Joel Worford is a twenty-year old writer from Midlothian Virginia. He is currently studying English with a concentration in creative writing at Longwood University. Worford’s focus is on poetry and short story writing and his favorite writers are Jack Kerouac and Stephen Chbosky. Worford intends to pursue a career as a writer and aspires to write works that “influence others the way (his) heroes influenced him.”
Today he reads his poem, “Duality”.
Alice King is currently a junior at Longwood University. She is majoring in English, with a concentration in Creative Writing. Alice began writing in middle school, and has won two short story contests. Two of her poems, “shiver” and “Daughter,” are to be published in Crab Fat Magazine.
Today she reads her poem, “Daughter”.
Jessica Gunther is a senior fiction writer at Longwood University. She has completed an 110,000-word novel, Dark Guardian, which is under review for publication. She currently resides in Virginia.
Today she reads an excerpt from her essay, “Book Hater To Book Lover.”
Ashleigh Meyer is a 24 year-old writer from Bedford, Virginia. In fiction, CNF and poetry, her work features topics like nativity, childhood and life in a rural community. Authors like Annie Dillard, Jonathan Safran-Foer, and Ransom Riggs influence her writing, as well as her close family and adventures with her husband Nicholas. Meyer hopes to develop her career as a writer,and one day start her own literary magazine.
Today she reads her poem, “Holy Water at Poorhouse Creek”.
Amy Chafee has written nonfiction essays about her homeschooling days, facing gender expectations within a religious community, and her gap year working at Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport, where she met a lot of fascinating people. A native of Louisa County, Amy is a rising “super senior” at Longwood University.
Today she reads from her nonfiction essay, “A8”.
Christopher Crider is currently a sophomore English major at Longwood University, with a concentration in creative writing. Chris focuses on non-fiction writing, and was first published in the Op/Ed section of the Richmond Times Dispatch in 2008. He currently lives in Richmond, Virginia, where he has lived for most of his life.
Today he reads an excerpt from his essay, “Glass.”
Chad MacDonald is a creative writer at Longwood University, a radio DJ for WMLU, and philanthropy chairman for Phi Mu Delta. He has previously been published in multiple magazines and currently has a screen play circulating through some festivals. He hopes to eventually attend VCU for an MFA in creative non-fiction.