SPECIAL GUEST: Bill Holmes (www.billholmes.com)is an artist who has dared to dream in the face of adversity while recognizing the divine nature of life and its infinite possibilities. As a respected poet, writer and author on the Philadelphia spoken word scene, Bill has touched many souls through his creative endeavors by striving towards excellence in everything he does. His performances have captivated many audiences through his unique style of humor, insight, spirituality, pride, and most importantly, love and appreciation of a woman. By no means is Bill afraid "to keep it real when expressing the importance of self-love." Bill is the founder, the publisher and the CEO of Universal Expressions, LLC, a publishing company that allows artists the opportunity to achieve their aesthetic dreams. He is also the author of the chapbook Illuminations, the spoken word EP Asphyxiation, the full-length poetry book Straight From My Heart, and the spoken word CD, The Air I Breathe, and the ESSENCE best selling fiction novel One Love. Bill has been featured and has performed at various poetry venues in Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York, and surrounding areas. Bill was the co-host of the monthly poetry series Poetic Ventures Writers Collective and has opened for artists such as the Last Poets and award-winning jazz musician Roy Ayers. His work has been published and featured in the Philadelphia Tribune, ESSENCE, and the anthologies Journey Into My Brother's Soul, Erogenous Zone: A Sexual Voyage and Step Up To The Mic: A Poetic Explosion.