Jo-Ann loves the Arts—all of them: Theatre, Dance/Choreography, Playwriting, and even Directing. Yet Spoken Word Poetry speaks to her in a unique way. For over 25 years, she has served as a Cultural Artist Consultant providing Theatre, Dance, and Poetry Skills Building Workshops throughout Southern California to plant Creative Arts Seeds for the future.

Lex Morrow (she/her) is a poet and writer of short literary fiction living in So Cal. A graduate of Literature and Writing Studies with an affinity for psychological realism, her work is interested in the spaces between remembering and experiencing, thinking and acting, and the narratives we tell ourselves. When she's not writing, she works as a freelance copyeditor and finds inspiration as a volunteer at local libraries and other community-oriented organizations.

Katherine Pfeffer is the local author of The Poet of Sunsets. Her poetry explores complex questions of humanity and seeks to bring raw emotions alive on the page. As an avid reader and student of creative writing, her passion for the literary world shines through her work. Born and raised in sunny Southern California, her biggest supporters and personal fan club are her friends and family. When she’s stuck in the occasional devastating writer’s block, she can be found practicing her love for photography, spending time in nature, or invested in the latest book she’s reading.

Rin Flores learned to write poetry in high school, but she has been writing narrative fiction all her life. She adores speculative poetry–especially when it is either romantic or tragic in nature. Whenever she is not writing, she is reading, watching video essays online, spending time with friends and family, or vying for the affection of her family’s cat. She works as a professional dog friend and cat cushion (pet sitter).

Ray Thompson has been teaching and tutoring all aspects of the English language all the way up to college level for over 30 years. He has also attended and lead over 200 poetry writing workshops and founded his own poetry group. He is skilled in the fine art of thoughtful critique and gentle guidance with the works of others to help them develop confidence in their abilities. His favorite form poems are Villanelle, Tanka, Haiku and Limerick.

Shanelle Huynh is a Salvadoran-Vietnamese writer of romance fiction and poetry. Her writing explores relationships and how they deepen most when we are brave and honest enough to share our vulnerabilities, curiosities, and what makes our worlds our own. When she’s not at her desk with a pen in hand, she’s often at a concert with a camera in hand instead. 

Poems and essays of Eugene Schlossberger, Professor Emeritus at Purdue University Northwest, have appeared in Commonweal and The South Dakota Review. He has published five academic books as well as numerous articles and also writes a blog about life and philosophy, Acupofwhy.com.

Alexandra Waller is currently a teacher. She has a B.A. in Anthropology, B.A. in Creative Writing with a focus in Poetry, and a M.A. in Teaching & Learning with a Teaching Credential in English. When she isn’t writing romance or poetry, you can find her reading, walking on the beach, or playing with her two cats.