Yellow Arrow Publishing Blog

Kapua Iao 8/22/23 Kapua Iao 8/22/23

Meet a Staff Member: Beck Snyder

Yellow Arrow Publishing would like to introduce editorial associate Beck Snyder (she/they). Beck, a Yellow Arrow intern in fall 2022 and spring 2023, is a recent graduate of Towson University and is currently figuring out where they’re going in life. When they’re not knee-deep in their own writing endeavors, you can usually find them playing video games, reading, or making stupid jokes with their friends. You can find them in the tiny town of Clear Spring, Maryland, on Instagram @real_possiblyawesome or on Twitter @PossiblyAwesom if you’d like to hear the thoughts that pop into their head at three in the morning.

Beck says, “I am super excited to read all the submissions that come in for the journals and other publications. The pieces we get at Yellow Arrow are always incredible and it’s so much fun to read them all (even if it gets pretty hard deciding who to [publish])!”

Tell us a little something about yourself:

The first award I ever won for writing was in first grade where I wrote a spin on The Cat in the Hat for a Dr. Seuss week contest. I still have the Fox-in-Socks plushie that was the prize.

What do you love most where you live?

I live in a small town in Washington County, and I love the fact that it’s a very walkable place and that I know so many people within the community. It feels much more tight knit than other places I’ve visited before.

How did you get involved with Yellow Arrow and what do you do?

I got involved with Yellow Arrow through their internship program and then loved the mission so much that I wanted to stick around and help them put together their amazing publications. I’m really glad to have the opportunity to read and edit the fantastic submissions all of the amazing writers send in!

What are you working on currently?

I’ve currently got a fiction novel of my own in the works, and aside from that, I’m looking into getting a job and moving out since I just graduated college in May of 2023. Real life’s coming at me fast, and I’m doing my best to meet it head on!

What genre do you write (or read) the most and why?

I adore fiction. Something about getting to create your own entire world, put a spin on this one, or dive into the worlds [that] others have created is so fascinating and exciting to me. I love character writing especially, and getting to explore different situations through the eyes of people who are very different from me but also relatable.

What book is on the top of your to-be-read pile?

Right now, I have my eye on Six of Crows, as many of my friends have read and loved it and also have been watching/loving the show!

Who is your favorite writer and why?

Rick Riordan. I think his comedic style of writing and well-paced adventures are incredibly entertaining, and he has incredibly strong character writing that makes every character memorable, no matter how small. I also admire his drive to constantly add more diversity to his books, and his dedication to make sure that all representation is well-thought-out and well researched, instead of just attempting to throw in minority characters haphazardly for diversity points.

Who has inspired and/or supported you most in your writing journey?

There are countless people who have supported and inspired me on my writing journey, but the one who comes to mind most often is my fourth grade teacher, Ms. Thomas. She encouraged me to submit my writing to competitions and was the first person in my life who made me feel like this whole writing thing could be something I was really good at. I’m honestly not sure if I would have recognized writing as a passion of mine if it hadn’t been for her.

What do you love most about writing?

It can often be the hardest part, but taking something that exists only in your mind and putting it on the page to where other people can read it and see what you’re seeing is something I love about writing. I love being able to share all the crazy adventures in my mind with the people around me.

What advice do you have for new writers?

Do not fear the terrible first draft! First drafts are made specifically to just get ideas on the page to be refined later. I’m a perfectionist myself and often struggle with the temptation to try and make everything I write perfect the first time around, but that’s an impossible task that will no doubt turn you off of writing forever. Also: don’t be afraid to have fun! Writing something weird just because you want to. There’s no such thing as the correct way to write.

What’s your vision for Yellow Arrow in 2023?

I think that with Yellow Arrow’s missions, publications, workshops, and other programs, there’s so many opportunities to inspire women-identifying authors and give them the confidence they need to nurture the passion they have for writing.

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Beck, we are so excited to continue to work with you this year. Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we SPARK and sparkle this year: purchase one of our publications from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, join our newsletter, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter or subscribe to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.

Kapua Iao 7/25/23 Kapua Iao 7/25/23

Gratitude is a Divine Emotion: Yellow Arrow Interns

By Kapua Iao

“Gratitude is a divine emotion: it fills the heart, but not to bursting; it warms it, but not to fever.”

from Shirley by Charlotte Brontë

One of the many ways Yellow Arrow Publishing encourages women writers and women in publishing is through inclusion within the organization itself. We welcome (and thrive with) our volunteers and interns, not only for our own benefit but to also (hopefully) provide a prospective future publisher with some necessary tools and knowledge about the publishing world. And even if a volunteer/intern does not plan to continue within the publishing world, the tools and knowledge of working in a women-led, collaborative organization. One that champions the different and the unique. One that looks for partners and allies rather than simple connections (see our growing list of partners here).

As Editor-in-Chief, it would be impossible to organize, create, and publish without the incredible help of our volunteer staff and interns. They provide the thought process behind each journal by picking each issue’s theme and reading/voting on each submitted piece. They then read through the chosen submissions and edit them carefully and thoughtfully, not to change the voice of the author but to ensure that the voice flourishes. They provide continuous feedback and proofread the final product before release. And the same goes for our published chapbooks; the process of forming something for publication is thoughtfully long but fulfilling, nonetheless.

We try to find each volunteer, each intern, space in our organization to grow and flourish in the area they are most interested in (and of course where we need the most help!). Past staff members have worked at our live events and at Yellow Arrow House. They hand bound our publications and put as much love and tenderness into each copy as we could hope. Now that we are a mostly virtual publishing company, they focus on copyediting and proofreading as well as writing blogs and press releases. They create promotional material and images for our authors and create marketing campaigns. They help at live and virtual events and readings. And above all else, they support. Not only me but our authors as well. I am so thankful to have had them with me on this journey.

So let’s introduce the summer 2023 interns. Each has my appreciation.

Cecelia (Cece) Caldwell

From Pittsfield, Massachusetts
*What do you do*? I do all sorts of things. Often, I work with the submissions we receive. I format, proofread, and copyedit chapbooks and short pieces. Additionally, I help work on social media campaigns, blog posts, and chapbook promotions.
*Where do you go to school?* I go to Middlebury College, a small liberal arts college in Vermont. I’m a rising junior!
*What are you currently working on*? I’m back home in Massachusetts for the summer and am enjoying spending time with my family. Aside from interning with Yellow Arrow, I’m working at a gift shop at a local historical museum, tending to my garden, and planning my upcoming semester abroad in Spain.

Cecelia Caldwell (she/her) is a rising junior at Middlebury College majoring in English and minoring in anthropology and Spanish. An avid reader and lover of words, Cecelia is passionate about publishing, editing, storytelling, literacy, and the diversification of all of these fields. In her free time, Cecelia enjoys writing satire, working out, cooking, and tending to her garden. She lives in western Massachusetts with her mom and two dogs, Ollie and Ernie. Find her on Instagram @ceceliacaldwelll.

Why did you choose an internship with Yellow Arrow?

I knew that I wanted to work in the publishing/editing industry to some extent, as those are the areas I’m interested in exploring after I graduate. After lots of searching, I came across Yellow Arrow, which fulfilled both my desire to gain practical experience in a field I loved, and my desire to work with an organization whose mission I supported. To be able to support a small, independent house dedicated to uplifting the voices of women is something truly special.

Vickie Tu

Lives in Silver Spring, Maryland
*What do you do*? I assist Yellow Arrow with various editorial, marketing, and publishing responsibilities. I serve as a reader and proofreader of manuscripts and produce social media content for publishing events and promotions. I also compose book reviews and author interviews for the Yellow Arrow blog and create monthly newsletters.
*Where do you go to school?* I go to University of Maryland, College Park and plan to graduate Spring 2024.
*What are you currently working on*? Outside of Yellow Arrow, I work two part time jobs and attend school. Additionally, I am working on creating my own literary blog and website where I can share my adoration for literature with fellow bookworms.

Vickie Tu is a rising senior at University of Maryland, College Park, studying English with a minor in Classics. She was born and raised in Silver Spring, Maryland, and plans to move to New York City after graduation to start her career in the publishing industry. When she is not reading or working in her campus’ bookstore, she enjoys attending hockey games for her favorite team the Washington Capitals. You can find her on Instagram @vickie.tuuu.

After graduating, she plan on finding entry level jobs in publishing and working her way up to be an editor or literary agent.

Why did you choose a second internship with Yellow Arrow?

I chose an internship with Yellow Arrow because the morals and values that the company upholds are very similar to mine and the publications interested me. Yellow Arrow presented itself to be a strong company that aims to empower and inspire women identifying creators and that was something that intrigued me the most. Additionally, I was particularly fond of the publications that Yellow Arrow produced and it was a genre that I desired more knowledge and experience in.

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Thank you to everyone who supports these women and all writers who toil away day after day. Please show them some love in the comments below or on Yellow Arrow’s Facebook or Instagram. If interested in joining us as an editorial associate or intern, fill out an application at yellowarrowpublishing.com/internships.

Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we SPARK and sparkle this year: purchase one of our publications from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, join our newsletter, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter or subscribe to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.

Kapua Iao 7/4/23 Kapua Iao 7/4/23

Meet a Staff Member: Meagan Gamble

Yellow Arrow Publishing would like to introduce editorial associate Meagan Gamble. Meg (she/her) is a writer and bookseller living in Boulder, Colorado, for some reason, despite the fact that she is terrified of heights. She graduated from City University of London with an MA in creative writing and publishing in 2016 and now works in academic publishing. She is an editor, writing tutor, and her dad says she’s “Amazing, Beautiful, and Smart.” She hopes to keep working in books in some capacity for the rest of her career, either behind the scenes or as a novelist herself. You can find her on Instagram at @mgnface or on Twitter at @megelissag.

Meg says, “I’m excited to be involved with a creative community that values women’s voices and to help produce some interesting work!”

Tell us a little something about yourself:

Well, usually the first thing I tell people is that I love to read, but I feel like that’s pretty obvious here (naturally)! I’m the eldest of four, so my siblings’ habits have migrated over the years into mine: I love art (art history especially), music, going to watch movies alone in an empty theater, painting, long circular walks (preferably with a dog), Sunday Morning on CBS, redoing my hair a million times before ultimately settling on the same hairstyle I wear every day, etc. I’ve been lucky enough to live in a lot of different places, both here and abroad, and so one thing I do value about myself is my ability to adapt quickly and find meaning in anxious or scary experiences. Good for writing! I also love tattoos. (Don’t tell my grandma.)

What do you love most about where you live?

I live in Boulder, Colorado, at the moment, which is a very strange, vibrant, eclectic little mountain town. Yesterday I saw someone giving a tarot reading at the bus stop outside my office if that gives you idea. (I know her, actually—she charges a fair price!) It’s a college town and a tech hub for the Western slope, so there’s a real eclectic mix of people from all walks of life, most of which are pretty weird. I like it a lot, honestly—there’s a real character to this town that I hope they’re able to preserve and defend against the incoming onslaught of gentrification because it would be a real loss to Colorado to turn this funky little place into your typical slick, expensive suburb. (#KeepBoulderWeird is the slogan if you’re so inclined.)

How did you get involved with Yellow Arrow and what do you do?

I was looking for opportunities to keep me connected with creative writing (as opposed to academic writing, which is what I deal with in my current job), and I was attracted to Yellow Arrow’s mission of amplifying women/women-identifying creatives! I will admit to the somewhat uncool trait of being really into weird grammar questions, so I was also looking for something where I could practice and develop my formal copyediting skills. So that’s what I’ll be doing, for the most part—proofreading and copyediting as well as voting on submissions to certain publications! Exciting stuff. :)

What are you working on currently?

