Alpha Contributors

Here’s who’s behind Alpha Female Society.

Kelly Ann Gonzales the Editor-In-Chief of ALPHA FEMALE SOCIETY.

Born in the Philippines, raised in New Jersey, & currently living in New York City, Kelly Ann Gonzales works as an Executive Matchmaker and Dating Consultant. She is also the Editor-In-Chief of ALPHA FEMALE SOCIETY. Her published works include the novels VIDEO GAMES (2014) & THROUGH AN OPAQUE WINDOW (2018), & short fiction publications featured in several literary magazines.  Her experiences with connecting and serving people as a Matchmaker combined with her romantic writing passions have allowed her a unique set of skills & a fresh perspective on the modern dating world.

www.KELLYANNGONZALES.com

Sara Monica is the Founder & Editor in Chief of Smallchickbigdeals.com which covers ‘big deals’ in food, fashion, beauty, and more. She’s graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson  University in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications with a minor in Sociology. She is so excited to contribute to Alpha Female Society! Follow her @sierrax0x and @smchickbigdeals!

Tannia Suárez is an Education Consultant and co-founder of BEST, LLC. She has a BA in Communications from Tulane University and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Xavier University. Having had experience in both public relations and education, Tannia decided to create a company and position that allows her to pursue her passions by motivating and helping people achieve success by providing support and accountability through skills development, success coaching and academic tutoring.

Julie Martin is a Saint Paul based poet and public school teacher. Her poetry has appeared in the Wadena Historical Society Poetry Month Celebration and In Want of Jasmine Online. Read her poem, “The Teacher in Room 220” here : https://alphafemalesociety.com/2018/06/24/the-teacher-in-room-220-by-julie-martin/

Leah Holbrook Sackett is an adjunct lecturer in the English department at the University of Missouri – St. Louis. This is also where she earned her M.F.A. Her short stories explore journeys toward autonomy and the boundaries placed on the individual by society, family, and self. She has published short stories in several journals including Connotation Press, Blacktop Passages, Halfway Down the Stairs, The Writing Disorder, Crack the Spine, and more. Learn about her published fiction at LeahHolbrookSackett.website and read her piece, “Fore I Came to the Fence” here : https://alphafemalesociety.com/2020/06/14/fore-i-came-to-the-fence-by-leah-holbrook-sackett/

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Darcy Isla (she/they) is a queer actor-writer based in North Yorkshire, UK. As well as poetry, she writes short stories, fiction, memoir and scripts for stage and screen. She is interested in magic realism and the summoning power of authentic selfhood, and is inspired by poets like Leilah Jane King and Kate Tempest. Her previous written work includes: LOVE, ALBERTA; WAYSIDE; 100 FRIGGIN’ POEMS; IT’S OK TO FALL FOR CAMP BOYS (self-published); LITTLE IRRITANTS (Analog Submission Press). Read her piece, “is live now” here: https://alphafemalesociety.com/2020/07/18/is-live-now-by-darcy-isla/

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Heather Pease’s debut book of poetry is Out of the Weeds. Her work has also appeared in the San Diego Poetry Annual 2019/2020. Her poetry centers on feminism, sexuality, identity, and mental health. Heather aims to make people think about subjects often stigmatized through society. She lives in Southern California and is the host of OC Speakeasy, a poetry venue at the world-famous House of Blues. She is a founding member of OC Poets a community based group dedicated to sharing poetry venues, workshops, and poet features throughout Orange County. Read her piece, “bOObs.” here: https://alphafemalesociety.com/2020/07/20/boobs-by-heather-pease/

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Shelby Crane is a freelance writer who has written short stories, essays, and is currently working on a novel. You can view her website at www.svcrane.space. Read her piece, “Late Bloomer” here: https://alphafemalesociety.com/2020/09/01/late-bloomer-by-shelby-crane/

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Eric Forsbergh’s poetry has appeared in JAMA, The Journal of Neurology, and several literary journals. He has been on medical mission trips to Guatemala and Appalachia, and is currently serving as a medical response corps volunteer to combat COVID. Read his piece, “What the Eye Perceives” here: https://alphafemalesociety.com/2020/09/14/what-the-eye-perceives-by-eric-forsbergh/

