Public Republic

Christopher McCurry Interviews Rebecca Gayle Howell Christopher McCurry: Do you care to start at the very beginning? When and how you decided to write poems? How did Render: An Apocalypse happen?   Rebecca Gayle Howell:  My grandparents were subsistence farmers in Eastern Kentucky. They raised enough food to feed their family and that was it—my […]

Our manuscripts are always ready. Sometimes they are ready for us to work on them some more. Sometimes they are ready for a month-long nap in a drawer to take a break from us. Sometimes they are ready for us to stop obsessing and relineating and to send them to try their luck with real […]

Katerina Stoykova-Klemer We write poems. We work hard at our craft. We learn. We get feedback from respected mentors. We edit. We send work out for publication. It gets rejected. We are discouraged. We refuse to give up. We send work out again. Eventually, several poems get picked up in various journals. Maybe even one […]

J. Stephen Rhodes is the author of the poetry collection, The Time I Didn’t Know What to Do Next (Wind Publications). He writes about living on the edges between security and fear, guilt and grace, country and city, and prosperity and scarcity. In addition to a Ph.D. in Theological Studies from Emory University, Rhodes received […]

Kathleen Driskell’s second book of poems Seed Across Snow (Red Hen Press, 2009) has been listed as a bestseller by the Poetry Foundation. Kathleen received her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She is Associate Editor of The Louisville Review and has taught creative writing and literature at Spalding […]

Lynnell Edwards is the author of two books of poetry: The Highwayman’s Wife (2007) and The Farmer’s Daughter (2003), both from Red Hen Press. Her work has appeared in various journals and anthologies. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky where she teaches at the University of Louisville and is associate director for the InKY reading series […]

Pat Valdata writes novels, poems and nonfiction. Her publications include the novels The Other Sister (published by Plain View Press, 2008), Crosswind (published by Wind Canyon Publishing, 1997) and the poetry chapbook Looking for Bivalve (from Pecan Grove Press, 2002). Pat received an MFA in writing from Goddard College and is an adjunct associate professor […]

Katerina Stoykova-Klemer’s interview with poet Lynnell Edwards Lynnell Edwards is the author of two books of poetry: The Highwayman’s Wife (2007) and The Farmer’s Daughter (2003), both from Red Hen Press. Her work has appeared on Verse Daily and in the anthologies Poets Against the War; Raising Our Voices: Oregon Poets Against the War; What […]

Bianca Spriggs is the author of the poetry book “Kaffir Lily” (Wind Publications, 2010) and her work may be found in the journals, Caduceus, Alehouse, Torch, and the Appalachian Heritage Magazine. She is the Events Coordinator for the Lexington Art League and a freelance instructor of composition, literature, and creative writing. She received a B.A. […]

Frank X Walker holds an MFA in Writing from Spalding University and honorary Doctorate degrees from University of Kentucky and Transylvania University. He has lectured, conducted workshops, read poetry and exhibited at over 300 national and international conferences. He is a founding member of the Affrilachian Poets, author of four poetry collections, editor of two […]

Sonja de Vries is a documentary filmmaker, writer, activist and a mother. Born in Kentucky but raised by her family in Amsterdam, she grew up hearing family stories of resistance to Nazi Occupation. Sonja also spent time growing up on a farm, where she lives today with her son Devlin and partner Beth. She has […]

Chris Mattingly is currently pursuing an MFA in poetry from Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky. His poems have appeared in public-Republic, Margie: The Journal of American Poetry, Moonshot, The Louisville Review, and the forthcoming chapbook Ad Hoc from Q Avenue Press. Chris is also a banjo player and long time member of The Fatted Calf […]

Jody Lisberger’s story collection, Remember Love, was published by Fleur-de-Lis Press in May 2008. Her stories have appeared in Fugue, Michigan Quarterly Review, Thema, Confrontation, and The Louisville Review. She has a PhD in English and an MFA in Writing from Vermont College. She has taught literature, writing, and feminist theory at the University of […]

Neil Chethik is speaker, author and expert specializing in men’s lives and family issues. He is the author of two acclaimed books: VoiceMale: What Husbands Really Think About Their Marriages, Their Wives, Sex, Housework and Commitment (Simon & Schuster 2006), and FatherLoss: How Sons of All Ages Come To Terms With the Deaths of Their […]