Right now, I am primarily working on some creative nonfiction attempts. It’s been a difficult year with a lot of changes for me! Writing is a good way to work through stuff, so it’s been very helpful. I would like to get back to fiction soon, but I’m in no rush. It will come when I’m ready for it, I think.

What genre do you write (or read) the most and why?

I do read prose primarily because that’s what I write, it’s what I’ve always loved, and it’s where I’m most comfortable. Most people would call my tastes “literary” (some would call them “pretentious,” others, “eclectic,” perhaps depending on which part of my bookshelf they’re looking at) so I suppose that’s what I would say in terms of genre. I do love reading poetry, but I think the disconnect is that I really cannot write it (my brain simply does not work that way) and so naturally I gravitate towards novels for the most part. There are just too many good ones, and I only have so many hours in my life to read them. It’s tragic.

What books are on the top of your to-be-read pile?

I’m having a moment with nonfiction, which may or may not be because of the 75% off sale at Princeton University Press back in February, but that’s between me and my bank account, thanks. I’m reading Shakespeare’s Festive Comedy by C. L. Barber, a somewhat famous piece of literary criticism about the influence of Elizabethan seasonal holidays on Shakespeare’s comedies. (I love a good social/cultural history of Shakespeare, man, I really do.) But that’s a book from 1959 so I suppose it doesn’t really count—as far as new releases go, I cannot describe to you my excitement about Lorrie Moore’s newest, I Am Homeless If This Is Not My Home, coming out at the end of June. And I’m also about to start my first Tessa Hadley novel, and I’m rather excited about it.

Who is your favorite writer and why?

Ruth Ozeki, all the way. I’m primarily a prose writer, and I grew up reading stuff I could actually get my hands on in my very small Iowan town (this was presmart phones, you see) so it was a pretty weird mix of “women’s fiction” (Alice Hoffman! Maeve Binchy!) and “stuff my grandpa gave us when he was cleaning out his house” (Tom Robbins! Kurt Vonnegut!). It was somewhat of a revelation to grow up and discover an entire wealth of fiction that was sort of a combination of both—grounded in a female perspective, engaging and readable, but stylistically experimental as well. Ozeki is such a pleasure to read, with a light touch to her prose that is so warm and inviting—but she deals with heavy subjects and takes big narrative swings, which I respect. I will forever remember sitting in a cafe reading A Tale for the Time Being in one sitting, while the very nice manager kept coming over to check on me and ask gently if I wanted a more comfortable chair to sit in. It was 2016, I was 26, and I’m pretty sure I was crying. (She was very nice about it.) Books like that only come along every once in awhile, and I treasure them for a long time when they do.

Who has inspired and/or supported you most in your writing journey?

Forever my family, specifically my brother Taylor. He passed away recently, very suddenly, and we were very close, so everything I do is in his honor, really. He was absolutely my biggest hype man. He loved everything I read, and he didn’t even have to read it to love it. He’d just see me writing something and say some goofy thing like “oh, that’s GREAT! I can TELL!” (He usually could not see my screen. Sometimes what I was writing was an email.) I think everyone deserves a person like that, but specifically writers, who can sometimes get so buried in their own rooms that it’s difficult to step outside onto the balcony and look back in and say, “well yeah, I am cookin’ something in there.” He was wonderful and I miss him very much. Everything I’ve accomplished in life, and everything I will accomplish, will be because he made me believe it was possible.

What do you love most about writing?

What a gigantic question! I’ve been doing it for so long I suppose I haven’t thought about it indepth at any point because it’s always just been the way that I process myself and the world around me. It’s a natural instinct I have, and a compulsion also. I enjoy the way I can sink into it to the point where it becomes almost meditative. My brain goes smooth, and I stop thinking about my problems and I just coast on it—and that’s true for both writing and reading for me. I enjoy the way it connects people and infuriates people. And I love the feeling when you finish something and you’re mostly happy with it, and then you put it in the drawer and think, okay, what next? It’s beautiful, frustrating work. I could do nothing else with my life.

What advice do you have for new writers?

Read! Read widely. This is a cliché, but it’s true. Reading is a skill which is different from writing, but you still need both! From a practical angle, also, you need to know what’s being published! I cannot tell you how many writers I met as a bookseller who had never seriously considered their market: what it looks like, what people want to read, how they discover books, what similar titles already exist. It’s extremely valuable, both from a creative perspective and a very pragmatic perspective, especially if you’d like to publish your work eventually (traditionally or not).

Read bad things, too. Read things that challenge you. Read genres you know you won’t like, won’t write, or both. And try to read critically—when you finish something you didn’t like, ask yourself why. “Oh, I absolutely loved this, I couldn’t put it down” —great! Why? Be specific! Assign yourself book reports. But like, in a fun way. I swear it helps.

What’s your vision for Yellow Arrow in 2023?

I think it’s hard nowadays to keep your focus on your creative life, with the world being what it is, and real life getting increasingly harder. There’s a quote from Carl Sagan’s Cosmos that I love: “Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people, citizens of distant epochs, who never knew one another. Books break the shackles of time, proof that humans can work magic.” Art is what connects us and sustains us in a world that often can seem cold and hostile. Keeping that flame burning is an act of courage, and a necessary one, and whatever small part Yellow Arrow plays in that, I’m happy to be involved.

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Welcome to the team Meg! We are so excited to work with you this year. Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we SPARK and sparkle this year: purchase one of our publications from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, join our newsletter, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter or subscribe to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.

Kapua Iao 5/2/23 Kapua Iao 5/2/23

Meet a Board Member: Patti Ross

Yellow Arrow Publishing would like to introduce our director of author support, Patti Ross. Patti graduated from The Duke Ellington School for the Performing Arts and The American University. She also holds a MS from Keller Graduate School of Management. After a brief career in the arts and freelance work with the Washington Times and the Rural America newspapers. Patti settled on a career in the corporate dot com arena gaining President’s Club recognition with multiple entities. Having traveled abroad and throughout the U.S., she chose to raise her two daughters in Columbia, Maryland. Thirty years later she is sharing her voice as local spoken word artist, “little pi.”

Her debut chapbook, St. Paul Street Provocations, was published in July 2021 by Yellow Arrow Publishing. Patti also hosts EC Poetry & Prose Open Mic at the Baltimore County Arts Guild’s Catonsville, Maryland, location. She is the founder of the online series First Fridays under the organizational umbrella of Maryland Writers Association of which she is a former board member. She also actively supports several Baltimore youth nonprofits as both board member and advisor. A lifelong advocate for the disenfranchised and homeless, Patti writes poems about the racially marginalized as well as society’s traumatization of the human spirit. Her poems are published in the Pen in Hand Journal, PoetryXHunger website, and Oyster River Pages: Composite Dreams Issue, Writing the Land: Foodways and Social Justice Anthology (2022), as well as other online zines.

Patti writes, “Nelson Mandela said it best, ‘. . . as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.’ This is what I hope for Yellow Arrow in 2023, that we may liberate as many writers as our pages can hold, and then some.”

Tell us a little something about yourself. I have been collecting fountain pens lately. I am enjoying the feel and historical relationship to writing that the pens remind [me of].

What do you love most about Baltimore? Baltimore has “charmed me.” I am originally from Washington, D.C., and the “grittiness” (if I may) of Baltimore reminds me of my D.C., my “chocolate city” of the 60s and 70s and 80s. I moved from Silver Spring, Maryland, just outside D.C. to Howard County in 2000 and since have enjoyed exploring Baltimore and discovering it’s nuances. Ten years ago, from 2011 to 2012, I lived at the corner of St. Paul and Lafayette streets, one block south of North Avenue. Because of my work in Montgomery County, I moved back to Howard County where I currently reside.

How did you get involved with Yellow Arrow and what do you do? I wrote a pleading email to Gwen [Van Velsor, Founder] about this little collection I had written and was using as my spoken-word pieces around town and the county. I was exploring being a performing poet. Gwen was gracious and shared my plea with Kapua [Iao, Editor-in-Chief], and they took a chance on me. I am forever grateful. The publication of my collection gave my speech legitimacy and audiences have paid attention to my challenges to them.

What are you working on currently? I have my own collective: EC Poetry & Prose, a nonprofit of about a dozen poets who regularly perform together throughout the region. I also am part owner in a micropress, Fallen Tree Press, that is committed to publishing poetry only and supporting other nonprofits through a donation of book proceeds.

What genre do you write (or read) the most and why? I read everything from poetry to nonfiction. I have only written poetry and essays (a few speeches). I am challenging myself this year with the writing of a children’s book. I wrote a poem, and a children’s book author suggested I use phrases within the poem to create an historical fiction children’s book—is there such a thing, lol! I also hope to put together another collection of poems about the women in my life both real and make believe.

What books are on the top of your to-be-read pile?

Mean Spirit by Linda Hogan

A Bound Woman is a Dangerous Thing by DaMaris B. Hill

Several chapbooks by friends such as Kathleen Hellen’s Meet Me at the Bottom

Hiram Larew’s Mud Ajar

The Maryland Writer’s Association’s recent publication of Pen in Hand

Who is your favorite writer and why? Audre Lorde, there is a haunting within her writing that makes the reader think deeply about women and their plight in the world and how a writer captures trauma and its lingering effects and how women go on existing with so many scars. One of my favorite poems if not my favorite is the “Poem for a Poet”; its opening words are “I think of a coffin’s quiet when I sit in the world of my car . . .” That is riveting, pulling you in immediately reminding you of life’s chance.

Who has inspired and/or supported you most in your writing journey? My daughters. They are women who have persevered beyond challenges with dignity beyond what I instilled in them. They inspire me everyday to recognize the “queen” in every woman both young [and old]. Amazingly, they have taken the ugliness of the world and what it has shown them and still have hope and [still] embody beauty in all they do.

What do you love most about writing? I enjoy the freedom of expression. I can write and I am free to say, feel, be how and what I want. No strings attached.

What advice do you have for new writers? Just do it! It is a cathartic process in which frees you from the lament of life and brings you joy . . . that’s if you let it.

What’s your vision for Yellow Arrow in 2023? Zeal, zest, and zing! A year of joy. A year of growth and vitality about writing and sharing our voices.

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Welcome to the team Patti! We are so excited to work with you this year. Patti is on our fundraising committee putting together Celebrating Creativity, Cherishing the Woman, an event on May 13, 5:30-7:30 pm at Ceremony Coffee Roasters at Cross Street Market. Get your ticket at yellowarrowpublishing.com/store/may2023fundraiser.

Kapua Iao 4/25/23 Kapua Iao 4/25/23

Gratitude is a Divine Emotion: Yellow Arrow Interns

By Kapua Iao

“Gratitude is a divine emotion: it fills the heart, but not to bursting; it warms it, but not to fever.”

from Shirley by Charlotte Brontë

So let’s introduce the spring 2023 interns. Each has my appreciation.

Natasha Saar, publications intern

From New York City but lives in Baltimore, Maryland
*What do you do*? I assist with everything to do with publications. This includes writing blog posts, running social media campaigns, and working with the Editor-in-Chief to copyedit and proofread exciting and upcoming publications.
*Where do you go to school?* I’m currently a senior at Loyola University Maryland, and if all goes to plan, I’m going to be graduating this May.
*What are you currently working on*? I’ve been working on my university’s literary magazine, *Corridors*, and have also been working as a resident assistant for one of my university’s resident halls. Most of my current spare time is spent either with my hobbies, job hunting, or working for classes in advance.

Natasha Saar (she/her) is a senior at Loyola University, Maryland, pursuing a BA in English, and the spring 2022 publications intern at Yellow Arrow Publishing. She’s in charge of editing submissions at her university’s literary magazine, Corridors, and also works as a resident assistant. In her free time, she enjoys doing origami, baking, and playing niche video games.

