Porcupine Literary
A journal by and for teachers.
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Jared Beloff
Editor In Chief
Jared Beloff is the author of Who Will Cradle Your Head (ELJ Editions, 2023) and the editor of the MCU inspired poetry anthology, Marvelous Verses (Daily Drunk, 2021) and Poets of Queens Anthology, Vol. 2 (2024). His work can be found in AGNI, Baltimore Review, EcoTheo Review, River Mouth Review and elsewhere. He is a Poetry Editor at The Weight Journal. You can find him on his website www.jaredbeloff.com. When he isn't being poetic, Jared is a teacher who lives in Queens, NY with his wife and two daughters.
Ashley Elizabeth
Poetry Editor
Ashley Elizabeth (she/her) is a Pushcart-nominated writer and teacher whose work has appeared in SWWIM, Voicemail Poems, Rigorous, and Sage Cigarettes, among others. Ashley’s debut full-length collection, A Family Thing, is published by Redacted Books/ELJ Editions (August 2024). She is also the author of the chapbooks red line (Garden Party Collective, 2024), CHARM(ed) (fifth wheel press, 2024) black has every right to be angry (Alternating Current, 2023) and you were supposed to be a friend (Nightingale & Sparrow, 2020). As cofounder of the Estuary Collective, Ashley strives to provide free to low-cost programming for femme-identifying BIPOC. When Ashley isn’t teaching, working as the Chapbook Editor with Sundress Publications, or coordinating workshops for fifth wheel press, she habitually posts on Twitter and Instagram (@ae_thepoet). She lives on the original land of the Piscataway and Susquehannocks (Baltimore, MD) with her partner and their three cats — despite her not being a cat person. Ashley is Black before she is anything else.
Matthew Henry
Nonfiction Editor
Matthew E. Henry (MEH) is the author of six poetry collections, most recently said the Frog to the scorpion (Harbor Editions, 2024). He is editor-in-chief of The Weight Journal and an associate editor at Rise Up Review. His poetry and prose have been published in ASP Bulletin, Had, Massachusetts Review, Mayday, Ploughshares, Redivider, Terrain, and The Worcester Review, among others. MEH is a high school teacher outside of Boston who writes about education, race, religion, and burning oppressive systems to the ground at www.MEHPoeting.com.
Bard Hovenga
Fiction Editor
Bard Hovenga is a Queens high school special education and English teacher with work published in Newtown Literary and featured in the No, YOU Tell It! nonfiction performance reading series.
Lisa Piazza
Assistant Poetry Editor
Lisa Piazza is a writer/educator/mother from Oakland, Ca. Her work has been nominated for Best Small Fictions, Best of the Net and the Pushcart Prize.
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Amanda Bales
Assistant Fiction Editor
Amanda Bales is the author of Pekolah Stories (Cowboy Jamboree Press, 2021). Originally from Oklahoma, she has since lived many places, including Fairbanks, Alaska, where she received her MFA. She now lives in central Illinois and teaches at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Morgan Bluma
Design Editor
Morgan has a deep passion for the creative arts and spends most of her time with her head in a book.
Hannah Grieco
Co-founder, Contributing Editor
Francois Bereaud
Assistant Fiction Editor
Francois Bereaud is a husband, dad, full time math professor, mentor in the San Diego Congolese refugee community, mountain biker, and mediocre hockey player. He has been widely published online and in print. The Counter Pharma-Terrorist & The Rebound Queenpublished by Alien Buddha Press is his first solo book and the realization of a dream. You can find links to his writing at francoisbereaud.com. He tweets stuff @FBereaud.
Paul Olisaeloka Anozie
Assistant Fiction Editor
Paul Olisaeloka Anozie was educated in Nigeria. He has been published widely both nationally and internationally, with a research interest that spans literature, pedagogy, philosophy, economics and social sciences. His short stories and poems have appeared in numerous online publications like African Writers Magazine, The Kalahari Review, Pride Magazine, Poemify, Tushstories, etc. Anozie has a PhD in Educational Management and Planning, a Masters in Educational Management and Policy and a BSc in Political Science/Education. Additionally, he has taken part in numerous courses organized by the African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP), Authors Publish and AERC Global Network. Anozie holds the Fellowship in Development Research from Dataville Research, LLC.
Judy McClure
Assistant CNF Editor
Judy McClure writes creative nonfiction that focuses on relationships, identity, nature, and education. Her writing is at Chautauqua, WBUR’s Edify, 805LitMag, and HerStry. For many years she was a science teacher, but these days she is co-owner of Rozzie Bound Books. She lives in Boston with her wife. Find her on twitter @McClureWrites.
Karen Zey
Assistant CNF Editor
Karen Zey is a Canadian writer, part-time teacher and full-time student of life. Her essays and CNF have appeared in Toronto’s Globe and Mail, Five Minutes, (mac)ro(mic), Potato Soup Journal, Porcupine Literary and other fine places. You can read her musings on life and writing on Twitter @zippyzey
Rachel Becker
Assistant Poetry Editor
Rachel Becker teaches English and Creative Writing in Newton, MA. A sometimes-contributor to the Boston Globe, her poems appear or are forthcoming in New World Writing Quarterly, Barely South Review, Ghost City Review, Rappahannock Review, Portland Review, The Shore, Tusculum Review, and RHINO. She lives in Boston with her husband, kids, and cat.
Monica Prince
Co-founder
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DeMisty D. Bellinger
Contributing Editor
DeMisty D. Bellinger lives and teaches in Massachusetts. Her chapbook, Rubbing Elbows, is available at Finishing Line Press. Some of her recent work can be found in Contrary Magazine, Okay Donkey, and The Best Small Fictions: 2019. DeMisty is online at demistybellinger.com.
Emily James
Co-founder
Issue I Photographer: Angie Hedman
Angie Hedman is an artist, writer, and high school art educator who creates and resides in Muncie, IN. She holds degrees from Ball State University in the areas of Fine Arts (Metals), and Art Education. Her work has been published or is forthcoming in Gravel, Superstition Review, Cream City Review, Montana Mouthful, and Spectrum Literary Journal among others. She tweets at @artist_writerAH.