Debbie Berk

A poet, creator, editor and author of 6 collections of poetry, "The Lost Lullaby," "Speak," "In The Shadow Of A Heartbeat, Letters To Your Ghost," "If The Night Had Wings," “Kill The Messenger,” and “Seasons and Shadows.” I'm the founder of The Stray Branch, a print literary publication with an on-line presence publishing poetry, fiction, art and photography. When not writing, I live and dream within the shadows and the noise of my own mind; longing for a quiet space away from the chaotic sounds of life and the world outside my illusions so I can hear their voices more clearly.

And speaking of reality, aside from being a dreamer who lives in her own world, in the real one I am a wife, married, June 1992, the mother of two, a daughter born Apri l 1993 and a son born February 1996, stepmother of two grown stepsons and a grandmother of four step grandchildren and two biological grandchildren, a grandson, David Randall, born June 20th 2012 to my daughter and a granddaughter, Gracie Lynne Nichole, also born to my daughter, June 30th 2014.

My poems have appeared in a handful of print and on-line magazines since my first publication in 1993. They include, The Catharsis; Edgar Digested Verse; Our Journey; Feelings Of The Heart; Nocturnal Lyric; The Poets Haven; SP Quill, Adept Press: Small Brushes; Cold Coffee Magazine, CP Journal, Gloom Cupboard, The Rainbow's End #2; Outsider Writers, Poetry For The Lost Souls #2 and I have had work appear in the chapbook, "Fading Shadows," the member collection 2009 from Shadow Poetry. Yeah, sad I know. Luckily I do not write solely for the purpose of publication or I would have stopped writing long ago. In fact I have not submitted any work in a couple of years. I'm content to write and create on my own terms and in my way. Since starting my own publication I have become more satisfied with being able to publish and help others as best as I can.

My favorite poets include, Edgar Allan Poe, William B. Yeats, Anne Sexton, Sylvia Plath, Sharon Olds and Jovan

For more information on my bio, poetry or publications please visit me at my website www.debbieberk.com