TalkWithME

Alex Johnston lives and works in the Finger Lakes Region of upstate NY where he is also a full time student headed toward his PhD in Western Literature. ‘On Fire and Roses’ is his first full length collection of poetry; pieces from the book have appeared in several online and print publications across the country. His second book, (still untitled) is in the works and scheduled to be released winter 2018-2019.  Aside from poetry and academia, Johnston is also a professional violinist and former student of The Hochstein School of Music in Rochester, NY.  He now teaches both violin and guitar part-time.  Find news from Alex on Lummox Press https://www.lummoxpress.com/lc/alex-johnston/ & on Facebook at @alex.johnston.7777

Creed lives in Lawrence, Kansas where he has very recently worked as a communications manager and researcher for Kansas Progress Institute, a general Laborer, and is now an Early Childhood teacher's assistant at Kansas's only Waldorf School, Prairie Moon. He runs Enduring Puberty Press, an earnestly unprofessional effort specializing in correspondence art. Its magazine is published annually.  The mail art is all year round. Creed Shepard’s poems have been published in Smelt Money, Beecher’s, HypocriteReader and others.  Rapport Privilege is his fourth chapbook of poems.  Find Creed and more at Enduring Puberty Press https://miuseofheterolinea.wordpress.com/ and on Facebook @EnduringPubertyPress

Poet Jen Harris is a professional public speaker, spoken word poet, activist, published author, founder and former host of Kansas City Poetry Slam. Nationally recognized in the aforementioned, she works as an advocate to incorporate spoken word poetry as a form of peer-based mental health therapy.

Harris recently completed a year-long writing residency through Charlotte Street Foundation in Kansas City, moved to Denver, is finalizing two books; Lust & Disdain & Unconfirmed Certainties, was featured at Write About Now, Button Poetry, and presented at TEDxKU on Sept 30, 2017.

Find news of Poet Jen Harris on all social media @poetjenharris and at www.poetjenharris.com

Poet Jen Harris is a professional public speaker, spoken word poet, activist, published author, founder and former host of Kansas City Poetry Slam. Nationally recognized in the aforementioned, she works as an advocate to incorporate spoken word poetry as a form of peer-based mental health therapy.

Harris recently completed a year-long writing residency through Charlotte Street Foundation in Kansas City, moved to Denver, is finalizing two books; Lust & Disdain & Unconfirmed Certainties, was featured at Write About Now, Button Poetry, and presented at TEDxKU on Sept 30, 2017.

Find news of Poet Jen Harris on all social media @poetjenharris and at www.poetjenharris.com

Heather Christie grew up in rural Pennsylvania and, at age seventeen, took off for NYC in hopes of becoming a movie star. Flash forward several decades… a couple degrees (including a MFA in Creative Writing), a bunch of cats, two kids and one husband later, she’s back in Pennsylvania. Heather is a wife, mom, amateur cook, exercise freak, and avid reader. When she’s not doing all that, she’ selling houses, writing books and blogging at www.HeatherChristieBooks.com. Kirkus Reviews calls Heather’s debut novel, What The Valley Knows, “A taut, compelling family tale.” Her work has been published by Writer’s Digest, Scary Mommy, Elephant Journal, Mamapedia,The Good Men Project, Grown & Flown, Baltimore Child, Parent.co, Bon Bon Break, Her View From Home, the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop, Sammichs and Psych Meds, and The Lighter Side of Real Estate. Heather was a member of the 2017 Listen To Your Mother cast. Say “hello” on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Follow her at www.HeatherChristieBooks.com