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Laura Teodorescu is a literature enthusiast with a love of variety. She likes folk stories from all over the world, symbols, and mystery. Other than reading and writing, she loves cooking, crafting, and has a recent interest in studying languages. Read her piece, “Paper Boats” here : https://alphafemalesociety.com/2020/10/13/paper-boat-by-laura-teodorescu/

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Alison Miller is a writer and sex educator whose poetry has been published in various literary magazines including Hobart Pulp, Anti-Heroin Chic, and Bareback Magazine. The owner of sex positive adult boutiques in Richmond, Virginia, she currently resides in San Diego. She is the editor-in-chief of Throats to the Sky Magazine. Find her on Instagram @throats.to.the.sky Read her piece, “Rolling Over in her Grave” here: https://alphafemalesociety.com/2020/11/10/rolling-over-in-her-grave-by-alison-miller/

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Lisa Brand is a recent graduate from Cal State Channel Islands and hopes of getting her work out there. She is currently in-between jobs, but has taken advantage of these times to get ahead on her stories and novels. She has a great passion for writing and hopes to become a book editor in the future. Read her piece, “I Like to Read My Books at Work” here: https://alphafemalesociety.com/2020/12/06/i-like-to-read-my-books-at-work-by-lisa-brand/

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Cynthia Praski is a tech writer by day and a fiction writer by… well, any time. In another life she was a research scientist and college professor. She has been writing since the third grade when her teacher introduced the class to writing prompts. As a child growing up in southeastern Michigan, she labeled herself a chain-reader after she learned about chain-smokers. A few years later, she started stealing her mother’s science fiction books and her father’s mystery books. Her younger brother introduced her to the fantasy genre when she stole his set of Lord of the Rings. She sums up her motivations this way: “I can’t not write. I must read. I do science because I can’t stop asking ‘Why?’”. She lives near Baltimore now, with her wonderful husband, amazing children and a boxing bunny, grumpy she-turtle, and the most serene dog in the world. Read her piece, “How to Survive in the ’30s” here: https://alphafemalesociety.com/2021/03/14/how-to-survive-in-the-30s/

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Kara Shea wrote this poem as a way to express and process poor habits she and her friends have used to express and process their sexuality/past sexual trauma. As a bisexual woman striving to find community and acceptance, she found it important to share. Who you are, who you love, and how you love is your experience to learn and grow. Read her piece, “Christian Mingle” here: https://alphafemalesociety.com/2021/05/07/christian-mingle-by-kara-shea/

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Barbara Hughes is currently studying English and Creative Writing at Rollins College. Recently, she had poems published in the campus magazines Brushing and The Independent. She was honored with an award for National Poetry Month by the Academy of American Poets. She enjoys drinking strong coffee, finding her inner goddess in writing, hiking in nature, and most nights having conversations with the moon.  Read her pieces “Lost Friend” here https://alphafemalesociety.com/2021/05/17/lost-friend-by-barbara-hughes/ and “Thick Skin” here: https://alphafemalesociety.com/2021/05/17/this-skin-by-barbara-hughes/

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Aliza Bridge’s hometown is Durham, North Carolina, but now she lives in Rhode Island. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with majors in Linguistics and Philosophy. She loves sci-fi and feminism, and is a big fan of anything that combines the two. Read her piece, “How to Use a Curling Iron” here: https://alphafemalesociety.com/2020/05/24/how-to-use-a-curling-iron-by-aliza-bridge/

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Ellie Rose McKee is a writer from Northern Ireland. She has had poems published by Arlen House, Nine Muses Poetry, and Black Bough; has had short stories included in Women Aloud NI’s ‘North Star’ anthology, The Bramley, and Scarlet Leaf Review; and has been blogging for over ten years. Read her piece, “Robin” here: https://alphafemalesociety.com/2021/06/02/robin-by-ellie-rose-mckee/

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Kiana McCrackin is a writer, a photographer (with a BFA in professional photography from The Brooks Institute of Photography), a cloud gazer, a tree lover, and a mama. Kiana is most interested as a writer and artist in the experience of being a human/woman/mother/wife and the emotions that come with those roles. She grew up in Alaska, has lived all over the west coast, and currently resides in South Dakota where she is discovering what the wind has to say. Follow her on Instagram @she_arranges_words and read her piece, “Shipwrecked” here: https://alphafemalesociety.com/2021/06/17/shipwrecked-by-kiana-mccrackin/

