ISSUE II: Odyssey

CONTRIBUTORS
CONTRIBUTORS
POETRY
ISHITA GANGULY
Ishita Ganguly is a writer
from India. She is the
author of the book,
"Stories from the City
called Kolkata" and coauthor
of 3 international
anthologies. She has
written over 100 articles
on distinguished
platforms.
A double master's degree
holder, a corporate
professional turned
educator turned fulltime
writer, Ishita loves
the written word.
She is a book lover who
believes words have
immense power and
writers can make a huge
impact in the world!
POETRY
MADI GIOVINA
Madi Giovina writes
poems and stories.
She is a co-editor
for Backslash Lit,
submissions coordinator
for What Are Birds?
Journal and the founder
of Perennial Press. Madi
lives in Philadelphia with
her feisty cat, Shrimp.
PROSE
RAINA KOSHAL
Raina Koshal is
a Sophomore in
Highschool from
Chicago, Illinois. She
plays lacrosse, runs
a nonprofit which
equips at-risk youth
with essential learning
supplies, and, you
guessed it- loves to
write! Her favorite way
to channel her thoughts
and self-express is
through personal
reflections on current
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social issues and starting
a discussion within
her community. As an
Indian American, this
piece was written to
start a conversation on
the largely unexamined
topic of the anti-Indian
sentiment in Western
media and its effects on
our youth. Throughout
the piece, she shares
personal anecdotes
and illustrates many
viewpoints on the topic.
PROSE, POETRY
ARCHANA
KSHATRIYA
Archana Kshatriya is an
Indian poet and writer.
She began writing
poems at the age of 13 to
combat her battles with
her demons. Her poems
often explore the dark
side of the human mind.
For her writings she
firmly believes in the
principle “Keep It Simple
Silly” and endures to
make them easy to read.
Her poem “A Message” is
an acknowledgment of
the personal struggles
one endures and
conceals from others
with the fear of being
ridiculed.
Her piece “Democracy
is Fragile” looks closely
at the reasons for the
several protests taking
place world-wide.
PROSE
RAINA KOSHAL
Raina Koshal is
a Sophomore in
Highschool from
Chicago, Illinois. She
plays lacrosse, runs
a nonprofit which
equips at-risk youth
with essential learning
P
A
G 90
E
supplies, and, you
guessed it- loves to
write! Her favorite way
to channel her thoughts
and self-express is
through personal
reflections on current
social issues and starting
a discussion within
her community. As an
Indian American, this
piece was written to
start a conversation on
the largely unexamined
topic of the anti-Indian
sentiment in Western
media and its effects on
our youth. Throughout
the piece, she shares
personal anecdotes
and illustrates many
viewpoints on the topic.
POETRY
SOPHIA KUNKEL
Sophia Kunkel (she/
her) is a literature-lovin’
high school senior in
Pennsylvania with a
passion for writing. She
is editor in chief of the
newspaper at her school,
Marketing Director
for The Young Writers
Initiative, and co-owner
of a popular writing tips
account on Instagram.
When Sophia’s not busy
with writing related
opportunities, she
enjoys picking up a good
book and sipping on a
piping hot cup of tea,
running cross country,
and hanging out with
her mini goldendoodle,
Bielka. You can find
Sophia at her website,
www.writing life.blog.
PROSE
OLIVIA LATHROM
Olivia Lathrom is a
fourteen year old lover
of everything writing.
She resides in the depths
of the Pacific Northwest
and stays true to the
stereotype that people
from Washington adore
the coffee and rain that
comes along with the
Evergreen State. Her
favorite author is Adam
Silvera and she passes
time by sobbing over
his books, listening to
musicals, reading, and
writing, of course.
POETRY
OSKAR LEONARD
Oskar Leonard is a
transgender selfpublished
author and
poet from the UK, as well
as a senior editor at The
Altruist and a poetry and
prose editor at All Ears
India. He has written
six books: three novels,
two poetry anthologies
and a novella. His pieces
have been featured
in publications like
FOURALL Magazine,
Take Care Zine, Ogma
Magazine, Fever Dream
Journal and The Young
Writers Initiative
Literary Journal:
Juvenile.
POETRY
DIARMUID Ó
MAOLALAÍ
DS Maolalai has been
nominated eight times
for Best of the Net
and five times for the
Pushcart Prize. His
poetry has been released
in two collections, "Love
is Breaking Plates in the
Garden" (Encircle Press,
2016) and "Sad Havoc
Among the Birds" (Turas
Press, 2019)
PROSE, VISUAL
ART
FAITH MCKINNON
Faith McKinnon is a teen
writer, logophile, lifelong
reader, unconventional
artist, athletic nerd, and
a passionate Christfollower
in the western
United States. She enjoys
soaking up sunshine,
life, and wild laughter.