After graduating, she intends to continue pursuing publishing, but is also happy pursuing any career that involves writing, preferably in some sort of creative fashion. Natasha has always loved working with language, it’s just a matter of making a comfortable living with it . . .

Why did you choose an internship with Yellow Arrow?

Everyone who likes reading and writing falls down the “what if I work with books” pipeline, and I figured a hands-on internship with a smaller company could give me a bigger insight into the publishing process. I also really resonated with Yellow Arrow’s mission and wanted to assist with it.

Beck Snyder, program management intern

Lives in Towson, Maryland

What do you do? I put together social media posts and schedule them, work on the monthly newsletter, copyedit Yellow Arrow Journal, and research for grants.

Where do you go to school? I go to school at Towson University, and I’ll be graduating in the spring of 2023, provided everything goes to plan.

What are you currently working on? As of right now, I’m mainly focused on graduating, as that’s coming up very quickly, but I’m also working on my own writing in my spare time. I completed a first draft of my own novel right before this semester, so I’ve started looking back through it and finding ways I can make it better.

Beck Snyder (she/they) is a student on the creative writing track at Towson University and is currently figuring out where they’re going in life. When they’re not knee-deep in homework or their own writing endeavors, you can usually find them playing video games, reading, or making stupid jokes with their friends.

Their future plans are a bit up in the air right now. Beck is planning on moving to New York City after graduation since the publishing industry is fairly big there, and they think they’d like to get a job in the industry while working on getting their own work published. Fingers crossed things go well!

Why did you choose a second internship with Yellow Arrow?

I chose to do a second internship with Yellow Arrow because I really loved Yellow Arrow’s mission and working with Annie Marhefka and Kapua Iao has been really great. I always feel like I’m contributing and that my schedule outside of Yellow Arrow is being taken into consideration so I don’t get overworked. This semester has been a bit different because now that I know the basics of how Yellow Arrow works as an organization and what we do here, Annie has trusted me with more responsibilities, like the newsletter and working on grants. It’s definitely cool to be back for a second semester and to be trusted to work on bigger things than I did last semester.

When not on Towson’s campus, you can find them in the tiny town of Clear Spring, Maryland, on Instagram @real_possiblyawesome or on Twitter @PossiblyAwesom if you’d like to hear the thoughts that pop into their head at three in the morning.

*****

Kapua Iao 4/4/23 Kapua Iao 4/4/23

Meet a Staff Member: Allyson Waldon

Yellow Arrow Publishing would like to introduce our publication sales manager, Allyson Waldon. Ally’s entire world revolves around books. She recently received her MFA in creative writing and publishing arts from the University of Baltimore (UB). While at UB, Ally served as an editor for Welter, a literary magazine. When she isn’t writing, she manages operations at The Book Rack, a woman-run educational book distributor. In her free time, Ally performs with Baltimore-area community theaters and choirs. She is currently working on the creation of a new collaborative musical at Fells Point Corner Theater. She is also working on keeping her dog and cat from eating one another. Interior Lives, a self-published collection of short prose, can be found at allywaldon.com.

Ally states, “I’m excited to work with other creative people who share a similar vision. Lately, I’ve not been writing as much and I feel like working with Yellow Arrow will light up that area of my brain again. I also believe I have a lot to offer to the organization. My current workplace is sometimes reluctant to try new things to connect with a wider audience. It would be great to try and implement these ideas to build relationships with bookstores and to increase readership. I am eager to learn and to be able to use both my organizational workplace skills and my creative skills together in a productive way.”

Tell us a little something about yourself:

I really enjoy making, creating, performing. My MFA culminated in the creation and design of my own book (this includes everything except for physically printing them) and then a reading, which tapped into all of my interests. Who knew there were so many typefaces!

While at UB, I worked on a short-lived podcast for Welter in addition to serving as fiction editor. After graduating, one of my pieces was published in the magazine.

An interesting thing about my writing is that the basis of many of my stories come from a dream journal I keep in the Notes app on my phone. They can get very weird, but it is a great springboard for ideas.

What do you love most about Baltimore?

Baltimore has such a rich literary history (F. Scott Fitzgerald, Lucille Clifton, Edgar Allan Poe) and a great arts scene in general. It also is in close proximity to other east coast cities . . . no reading or concert or museum is more than a day trip away.

Baltimore has a certain quirkiness that many people don’t get, so it’s also a point of pride that I’m from here. Baltimoreans have a strong work ethic. We are resilient and resourceful, but we also know how to have a good time! Also, crabs are delicious. I mean, come on.

How did you get involved with Yellow Arrow and what do you do?

Annie Marhefka (Executive Director), my childhood babysitter, has known me since I was seven years old. Our mothers were best friends and coworkers who bonded over books, so this is in our blood! Annie mentioned to me that there was an opportunity to get involved with publication sales and building relationships with bookstores, which is a large part of my day job. It was meant to be.

What are you working on currently?

I’m collaborating with three other writers on a new musical at Fells Point Corner Theater about what it means to “try.” I’m also in the process of taking the helm at my workplace as the current owner retires. Daunting, but exciting.

What genre do you write (or read) the most and why?

I find that I’m most generative after reading memoir. Perhaps there’s some sort of lightning rod in the reality of someone else’s personal history that helps me tap into my own thoughts. I write flash and short fiction, but I also think flash can sometimes overlap with poetry. The lines are blurry for me.

What book is on the top of your to-be-read pile?

Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw is next on my list.

Who is your favorite writer and why?

Even though I’m a short form writer, I love and admire John Irving. It makes no sense why an elderly, white, male writer would resonate so deeply with me, but good craft is good craft, I suppose. I find myself getting fully absorbed in his books. The World According to Garp is probably my favorite of his.

Who has inspired and/or supported you most in your writing journey?

My mother has always encouraged me to pursue the things that I enjoyed doing rather than the things that would be the most lucrative. She has worked in books for many years and made sure I had access to anything and everything I wanted to read. My father was never ashamed to pick up a book that wasn’t necessarily written for him—a YA dystopian romance or a Hollywood memoir. It set a great example. I think wide exposure leads to better writing, so I have them both to thank for that.

What do you love most about writing?

Writing and creating in general is therapeutic to me. It helps me to dissect and even work out the things in my head. I love the research that comes along with writing. It takes everything in my power not to go off on tangents researching moon phases or the geography of Senegal (these are both real life examples), but I enjoy it immensely.

What advice do you have for new writers?

I would tell new writers to read beyond their genre. It broadens your worldview and helps your writing to be less insular. The best writers are good readers. I’ve been inspired by nonfiction and cookbooks and comic books and even Twitter threads.

What’s your vision for Yellow Arrow in 2023?

There is a lot to SPARK! This year, I hope to have a fire lit within me. I hated high school, but there were some good takeaways. Our school motto was “Lucem accepimus, lucem demus.” We have received light, let us give light. It might seem a little pretentious or even hokey, but it’s an ideal worth exemplifying. When creativity is sparked, it spreads. I hope the creative spark is lit within me, and I am able to tend to the flame in order to pass it on.

*****

Kapua Iao 3/7/23 Kapua Iao 3/7/23

Meet a Board Member: Nikita Rimal Sharma

Yellow Arrow Publishing is incredibly excited to officially introduce our Director of Fundraising, Nikita Rimal Sharma, to the Yellow Arrow family. Nikita currently resides in Baltimore, Maryland, and is originally from Kathmandu, Nepal. Professionally, she works at B’More Clubhouse, a mental health nonprofit that is all about working toward reintegration and finding a community for adults living with mental illness. Her sources of joy include long walks with her dog, Stone, curling up with a good book, and documenting her thoughts and emotions. She also loves spending time with close family and friends, especially her husband, Prashant.

Nikita states, “I have been so inspired by the women at Yellow Arrow. The way everyone approaches their role with so much intention, love, confidence, and passion continues to give me the fuel to better myself and also believe in myself. I am looking forward to more magical moments like this.”

She recently took some time to answer some questions for us. Show her some love in the comments or on Facebook/Instagram!

Tell us a little something about yourself:

The title poem from my chapbook, The most beautiful garden, was just nominated for the Pushcart Prize by Yellow Arrow Publishing, and I could not be more thrilled and honored.

What do you love most about Baltimore?

I love how people in Baltimore seem more real and raw. Although the media and social structure may not have been fair to the city, I feel as if the people here have so much resiliency in the way they never give up. I also love how each neighborhood has its own personality as well.

How did you get involved with Yellow Arrow and what do you do?

Like Gwen Van Velsor (Yellow Arrow Founder) wanted it to be, [my joining Yellow Arrow] was serendipitous. I was just walking in the Highlandtown neighborhood with my colleague. The door to the then Yellow Arrow House was open, and it looked very inviting. I went in, learned a little, and googled about it later. I saw that there was a poetry class coming up which was Ann Quinn’s Poetry is Life class. I thought it was exactly what I needed then, and I was right.

What are you working on currently?

I am realizing that I need to be consistent with filling my days and time with things that bring me joy and inner fulfillment for my emotional and mental health. When life gets busy, it’s easy to stay preoccupied . . . and forget and move away from practices and habits that make you feel rested and grounded. I am trying to stay more consistent with doing things such as writing, reading, and going on long walks daily so I can continue to fill my cup with positive energy.

What genre do you write and why?

I write poetry because I love how I can say so much with so few words. Poetry is also great because it gives the reader a chance to interpret the poem to their liking and circumstances.

Who is your favorite writer and why?

I must go with Mary Oliver here. I love how she takes nature as an inspiration. When I am amidst nature, I feel like I am filled with wisdom about life, so I really appreciate reading her words.

Who has inspired and/or supported you most in your writing journey?

Whenever I get the opportunity to sit still and observe nature and humans going about their lives, it inspires me to write. Inspiration usually comes in the most ordinary things. I will say that my husband has been my biggest support. He reads and compliments everything I write like it is the most magical thing in the world and encourages me to follow my heart. I love him for that.

What do you love most about writing?

It helps me to slow down, reflect and digest the beauty, harshness, hope, and struggle that life has to offer. It makes me appreciate all the little things and is also a great tool to manage my emotions.

What advice do you have for new writers?

Whether it’s on an Instagram page or submitting to a journal, don’t be afraid to write and share (even when you think it’s horrible).

What’s your vision for Yellow Arrow in 2023?

My vision is to be able to share as much as I can about Yellow Arrow with the wider Baltimore community (and beyond). I have always written but being a part of Yellow Arrow has made me into a writer. I want to work toward creating this reality for more women.

*****

Kapua Iao 2/28/23 Kapua Iao 2/28/23

A Week as a Publications Intern

By Jackie Alvarez-Hernandez, written November 2022

When I was little, I adored the idea of being surrounded by books. In my head, my ideal world was one where I could spend every second of every day in the library, helping people find whichever story they wanted. And I could help people write stories and put them there in that library for others to find.

Obviously, this didn’t come to pass. Being a librarian takes a lot more work than my younger self imagined, and I had no idea of what went on in book publishing. But that desire to help people with their stories is something that’s remained the same. So when Yellow Arrow Publishing opened applications for an internship as a publications intern in the fall, I knew I had to take the chance.

I wasn’t sure what to expect, truly. I didn’t know how involved I would be—I had an internship in publishing beforehand, but that was in a different place. How many of the rules would be the same? How much would be different? It’s a common question everyone wonders when going somewhere new.

As it turns out, there’s a lot to do.

I usually start my week by looking at the schedule outlined for me by my supervisor, Kapua Iao (who is amazing and is always ready to answer my many, many questions), the editor-in-chief. The tasks can range from large to small, mainly projects that involve promoting or working on Yellow Arrow’s publications, both old and new.

