About the Editor

Never too Early for Poetry

Cynthia Brackett-Vincent holds a B.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Maine at Farmington and an A.A. in Social Sciences (Quincy College, MA, where she served as an editor of Stepping Stone and a member of Phi Theta Kappa). As well, she studied English at Bridgewater State College in MA. A Pushcart Prize nominated and award-winning poet, Cynthia has had over 100 poems published in such journals as Avocet, YankeeMagazine.com, Ibbetson Street, Pine Island Journal of New England Poetry, in the Sheltering Pines Press anthology, Infini Tea, Monkey’s Fist, as well as in her chapbook, the 95 Poems (MuscleHead Press, 2005) and the online journals, Mannequin Envy, The Orange Room Review, Pirene's Fountain and others. Her nonfiction and poetry appear abroad. She has served as co-editor of a 45-church district newsletter and she co-founded the Tidepool Poets of Plymouth, MA and Women Write in Central Maine. Three articles in Educators as Writers: Publishing for Professional and Personal Development (Peter Lang Publishing) appeared in 2006. In 2007, her poetry received an Honorable Mention in New England Writers, a citation in the National Federation of State Poetry Societies, and Second Place in the Maine Poets Society contests, respectively. Cynthia has judged poetry locally, regionally and nationally for such contests as the Writer's Digest annual writing competition (1999), among others.

Cynthia's co-edited anthology (with Carol Smallwood), Contemporary American Women: Our Defining Passages, (December 2009), is from All Things That Matter Press and is available on Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-American-Women-Defining-Passages/dp/0984259430/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262626451&sr=1-6. Nonfiction, this exciting collection addresses women's issues and will also provide a unique, dynamic much-needed new text for college/university Women's Studies classes. From the back cover: "This unique collection includes over fifty articles by more than thirty-five diverse American women who revisit, celebrate, and share defining moments in their lives. Readers will see the universal in milestones of body, mind, family, career, and personal empowerment—whether joyous or difficult, chosen or unexpected, common or rare. These are poignant passages of women, told by talented and award winning writers: intimate glimpses into the lives of our sisters, friends, aunts, mentors, wives, grandmothers, partners, mothers, daughters—ourselves."

Praise for Contemporary American Women: Our Defining Passages:

Even though this collection is about contemporary 'American' women the stories are universal. As I read each, I can see myself in them.
—Supriya Bhatnagar, Director of Publications at the Association of Writers & Writing Programs, editor of The Writer's Chronicle.
This collection reveals those intimate moments that change women's lives: the ways we tough it out, break down, and become whole again.
—Arlene L. Mandell, Pushcart Prize nominee. American Association of University Women's short-story contest winner, 2008.
These experiences exemplify the range of passages that existing anthologies have yet to address in a single volume. The authentic, often lyrical prose speaks to a broad audience within and beyond academics
—Diane LeBlanc, Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies and Director of College Writing, St. Olaf College; Bechtel Prize winner.

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Cynthia teaches poetry writing to adults, assists her husband in the graphics services segment of Encircle Publications, and is active in bringing poetry into the public schools with a special interest in elementary students. She lives in rural Maine and enjoys two monthly writing workshops as well as membership in the Maine Poets Society and The New England Poetry Club. Other interests are animal welfare, bicycling, breast cancer research, cross-stitching, and hiking. She is married, has three grown sons, two wonderful daughters-in-law, a grandson, two granddaughters, and two adopted rescue cats, who are her helpers, pictured below.

Mr. Editor, Poseidon Medusa screens Aurorean submissions