She is a member of
Write the World, and
her favorite words are
sonder, meliorism,
anemoia, and ambedo.
Her piece "An Abundance
of Tasteless Tequila" is
based on author Erin
Morgenstern's idea
of snapping a photo
of a scene brimming
with stories to tell and
writing one possibility
for those stories in just
ten sentences.
POETRY
GUNA MORAN
Guna Moran is an
Assamese Poet and
critic. His poems are
published in more than
a hundred international
magazines, journals,
webzines, blogs,
newspapers, anthologies
and have been translated
into thirty languages
around the world. He has
three poetry books to his
credit. He lives in Assam,
India.
PROSE
WILL NUESSLE
Will Nuessle of the
United States holds a
third-degree brown
belt in ninjitsu, rides
a Harley, primary
caregives three small
boys and claims he
can recite the alphabet
backwards in less than
ten seconds. He also
writes occasionally; his
words have appeared
in Boundless Journal,
the Lothlorien Poetry
Journal, the premiere
issue of Portmanteau
Magazine and he recently
won second place in
Page Turner's Short
Poetry contest with a
drinking song about
dragons. His featured
piece is an excerpt from
a full novel; rest assured
something waits out
there for Jessie to find...
POETRY
SAÓIRSHE O’NEILL
Saóirshe O’Neill (she/
her) is a poet and short
story writer from
Mayo, Ireland. She is
currently studying
creative writing and
the National University
of Ireland, Galway. She
enjoys drinking copious
amounts of coffee and
listening to music. Her
work focuses primarily
on subjects of identity,
culture, and death.
Saoirshe’s work has been
previously published
in the Neuro Logical
Magazine, the Fahmidan
Journal and the Vox
Galvia.
VISUAL ART
ARUN PAUL KAPUR
Enigmatic. Passionate.
Charismatic. Lover of life
and all truth that binds
us together. England
based from the city of
Wolverhampton, Arun
Paul Kapur is a mental
health advocate that uses
the arts to tell stories of
life. His love for poetry
and visuals aims to
raise the voices of the
unheard.
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A
G
E
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PROSE
HALLE PRENETA
Halle is from the US and
enjoys writing short
stories and poetry! She
gets her ideas from
random life experiences
and fanfiction. When
she’s not writing, she’s
either watching YouTube
or playing Animal
Crossing. She also enjoys
theatre, music, and
petting her cat and is
very passionate about
various social justice
issues. She’s had works
published in The Hearth
Magazine, Write Now Lit,
and Tealight Press and
has works upcoming in
the B’K, Potted Purple,
Fahmidan Journal, and
more. Her Twitter handle
is @YaTheatreNerd and
you can check out more
of her work here: https://
medium.com/@halleee
POETRY
ROBERT RITTEL
Robert grew up in a St.
Franciscan orphanage
at Maria Laach, where
his schooling and
talents created an
apprenticeship to
become a chef.
Robert developed a great
sense for textures and
flavors with resonance,
while timing and
discipline proved
itself with given
responsibilities.
By 35 Robert met his wife
from South Africa and
operated a restaurant
in Franschhoek, the
Gourmet Capital in
South Africa.
A powerful new horizon
opened his spirituality
by being introduced to
Astrology.
The language of
symbolism and celestial
imagery fuels his
creativity and poetic
expression.
POETRY
A.R. SALANDY
A.R.Salandy is a mixedrace
poet & writer
whose work tends to
focus on social inequality
throughout late-modern
society. Anthony travels
frequently and has spent
most of his life in Kuwait
jostling between the UK
& America. Anthony's
work has been published
140 times.
Anthony has 1 published
chapbook titled
'The Great Northern
Journey' 2020 (Lazy
Adventurer Publishing)
& 1 upcoming Chapbook
'Vultures' 2021
(Roaring Junior Press).
Twitter/Instagram: @
anthony64120
POETRY
ALEX SHENSTONE
Alex S (he/him) is a
young, transgender
student and writer living
in the UK. He enjoys
writing in a multitude
of formats, including
poetry, prose and comic
book scripts, and enjoys
watching films and
TV shows on different
streaming services at a
constant rate. He likes to
delve into darker themes
and stories, whilst trying
to create poignancy to
make readers experience
something meaningful
and existential from his
writing. His piece here,
“Shakespeare, William”
is meant to be seen as
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