Gratitude is a Divine Emotion: Yellow Arrow Editorial Associates and Interns
By Kapua Iao
“Gratitude is a divine emotion: it fills the heart, but not to bursting; it warms it, but not to fever.”
from Shirley by Charlotte Brontë
One of the many ways Yellow Arrow Publishing encourages women writers and women in publishing is through inclusion within the organization itself. We welcome (and thrive with) our volunteers and interns, not only for our own benefit but to also (hopefully) provide a prospective future publisher with some necessary tools and knowledge about the publishing world. And even if a volunteer does not plan to continue within the publishing world, the tools and knowledge of working in a women-led, collaborative organization. One that champions the different and the unique. One that looks for partners and allies rather than quick connections, whether from our own Baltimore community (such as Towson University!) or from further afar.
As Editor-in-Chief, it would be impossible for me to organize, create, and publish without the incredible help of our editorial associates and interns. They provide the thought process behind each journal by picking each issue’s theme and reading/voting on each submitted piece. They then read through the chosen submissions and edit them carefully and thoughtfully, not to change the voice of the author but to ensure that the voice flourishes. They provide continuous feedback and proofread the final product before release. And the same goes for our published chapbooks as everyone involved takes the time to make sure the final draft is perfect for the author.
We try to find each volunteer, each intern space in our organization to grow and flourish in the area they are most interested in (and of course where we need the most help!). Past interns have worked at our live events and at Yellow Arrow House. They hand bound our publications and put as much love and tenderness into each copy as we could hope. Now that we are a mostly virtual publishing organization, they focus on writing and/or copyediting grants, blogs, and press releases. They create promotional material and images for our authors and explore or research possible future marketing campaigns. And above all else, they support. Not only me but our authors as well. I am so thankful to have had them with me on this journey.
Currently, we have two new volunteers as well as several who started with us a couple of years ago. I would like to introduce you to our present editorial associates and interns as well as a few from the past (not listed below but valued for their assistance: Meredith Eilola, Eleanor Hade, Josie Hatton, and Rebecca Massey). Each has my appreciation.
Elaine Batty
Lives in Baltimore, Maryland
YA position: marketing intern, Aug-Dec 2020
What did you do? I did a lot of fun things while working with Yellow Arrow, but some of my favorites were making the press releases and promo images. I also really enjoyed making my blog posts (see Elaine’s latest here).
Did you go to Towson University? Yes! I will be graduating in May 2021.
What are you currently working on? I am currently working on a winter class and gearing up to start my final semester at Towson. I am also actively trying to spend as much time in nature and as much time reading as possible!
Elaine is a student at Towson University graduating with a B.S. in English on the literature track. Her poetry has been featured in the College of Southern Maryland’s Connections Literary Magazine. In her free time, she enjoys reading all genres of fiction, writing poetry, and playing with her two cats, Catlynn and Cleocatra. Elaine’s two real passions are literature and travel, and she plans to look for a job following graduation that will allow her to pursue both full-time. Find her on Instagram @elaine_batty.
Bailey Drumm
Lives in Fallston, Maryland
YA position: editorial associate, Aug 2019-present
What have you done so far? I’ve edited two editions of the journal, written a book review for the last edition, assisted in binding last January, and participated in the First Friday Art Walk Reading series.
Did you go to Towson University? Yes (though this is not how I became associated with Yellow Arrow), May 2014.
Did you work for Towson’s Grub Street Literary Magazine? Sure did! I was the nonfiction editor.
What are you currently working on? I review pieces submitted to JMWW and work for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. I have just recently taken a position with Baltimore Fishbowl reviewing books and interviewing authors.
Bailey is a fiction writer whose work has been featured in Grub Street, and whose digital art was displayed as the cover art for the 2017 edition of Welter. She is an M.F.A. graduate from the Creative Writing and Publishing Arts program at the University of Baltimore. Her collection of short stories, The Art of Settling, was published in the spring of 2019. Find out more at Bailey-Drumm.square.site.
Brenna Ebner
Lives in Baltimore/Towson, Maryland
YA position: publications intern, Sept-Dec 2020; CNF Managing Editor, Feb 2021-present
What did you do (as publications intern)? Copyedited and proofread the samurai, YAJ (Re)Formation, and Writers-in-Residence zine; researched and contacted reviewers, podcasts, blogs, and bookstores; approved submissions for (Re)Formation and assisted in the layout; wrote blog posts and a guide for authors to market themselves; and created promotional images for social media.
Did you go to Towson University? Yes, May 2020.
Did you work for Towson’s Grub Street Literary Magazine? Yes, online nonfiction editor of volume 68 and Editor-in-Chief of volume 69.
What are you currently working on? Learning how to format eBooks with Mason Jar Press, walking dogs and pet sitting part-time, and trying to finish a memoir reading list.
Brenna is a recent Towson University graduate and intern at both Mason Jar Press and Yellow Arrow. She is fascinated with creative nonfiction and hopes to pursue a dream career editing it full-time. You can find pictures of her and her dog on Instagram @look_its_brenna.
Kierstin Kessler
Lives in Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania
YA position: editorial associate, Jan 2019-present
What do you do? I’ve proofread/edited multiple chapbooks, read through submissions, and contributed edits to the final versions of two Yellow Arrow literary journal issues.
Did you go to Towson University? Yes, I graduated in December 2019.
Did you work for Towson’s Grub Street Literary Magazine? Yes! In one semester I was an assistant fiction editor, and in the other, I was the online creative nonfiction editor.
What are you currently working on? I am currently working on a few of my own projects, including a fiction book and a memoir.
