Author Biographies 2013

Sean Allen
Sean currently teaches English at Bellevue College, having earned a Bachelor’s degree in English Teaching from the University of Washington and an M.Ed in TESOL from Seattle University in 2005. He enjoys writing music, prose, and taking pictures in his spare time.

Andy Brucia
Andy Brucia has worked at northwest colleges for a decade, and at BC for over 2 Brucia hadshotyears.  Brucia has been a writer and general smart-ass for most of his life.  His humor pieces have appeared in the Seattle Times and Portland Oregonian, and his fiction has appeared in Xpat and Byline Magazine, among others.  His work is full-bodied with a strong finish, with hints of cinnamon and notes of persimmon.  Wait, that’s this wine.

 

Cameron Brandy
brandy headshotCameron Brandy was born in Dayton, Ohio and moved to Washington with his family when he was ten years old. He currently attends Bellevue College where he tutors Spanish, writes for the school paper, and occasionally studies. I would like to thank my English Professor, Jim Dicus, for encouraging this typically self-critical writer to submit my works for publishing.

 

 

 

Ashley Claytor
Ashley is nineteen years old and a full time student at Bellevue College. This is her second Claytroyear at Bellevue College, as she graduated high school with 45 college credits from the Running Start program. After high school Ashley decided to finish her Associates Degree and then transfer to a four-year University. She is still waiting upon acceptance for the University of Washington, and plans to graduate from Bellevue in the Spring of 2013.

 

 


beasley headshot
Mike Beasley

Mike has been teaching part-time English for nearly 20 years in California, Michigan, and Washington.  He started playing guitar when he was 16 and have been more or less playing ever since.  Mike is a songwriter trying to publish songs, having tracked and produced his own cd of originals.  Mike has also written a number of poems. “I’ve got a book’s worth of poems by now,” he thinks, so he’s planning to try to publish them.

 

 

Taylor Dumas
Taylor is currently a senior at Mt. Si High School and a sophomore at Bellevue College, and will be transferring to Western Washington University in the fall to major in communication. Though photography has been something Taylor has devoted to spare time, Taylor wishes to focus more on photography in the future.

 

Chelsea Gordon is one of the Belletrist’s hard-working staff members and a student here at Bellevue College. 

 

colacurcio headshotKarli Colacurcio

Currently a Running Start student, Colacurcio has managed to maintain her grades and drive through moves and poverty. Soon to be the second person in her family to receive a college degree (her mother receiving her’s just the year before) and intends to push further for her bachelors. She is thankful to Bellevue College for the opportunity and encouragement to acquire such accomplishments, because, “however trivial others may perceive them, they mean the world to me.”

 

 

George Leickly is one or two things from Redmond. Additionally, he is an adjunct tutor in English and Philosophy at Bellevue College. He cannot be found in his spare time. George lives at his home and writes there too. One time his work was published, but he doesn’t talk about that.

 

SusanGillin_Belletrist_croppedSusan Gillin An online student at Bellevue College studying marketing, Gillin has had a successful career in journalism and public relations and is now trying her hand at her first love, creative writing.

 

 

 

 

Keegan Holden
Keegan Holden started shooting 35mm film as a freshmen in high school, and fell in love holden headshotwith photography. Now a junior, Holden has delved into the digital realm. His influences are Lee Friedlander, Philippe Halsman, Cary Kodama and his father, Michael Holden.

 

 

 

Jeff Harman
Jeff is a Bellevue College transfer student in his final year at BC. At BC he has written a few short stories, including “Aspie.” He has also taken a major part in BC’s Film Production’s Club, at which he has worked on several movie projects. His hope is to transfer to CWU, to pursue a degree in film production. His dream is to become a filmmaker in the style of Kurosawa or Scorsese.

 

Katie Kapugi
Katie grew up in the woods of Northern Idaho and attended college in Gainesville Florida.  katiekapugiShe has a Bachelors of Arts in English and an Associates degree in Graphic Design Technology.  She has currently returned to the Northwest to pursue a passion in Art Therapy, and is attending Bellevue College in order to bridge the gap to her next career direction.  Her poetry has previously been published in Santa Fe College’s journal Tracings.

