The Avalon Literary Review
Spring 2026 Biographies:
Rick Blum is from Massachusetts.

Adeeb Chowdhury is a writer from Bangladesh. Recognitions he has received for his writing include the James Augustus Wilson Writing Award, the Skopp Award on the Holocaust, the Feinberg Undergraduate Research Prize, and North Star's Best Nonfiction Award, as well as short fiction awards from The Olive Branch Review and Empyrean Literary Magazine. He currently lives in Binghamton, New York, where he works in wealth management.

Kirstie Clinko is from Montana.

Craig Dobson's had poetry and short fiction published in magazines in the US, Canada, Europe and Asia. He's currently working towards his first collection of each. He lives in the UK.


Livio Farallo is co-founder/co-editor of Slipstream. His work has appeared in California Quarterly, North Dakota Quarterly, South Florida Poetry Journal, Misfit, Cardinal Sins, Ovunque Siamo, and elsewhere. 
G.W. Fox is from Texas.

Michael Grigsby is from Florida.

Born and raised in New Orleans, Kim Hayes currently lives in Chicago, IL, and works for the Chicago Cubs. Her work has appeared in Confetti, The Southern Quill, Suddenly and Without Warning, and Bull, among others. Kim is a reader for Hippocampus Magazine and Fiction on the Web.

Sandy Hill began writing poetry at age 12 and has returned to poetry after a long career as an editor with the Charlotte (NC) Observer. She is the author of five historical novels and five mysteries. Her poetry has appeared in The Lyric and Ibbetson Press. For information on her novels, visit amazon.com/author/sandyhillnovels

Whitney R. Holp is a writer from Saskatchewan. He studied journalism at the University of Regina and worked at various odd jobs while writing his first book. A surrealist, he seeks gnosis through dreams, intoxication, and objective chance. This story is from his forthcoming book The Old Carter Place.


Matthew L. Huffman is the author of the Kirkus Star award-winning novel, The Deseret Reckoning (2023), and the novella, Of Dice and Men (2020). Upcoming works include a sequel, Bending the Arc of Justice, with publication expected in Fall of 2026, and a collection of first-person narrative, creative non-fiction stories entitled Life Lessons on The Fly, with publication expected in Spring of 2027. He lives in Colorado with his partner, Robin, and enjoys fly-fishing and traveling in the American West. To find out more, visit www.MatthewLHuffman.com.

Chanel Jackson is an online college student attending Full Sail University, studying Creative Writing in Woodriff, South Carolina. When she’s not writing, she can be found frolicking in a forest.


Maili Jackson hails from the bayous of Texas. When she’s not writing, she can be found painting, drawing, or crafting away on odd little projects as her cat, Autumn, judges her life choices. Her work has also appeared in Adelaide Literary Magazine. Follow her on Instagram/TikTok @maili_jackson 

Connor Keeney attends Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Mr. Keeney belongs to the Cornell Political Union, an undergraduate debate club. He is an aspiring molecular biologist.

John Leonard is an Australian poet with five poetry collections published. His poetry has been widely published, in Australia, the UK, the US, and on the Internet. Some of his poems have been translated into various languages and published, most recently Frisian. His novel Shakespeare in Virginia was published in 2024 in London. www.jleonard.net

Ben Macnair is a widely published, award-winning poet, playwright, journalist and musician from Staffordshire in the United Kingdom.


Al Maginnes is from North Carolina.

Deb Myers spent her career helping companies create and improve technology products. She left the business and technical world behind in 2025, and now enjoys writing poetry from her home in coastal Maine. 

David Sapp’s work appears widely in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. His publications include several chapbooks; a novel, Flying Over Erie; and six books of poetry and prose: Drawing Nirvana, The Origin of Affection, A Precious Transience, Finally Chopin, Love and History, and Acquaintances.

Phillip Shabazz is the author of four poetry collections and a novel in verse. His most recent book, Moonflower (Fernwood Press, 2025). His work has been nominated for Best of the Net and appears in journals including Florida Review, Queens Quarterly, and Galway Review. He serves as a Poet-in-the-Schools of North Carolina.

Marc Swan lives in coastal Maine. Poems recently published in Ropes, Chiron Review, Sandy River Review, Crannóg, among others. His fifth collection, all it would take, was published in 2020 by tall-lighthouse (UK).
Kevin Sweeney’s latest book is Imminent Tribulations from Moon Pie Press.  His poems have appeared in Gargoyle, Main Street Rag, Nerve Cowboy, 5 AM, Wormwood Review, Pudding, Free Lunch, Big Hammer and others.


Rufus Wright’s poems come from meaningful time living in the Blue Ridge Mountains and in NYC, teaching middle school kids, growing up in Corporate America, being married and divorced and married. He now lives in Central Texas. His work has been has appeared or is forthcoming in  Abandoned Mine, Orchards Poetry, October Hill, WestWard Quarterly, and more.