Kierstin lives a relatively quiet life in Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania. She graduated from Towson University with a degree in English in December 2019. In her spare time, Kierstin enjoys reading and writing urban fantasy. Instagram her @kierstinkessler.
Alexa Laharty
Lives in Olympia, Washington
YA position: editorial associate, July 2019-Jan 2021, Creative Director, Jan 2021-present
What do you do? I edit creative nonfiction pieces for Yellow Arrow Journal and have recently begun to help with graphic design and layout for Yellow Arrow publications.
Did you go to Towson University? No.
What are you currently working on? I am currently writing my dissertation for my masters in Bioarchaeology.
Alexa grew up in Portland, Oregon (just a few blocks away from Gwen Van Velsor, Yellow Arrow’s founder!) before moving to Boston for college. She has spent the last several years living in England for graduate school where she studies archaeology. Due to the pandemic, she has returned to the Pacific Northwest and is enjoying being near family and the gorgeous outdoors. Find her on Instagram @alexaelisabeth.
Michelle Lin
Lives in Lutherville – Timonium, Maryland
YA position: marketing intern, Jan 2021-present
What do you do? I help Yellow Arrow with marketing. Some of these tasks include creating newsletters, updating Yellow Arrow’s website and calendar, creating Facebook events, writing and editing press releases, and creating weekly posts on Yellow Arrow’s social media platforms.
Did you go to Towson University? I am currently attending Towson University and will be graduating in Spring 2021.
Did you work for Towson’s Grub Street Literary Magazine? I did take part in Towson’s Grub Street Literary Magazine course. I was their online poetry editor for volume 69.
What are you currently working on? Outside of Yellow Arrow I am currently working on graduating from Towson University with a B.A. in English on the writing track.
Michelle is a student at Towson University who will be graduating in spring 2021. She had previously served as the Online Poetry Editor for volume 69 of Towson University’s literary magazine Grub Street. Michelle currently lives in Lutherville – Timonium with her family. During her downtime, she enjoys reading and writing poetry. To read more of her work, her writing can be found on Instagram @m.l_writes.
Siobhan McKenna
Currently living in Jacksonville, Florida
YA position: editorial associate, Dec 2019-present
What do you do? During my time with Yellow Arrow, I have worked with Kapua and the editorial team as an editorial assistant on three literary journals: Resilience, Home, and (Re)Formation, as well as on two chapbooks: Smoke the Peace Pipe by Roz Weaver and the samurai by Linda M. Crate. In preparation for the chapbook releases, I was honored to also interview both Roz and Linda about their pieces and the purpose of their work. In addition, I worked with Gwen and the bookbinding team to bind, by hand, Resilience.
Did you go to Towson University? No.
What are you currently working on? Outside of Yellow Arrow, I am a cardiac surgery ICU nurse; I care for patients recovering post-operatively from surgeries including heart and lung transplants and bypass grafts. This past year, I also was among the frontline workers caring for COVID-19 ICU patients. I am the editor of my unit’s newsletter and am actively involved with Dr. Laurel Braitman’s Writing in Medicine group – a virtual creative writing outlet for healthcare workers throughout the pandemic.
Siobhan is a middle child and a lover of bikepacking and practicing yoga. She enjoys writing essays, poetry, and long-winded letters to friends. For the past nine years Siobhan has lived in the charming city of Baltimore but beginning in the spring she will start work as an ICU travel nurse—moving to a different city every three months to work, write, and explore all that this crazy, broken, and beautiful country holds. You can follow her on Instagram @sio_han.
Madison Miller
Lives in Logan, Utah
YA position: editorial associate, Feb 2021-present
Did you go to Towson University? No.
What are you currently working on? I am currently a senior at Utah State University, and I am double majoring in English and Political Science.
Madison is currently a student at Utah State University and is so excited to be a part of the Yellow Arrow Team! Madison is originally from Southern California so getting used to the snow and cold weather has been a big adjustment for her. She is interested in Yellow Arrow’s mission statement of helping women become voices in literature because so often women’s voices have not been heard enough. Madison loves to read books and watch movies and TV shows. She is into Young Adult Fiction but has recently found a love in the classics like Little Women. Madison is grateful to be working for Yellow Arrow this year and cannot wait to see all the publications she gets to work on!
Deja Ryland
Lives in Baltimore, Maryland
YA position: grant writing intern, May-July 2020
What did you do? I researched grant opportunities that would be a good fit for Yellow Arrow, copyedited grants, assisted in writing portions of grants, synthesized data into a spreadsheet, helped draft letters of intent, created a survey, and was able to learn from and work alongside supportive and amazing women.
Did you go to Towson University? Yes, I graduated in August 2020.
What are you currently working on? Currently, I have a full-time job but continue to write poetry, short fiction stories, and nonfiction pieces in hopes of sharing my work and becoming a freelance writer. I am also currently learning how to play an acoustic guitar.
Deja is an emerging author. Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, she hopes to engage her boundless curiosity through her writing. She enjoys writing poetry, short stories, and nonfiction pieces. In her free time, she likes to take long walks in nature, exercise, eat, travel, and spend time with her family. Although she has no social media currently, be on the lookout for her name, which she aspires to be among collections of books or poetry on your bookshelves one day soon.
Thank you to everyone who supports these women and all writers who toil away day after day. Please show them some love in the comments below or on Yellow Arrow’s Facebook or Instagram. If interested in joining us as an editorial associate or intern, email staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com.
Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women writers through publication and access to the literary arts. To learn more about publishing, volunteering, or donating, visit yellowarrowpublishing.com.