Maureen Sherbondy grew up in Metuchen, New Jersey, and now resides in Raleigh, North Carolina, with her husband and three sons. Her poems have appeared in numerous publications, including European Judaism, Calyx, Feminist Studies, 13^th Moon, Cairn, Comstock Review, Crucible, The Roanoke Review and the Raleigh News & Observer. Three of Maureen's poems were finalists in the William Faulkner - William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition. Other poems have won first place in: The Deane Ritch Lomax Poetry Prize (Charlotte Writers' Club), The Lyricist Statewide Poetry Contest, and the Hart Crane Memorial Poetry Award from Kent State University. Main Street Rag published her first chapbook, After the Fairy Tale, in 2007. Praying at Coffee Shops was released in March, 2008. Maureen also writes fiction. Her stories have appeared in Stone Canoe, Sierra Nevada College Review, North Carolina Literary Review, Explosions: Writings on the Body, Reflections, Southeast Review, and other journals. Her short story collection, THE SLOW VANISHING, was published in 2009. Her latest poetry collection is Weary Blues (Big Table Publishing). Maureen teaches workshops on craft and publishing.