Vocal Poetry Anthology: Progress Update and Requests - Part Two
Apologies, update, and a request for Contributor Bios, please!
Hey, friends and fellow combatants of the written word. I messed up.
About... Three months ago. Wait, it can't possibly be that long! Double check - yep. Your boy, your Paul, messed up big style. Three months ago, I published an update on the Vocal Anthology poetry collection I've been working on since the start of the year, set to feature many of you lovely people and your fine words. Three months ago, I was at the stage of gathering the Author Bios for the book.
I received some in response, and I planned that once the deadline set for submitting them to me was reached, I'd post a follow-up chasing down any stragglers.
Then things messed up.
I got caught up in other things - my dad died (which brought to the surface a lot of mixed emotions for me as we didn't have a fairytale relationship and I had been more or less "no contact" with him for the best part of 20+ years), some other things happened to that I am not going to go into and time just slipped me by.
That has been a key feature of this year, it feels. There have been many highs and positives, but a lot of... just time slipping by, and my motivation being sapped by things outside of writing.
My second self-published poetry collection is also delayed, so don't think it's just all of you suffering at the hands of life being troublesome for me during 2025.
But, hey, let's draw a line and get back on top of things - or at least try to, eh?
In the next section of this piece, you will find two lists - one with all the writers who have provided me with author bios for the book so far and a second with the writers who have yet to do so.
Rather than waiting for people to read and then respond to this piece, I am also going to leave a message in the comments section of pieces by those who have yet to give me authors' bios as a nudge to do so.
If you haven't already done so, please do so in the comments section of this article.
I cannot, in good faith, go forward with the book until I have the bios. Unless, of course, you want me to write a bio for you?? (Trust me, no one wants that!).
I will set the deadline for September 30th. If I am still waiting on anyone sending a bio through, I will have to hunt you down. With kindness and encouragement, of course. Not a sniper's rifle or a pair of ancient LeMat revolvers (here's a link to a story by yours truly featuring those guns. Smooth segue, eh?)
So, apologies again, and let's get this good ship poetry anthology sailing.
Authors' Bios I Have
- Alyssa Nicole
- Andrea Corwin
- kp
- Calvin London
- River and Celia in Underland
- Alexandria Stanwyck
- Shirley Belk
- Cathy Ben-Ameh (Christine Acheini Ben-Ameh)
- Mackenzie Davis
- Mark Graham
- Euan Brennan
- Mother Combs
- Randy Wayne Jellison-Knock
- Angie The Archivist
- Amanda Starks
- Kendall Defoe
Authors' Bios I Need
- Mark Gagnon
- Jeremy White
- Matthew Fromm (Get a move on pal, it's not like we don't speak everyday!)
- D.K. Shepard
- Heather Zieffle
- Bradley Ramsey
- Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred
- KA Stefana
- John Cox
- Ruth Stewart (Typical, always gotta chase close friends and family members)
- Paul Stewart (Okay, so I still need to write mine.)
- Iris Obscura
- Natalie Wilkinson
- Carolina Jane
- Gabriel Huizenga
- Heather Hubler
- Lamar Wiggins
- Addison Alder
- Poppy
- JBaz
- Teresa Renton
- Donna Fox (HKB)
- Marilyn Glover
So, yes. Please get them in. You will also receive a comment on your most recent piece with a link to this piece, so that you can add your bio to the comment section.
Here is a reminder of the Contributor Bios requirements:
Contributor Bios
What would an anthology be that was designed to highlight the poetic talent published on Vocal regularly, without contributor bios? A collection of poems without the connective tissue a bio would give to a new reader, happening upon your works for the first time. What do I need for the contributor bios?
To save me some hassle, I will copy and paste from the next section of the project's original article, which needs to be tackled as we inch ever closer towards printing and publishing.