For instance, I’m often tasked to read one of the chapbooks Yellow Arrow has published in the past or one of the previous issues of Yellow Arrow Journal. From there, I pick out five quotes from the pieces within and create promotional images for them on Canva to later publish on our social media accounts. This one is actually pretty fun to do—not only do I get to read some incredible poetry and creative nonfiction, but I also get to come up with images that represent the quote I selected. It can get very creative!

I also work on creating social media posts to celebrate certain holidays with a Yellow Arrow twist. This means crafting a promotional image on Canva, coming up with a fitting text description, and creating relevant hashtags for our Instagram posts. One of my first tasks had been to put together the black-and-white collage of the board and staff of Yellow Arrow for Women’s Business Day. I also worked on Black Poetry Day, sending an email to some of our African American poets beforehand and then organizing their answers for a post. I even put together the weekly posts for National Book Month 2022 and for NaNoWriMo 2022!

I’m also in charge of updating the blog posts for Her View Friday. This one requires some diligence, given that sometimes we receive some late submissions at the last second. Often the schedule will mention checking and double-checking the submissions list before the blog gets posted. Once the post is made, I’ll head over to Meta Business Suite and schedule the social media posts that will announce the new blog post.

Of course, it’s not all just social media. One big task that I’ve been helping with over numerous weeks is the next issue of Yellow Arrow Journal—in my case, it’s Vol. VII, No. 2, PEREGRINE. This involves voting on which submissions we should include as well as copyediting some of the pieces we chose. I’ve also helped proofread the issue to find any missed mistakes. Since we’re trying to get this published by November 22, keeping to deadlines is a must. Often, I’ve had to set aside some extra hours to have everything checked over and ready in time.

Sometimes I also assist with promoting new chapbooks we’re releasing, like putting together an email template before sending it off to bookstores on our mailing list (and really, sending an email should never be so nerve-wracking).

Other than these big tasks, I often get assigned some smaller ones that vary with each week. Sometimes it can be organizing the blog calendar, preparing it for next year. Or it can be updating our author list with their social media tags. (You know, the usual busy work that needs to get done.)

And then of course, sometimes I’m asked to write a blog post. Don’t worry, I do get to pick a topic ahead of time and schedule a date that I can finish it. Reasonably, of course.

It seems like a lot—and it is. This along with my schoolwork is not something simple.

But it’s worth it. I can say that everything I’ve done has helped me understand what goes on in book publishing, both online and in the real world. We do so much just to get our authors seen and heard. Obviously, I didn’t apply thinking it’d be easy.

But I also didn’t think it’d be this fulfilling. Seems like that’s one thing about books my younger self got right.

Jaqueline Alvarez-Hernandez (or just Jackie) (she/her) was born and raised in Frederick, Maryland, and just graduated from Loyola University Maryland with a bachelor’s degree in writing. A fan of stories whether on the page or on the movie screen, she hopes to start a career in book publishing that will allow her to explore any and all types of writing. She loves to read and write short stories in both fantasy and horror genres. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and playing video games with her fiance. You can find her on Facebook @jackie.alvarezhernandez.77 or on Instagram @honestlytrue16.

*****

Kapua Iao 2/7/23 Kapua Iao 2/7/23

Meet a Board Member: Mickey Revenaugh

Yellow Arrow Publishing would like to introduce our new board president, Mickey Revenaugh. Mickey is an education innovator, mission-driven leader, and recovering journalist/current writer of creative nonfiction and fiction. In addition to cofounding a Maryland-based international network of virtual schools, she serves in board leadership for a New York City charter school, a national charitable foundation, and a global private school. Her writing has appeared in VICE, Chautauqua, Cleaver, Catapult, Louisiana Literature, Lunch Ticket, and many others. She holds an MFA from Bennington College, an MBA from New York University, and a BA in American Studies from Yale University. She lives and works in Brooklyn, New York, and can be found online at mickeyrevenaugh.com or on Instagram @mickeyrevenaugh.

Mickey states, “I look forward to joining forces with Yellow Arrow’s amazing corps of women-in-writing to bring forth the voices of others.” She further adds that her vision for Yellow Arrow in 2023 is “building on its inspiringly solid foundation to create an ever-growing, effectively sustaining community.”

Tell us a little something about yourself:

After an almost 20-year hiatus, I picked up creative writing again in 2014 when I entered the Bennington low-res MFA program, which did the trick! I produced a ton of material despite still working full time at my day job and got my degree (dual genre, nonfiction/fiction) in 2017, the year I turned 60. Now I am 65, have just retired from that same day job, and am excitedly/nervously diving into a daily writing routine. My current projects include a collection of short stories set in and around airports, and a nonfiction look at “21st century homeschooling.” I’ve also recently developed a love of flash and plan to keep producing and publishing short pieces, fictional and not. My publications and such are listed at mickeyrevenaugh.com.

What do you love most about where you live?

Baltimore is where the great professional adventure of my life took place—the founding and development of Connections Academy, a leading network of virtual schools now serving more than 100,000 students around the globe. Connections started in a borrowed office in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor area, with a founding staff made up mostly of Baltos and Marylanders (including more than a few now with Yellow Arrow, see below). The pilgrimage from Brooklyn, where I live, to Baltimore and back became a familiar rhythm of the next 20+ years. I earned super-elite frequent traveler status on Amtrak, memorized rest stops for the occasional times I drove, and regularly forced myself to explore outside the office and its immediate square blocks. I spent time in an elementary school in Coppin Heights, met parents in Dundalk, discovered tattoo parlors in Fells Point and took up a permanent seat in the FedEx Kinkos on Charles.

As Connections grew, Baltimore also evolved, gentrifying fast in the Inner Harbor, grappling with The Wire and Freddie Gray, always a dichotomy of have and have not, hopeful and desperate. Once the home office relocated to suburban Columbia and then closed altogether during the pandemic, the thing I missed most was that taxi ride from Baltimore Penn Station to Central and Fleet as the sun rose.

How did you get involved with Yellow Arrow and what do you do?

Yellow Arrow Executive Director Annie Marhefka and I worked together for years at Connections Academy, and she and I serve together on the board of a foundation named for our late founding CEO. As several other current and past Connections folks joined Yellow Arrow as board members and volunteers, Annie and I began talking about how I might be of service as well. I joined the Yellow Arrow board as president late fall 2022 and officially assumed office in January 2023.

What are you working on currently?

Now that I’ve retired from my corporate gig, I am working on developing a daily writing routine—now an official member of the #5amwritersclub!—with an eye to fleshing out my Airport Series short story collection, getting my nonfiction “21st century homeschooling” book project underway, and building up my portfolio of flash pieces. I am also leading several nonprofit boards, mentoring an array of rising professionals, and flexing my grabber tool for picking up track around the neighborhood.

What genre do you write and why?

I write creative nonfiction so I can draw on all the journalistic habits developed over a lifetime, and I write fiction because it’s such a relief sometimes just to make everything up.

Who is your favorite writer and why?

I’ve typically favored women writers, including Joan Didion, Louise Erdrich, Toni Morrison, Jumpha Lahiri, and Edith Wharton, but lately I’ve been inspired by George Saunders as both a writer and a teacher.

Who has inspired and/or supported you most in your writing journey?

My MFA advisor Dinah Lenney came into my writing life at a crucial time. She helped me see how the pieces fit together and gave me the confidence to imagine publishing. Also, my literary agent, Sharon Pelletier, manages to always be encouraging, even when sharing discouraging news.

What do you love most about writing?

I love making something solid and potentially lasting out of ephemeral moments, overheard scraps of conversation, imaginary connections among disparate objects.

What advice do you have for new writers?

Believe in your voice and your story enough to evolve a little every day.

*****

Welcome to the team Mickey! We are so excited to work with you this year. Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we SPARK and sparkle this year: purchase one of our publications from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, join our newsletter, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter or subscribe to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.

Kapua Iao 1/24/23 Kapua Iao 1/24/23

Meet a Staff Member: Melissa Nunez

Yellow Arrow Publishing would like to introduce our on-staff interviewer, Melissa Nunez. Melissa lives and creates in the caffeinated spaces between awake and dreaming. She makes her home in the Rio Grande Valley region of South Texas, where she enjoys observing, exploring, and photographing the local flora and fauna with her three home-schooled children. She is a column contributor for The Daily Drunk Mag. She is also a staff writer for Alebrijes Review. Melissa contributed her nonfiction piece “What is Mine” to Yellow Arrow Journal’s Vol. VI, No. 1 issue on RENASCENCE. And most recently, Melissa wrote “Alight,” which was included in EMERGE: Coming Into View. Both publications are available in the Yellow Arrow bookstore. You can find her prerecorded reading of “Alight” on Yellow Arrow’s YouTube channel.

Melissa states, “I am looking forward to meeting and conversing with new/new-to-me writers. I love reading new works from new writers, becoming immersed in new ideas and perspectives, and being able to get that behind the scenes look at their processes. I am excited to continue sharing this with the Yellow Arrow community.”

Tell us a little something about yourself.

I recently started publishing photography and visual art. The experience has been one of growth and positivity. Expanding to new mediums has brought additional beauty and strength to my body of work.

What do you love most about living in Mission, Texas?

I love the continual journey of seeing my city through new eyes and falling in love with my surroundings. I appreciate the opportunities to become one with nature, to experience the richness of color and sound, and to delve deeper into local history.

How did you get involved with Yellow Arrow and what do you do?

Yellow Arrow was one of my first publications. The experience of publishing in the RENASCENCE issue and participating in the accompanying launch party/live reading was so fulfilling and motivating. The offer to continue to collaborate within this community was one I could not resist. They have been so welcoming and encouraging of my work, and I am so glad I started contributing blogs and interviews for the website.

What are you working on currently?

I am working on a collection of hybrid visual poetry.

What genre do you write and why?

I write a mix of nonfiction and poetry, and I recently branched out into visual art and flash fiction as well. Taking on new challenges has been so rewarding and I look forward to continuing to test my skills as an artist.

Who is your favorite writer and why?

I was very inspired by Louise Erdrich while pursuing my MFA, and her writing continues to move me. She tells such compelling stories. I love the way her characters come to life on the page, flawed but forgivable. I also deeply admire the work of Aurora Levins Morales. I love her heart for community and uplifting the voices of those outside positions of privilege. She has inspired my essay writing and education this past year.

Who has inspired and/or supported you most in your writing journey?

My family. My husband protects my writing time almost as fiercely as I do. He helps me find balance in my life for exercising my expressive outlets. My children celebrate each publication with me and brag about my successes to family and friends. They motivate me to continue making them and myself proud.

What do you love most about writing?

The creation of something new. The surprise you find within your words or work of art. It is an endless act of discovery, both of yourself and your world.

What advice do you have for new writers?

Remember to be happy with the voice within. Self-validation is so important. It can be hard at times not to get down when the publications or opportunities you want and work hard for don’t pan out, but your voice is the one that matters most. If you like and are proud of what you do, you don’t need that external approval.

You can follow her on Twitter @MelissaKNunez.

*****

Welcome to the team Melissa! Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we SPARK and sparkle this year: purchase one of our publications from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, join our newsletter, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter or subscribe to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.

Kapua Iao 11/29/22 Kapua Iao 11/29/22

Gratitude is a Divine Emotion: Yellow Arrow Interns

By Kapua Iao

“Gratitude is a divine emotion: it fills the heart, but not to bursting; it warms it, but not to fever.”

from Shirley by Charlotte Brontë

We try to find each volunteer, each intern, space in our organization to grow and flourish in the area they are most interested in (and of course where we need the most help!). Past staff members have worked at our live events and at Yellow Arrow House. They hand bound our publications and put as much love and tenderness into each copy as we could hope. Now that we are a mostly virtual publishing company, they focus on editing as well as writing blogs and press releases. They create promotional material and images for our authors and explore or research for future marketing campaigns, events, and collaborations. And above all else, they support. Not only me but our authors as well. I am so thankful to have had them with me on this journey.

