Annette Hope Billings is an award-winning author hailed for a dynamic delivery of poetry. She has been dubbed "The M aya of the Midwest" by some readers. She received the 2025 Topeka ArtsConn ect Arty Award for Literature. Her work includes poetry\, short stories an d plays. A registered nurse for decades before Billings began to write ful l-time\, her \;penchant for caring is evident in her words. Her books include a collection of poetry A Net Full of Hop e and a book of affirmations Descants for a Daughter. Bi llings' work has been published in journals and periodicals as well as sev eral anthologies of poetry and short stories. Billings recently \;won the 2026 Kansas Governor's Arts Award for Excellence in Artistic Achieveme nt in Literature.
\nDr. Jennifer Gordon is a retired Topeka Public S chool Administrator. She began writing poetry more than 50 years ago when she was in high school. She has quietly continued to write and to share he r poetry. Gordon is proud to have had several of her poems published in th e Salina Journal and The Kindred Spirit. She is in a phase of renewed ener gy about her writing and engaging in the &ldquo\;spoken word&rdquo\;. Gord on has participated in a number of Open Mic events sponsored by Black Lawr ence and the First Wednesday Speak Easy Open Mic. She has performed her po etry\, Sherheroes Unsung: Women of My Village at Ad Astra Books a nd Coffee in Salina. Gordon is working to publish her first book of poetry Some Women Are Mothers - Some Women Are Heroes.
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