Contributor Bios: As Stephen (A. Roddewig) pointed out in the comments section, it's standard practice for multi-author collections to feature author bios for all contributors. I have yet to decide whether these will be included alongside the poems or at the back of the book. That depends on the number of submissions I receive. Regardless, the bios give a little more real estate for the authors and a great place for the authors to plug their Vocal profiles, author websites, or even podcasts. Contributor bios are normally restricted by length, with 50 words or 2 to 3 sentences, in collections for shorter pieces like poetry. Thanks again, Stephen.
So, that's all for the update. If the people who need to could add their Bios in the comments section below, that would be much appreciated.
Also, if you're reading this and only just hearing about this project now, and you have a poem you'd like to include, please read the original post and then share the link in the comments section for this article.
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Thanks for your support and reading!
About the Creator
Paul Stewart
Award-Winning Writer, Poet, Scottish-Italian, Subversive.
The Accidental Poet - Poetry Collection out now!
Streams and Scratches in My Mind coming soon!
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The Forgotten Hero 💔
On January 6, 2014, in a small town of Pakistan, history was written not by a soldier, not by a leader, but by a 15-year-old schoolboy named Aitzaz Hasan. He was an ordinary student with ordinary dreams, carrying his school bag and walking toward his school like thousands of other children do every day. But that day, Aitzaz did something extraordinary. He chose courage over fear, sacrifice over safety, and humanity over his own life.
By Salman Writesa day ago in Writers
Comments (26)
Hi Paul, so sorry to hear about your father passing. How have you been coping lately? Hope you're okay. Also sorry for being late and needing to be hunted down haha. I have no idea what to say for my author's bio so I hope this is okay. Poppy is a twenty-two year old who hopes to one day be a published author. She loves reading, daydreaming and walking her dog when she isn't using words as a form of therapy.
Hi Paul. Sorry I'm late sending you my bio. Thanks again for putting this together. I wish you the best. I’m an avid fantasy and sci-fi romance writer who enjoys dabbling in other genres and poetry. I discovered my passion for writing later in life, and I love sharing the worlds I create. Please check out my profile on Vocal.
https://shopping-feedback.today/authors/mark-gagnon#:~:text=have%20spent%20most%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E,an%20Untethered%20Mind.Hi Paul, sorry to hold up your work. I hope this link is what you're looking for. If it doesn't work let me know and I'll copy and past the text. Also, if you need to fill some space and are interested, here is a link to my other Vocal poem. https://shopping-feedback.today/poets/50-years-3eqz01nscal%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%3C/div%3E%3C/div%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv class="css-w4qknv-Replies">
Sorry I missed this Paul and condolences for you loss. Will send a bio when I return from Inverness , mY send it via messenger 👍
John Cox Poet philosopher, storyteller and scribbler of dreams and lies. Never met a myth I didn’t love or a subject I couldn’t twist out of joint.
HI paul. My appologies for the tardy reply, I hope this suffices: Jason Basaraba A dreamer who tries to see the best in a chaotic world. Loves to write even when I am unsure how too. Born and raised on the Canadian Prairies, currently resides on the West Coast, lives part time within the pages of literature. I call all these places home.
Oh cripes Paul 🫣 Sorry for what you’ve been going through, and also for the extra work involved in chasing us like naughty children who haven’t done their homework 😞. Thank you for putting this all together and sorry I’m not around as much as I used to be. I’m trying to do the odd stint when I can and am having a go at some of these new challenges. As for my bio, just say ‘the batty Polish one who ‘scribbles shitty ditties’ (and thinks nothing of quoting herself 😂). Anyway Paul, before we get into another verbal pierogi and haggis lasagne food fight, here’s my homework: Teresa Renton recycles words until they gloss over what she really wants to say. She has work published or forthcoming in ‘Ink in Thirds’, ‘Flash Fiction Magazine’, 'Stick Figure Poetry', and elsewhere. She has recently been a finalist with Women On Writing’s Autumn 2025 Flash Fiction Competition. I hope that’s ok, or you can stick with the batty Polish one lol x
As requested, my bio: Poet, writer & editor, writing to uplift humanity. A Spiritual person who practices Reiki and finds inspiration in nature. Mother of four, grandmother of two, British American dual citizen living in the States
I remember this and wanted to contribute, but had my own heart surgery story dealing with. So sorry to hear of your struggles. may you find the strength to carry it all. Be blessed Paul.