Heather Christie grew up in rural Pennsylvania and, at age seventeen, took off for NYC in hopes of becoming a movie star. Flash forward several decades… a couple degrees (including a MFA in Creative Writing), a bunch of cats, two kids and one husband later, she’s back in Pennsylvania. Heather is a wife, mom, amateur cook, exercise freak, and avid reader. When she’s not doing all that, she’ selling houses, writing books and blogging at www.HeatherChristieBooks.com. Kirkus Reviews calls Heather’s debut novel, What The Valley Knows, “A taut, compelling family tale.” Her work has been published by Writer’s Digest, Scary Mommy, Elephant Journal, Mamapedia,The Good Men Project, Grown & Flown, Baltimore Child, Parent.co, Bon Bon Break, Her View From Home, the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop, Sammichs and Psych Meds, and The Lighter Side of Real Estate. Heather was a member of the 2017 Listen To Your Mother cast. Say “hello” on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Follow her at www.HeatherChristieBooks.com

Jennie Washburn & Talk With ME host Marcia Epstein share their conversation about Art & Mental Health, Life & Death, Making Decisions Wisely, with, yes, Laughter! Jennie has a wide range of expertise and experience, and is committed to ongoing learning, personal growth, kindness, and fun! She is a licensed esthetician, the co-host with Nan Loyd-Leffingwell of Soul Salon, and the host of The Goddess Within women’s circle in Lawrence, KS www.facebook.com/The-Goddess-Within-252751568549725/ Host ME is an advocate for all the arts & a mental health social worker, https://MarciaEpstein.biz

Jennie Washburn & Talk With ME host Marcia Epstein share their conversation about Art & Mental Health, Life & Death, Making Decisions Wisely, with, yes, Laughter! Jennie has a wide range of expertise and experience, and is committed to ongoing learning, personal growth, kindness, and fun! She is a licensed esthetician, the co-host with Nan Loyd-Leffingwell of Soul Salon, and the host of The Goddess Within women’s circle in Lawrence, KS www.facebook.com/The-Goddess-Within-252751568549725/ Host ME is an advocate for all the arts & a mental health social worker, https://MarciaEpstein.biz

Samantha Slupski is a poet and mental health advocate based in the heart of the Midwest. She first stepped on stage in December 2015 at Uptown Arts Bar in Kansas City, Missouri, and stage has been her home ever since. She currently serves as the Executive Director of Poetic Underground, Slam Master of Kansas City Poetry Slam, co-director of Chameleon Arts, a board member for Fountainverse, the Kansas City Small Press Poetry Fest, an ARTS KC grant recipient, and was voted the 2nd best spoken word artist in The Pitch’s Best of 2017. She has been published in multiple online publications, her poetry has been featured on Write About Now Youtube channel, and her first book, “What Sits Between my Veins” was published a year ago through EMP Press. She has been a competitor at Texas Grand Slam 2017 and 2018, attended the 2017 National Poetry Slam, and is attending the Women on the World Poetry Slam in March of 2018. Her Spring 2018 tour starts in March 2018, which spans over seven different cities. She sees the importance of poetry and the beautiful spaces it creates and has dedicated her life to making poetry important for everyone.

Follow Samantha Slupski at http://www.samanthaslupskipoetry.com/

Samantha Slupski is a poet and mental health advocate based in the heart of the Midwest. She first stepped on stage in December 2015 at Uptown Arts Bar in Kansas City, Missouri, and stage has been her home ever since. She currently serves as the Executive Director of Poetic Underground, Slam Master of Kansas City Poetry Slam, co-director of Chameleon Arts, a board member for Fountainverse, the Kansas City Small Press Poetry Fest, an ARTS KC grant recipient, and was voted the 2nd best spoken word artist in The Pitch’s Best of 2017. She has been published in multiple online publications, her poetry has been featured on Write About Now Youtube channel, and her first book, “What Sits Between my Veins” was published a year ago through EMP Press. She has been a competitor at Texas Grand Slam 2017 and 2018, attended the 2017 National Poetry Slam, and is attending the Women on the World Poetry Slam in March of 2018. Her Spring 2018 tour starts in March 2018, which spans over seven different cities. She sees the importance of poetry and the beautiful spaces it creates and has dedicated her life to making poetry important for everyone.

Follow Samantha Slupski at http://www.samanthaslupskipoetry.com/