~ MEMBER PROFILES ~
SIPRA ROY
Sipra Roy was born and raised in India. A teacher for eighteen years, Sipra has a Master’s degree in Sociology and Politics from Calcutta University. She has been a New Yorker since 2020. Upon arriving in the U.S., her interest in literature became a journey of creativity – writing, drawing, composing music, acting, and storytelling. Sipra joined the North Florida Poetry Hub in 2022. So far away from home, the Hub has become Sipra’s poetry-loving family.
Her work has been published by Story Central Network and Eber & Wein.
BETH RAMOS
"After writing poems on and off for most of my life, on my 75th birthday I claimed the title “ Poet” and set the goal to publish a book of my work by my 80th birthday.
My poetry is informed by my spirituality – each poem is an attempt to describe a moment that may seem mundane but captures a universal sense of Good. I trust that there is a market for that."
SUZANNE S. AUSTIN-HILL
Some are surprised that Suzanne S. Austin-Hill is a wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She lives in a house built on what used to be a thriving tomato farm in Ruskin, now a crowded suburb of Tampa, FL. Over a decade retired, this internationally recognized mathematics educator successfully transitioned from technical endeavors to more soulful forms of expression as an author, photographer, and poet. Dr. Austin-Hill’s work has appeared in Lifestyles AFTER 50, Deaf Devos, The Tampa Bay Times, The Washington Post, and two anthologies. Her photographs have been recognized statewide at such venues as the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts and the Tampa Museum of Art, among others. Additional photographs have accompanied print material published in The News of Sun City Center and Of Poets & Poetry and on the cover of a short story collection. She has penned hundreds of poems; many recognized on the local, state, and national levels. Suzanne is particularly proud of the poems published by 805 Lit + Art, Newtown Literary, Lucky Jefferson, O Miami, the Sandhill Review, and Cadence Anthology of the Florida State Poets Association. Her first book of poetry, Sixty-seven pages from the Heart, is a testimony to her belief that poetry is an ointment, an elixir, and a tonic that pours out from the heart. Available at Amazon.com
SALLY WAHL-CONSTAIN
Sally Wahl Constain of Ponte Vedra is a valuable member of our chapter here at North Florida Poetry Hub. She is an accomplished author and an award-winning poet. Her background is that of an elementary school teacher and librarian in Astoria, New York for 34 years. She is also a respected member of the local literary scene, having held the position of president of the Riverwood Writers Group at Del Webb, Ponte Vedra for three years. She is often requested to be a speaker at book clubs and writers' events and to pen ekphrastic poems for artist exhibits.
Sally is a Letters member of the National League of Pen Women. Her debut novel, The Keys to Fanny, a work of historical fiction, was recently selected as book of the month by the Florida Writers Association. She has also published a poetry chapbook, Sometimes I Wonder, and Random Reflections, a memoir in the form of an anthology of essays and poems.
Sally is happiest sharing her creative endeavors with friends and family members, husband, Eddie, son and daughter-in-law, Bill and Nicole, and grandsons, Robby and Greg.
LAURA DILL
“I fell into art in the Spring of 2019 and began a journey of discovery, redefining myself apart from PTSD and anxiety. Every day I aspire to find or create something beautiful - building on moments to pull myself up and out of the traumas; a gossamer rope I weave from pain to promise.
My art springs from this sacred space when I shift perspectives. I am awakening into who I could be and how I might release the creativity still bound within me. This is my Resiliency Project. I invite the audience to delve beyond a first impression and engage with the images and stories driving each piece and especially each other…” -Laura Dill
Laura is an emerging Visual Artist and Writer working in acrylics, photography, mixed media, poetry, and essays. She is self-taught and her artworks reflect a broad range of expressions and subjects ranging from bold, vivid abstract paintings to capturing contemplative moments revealing the beauty and fragility of our world. She welcomes this once unimagined journey and finds her courage in all forms of art and nature, striving to heal, and transform through brush, pen, and lens.
Laura’s paintings, photography, poetry and writing have been published in multiple Anthologies and exhibited in Galleries throughout Jacksonville, NE FL Beaches and St. Augustine in Solo Exhibition, Juried Exhibitions, and in Downtown Jacksonville Public Art Projects. She has also exhibited and presented art and poetry internationally via virtual platforms and streamed performances. Her artworks, photography, writing, and poetry are preserved in the Stanford Permanent Archives and Florida State University Archives.