So let’s introduce the fall 2022 interns. Each has my appreciation.

Jackie Alvarez-Hernandez, publications intern

Lives in Frederick, Maryland
*What do you do*? I help with lots of projects! Typically, I’m creating the social media images for events such as National Book Month and the release of upcoming publications such as *What is Another Word for Intimacy?* I also do other work such as updating **Her View Friday**, creating YouTube videos, and keeping track of online reviews for already released Yellow Arrow publications!
*Where do you go to school?* Currently, I’m attending Loyola University Maryland, in Baltimore. I will be graduating soon by the end of the fall semester this year. I’m pretty excited!
*What are you currently working on*? I’m mainly focused on studying and getting through my classes to graduate. Other than that, I am trying to work on some short stories that are a mix of horror and adventure for young adults. Not sure when I’ll consider them complete, though.

Jackie Alvarez-Hernandez is from Frederick, Maryland, and is the youngest of four. She is currently studying at Loyola University Maryland. She loves reading short stories and novels of any genre, though she prefers those that are fictional or in the horror genre. Currently, Jackie is reading a collection of poetry by Ada Limón, titled The Hurting Kind.

She hopes to enter book publishing and help copyedit manuscripts along with assisting in promotion of upcoming books. Jackie’s dream is saving up to live somewhere nice with her fiancé.

Why did you choose an internship with Yellow Arrow?

While I was searching for potential internships, I found Yellow Arrow and was drawn in by their mission statement. Helping women writers and writers identifying as women publish their work, whether in a chapbook or as part of the journal issues, resonated with me immensely. This, along with the chance at learning more about book publishing, was what led me to apply!

You can find me on Facebook @jackie.alvarezhernandez.77 and on Instagram @honestlytrue16.

Beck Snyder, program management intern

Lives in Towson, Maryland

What do you do? I work primarily on the social media aspect, creating graphics and posts to promote events, but I also help with voting on submissions and copyediting for the upcoming journal and write blog posts.

Where do you go to school? I go to school at Towson University, and I’m currently in the first semester of my senior year! I’ll be graduating in the spring of 2023, provided everything goes to plan.

What are you currently working on? I am mainly focused on getting through my senior year of college, but I’ve also been working on putting together my first novel!

Beck Snyder is a senior at Towson University studying both creative writing and film. They are from the tiny town of Clear Spring, Maryland, and while they enjoy small-town life, they cannot wait to get out of town and see what the world has to offer. They hope to graduate by the summer of 2023 and begin exploring immediately afterward.

Nothing’s set in stone yet for the future and Beck is a bit unsure of exactly where they want to be, but they would love to be able to move up to New York City and work on their fiction writing. That novel Beck is working on definitely isn’t ready for publication yet, but hopefully it will be sometime after graduation.

Why did you choose an internship with Yellow Arrow?

I wanted experience in the publishing world since I knew next to nothing about it, and I really admired Yellow Arrow’s mission of elevating the voices of writers who identify as women.

You can find more from me on Instagram @real_possiblyawesome.

*****

Yellow Arrow recently revamped and restructured its Yellow Arrow Journal subscription plan to include two levels. Do you think you are an Avid Reader or a Literary Lover? Find out more about the discounts and goodies involved at yellowarrowpublishing.com/store/yellow-arrow-journal-subscription. Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women writers through publication and access to the literary arts.

You can support us as we AWAKEN in a variety of ways: purchase one of our publications from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, join our newsletter, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter or subscribe to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 102, Glen Arm, MD 21057). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.

Kapua Iao 8/9/22 Kapua Iao 8/9/22

Meet a Staff Member: Nichola Ruddell

Yellow Arrow Publishing would like to introduce one of our readers, Nichola Ruddell. Nichola was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, and raised on Salt Spring Island. She attended university at the University of Victoria, receiving a degree in Child and Youth Care. She is also a Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist. She enjoys writing poetry and is previously published in the online magazine Literary Mama. Her poem “Movement in the Cinnabar Valley” is published in Yellow Arrow Journal, Home Vol. V, No. 2 (and was our .W.o.W. #22 author) and Nichola recently became an associate member of the League of Canadian Poets. After living in several places with her family, she has made a home in Nanaimo, British Columbia, with her husband and two young children.

Nichola states, “I look forward to learning from other women at Yellow Arrow, creating new workshops, contributing ideas, continuing to write, and creating community from afar.” Nichola recently took some time to answer some questions for us. Show her some love in the comments or on Yellow Arrow’s Facebook/Instagram!

Tell us a little something about yourself.

As a young child I was always reading and writing. As I grew older my interests shifted, however, I always found time to write and develop ideas. After the birth of my first child, I decided to really work on my poetry and published my first piece. Since then, I have been writing and continue to develop my work. It has been such a joy working with Yellow Arrow, and I look forward to future writing projects.

What do you love most about where you live?

I love living on the west coast of Canada being surrounded by trees while also close to the ocean.

How did you get involved with Yellow Arrow and what do you do?

I had a poem published by Yellow Arrow in 2020 and then have written other pieces through their blog series. I also cocreated a workshop called “Poetry of the Body” with LaWanda Stone for the Yellow Arrow workshop series. I am currently reading the new chapbook submissions (for 2023 publications), poetry, and short stories that are submitted.

What are you working on currently?

I am currently training for a few 10-km trail runs coming up in the fall.

What genre do you write and why?

I have always been drawn to writing poetry. I write to make sense of the world and to deepen my connection to myself and others.

Who is your favorite writer and why?

I am deeply inspired by the writings of Denise Riley, Jane Hirshfield, and William Stafford. These writers are incredibly thoughtful and illuminate the human experience in a profound way.

Who has inspired and/or supported you most in your writing journey?

My father Bruce Ruddell, playwright and composer, he has always inspired me to continue to write and has been a great support in my writing journey.

What do you love most about writing?

I love the freedom and the movement of writing. Writing flushes out the mind and demands us to pay attention; it creates new ways of seeing things.

What advice do you have for new writers?

Keep reading and writing. Connect with other writers and put your work out into the world!

*****

Welcome to the team Nichola! Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women writers through publication and access to the literary arts. We recently revamped and restructured its Yellow Arrow Journal subscription plan to include two levels. Do you think you are an Avid Reader or a Literary Lover? Find out more about the discounts and goodies involved at yellowarrowpublishing.com/store/yellow-arrow-journal-subscription.

Kapua Iao 7/26/22 Kapua Iao 7/26/22

Gratitude is a Divine Emotion: Yellow Arrow Interns

By Kapua Iao

“Gratitude is a divine emotion: it fills the heart, but not to bursting; it warms it, but not to fever.”

from Shirley by Charlotte Brontë

We try to find each volunteer, each intern, space in our organization to grow and flourish in the area they are most interested in (and of course where we need the most help!). Past staff members have worked at our live events and at Yellow Arrow House. They hand bound our publications and put as much love and tenderness into each copy as we could hope. Now that we are a mostly virtual publishing company, they focus on editing as well as writing blogs and press releases. They create promotional material and images for our authors and explore or research for future marketing campaigns, events, and collaborations. And above all else, they support. Not only me but our authors as well. I am so thankful to have had them with me on this journey.

So let’s introduce the interns from the first half of 2022. Each has my appreciation.

Sydney Alexander

Currently dividing time between Ellicott City and Baltimore, both in Maryland
*YA position*: event planning & community engagement intern, May-Aug 2022
*What do you do*? I’m primarily responsible for Yellow Arrow’s community-engagement and outreach. This summer, I’m helping with social media to publicize events and opportunities. I will also be attending various virtual and in-person events to help represent and grow Yellow Arrow. Right now, I’m in the process of connecting with local libraries to promote Yellow Arrow’s writing workshops. I’m also working on setting up an interview for a blog post with owners of a local bookstore to ask them about how they engage with their communities. In all, I hope that all this will help Yellow Arrow grow its connections with the Baltimore community, and help with its mission of sharing women’s voices and stories.
*Where do you go to school?* I am a rising sophomore at Middlebury College and am scheduled to graduate in May 2025. I graduated from River Hill High School in Howard County, Maryland, in June 2021.
*What are you currently working on*? During the year, I’m a student at Middlebury College. However, this summer, I am taking Geography and GIS classes at University of Maryland, Baltimore County. I intend to double major in English and Geography, so I think that these classes in combination with my internship at Yellow Arrow are a perfect blend of my two interests. Aside from this, I am working on my own creative writing.

Sydney is a rising sophomore at Middlebury College in Vermont studying English and Geography. She grew up in Ellicott City, Maryland, but enjoys the fact that she has lived all over the United States, including states such as North Carolina, California, and Wisconsin. Her favorite genres to read and write are fantasy and literary fiction, and she has a soft spot for short stories. Sydney hopes to pursue a career that combines her dual interests in writing and publications with Geography. Her work has been published in Hunger Mountain Review. She is still unsure of what she want to do after she graduate. Sydney is considering graduate school, but it is hard to know so far out. All she knows is that she hope to find some way to combine her interests in english and geography.

Why did you choose an internship with Yellow Arrow?

Reading and creative writing have always been hobbies I did on my own. However, after joining several English and writing clubs in high school, I realized how rewarding it was to become involved with my surrounding literary community. I greatly enjoyed working on my high school’s literary magazine, bringing in other students as editors and contributors, as well as sharing and attending events through my school’s chapter of the National English Honor Society. In college, I wanted to find a way to continue doing similar work, and Yellow Arrow seemed like the perfect fit. Not only would I be able to work on a publication, I would have the opportunity to attend various local events and meet many new writers. As a new resident of the Baltimore area, my goal coming into the summer was to find a way to get to know the city. In particular, I really wanted to learn more about Baltimore’s literary scene. Yellow Arrow has been a great way to get involved.

You can find Sydney on Facebook and Instagram @rerururun.

Isabelle Anderson

Lives in Baltimore, Maryland
*YA position*: publications intern, January-May 2022
*What did you do*? As publications intern, I copyedited and proofread manuscripts of upcoming chapbooks, and created promotional material for many Yellow Arrow publications.
*Where did you go to school?* Washington College; I graduated in May.
*What are you currently working on*? This summer, I’m hoping to do a lot more reading and writing for fun as I look for jobs in publishing.

Isabelle is a poet and fiction writer from Baltimore, Maryland. Isabelle is a May 2022 graduate of Washington College, a former editor on the student publications Collegian and the Pegasus, and recipient of the 2022 Pfister Poetry Prize. She hopes to gain some publishing experience in the next two to three years after graduation, then pursue an MFA.

Why did you choose an internship with Yellow Arrow?

The press’ mission statement resonated with me. The opportunity to gain editorial experience while working toward the goal of uplifting women-identifying writers and editors was one I could not pass up.

You can find her on Twitter @ibaspel.

Veronica Salib

Lives in Rockville, Maryland
*YA position*: publishing intern, May-August 2022
*What do you do*? I am the publishing intern so I have a few different responsibilities. I create Canva graphics to promote journals and chapbooks. I also proofread different poems and assist in the creation of Her View Friday posts.
*Where did you go to school*? I went to undergrad at the University of Maryland in College Park and graduated in 2021. I also hope to return to school and receive a masters in publishing.
*What are you currently working on*? I currently also copyedit for an organization called Balance Now. I just began an editorial positon at Xtilligent Media and I am in the process of starting my graduate school applications.

Veronica is a recent graduate of the University of Maryland in College Park. She holds a bachelor of sciences in biology. Veronica is hoping to pursue a career in publishing and a masters of publishing over the next two years. She is an avid reader and writer who loves fiction, poetry, and essay style writing. Besides her publishing related hobbies, Veronica loves to paint, travel, and spend time with friends and family. Her current plans are to continue working and applying for master’s programs. She hopes to eventually work in trade publishing as an editor!