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After studying foreign languages and literature in the late sixties at the University of Canterbury, New Zealander Bruce Costello spent a few years selling used cars. Then he worked as a radio creative writer for fourteen years, before training in psychotherapy. In 2010, he semi-retired and took up writing to keep his brain ticking over. Since then he has had 142 short story successes – publications in literary journals, anthologies and popular magazines, and contest places and wins. Read his piece “Toe Hold on Reality” here: https://alphafemalesociety.com/2021/07/31/toe-hold-on-reality-by-bruce-costello/

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Amanda Dales is a teacher, writer, and actor based in Cambridgeshire, but born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She was shortlisted twice for the York Poetry Prize. Her work has been previously published in  ‘Antiphon’ , ‘Poet and Geek’,  and ‘Fly on the Wall’. Amanda won the Aristine Mann Award for poetry written by an undergraduate (Emory University). Read her piece “”I Think I Still Know How to Fit All the Pieces Together” here: https://alphafemalesociety.com/2021/08/31/i-think-i-still-know-how-to-fit-all-the-pieces-together-by-amanda-dales/

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Dianne Blomberg a writer/speaker living in Denver Colorado, currently working on a memoir, Before Lunch. Her work can be read in Feminine Collective, Across the Margin, Button Eye Review and soon in DoveTales. She has two published children’s picture books. Her research in personal relationships has been featured in publications like Good Housekeeping, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Denver Post, Family Life, Newsday New York, Boston Globe, and more. Visit Dianne Blomberg, PhD at https://www.DianneBlomberg.com and read her piece “Pretty Girls Sit Up Front” here: https://alphafemalesociety.com/2021/09/29/pretty-girls-sit-up-front-by-dianne-blomberg/

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Olga Sezneva is a sociologist, writer and art curator currently teaching at the University of Amsterdam. She dedicated much of her work to unraveling the complexity of history, geography and culture in transferred territories and divided cities. Read her piece “Futility of Ardor” here: https://alphafemalesociety.com/2021/10/11/futility-of-ardor-by-olga-sezneva/

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Susan Ossman is the author of several books, most recently Shifting Worlds, Shaping Fieldwork, a Memoir of Anthropology and Art (Routledge 2021) and the director of The Moving Matters Traveling Workshop art/scholarship collective. Her artwork has been exhibited across Europe and the US. She teaches anthropology and global studies at the University of California, Riverside. See her artwork “Poppy 18” here: https://alphafemalesociety.com/2021/10/11/futility-of-ardor-by-olga-sezneva/

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Brielle Amick is a junior at Lindenwood University, majoring in creative writing. She is just beginning her career in writing and has so far only finished works of poetry. Her aspirations are to work in publishing, helping authors get their pieces out into the world. She is pushing herself to go outside of her comfort zone and submit work to publications to get a better understanding of the process from an author’s point of view. Read her piece “The Realizations of a Twenty Nothing” here: https://alphafemalesociety.com/2021/10/18/the-realizations-of-a-twenty-nothing-by-brielle-amick/

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Originally from South Bend, Indiana, Kassidy Meiszburg is an undergraduate English Major with a concentration in professional writing and prelaw at the University of Dayton. Her published pieces include recaps and interviews for the athletic teams at Dayton for Flyer News. Read her piece “Pay Progress for Female Athletes” here: https://alphafemalesociety.com/2021/11/15/pay-progress-for-female-athletes-by-kassidy-meiszberg/

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Dana I. Hunter is one of the Top Ten Poets in the 2021 NAMI NJ: Dara Axelrod Expressive Arts Poetry Contest. She has been published in MIGHTIER—Poets for Social Justice, Adelaide Literary Magazine, and at JerryJazzMusician.com. Her script STEVI won honorable mention at Scriptapalooza in 1998. She received her BA in Communications from Upsala College. Living with bipolar disorder, she is an African American writer who is an advocate for mental health and ending the associated stigma. Read her pieces “Barren” and “My Crown“.

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* If you would like to contribute to Alpha Female Society, please contact Kelly at alphafemalesociety@outlook.com or use the contact form below! 🙂 *