Contact Laura for Signed, Limited Edition Photography, Poetry, original Paintings, and hand embellished Limited Edition Giclée’s or other artworks via email, phone or her website.
Perspectvz@gmail.com LauraDillArt.com 904-343-5434 / 800-720-7065
MARY MCALLISTER
A Florida transplant now transplanted to Michigan, Mary is a writer and a visual artist. In her professional life, Mary worked for more than 25 years for Johns Hopkins University as a writer/editor and continues to work for freelance clients around the world.
Mary won a poetry prize upon her graduation from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland and went on to win a national prize for an essay about First Amendment rights, published in American Voices. She has had a short play produced and won a national award for a single poem from the National League of American Pen Women, where she is a member in Arts and Letters.
She has been published in Fathom, Of Poets and Poetry, Gypsophilia, Oddball, and ACPAPA Journal.
Her work for the past 35 years has always been about patterns—in buildings, in people, and nature. She believes there are always patterns to be illuminated, and has tried to do that with oils, pastels, watercolor, and silkscreen—and, of course, with writing.
In her professional life, Mary worked for more than 25 years for the Johns Hopkins University as a
writer/editor and continues to work for freelance clients around the world.
KEN BOYD
Ken Boyd is a native Jacksonville boy and writes under the pen names of K. Lucius Boyd and Bardo Poetry. He published his debut book of poetry, Grasshopper Dreams, on October 16, 2023. Grasshopper Dreams is a stirring series of poems that reflect upon all different stages of life. Grasshopper Dreams is at bookstores everywhere, or online at Amazon, the Apple iTunes store, Google Play, and Barnes and Noble. More information can be found at www.bardopoetry.com Or Mr. Boyd can be contacted at bardo.poetry@gmail.com.
T.S. PAGE
PAULA VELOSO BABADI
A happy and valued addition to the North Florida Poetry Hub membership base, Paula Veloso Babadi wrote her first poem, about hope, when she was eight. For many years her writing was dormant while she pursued a career in the health care industry after serving in the Navy Nurse Corps. She is active in the St. Johns Chapter of the Catholic Writers Guild (CWG), and occasional guest writer for the Catholic Writers Guild blog. Her book, "Everywhere Hope", captures life experiences and wraps them in a triple package of prose, poetry and pictures. It can be found on Amazon. Eloquently written, this collection is a journey to be experienced more than once. Book #1 in the "Everywhere..." book series is disarmingly honest, emotionally accessible, and meant to be savored in all ages of life. Her poems have appeared in several anthologies, magazines, and chapbooks, including her North Florida Poetry Hub Poets' Pen limited edition series "Unfluttered".
SHARON SCHOLL
Sharon Scholl is a retired college teacher of humanities and contemporary world studies at Jacksonville University. She is active as a musician and poet, having had a long tenure in church music. She maintains a website of music and poetry suitable for liberal churches and creates choral compositions for the Soul Matters curriculum. freeprintmusic.com
Long active in Northeast Florida poetry circles, she convenes A Gathering of Poets twice a month at the Ponte Vedra Library and volunteers as editor for the Women Writing for (a) Change collective. She has a book-sized collection, Timescape, and chapbooks Unauthorized Biographies, Summer's Child, and Seasons available via Amazon.com.
HOWARD MOON
Retired broadcaster, professional writer, identifies as BIPOC, of Native heritage, award-winning poet, and author. Visit his Website at: www.howmoon.com
Howard has published four books:
Poems from A Shattered Brain – Living With Mental Illness,
White Fox – A Collection of Native American Poetry
Zombies Are Not Vegetarians
Outside Looking In
His latest release:
"Breakfast Poems", one of the North Florida Poetry Hub "Poet's Pen Project Limited Edition series was released in September, 2021 and is available in his Etsy shop. Books Are Available on Amazon - Click Here To Purchase:
CHRIS KASTLE
Chris Kastle is an award-winning storyteller, poet, musician and acclaimed songsmith, author, and educator with a number of recordings and publications to her credit. She is a recipient of the Annette J. Bruce Lifetime Achievement Award from the Florida Storytelling Association and received an honorable mention in the 2023 St Johns County Haiku Contest.