Why did you choose an internship with Yellow Arrow?

I chose Yellow Arrow because poetry has always been an important outlet for me. I used it to clear my head and sort my thoughts. Additionally, I loved how empowering the environment at Yellow Arrow is. There is no shortage of smart, inspirational women at this organization. From the very first phone call I had it was obvious that Yellow Arrow was an inclusive and welcoming environment.

Find her on Instagram @veronicaa_salib.

Piper Sartison

Lives in Chestertown, Maryland
*YA position*: marketing intern, February-May 2022
*What did you do*? I was a marketing intern for Yellow Arrow. I created promotional images with Canva, scheduled and created social media posts, worked with Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and proofread writing submissions.
*Where do you go to school*? I go to Washington College. I am a rising junior and I will graduate in the spring of 2024.
*What are you currently working on*? I write for the community and college newspaper of Chestertown (*The Elm*). I also do some writing on the side and hope to work with more organizations this summer.

Piper is a rising junior at Washington College. She is a competing member of the school’s tennis team, writes for The Elm, and is a major in English and a minor in journalism. Piper is from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and will be residing there for the summer, where she hopes to do some freelance writing. She would like to be a journalist and write books.

Why did you choose an internship with Yellow Arrow?

My professor recommended this internship for me. I was interested in the organization, as I found the motivations of Yellow Arrow to be captivating. I wanted to help give women writers a voice in this community.

*****

Kapua Iao 6/21/22 Kapua Iao 6/21/22

Meet a Staff Member: Marylou Fusco

Yellow Arrow Publishing would like to introduce our Author Support Coordinator, Marylou Fusco. Marylou grew up in the wilds of New Jersey and knew she was a writer forever. She holds a BA in journalism from St. Bonaventure University and an MA in creative writing from Temple University. She has worked as a newspaper reporter, GED instructor for pregnant teens, and ghost tour guide. Marylou’s writing has appeared in PopMatters, Carve, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Mutha magazine, and various literary journals. She has won the Philadelphia City Paper and the feminist literary journal, So to Speak’s, short story contests. She lives in Baltimore, Maryland, with her husband and daughter.

“I’m looking forward to being part of this growing and vital writing community,” says Marylou. “Through launch events and networking, I hope to be a resource and support for the emerging authors who publish with us.”

Marylou recently took some time to answer some questions for us. Show her some love in the comments or on Facebook/Instagram!

Tell us a little something about yourself.

I grew up in a fairly rural town, but my adult years have all been marked by cities. I lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for 20 years before moving to Baltimore with my family in 2017. My career path in Philly was pretty nontraditional—I bounced from writing to nonprofit work to teaching and back again to writing. I became involved with the excellent Philadelphia Stories magazine. I decided to apply to Temple’s MA program. All of these experiences fed my writing and pushed me to publish more.

What do you love most about Baltimore?

I love that it is a city of neighborhoods, each unique and vibrant in their own way. I’m grateful to live in a diverse community in southeast Baltimore where families and working artists live and work side by side. And I’m heartened by the everlasting hope and optimism that so many people hold for Baltimore.

How did you get involved with Yellow Arrow and what do you do?

I discovered Yellow Arrow soon after my family moved here in 2017. As much as I loved Philly’s writing community, I don’t think I ever found a space devoted entirely to emerging women writers. Yellow Arrow really struck me as special in that way. I started attending workshops and readings and became good friends with Founder Gwen Van Velsor. Yellow Arrow continues to be a bright spot for me as I find my way in a still (somewhat) new city.

What are you working on currently?

I’m currently editing my novel and working on more nonfiction. In trying to raise a good human, I hope to be the kind of mother who is okay revealing both her passions and flaws to her daughter.

What genre do you write and why?

Fiction was always my first love. I worked in journalism to have a bit of stability and write fiction on the side. For a long time. I was insistent that fiction and nonfiction remain in two very distinct and separate categories. That’s evolved over time. While I still love fiction, I’ve also become more interested in creative nonfiction or work that doesn’t easily fit into a specific category.

Who is your favorite writer and why?

Too hard to name just one! Joy Williams, Mary Gaitskill, Flannery O’Connor. I especially love writers who are fearless in the topics they tackle and who capture a specific voice or sense of place/time. My models are writers who are able to evoke the complexity and brokenness of our world along with a deeper understanding of our shared humanity.

Edited to add: I just finished Jawbone by Mónica Ojeda, an Ecuadorian writer. Not a novel for the faint of heart, but I was completely blown away. She’s so, so good.

Who has inspired and/or supported you most in your writing journey?

I was very fortunate to have had the engagement and support of many people, especially early on. There were teachers who believed me to be talented and told me so. The same goes for writing group members whose critiques pushed me to grow. My classmates at Temple introduced me to more experimental writing styles and hybrid works. As I’ve gotten older, I’m especially inspired by other working artists who exist in the real world of jobs, childcare, dirty dishes while still managing to create art.

What do you love most about writing?

To paraphrase other writers who have spoken more eloquently about this than I can: that the urge to create is a radical life force that can transform us if we allow it to.

In a world that still favors surface flash and glitter, writing forces us to truly pay attention. To see. We should never underestimate the power of writing and sharing our work as we never know how it might touch someone in a profound and unexpected way. Mostly, writing reminds us that we are not alone.

What advice do you have for new writers?

Read a lot. There’s a bunch of literary sites that publish craft articles, interviews, and selections from new works. My favorites are The Rumpus, Literary Hub, Electric Lit. Find out who is writing about the things you like and or are interested in and read them. Find (or create) your own writing community. It could be as simple as two or three other writers who commit to getting together once or twice a month to share what you’ve been working on. If publication is important to you, figure out what you need to do to hone or perfect your work. It’s also important to figure out how promotion and networking will work for you.

*****

We look forward to working with you Marylou! Yellow Arrow recently revamped and restructured its Yellow Arrow Journal subscription plan to include two levels. Do you think you are an Avid Reader or a Literary Lover? Find out more about the discounts and goodies involved at yellowarrowpublishing.com/store/yellow-arrow-journal-subscription. Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women writers through publication and access to the literary arts.

Kapua Iao 5/10/22 Kapua Iao 5/10/22

Meet a Board Member: Cindy Schuller

Yellow Arrow Publishing would like to welcome Treasurer, Cindy Schuller, to the Yellow Arrow family. Cindy is a CPA and has been working in various accounting and process improvement roles for over 20 years. She was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, and has lived in Baltimore, Maryland, since the early 2000s after graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Master of Accounting. She works as a director on the global process transformation team for a leading education company. She currently lives in Millersville, Maryland, with her husband, Kevin, and their children, Lauren and Kyle. In her free time, she enjoys reading, baking, and playing board games.

Cindy says, “I’m excited to make an impact on the finance operations—figuring out how we can do things more efficiently and for a lower cost, so we can use those freed up resources toward the Yellow Arrow mission.”

She recently took some time to answer some questions for us. Show her some love in the comments or on Facebook/Instagram!

What do you love most about Baltimore?

I live between Baltimore and Annapolis. I love our proximity to both cities. We’re able to take advantage of all the family friendly activities in both cities.

How did you get involved with Yellow Arrow and what do you do?

I met Annie Marhefka, Yellow Arrow’s Executive Director, when we worked for the same education company in Baltimore. Annie reached out to me about joining the board when the treasurer role opened.

What do you like most about the work you do?

My job involves streamlining and standardizing process across my company’s global landscape. I enjoy the puzzle of figuring out how our company can do something better, whether it’s by eliminating or reducing reliance on a manual process or creating efficiencies through automation. The improvements free up time to allow our teams to do more meaningful, valuable work, while reducing operational costs within the organization.

What other activities are you involved in besides Yellow Arrow?

I’m a coach for the local middle school’s Heart and Sole team. Heart & Sole is Girls on the Run’s middle school program that meets the unique needs of girls in 6th–8th grade. The program considers the whole girl—body, brain, heart, spirit, and social connection. It provides an inclusive place where girls feel supported and inspired to explore their emotions, cultivate empathy, and strengthen their physical and emotional health.

Given that you aren’t a writer, what is it about Yellow Arrow that intrigued you?

I believe it’s important to encourage women to use their voice. My current and past volunteer efforts focused on helping girls find their voice, and I’m excited to work with an organization that will offer girls an opportunity to have those voices heard as adults.

*****

We are so fortunate to have Cindy join our team! Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women writers through publication and access to the literary arts.

Kapua Iao 3/22/22 Kapua Iao 3/22/22

Meet a Board Member: Donna Hutchison

Yellow Arrow Publishing is incredibly excited to officially introduce Director of Online Programming, Donna Hutchison, to the Yellow Arrow family. Donna’s family hails from Baltimore, Maryland, and she spent many summers at the Chesapeake Bay and in Ocean City. For the last 30 years though, she has lived in Boise, Idaho, and travels frequently for her job. She loves spending time with her husband, children, and five granddaughters in the Idaho mountains looking for mushrooms, huckleberries, hiking, four-wheeling, and other outdoor activities. She is a lifelong educator serving both in higher education and as a superintendent of a virtual school. She currently serves in a leadership position at a leading educational technology company. Donna has her doctorate in education and has published work in educational journals, such as Teachers College Record, and is currently working on a book on best practices in online education.

Donna adds, “I joined Yellow Arrow to support women whether through writing, self-confidence, or providing an opportunity for success. As a lifelong educator who has been blessed with opportunities and individuals who have supported my success, I want to encourage other women to find their voice, to join a supportive community, and create opportunities to help in the achievement of their goals.”

Yellow Arrow’s workshops are in full swing thanks to Donna! Don’t forget to check them out and sign up today.

She recently took some time to answer some questions for us. Show her some love in the comments or on Facebook/Instagram!

What do you love most about Baltimore?

I live in Boise, Idaho, but grew up in Richmond, Virginia. My family is from the Baltimore area, and I spent many summers and holidays in and around the Chesapeake Bay. I moved to Idaho about 30 years ago. I love Idaho and the mountains but miss the beach!

How did you get involved with Yellow Arrow and what do you do?

I got involved with Yellow Arrow due to my connection with Annie Marhefka, Executive Director. Annie and I worked together for many years at an online learning company. I currently serve as the Vice President for Educational Partnerships and work closely with K12 superintendents, school boards, universities, and Departments of Education in creating more online learning opportunities for K12 students. My focus in online learning occurred long before the pandemic, and I am an advocate for those students who need different learning opportunities to be successful. One size does not fit all!

What are you working on currently?

We love going to the mountains and have property near a lake about two hours north of Boise. We spend every second in the spring through the fall working on the property and enjoy the outdoors. During the winter months, we plan for the summer projects!

What genre do you write and why?

I am solely an academic writer focused on online learning pedagogy. Over the last 20 years, I did not have an opportunity to write due to family and job obligations but have recently started collaborating with a higher ed colleague on papers and a possible book.

Who is your favorite writer and why?

In the nonfiction space, my favorite writer is Malcolm Gladwell. He thinks about everyday life, business, and education and challenges our commonly held beliefs. His thought processes are so unique and present topics in ways that I would never even consider. He makes you think.

I also enjoy fiction books that challenge commonly held beliefs. My favorite genre is probably fantasy, especially ones that challenge our social assumptions through the setting, actions of the characters, or circumstances.

Who has inspired and/or supported you most in your writing journey?

My husband is my inspiration and support. We are opposites in so many ways, but I couldn’t ask for a more supportive partner to inspire me, challenge me, and motivate me to accomplish my goals.

What do you love most about writing?

In our busy, media-rich world, writing allows you to slow down, process your thinking, and center your thoughts. It forces you to clearly identify your message so that others can truly understand what you are trying to convey.

What advice do you have for new writers?

