Ellen Metro is a woman living in South Philly who probably still drinks too much coffee and is definitely still trying to prove to new people whom she meets that "Yes, Metro really *is* my real last name".

Ellen has been living in Philly for the past 19 years. Originally from Pittsburgh, her greatest existential crises involve being torn between the Eagles and the Steelers and whether to become a scientist or a writer when she grows up.

Just some of Ellen's favorite things include living alone with her 2 rescue cats, conversations about everything and nothing, 90's hip-hop, and the triumphant return of Mom jeans.

When I was a senior in high school, I interned at Bar-None Records, demoing CD’s (Sharpieing through bar codes to make them unsellable before sending them off to radio stations and blogs). I loved Glenn and Mark, the heads of the label, and have kept in touch with them since 2009 (!), so proud that a local business based in Weehawken has had such an impact in the world of indie music. Glenn reached out a few years ago to let me know I had to check out his newest signee, this sea-punk redhead with a Buddy Holly hiccup and a complete distaste for censorship. I was in love immediately, and now have a photo of Avery Mandeville, Little Hag’s frontwoman and one of the first people I texted when Scandoval broke, in my wallet. Avery graciously agreed to an interview, and I was all too happy to use this to promote her new single, “You Blew It!”

Little Hag was formed in 2016 in the suburbs of central Jersey by Mandeville, guitarist Matt Fernicola and drummer Owen Flanagan; joined in recent years by bassist Mitchell Warren-Devlin and keyboardist/vocalist Cara Introcaso. Fern and Avery came up together in the local open mic scene, eventually hosting their own at the legendary Inkwell Coffeehouse in West Long Branch where they worked on what would become Avery’s debut self titled material. After signing to Hoboken’s Bar/None Records in 2020, they released Whatever Happened To Avery Jane, a compilation of older tunes with the new summer bummer pop single “Tetris” about the mortifying feeling of COVID induced lust. Then came the truly messy, NSFW heavy hitters on 2021’s Breakfast EP, an unholy trinity of "Piss,” “Blood" and "Cum.” Their following sophomore LP Leash was abrasive and daring, calling out a variety of shitty dudes - exes, alcoholics and old man stalkers - and the ugly ways we self sabotage. The power of these feminist anthems saw Little Hag take the late stage performing with Bright Eyes, Alex G, Interpol and Spoon in their hometown of Asbury Park, with Naked Giants in L.A. and at Feile Na Greine festival in Limerick, Ireland.

​Izzy Maxson is a writer and performance artist. The author of several collections of poetry including "Maps To The Vanishing" and "The Whisper Gallery", they live in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Tara Giancaspro (she) is the creator of xoxo Gossip Giancaspro, a weekly Substack including personal essays, pop culture commentary, and the various and sundry of her silly little life. She has released music under the name Sweaty Lamarr, available to stream everywhere, including "Abbey, I'm Sorry I Stole Your Man," a Jolene sequel from Jolene's perspective. She has been published in Wig-Wag Mag and Drunk Monkeys Literary, is a Cancer sun, and got bit by a dolphin once - establishing a potentially generational blood feud. Giancaspro can be found on Instagram and Twitter at @SweatyLamarr. She is based in New Jersey, if you couldn't tell by the hair.

taragiancaspro.substack.com

Anthony Robinson lives on the side of a mountain in rural Oregon with an orange cat named Raúla. Sometimes he writes poems.

Meca'Ayo (Tameca L Coleman) is a singer, multi-genre writer, itinerant nerd, intermittent zine maker, massage therapist, and point and shoot art dabbler in Denver Colorado. Their multi-genre writing and digital photography are featured in literary magazines, art exhibits, newspapers, and other venues and publications. Their first book an identity polyptych debuted from The Elephants in 2021, and considers familial estrangement, being in-between things as a mixed-race Black person, and moving towards reconciliation. Meca’Ayo leads community-centered projects with a collaborative bent, and they have been working in the healing arts since 2011. For more information about Meca’Ayo’s work, you can find them on social media with the handle @sireneatspoetry. 

Kenning JP García is a diarist and the author of Suffused. ​

Carter is blind in one eye and has Glaucoma, contrast loss and field loss in the other eye.

Mr. Boucher is a Master Teaching Artist working in the Arts Access South Carolina programs that provide inclusive art programs for people with disabilities. He is currently active on the South Carolina Arts Commission's Artist Directory and the Virginia Commission for the Arts teaching artist roster. Mr. Boucher’s video entitled “How to Engage Students on the Autistic Spectrum,” was a training video for the Palmetto State Arts Educators Association teacher training workshops. The South Carolina Arts Commission awarded him the Ad Astra per Aspera Commendation for exemplary performance as an artist in residence.
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Carter’s personal work has been in numerous books and magazines including The New York Art Review, American Artist Magazine's Annual Watercolor edition, Who’s Who in Art, About the Author and have been featured in many newspapers and on both Public and Commercial Television programs. Richard C. Owen publishes his children's books. Mr. Boucher won the International Golden poet award. 

RECENT EXHIBITIONS AND PUBLICATIONS 
2023 Quagmire Magazines, Cover runner up show, acrylic painting , “The All Seeing Eye is Here”

2023 GreenPrints magazine, publishing essay, “From Hate to Love,” about gardening tomatoes.
2022 Antithesis Journal: Tender (“…published annually in association with the School of Culture and Communication at The University of Melbourne…”) publishing painting, “At the Edge of the Universe,” acrylic on paper, 22” w x 30” h
2022 Alchemy Literary Magazine, paintings published, Brilliance (acrylic on canvas) 10” h x 10” w and Buddies (acrylic on canvas) 10”h x 10” w
2022 Art of Possibilities, paintings accepted, Blue Orbs with Spirals (oil on canvas), Left Rectangle (Oil on panel), Five and Soon More (acrylic on paper), Pandemic Engulfment (oil on canvas).
2022 Poet’s Choice, publishing poem, “Grey is Beautiful.”
2021 Wingless Dreamer, publishing short non-fiction, “Summer, I Love You…Please Go Away!”
2021 Nine Cloud Journal, publishing poem, “I Am Tempered Steel.”

​Shannon Hozinec lives in Pittsburgh. Her work can be found in DIAGRAM, Salt Hill Journal, Action Books Blog, and elsewhere.

​Robin Joan Steckel lives and writes in scenic central New Jersey, near to the site of the legendary City Gardens. A graduate of Rutgers Camden MFA program, they are in the process of pursuing further study in the hopes of obtaining a doctorate in American letters. When not lost in the warm glow of cinema or the worn pages of a book, you can find them bopping around at any number of venues in the Tri-State Area.