PATRICIA KRAUSE
Pat Krause lives with her husband of 50 plus years in Ponte Vedra, Florida. As a member of Del Webb’s Riverwood Writes and the Florida State Poets Association (North Florida Poetry Hub, local chapter), she enjoys writing poems, prayers, reflections, and essays often incorporating her photographs. Several of her poems have been featured in their publications. Pat’s faith, love of nature, and personal relationships inspire her writing.
SHUTTA CRUM
(Author. Storyteller. Keynote Speaker. Educator.) Shutta Crum is an award-winning poet and children’s book writer. The winner of seven Royal Palm Literary Awards, she’s an oft-requested speaker and presenter at writing conferences, libraries, and schools. Her chapbook: WHEN YOU GET HERE (2020), won a gold Royal Palm. Her newest book is THE WAY TO THE RIVER. In addition, her poems for adults have appeared, or are forthcoming, in numerous publications and literary journals. This includes the Ann Arbor Review, Stoneboat, Typehouse, Blue Mountain Review, Orchards Poetry Journal, Better Than Starbucks, Main Street Rag, Nostos, Southern Poetry Review, Acumen, Mom Egg, Calyx, and Boulevard.
In addition, she is the author of thirteen picture books and three novels for young readers published by major publishers: Alfred A. Knopf, Clarion/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Albert Whitman, and Fitzhenry & Whiteside. In 2005 she was invited to read at the White House, and in 2010 toured Japan presenting to the students of the Dept. of Defense schools.
Shutta is delighted about what poetry can bring to one’s life. It was through poetry that she met her husband. When they married he brought with him his two children. Now, those children have given her grandchildren. “Poetry has shaped my whole life,” she says. “When I look at those grandchildren, I see poetry.”
Contact Shutta at: Website ~ www.shutta.com , Facebook ~ www.facebook.com/Shuttacrum , Twitter ~ @Shutta, Instagram ~ www.instagram.com/Shuttacrum
RUTH VAN ALSTINE
One of our North Florida Poetry Hub members, Ruth Van Alstine, has been writing poetry for the past thirty-five years and more recently branching out into memoirs and stories. She also has recently begun exploring the creation of mixed media and abstract artwork with complimentary ekphratic writings.
An award-winning poet, she has published three books of poetry Fairies and Fantasies in 1996, Shattered Moonbeams in 2016, and A While Away. She has been published nationally and internationally, some of which include ACPAPA Literary Journal by Poet Plant Press, Cadence, and (a) River Rising Blooms. She published the very first edition of North Florida Poetry Hub's publishing project of limited-edition books, "Poet's Pen Volume 1". She published the very first edition of North Florida Poetry Hub's publishing project of limited-edition books, "Poet's Pen Volume 1".
She is a member of the Ancient City Poets of St. Augustine, National Federation of State Poetry Societies, Florida State Poets Association, and President of the North Florida Poetry Hub and is an active participant in Women Writing for (a) Change of Jacksonville, Florida.
In 2016 she established Rising Moon Press and works with poets to publish “The Poet’s Pen” and with other authors on various projects as her time allows. Rising Moon Press specializes in unique, small volumes of handmade limited-edition chapbooks and Zines.
NANCY MURREY-SETTLE
Nancy Murrey-Settle is a retired librarian and educator who lives in Jacksonville, Florida along the St Johns River. She has written for radio as a journalist at WMNF 88.5 in Tampa, FL and at WBEZ 91.5 in Chicago. Her poetry has appeared on WJCT Square and (a) River Rising Anthology published by Women Writing for (a) Change, Jacksonville.
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3886 Atlantic Blvd,
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904-540-9425
Our Sponsor
North Florida Poetry Hub is a chapter of the Florida State Poets Association and was created by the local nonprofit Hope at Hand, Inc. to support and help the arts flourish for poets, writers and lovers of all things poetic and artistic in the North Florida region.
POETRY. WELLNESS. HOPE ~ Hope At Hand is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides art and poetry sessions to vulnerable and at-risk youth populations. Using creativity, language, art and therapeutic approaches, we facilitate healing and personal growth for children and adolescents.
Learn More: HopeAtHand.org
North Florida Poetry Hub is Funded in Part by Generous Donations From
