazine); AARP Bulletin (online and print); Healthy Roots (Forbes Health Foundation and Hospice); The Jet Fuel Review (Lewis University's online literary journal); and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 

*** THIRD PLACE ***
   Besides the obvious writing and reading, Michelle loves cats, vegetarian food, and horror movies. She is proud to be published by Scribes Valley Publishing three years in a row. Her work can also be found in the literary magazine Prime Mincer 1.2. Her writing has been chosen as a finalist by Glimmer Train on three occasions as well as by Writer's Digest. She has received her English MA from Cleveland State and looks forward to spending her free time writing fiction. She thanks you for reading her work.

   Born and raised in Vallejo, California, I graduated from Hogan Senior High School in 1964 and after a short stint as a Stevedore at Port Chicago, joined the Navy in November 1965. Following basic training in San Diego, my career started as a Communications Yeoman, being assigned to NAS Lemoore (California) and the Naval Communications Station on Guam. Upon completion of Enlisted Intelligence School, I was stationed at Keflavik, Iceland and Naples, Italy (three tours) being assigned to several NATO Staffs. Sea duty deployments included Vietnam (USS BROOKE) and the Persian Gulf (USS ANTRIM) where I served as Ship's Secretary. One noted highlight of my career was being assigned as an AFEES Test Examiner in the New York and Pennsylvania back country. Prior to retiring from the Navy in July, 1990, I completed my Associate of Arts degree in Business Administration (University of La Verne - Naples, Italy, Overseas Program)
   Both during and after my Navy career, I worked as a Sous Chef at the Top of the Rock enlisted club in Keflavik, Iceland; the Rivera Fontana Blue in Naples, Italy and upon returning to the States in June, 1991, at the San Francisco Express Restaurant in Cordelia, California, located a short distance north of San Francisco. When the restaurant closed, I went to work for BART (Bay Area Rapid Transportation) where I am currently employed. Giovanna (my wife of 36 years) and I reside in Fairfield, California.

   Simone Hanson lives in Roswell, Georgia with her husband, three boys, two dogs, and one kitten. She is a former school administrator and lawyer but left the working world to stay home with her children because she is not the supermom she thought she was going to be. She has been working on the same novel for years now, and occasionally needs to take a break from it and write a short story. "Lionel Portwood" is one of those short stories. Originally from Maine, her writing is set there as it is the place she knows and loves the best.
   She is thrilled to have a second short story selected by Scribes Valley Publishing.

    Borrowing a line from Forest Gump, Donald Macnow often says, "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get."
   Mr. Macnow and his wife Georgianna have shared many unconventional experiences and they are reflected in his short stories. They have traveled the USA and Europe often living in campgrounds and sleeping in Army pup tents. Extended residences have been in a converted garage in the Texas dustbowl, and a house shared with farm animals in a rural German village.
   After attending Hunter College his eclectic career included teaching electronics at a military training base, employment with IBM, incorporating a business machine company, an irrigation company, and the development and manufacturer of proprietary electronic tools.
   Now retired, Donald Macnow indulges in his interests: tennis, sailing, sculpture, antique cars, writing, and things that go bump in the night. His soon to be published book: The Ouija Board Killer weaves his experiences with the paranormal into a novel of demonic possession.
   Mr Macnow lives with his wife in Glen Cove, NY. They have two children, Scott and Laura, and six grandchildren.

   Kathleen was married on 10/10/10.
   Kathleen Ratcliffe is a registered nurse whose career is divided between working clinically in a cardiac catherization laboratory and providing education to medical professionals all over the United States. Employed by a small company in Pennsylvania, her job involves composing educational material and instruction of the clinical aspects of invasive cardiology.
   During the past fifteen years she became a single parent, studied to become a registered nurse and raised two children with the help of her wonderful mother. She then pursued a bachelor's degree while working to support her family. After years of writing papers and presentations related to nursing, she has been afforded the time to go back to writing fiction. Several stories are complete and others are in progress.
   As sports editor for her high school paper, she attended a journalism seminar for high school editors at the Catholic University in Washington D.C. It was there where her fervor for writing expanded.
   Kathleen will be resuming her studies for a post-grad degree in nursing in the spring. She hopes to be teaching in the near future, and looks forward to contining writing, as well.
   The proud mother of two children, her son is a PhD candidate in anthropology at Temple University. Her daughter is a student at Montgomery County Community College.
   Besides writing, Kathleen's interests include running, cycling and yoga. Her husband, who is also a registered nurse, introduced her to the world of triathlon several years ago. Helping her conquer her fear of open water swimming, he made her realize that anything is possible if you try.

  Chilly, rainy days always make me think of the years I was in school. Not the grown up ones like high school, but the elementary time. That was an era when things were still simple for a seven year old girl who had never interacted with other children until she started first grade. My teachers name was Mrs. Eunice and she was the typical first grade teacher in looks and voice and attitude. Mrs. Eunice was the paragon of patience and tolerance as far as I'm concerned since she dealt with us all in a kind and motherly way-- all the while attempting to teach us what was needed to know for the future.
   First grade was when most kids of that time actually learned to read since there was no such thing as kindergarten. My parents had never taken the time to teach me ahead of school, being not excessively educated them selves. That first little paperback reader that had Dick, Jane and Spot on the cover captivated me and I caught on fast how to read all those simple words. From that moment on, I was hooked and all through my school years I read everything I could get my hands on beginning in the school's limited library, and later the small county one located downtown in the courthouse.
   I spent many hours browsing both places and all the while gaining the desire to write myself, especially the mysteries. This was a desire that I've never really been able to do anything with until now and the push is strong not so much to become well known, but to at least have been read and enjoyed by someone somewhere.

   Vanessa Orlando is a two-time recipient of the Maryland Writers Association Short Fiction Prize and a Georgia Associated Press Feature writing award. She was one of five writers selected for the Manitoba Writer's Guild's Emerging Writers Program in 2000. Her short story When Sara Looks Up was made into a short film by Columbia College Chicago in 2004. Her most recent work has been published in News Lines from the Old Line State (Maryland Writers Association) and Enhanced Gravity: More Fiction by Washington Area Women (Paycock Press, Arlington). Both are available on Amazon. She lives in Annapolis, Maryland with four dogs, two cats and one husband. 

   J.E. Moore lives with his wife of twenty-four years, Joyce, in Davie, south Florida with their numerous grand children in close proximity. After retiring as a telephone company electronic technician and also being a former police officer, he is now able to fully apply his long-gained experience and expertise to his writings. John credits his success so far to the encouragement and support of his loving soul-mate and family.
   With a collection of sci-fi/paranormal/horror short stories and an accompanying full length S-F novel, both 'ready for launch', he is presently seeking a literary agent--but then, aren't we all!