Here's my requested Bio: Canadian born and raised. 🇨🇦 An educational assistant by day and an author by night. I love exploring new worlds through the pages of a good book and creating them too. 📖 I spend my winters curled up with a good book by the fire and summers in the bush camping. 🏕️ also, congrats on honourable mention this week!!
Wooohooooo congratulations on your Leaderboard placement! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Hi Paul, Reaching out with hugs. Hope things get easier. It is certainly a labor of love. I lost my 52 year old son to an unexpected cardiac event on Sept. 2. I haven't been on Vocal of late. My words are kind of stuck in my throat and head right now. My son, David, was Jade's father. The poem you chose was my poem for her. It's extra meaningful now. Thank you for your diligence and patience. Hugs, Shirley
Hi Paul, I am sorry to hear you've been overwhelmed, but glad to hear you are climbing out again. Here is my (very brief) bio. Thanks again for staying on this and including one of my poems! Bio- Natalie Wilkinson’s first poem was lost when she sent it away without making a copy. She is still trying to find it. She is currently searching in New York’s Hudson River Valley.
No need to apologize, Paul, you've been through a lot. I am happy to be included and will definitely submit my bio this week. You won't need to hunt me down.🤣 I hope life is looking better these days, and remember to allow yourself proper rest.
Sorry to read about all you have had going on, Paul. Life is certainly tough sometimes. Bio for you: Caroline Jane has always been a trier. Truth be told, "very trying" will likely be the inscription on her gravestone. Sometimes her efforts pay off. Other times, they float about her like p*ss in the wind. All she knows is that whatever her crazy pen manifests, it is typically memorable, and she is okay with that.
Sorry for the delay. I even set a reminder to do this but never reset it once I knew I couldn't do it at the time. Anyway... Lamar Wiggins is an up-and-coming writer with strong focus on surreal fiction. His aspirations, among many, include screenwriting where strives to one day break into the industry. His love for the unknown and unexplored, is apparent in many of his short stories. Let me know if it needs to be shorter. And thank you again for this opportunity. 🤝🏼
Got you some more visibility on today's Raised Voice Thread: https://shopping-feedback.today/resources/raise-your-voice-thread-09-11-2025%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E Not loving that date in the URL, though. Bad juju
Hahahahahahaha I can't believe you still don't have Ruth's one! Hopefully all those you mentioned here would give you their bios soon 🍩🥐
Paul, Paul, Paul, I had to update mine. I think I did, anyway, but I did it regardless. Here it is: Mackenzie Davis finds the greatest inspiration in restriction and truth. Her work has been featured in Auroras & Blossoms magazine and most recently, Issue 13 of Livina Press. She is a winner of the 2024 Prime 53 Summer Challenge for poetry. She has a BFA in Creative Writing from the University of Colorado Denver, and lives in the foothills with her husband.
Matt, Lamar, Donna, and Paul: all my Vocal peeps are slacking Except Mackenzie. Forcing me to acknowledge what I (and likely many of us) have always known deep down: she is the greatest of us 😎
Good luck, Paul <3 Glad I already got mine turned in <3
I am sorry to hear about the loss of your dad, even if we aren't close to family, it's still hard to lose anyone. Sending good vibes and excited to read your next book!
My sincerest apologies, I had not realized I needed one. To be honest I don’t know where to start. This is a great way for me to get one going. I’ll take any tips you have Thank you for the chance to be part of your book
SHOOT - I was to write my bio RIGHT before my wedding-induced hiatus...I swear on my honor as a poet that my bio will be commented hither by the end of this week!! Thanks again for all of your work on this, Paul - truly a beautiful thing!
I don’t negotiate with (Scottish) terrorists.