I think the most important advice that I can share is to focus on time management. It is important to set time aside that is free from interruptions and let the mind explore its creativity. I completed my dissertation when my son was 4 years old by waking up at 4 am when the house was quiet and free from distractions. It allowed me three hours of uninterrupted time which was key to successfully completing my writing and research.

*****

Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women writers through publication and access to the literary arts.

Kapua Iao 2/22/22 Kapua Iao 2/22/22

Meet a Board Member: LaWanda Stone

Yellow Arrow Publishing would like to introduce LaWanda Stone, Director of Diversity & Inclusion. Welcome to the Yellow Arrow family! LaWanda leads executive communications at Stanley Black & Decker and inner communications as a certified yoga instructor at Life Time Fitness. She also teaches through the company she founded, Namastone Yoga. Her passion is to help individuals show up as their authentic selves and be seen through storytelling. Her worldview has been shaped traveling North America, South America, the United Kingdom, Africa, and Australia. She has degrees in journalism from Howard University, organizational leadership from American Public University, and an RYT-200 yoga teaching certification from Life Time Fitness. You can find her on Instagram @Namastone_Yoga.

She will be co-leading the workshop “Poetry of the Body: Writing from an Embodied Perspective” with Nichola Ruddell on March 3. Make sure to sign up for the class today! According to LaWanda, “I’m excited to help underrepresented women find their voices and share their tapestry of perspectives as we all move through this world, one word at a time.”

LaWanda recently took some time to answer some questions for us. Show her some love in the comments or on Facebook/Instagram!

Tell us a little something about yourself:

After earning my journalism degree, I held reporting and writing jobs at Fortune magazine, washingtonpost.com, Chicago Tribune, and Dow Jones Newswires. I was eventually recruited into corporate communications and haven’t looked back. As long as I’m storytelling, I’m happy.

What do you love most about the Baltimore/DC area?

My windows overlook the Patapsco River and I absolutely love living, doing yoga, reading, and making meaningful connections near water. It’s a visual and audible gift.

How did you get involved with Yellow Arrow and what do you do?

Former colleagues steered me to Yellow Arrow. Notably, our Executive Director Annie Marhefka inspired me to explore getting involved. Between my family, career, and yoga teaching, there is no shortage of responsibilities, but Yellow Arrow just fit. The mission and purpose align with who I am and the energy I want to help put out into the world.

What are you working on currently?

My ice-skating game. I’m repeating level 3 adult ice-skating lessons to build upon my crossovers, turns, and a previous instructor’s description of me: “You’re like a low range freestyle skater.” I’ll take it!

What genre do you write and why?

Profile pieces are my sweet spot. I received a writing award in undergrad for a profile piece on my Aunt Jackie who owned a bookstore, Cultural Visions, and inspired students like me who came behind her at our alma mater. Profiling personal stories and experiences to help other people is one of the best ways to learn in my book.

Who is your favorite writer and why?

I’m inspired by the iconic Zora Neale Hurston who attended Howard University, like me, as well as Barnard College at Columbia University, like my daughter. And I’m enthralled by J. California Cooper whose words make me feel like I’m not reading but being taken for a ride.

Who has inspired and/or supported you most in your writing journey?

When I was a shy, soft-spoken girl who felt unheard, writing helped me find my voice. Honestly, God’s voice has encouraged me to write the most—with subtle nudges from people who’ve been placed along my path.

What do you love most about writing?

The release that it brings. I also take pride in helping other people communicate. As a ghostwriter for executives, I help convey business priorities to the people they need to make the products and shape the culture that will make the enterprise thrive.

What advice do you have for new writers?

Get a taste of each facet of journalism so that you can discover which genre suits you best.

*****

Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women writers through publication and access to the literary arts.

Kapua Iao 1/11/22 Kapua Iao 1/11/22

Meet a Board Member: Jessica Gregg

Yellow Arrow Publishing is incredibly excited to officially reintroduce Board Secretary Jessica Gregg to the Yellow Arrow family. Jessica is a former journalist whose day job is now in public relations. Her poetry chapbook, News from This Lonesome City, was published in 2019, the same year she served as one of Yellow Arrow’s Writer-in-Residence. She is always looking for something new to write about.

Jessica adds, “I am very excited about the Poetry is Life book [set for release February 1] that is coming together under the direction of Ann Quinn (Poetry Editor) and Kapua Iao (Editor-in-Chief). I am eager to help spread the word about this project and about Yellow Arrow in general. We are a wonderful resource and a wonderful organization, and I think there are many writers who would benefit from knowing about us.”

She recently took some time to answer some questions for us. Show her some love in the comments or on Facebook/Instagram!

Tell us a little something about yourself:

My first chapbook of poetry, News from This Lonesome City, was published in 2019, and I just finished my second one this year. It’s called All the Wives Got Furs, and I am currently searching for a good home for its poems.

What do you love most about Baltimore?

Baltimore is not pretentious. It’s quirky and full of stories, which makes it a great place to create.

How did you get involved with Yellow Arrow and what do you do?

I was a Writer-in-Residence in 2019, an experience that was invaluable. I volunteered with Yellow Arrow before the pandemic and then recently joined the board. I also am part of Ann Quinn’s “Poetry is Life” class, and we are putting together a book of our work, based on the class, which has been a fun process. Yellow Arrow will publish the book next month!

What are you working on currently?

I am actually writing a young adult manuscript that has two main characters and not surprisingly, one who has been known to break into poetry.

What genre do you write and why?

I write poetry. I love wordplay and all the different formats that poems can take. I also feel like the ‘social media age’ is a perfect time for poetry. People have set ideas about the genre, but really, the genre is full of surprises.

Who is your favorite writer and why?

There are so many great poets out there, but a poet whose work I often return to is Jane Kenyon. I also carry a purse big enough to always hold a book, and Ross Gay’s Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude is currently resting in there; he is another favorite. Finally, I am a big fan of Pádraig Ó Tuama’s podcast “Poetry Unbound,” which is a great place to discover writers I have not read.

Who has inspired and/or supported you most in your writing journey?

The blue-collar work ethic of my colleagues in my past journalism life inspires me to keep going because they showed up to work and wrote every day. That has stuck with me. But many local poets have inspired me with their excellence—Ann Quinn, celeste doaks, Erica Dawson. Gwen Van Velsor also inspired me by starting Yellow Arrow.

What do you love most about writing?

I love crafting sentences, playing with words, and just the general act of creating a story. In other words, I really like the process. There is a lot of joy in it for me, even though I don’t always write about the joyful.

What advice do you have for new writers?

Keep writing. First and foremost, keep writing. But also look for a community that can support you and encourage your progress.

*****

We are so fortunate to have Jessica join our team; she has provided (and will provide) much support throughout the fall and into 2022! Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women writers through publication and access to the literary arts. Thank you for supporting independent publishing.

Kapua Iao 11/16/21 Kapua Iao 11/16/21

Gratitude is a Divine Emotion: Yellow Arrow Staff

By Kapua Iao

“Gratitude is a divine emotion: it fills the heart, but not to bursting; it warms it, but not to fever.”

from Shirley by Charlotte Brontë

We try to find each volunteer, each intern, space in our organization to grow and flourish in the area they are most interested in (and of course where we need the most help!). Past staff members have worked at our live events and at Yellow Arrow House. They hand bound our publications and put as much love and tenderness into each copy as we could hope. Now that we are a mostly virtual publishing company, they focus on editing as well as writing blogs and press releases. They create promotional material and images for our authors and explore or research for future marketing campaigns, events, and collaborations. And above all else, they support. Not only me but our authors as well. I am so thankful to have had them with me on this journey.

So let’s introduce our newest staff members (editorial associates mentioned in an earlier post still volunteering with Yellow Arrow (see here) are Bailey Drumm and Siobhan McKenna). Each has my appreciation, including Michelle Lin who recently left Yellow Arrow to follow her own arrows.

Katherine Chung

Chung, Katherine.png — Lives in Gaithersburg, Maryland
*YA position*: marketing intern, June-Aug 2021
*What did you do*? I created content for the Yellow Arrow social media pages, edited and proofread their website, and wrote personal narrative blogs.
*Did you go to Towson University*? Yes! I will be graduating in December 2021.
*What are you currently working on*? I am currently working as a marketing intern for Towson’s dining halls. I work alongside the head of marketing and am associated with Chartwells student success program. I am also working on a short story for a fiction writing class that I am currently taking. Finally, I am volunteering on-and-off campus since I am in a community service fraternity.

Katherine Chung is a senior at Towson University studying English and Creative Writing. She will graduate in December 2021. Katherine currently lives in Gaithersburg, Maryland with her parents. During her free time, she loves to write short stories and memoirs, read young adult books, and update her blog. To read her blog, visit katchung13.wixsite.com/website.

Angela Firman

Firman, Angela.jpg — Lives in Tacoma, Washington
*YA position*: editorial associate, Sept 2021-present
*What have you done so far*? I read submissions and copyedit for the *Yellow Arrow Journal*. I also proofread Yellow Arrow’s first author/staff zines, EMERGE: *Pandemic Stories* and *Coming Into View*.
*What are you currently working on*? I am working toward earning an Editing Certificate from the University of Washington in June 2022. I write and refine my work with a group of fellow breast cancer survivors each week. We met in a *Wildfire Magazine* writing workshop in early 2020, and we’ve continued to collaborate ever since.

Angela Firman is a Midwesterner at heart living a Pacific Northwest life with her best friend and their hilarious, sometimes demanding, roommates aged 4 and 8. Angela is an avid reader, a closet cross-stitcher, and a fervent writer. While she has always enjoyed journaling, writing became a source of healing for Angela after being diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer at the age of 33. She found a place in the literary world in a writing group for breast cancer survivors—women who have grown to be some of her dearest friends—and now at the University of Washington where she is earning a certificate in editing. Her nonfiction writing has been published in Wildfire Magazine, Open Minds Quarterly, You Might Need To Hear This, and Press Pause. You can find her on Instagram @angelafirman11.

Lisa Roscoe

Roscoe, Lisa.jpg — Lives in Raleigh, North Carolina
*YA position*: volunteer/reader, May 2021-present
*What do you do*? Offer support remotely by compiling and organizing an index of bookstores carrying Yellow Arrow publications, as well as reading poetry chapbook submissions.
*What are you currently working on*? I’m currently working on a collection of poems focusing on phenomenology as a theme.

Lisa Roscoe is an instructional designer, writer, and voiceover artist based in Raleigh, North Carolina. She has created educational content for global tech companies and international nonprofit Goodwill Industries. Outside of her nine-to-five, Lisa practices creative expression in the form of poetry and black-and-white photography.

Darah Schillinger

Schillinger, Darah.jpeg — Lives in Perry Hall, Maryland
*YA position*: publications intern, May-Aug 2021
*What did you do*? Created promotional images for social media, proofread, and copyedited.
*What are you currently working on*? I’m working on my next poetry collection, and I am currently in my last year at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. I have also become president of my school literary magazine, *AVATAR*, and am overseeing the acceptance and formatting of student literary works for the fall publication.

Darah Schillinger is a senior at St. Mary’s College of Maryland working toward her undergraduate degree in English Literature, Creative Writing, and Philosophy. She has interned for EcoTheo Review before her summer at Yellow Arrow, and she has had poetry published in both her school literary journal, AVATAR, and in the Spillwords Press Haunted Holidays series for 2020. Darah currently lives in Perry Hall, Maryland with her parents and her dog, and when she’s not writing poems, she’s usually drinking tea. After graduation, she hopes to continue writing new work as she pursues a career in publishing.