 

 

Tara Kraft
Tara is an art student at Bellevue College and the president of the Bellevue College Art Club.  She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Duke University in 2002 and began her studies at BC in Fall 2011.  You may recognize her from the life-sized, anamorphic self-portrait featured in the 2012 student show, or from her work on the Art Club’s mural celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr.  She also won the staff’s choice award at the 2012 Utrecht Paint-Out.

 

Cynthia LaBleu
 Cynthia doesn’t ask an audience to try to interpret what she’s saying, rather asking LaBlue selfportrait 150them to look inside themselves – and for that, some people are uncomfortable. Looking at art is boring; experiencing art invites you to participate in its creation; we see through the filters of our life; our history, prejudices, experiences, dogmas and spirit. To some, Cynthia’s art asks for more than they are willing to give, and that’s okay by her.

 

 

Erin Cormier Lowe
Erin Lowe is a student and writer at Bellevue College. She splits her timelowe headshot between Sammamish, WA and the San Juan Islands with her husband, Phil, ten year old triplet boys and a nine year old daughter. She graduated from the University of Washington in 2000 with a BS in Computer Science and Software Systems.

 

 

 

Kathleen A. Magner
Kathleen A. Magner works as a Reference and Instruction Librarian at both Bellevue and MagnerheadshotPierce College while writing and editing urban, historical, and traditional fantasy novels, mainstream short stories, and the short fiction viewable on her blog: A window out of the everyday. With a passion for history, travel, and sports, she endeavors to incorporate the past, vibrant settings from across the globe, and action in all of her writing and professional work.

 

 

Mervis J. Miller
mervheadshot Mervis is the father of six, with one grandson. Among Mervis’ eclectic pastimes, he is an ex-boxer and enjoys riding horses. His new venture is writing, and will have a book coming out soon called “Cages”.

 

 

 

Lusi Muradyan: no bio available

Jeffery Perry
Jeffery has been at Bellevue College for 2 1/2 years. Having completed the Operations System Support Specialist program here, he is at present taking classes to gain a transfer degree in Information Technology, specializing in Business Intelligence.

Leah Prestwood
Leah is a self-proclaimed amateur in digital photography and has never before had a work published. Working toward a second two-year degree at Bellevue College, Leah has enjoyed the BC experience.

Daniel Rasmus is a former Visiting Liberal Arts Fellow of Bellevue College and a poet with numerous publications and awards.

Allison Riegal
Allison has been writing since a very young age and has been accepted to Seattle Pacific University with the best scholarship offered and plans to attend next fall.

Andrea Smith
andrea smith headshotAndrea’s interest in photography started three years ago whil camping on Mt. Rainier. I plan to do a BFA in photography although I have had no formal education in the art so far.  I like shooting portraiture, macro and still life.  With photography, my dream job is to work for National Geographic and be a travel photographer.

 

Eva Stone

Eva is teacher of dance at Bellevue College and an accomplished choreographer currently working with the collectives Chop Shop and the Stone Dance Collective.

Marissa Taylor
Marissa is a published poet and an award winning persuasive speaker.
Her dream is to become a celebrated screenwriter. She writes everything from
short films, prose, fiction, non-fiction, poems, to movie reviews. She is currently
working on creating her own mini-series.

Callie Turner
no bio available

Nicholas Vergara
Nicholas is an alumnus of Bellevue College, having received his AAS during the summer of 2012. He vergarais  currently working towards honors degrees in paleontology and economics at Montana State University. A true blue Texan raised on the West Coast, his interests and morbid fascinations include writing satire, surrealism and philosophy; Jurassic Park; politics; and music. (On a side note, it should be duly acknowledged that, when satire, surrealism, philosophy, Jurassic Park, politics, and music are put together, a convincing caricature of America is formed.)

 

 

Max Wang

no bio available

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