Rachel Vinyard

Vinyard, Rachel.jpg — Lives in Pasadena, Maryland
*YA position*: publications intern, Sept 2021-present
*What do you do*? Copyedit and proofread, read journal and chapbook submissions, make Canva promo images and swag, organize documents and add to research projects, and write and research for blog posts.
*Did you go to Towson University*? Yes, I am graduating this December.
*Did you work for Towson’s Grub Street Literary Magazine*? Yes, I was the fiction editor.
*What are you currently working on*? I am currently finishing my bachelor’s degree at Towson and working on writing my own chapbook and various short stories. I’ve also rediscovered my love of reading, and I’m finding a lot of new genres I enjoy.

Rachel Vinyard is an emerging author from Maryland and the fall 2021 publications intern at Yellow Arrow Publishing. She is working toward a BA in English at Towson University and has been published in its literary magazine Grub Street. She was previously the fiction editor of Grub Street and hopes to continue editing in the future. Rachel is also a mental health advocate and aims to spread awareness of mental health issues through literature. You can find her on Twitter @RikkiTikkiSavvi and on Instagram @merridian.official.

If you haven’t had the opportunity yet, please make sure to donate to our Turning the Next Page fundraising campaign. Yellow Arrow is able to share stories of writers who identify as women because of our incredible community of supporters. Your assistance contributes to the publication of our journal as well as our incredible chapbooks and zines.

Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women writers through publication and access to the literary arts. Thank you for supporting independent publishing.

Kapua Iao 6/1/21 Kapua Iao 6/1/21

Meet a Staff Member: Annie Marhefka

Yellow Arrow Publishing is incredibly excited to officially introduce our new Executive Director, Annie Marhefka, to the Yellow Arrow family. Annie is a writer, HR consultant, and mama residing in Baltimore, Maryland, with her husband John and their daughter Elena. When she’s not reading or writing, she loves traveling, building puzzles, and hiking with her toddler. Her work has been featured on Coffee + Crumbs. Annie is working on a memoir about mother/daughter relationships; you can find her writing on Instagram and at anniemarhefka.com.

Here’s what Annie had to say about joining Yellow Arrow:

There are really three core areas I feel passionate about in my work: helping organizations grow and thrive, creating/writing, and empowering women. It feels very serendipitous to have found a role where I can combine my background and talents to contribute to all of these passions under one (virtual) roof. I’m thrilled to get to know the Yellow Arrow community better and support its ongoing vision.

Annie took some time recently to answer some questions for us. Show her some love in the comments or on Facebook/Instagram!

Tell us a little something about yourself:

My professional career has centered around using my HR expertise to help organizations grow and thrive. I love helping businesses create from scratch and use culture as a driving force for change and development. I spent over a decade helping to build and grow one of the largest providers of K-12 online education in the U.S. as Head of HR and later COO. Most recently, I established an HR consulting firm, The Vivi Group, and provide services to organizations in the areas of organizational design, employee engagement, change management, communications, talent development, and policy and risk management.

What do you love most about Baltimore?

I truly find Baltimore charming in its diverse landscape, culture, people, and food. I love that I can walk between neighborhoods in the city, but also that I can spend weekends on my father’s boat on the bay; that I can have a delicious dinner at Gunther & Co. or steamed crabs in the backyard; that I can be one of thousands tailgating for a Ravens game or catch incredible live music in Fells Point at a cozy dive bar. I love Baltimore’s grit, quirkiness, and charm.

How did you get involved with Yellow Arrow and what do you do?

In 2020, I was awarded a writing residency at Yellow Arrow. I was one week into my residency when the state of the COVID-19 pandemic had begun to shut things down, and so I had to figure out a way to complete my residency virtually. Along the way, I met some incredibly talented writers and supporters of Yellow Arrow and was drawn to the sense of connection and support surrounding the organization.

What are you working on currently?

I spend my time juggling many different passions! My toddler is about to start preschool but until recently, she was my main nine-to-five gig. I am working through edits of the first draft of my memoir about mother/daughter relationships. I am in the process of launching a volunteer-run writing initiative called The Salt Box Creative along with some very talented local writers. I also provide HR services through my consulting business.

What genre do you write and why?

I write mostly creative nonfiction, but lately have also been dabbling in some poetry as well. I am fueled by relationships (and coffee), so I love using my writing as a way to explore connections between individuals.

Who is your favorite writer and why?

It’s so hard for me to pick just one! Instead, I will share some writers I’m currently loving! I just finished What Kind of Woman, a poetry collection by Kate Baer that was just stunning. I am still going back and rereading certain poems that spoke to my soul (and recommending them to all of my female friends). I am also reading Beth Kephart’s Handling the Truth: On the Writing of Memoir, which has really helped me hone in on the craft of writing memoirs as I work on mine.

Who has inspired and/or supported you most in your writing journey?

My mother was my biggest inspiration and also the biggest supporter of my writing. When I was young, she was a stay-at-home mom to me and my brothers but during that time, she also built her own poetry business from scratch. She would meet with individuals and talk to them about a loved one and then write a poem for them. I would help her pick out the perfect stationery and frame the gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings. She really touched people with her poems, and it inspired me to find work that I was passionate about, and that would mean something to others.

What do you love most about writing?

I love that writing can serve such different purposes for different individuals. For me personally, it is both a vocation, a therapeutic endeavor, an act of self-reflection, and a creative outlet. I love reading something that I connect with deeply, and I love when my writing evokes the same feeling for someone else.

What advice do you have for new writers?

I recently participated in a writing workshop where we had to write three pages every morning, longhand. This was a little bit of a shock to my system, as I hadn’t written longhand since college; my handwriting is terrible, and I usually prefer the efficiency of typing on my laptop. By the third day, my hands were cramping, and I felt like I was just writing a lot of garbage. But at some point, it turned into a habit and I started writing some really good stuff—better than anything I’d typed in months. I realized that without the distraction of my laptop tools, I was able to just dump out my thoughts without editing myself along the way. It was really freeing. I often go back and find little gems in those pages that I can turn into something great, and it’s something I’ve tried to keep up. So my advice would be to try to write every day, even if it feels like you’re just producing garbage.

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We are so fortunate to have Annie join our team. Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women writers through publication and access to the literary arts. Thank you for supporting independent publishing.

Cecelia (Cece) Caldwell

From Pittsfield, Massachusetts

What do you do? I do all sorts of things. Often, I work with the submissions we receive. I format, proofread, and copyedit chapbooks and short pieces. Additionally, I help work on social media campaigns, blog posts, and chapbook promotions.

Where do you go to school? I go to Middlebury College, a small liberal arts college in Vermont. I’m a rising junior!

Vickie Tu

Lives in Silver Spring, Maryland

Where do you go to school? I go to University of Maryland, College Park and plan to graduate Spring 2024.

What are you currently working on? Outside of Yellow Arrow, I work two part time jobs and attend school. Additionally, I am working on creating my own literary blog and website where I can share my adoration for literature with fellow bookworms.

Natasha Saar, publications intern

From New York City but lives in Baltimore, Maryland

What do you do? I assist with everything to do with publications. This includes writing blog posts, running social media campaigns, and working with the Editor-in-Chief to copyedit and proofread exciting and upcoming publications.

Where do you go to school? I’m currently a senior at Loyola University Maryland, and if all goes to plan, I’m going to be graduating this May.

Beck Snyder, program management intern

Lives in Towson, Maryland

What do you do? I put together social media posts and schedule them, work on the monthly newsletter, copyedit Yellow Arrow Journal, and research for grants.

Where do you go to school? I go to school at Towson University, and I’ll be graduating in the spring of 2023, provided everything goes to plan.

Jackie Alvarez-Hernandez, publications intern

Lives in Frederick, Maryland

Where do you go to school? Currently, I’m attending Loyola University Maryland, in Baltimore. I will be graduating soon by the end of the fall semester this year. I’m pretty excited!

What are you currently working on? I’m mainly focused on studying and getting through my classes to graduate. Other than that, I am trying to work on some short stories that are a mix of horror and adventure for young adults. Not sure when I’ll consider them complete, though.

Beck Snyder, program management intern

Lives in Towson, Maryland

What do you do? I work primarily on the social media aspect, creating graphics and posts to promote events, but I also help with voting on submissions and copyediting for the upcoming journal and write blog posts.

Where do you go to school? I go to school at Towson University, and I’m currently in the first semester of my senior year! I’ll be graduating in the spring of 2023, provided everything goes to plan.

What are you currently working on? I am mainly focused on getting through my senior year of college, but I’ve also been working on putting together my first novel!

Sydney Alexander

Currently dividing time between Ellicott City and Baltimore, both in Maryland

YA position: event planning & community engagement intern, May-Aug 2022

Where do you go to school? I am a rising sophomore at Middlebury College and am scheduled to graduate in May 2025. I graduated from River Hill High School in Howard County, Maryland, in June 2021.

Isabelle Anderson

Lives in Baltimore, Maryland

YA position: publications intern, January-May 2022

What did you do? As publications intern, I copyedited and proofread manuscripts of upcoming chapbooks, and created promotional material for many Yellow Arrow publications.

Where did you go to school? Washington College; I graduated in May.

What are you currently working on? This summer, I’m hoping to do a lot more reading and writing for fun as I look for jobs in publishing.

Veronica Salib

Lives in Rockville, Maryland

YA position: publishing intern, May-August 2022

What do you do? I am the publishing intern so I have a few different responsibilities. I create Canva graphics to promote journals and chapbooks. I also proofread different poems and assist in the creation of Her View Friday posts.

Where did you go to school? I went to undergrad at the University of Maryland in College Park and graduated in 2021. I also hope to return to school and receive a masters in publishing.

What are you currently working on? I currently also copyedit for an organization called Balance Now. I just began an editorial positon at Xtilligent Media and I am in the process of starting my graduate school applications.

Piper Sartison

Lives in Chestertown, Maryland

YA position: marketing intern, February-May 2022

What did you do? I was a marketing intern for Yellow Arrow. I created promotional images with Canva, scheduled and created social media posts, worked with Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and proofread writing submissions.

Where do you go to school? I go to Washington College. I am a rising junior and I will graduate in the spring of 2024.

What are you currently working on? I write for the community and college newspaper of Chestertown (The Elm). I also do some writing on the side and hope to work with more organizations this summer.

Katherine Chung

Lives in Gaithersburg, Maryland

YA position: marketing intern, June-Aug 2021

What did you do? I created content for the Yellow Arrow social media pages, edited and proofread their website, and wrote personal narrative blogs.

Did you go to Towson University? Yes! I will be graduating in December 2021.

Angela Firman

Lives in Tacoma, Washington

YA position: editorial associate, Sept 2021-present

What have you done so far? I read submissions and copyedit for the Yellow Arrow Journal. I also proofread Yellow Arrow’s first author/staff zines, EMERGE: Pandemic Stories and Coming Into View.

Lisa Roscoe

Lives in Raleigh, North Carolina

YA position: volunteer/reader, May 2021-present

What do you do? Offer support remotely by compiling and organizing an index of bookstores carrying Yellow Arrow publications, as well as reading poetry chapbook submissions.

What are you currently working on? I’m currently working on a collection of poems focusing on phenomenology as a theme.

Darah Schillinger

Lives in Perry Hall, Maryland

YA position: publications intern, May-Aug 2021

What did you do? Created promotional images for social media, proofread, and copyedited.

Rachel Vinyard

Lives in Pasadena, Maryland

YA position: publications intern, Sept 2021-present

What do you do? Copyedit and proofread, read journal and chapbook submissions, make Canva promo images and swag, organize documents and add to research projects, and write and research for blog posts.

Did you go to Towson University? Yes, I am graduating this December.

Did you work for Towson’s Grub Street Literary Magazine? Yes, I was the fiction editor.

What are you currently working on? I am currently finishing my bachelor’s degree at Towson and working on writing my own chapbook and various short stories. I’ve also rediscovered my love of reading, and I’m finding a lot of new genres I enjoy.

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