Image by Arshia Khan
Erin Wood
Erin Wood, Et Alia Owner and Director, publishes, edits, and writes in Little Rock, Arkansas. She is the author of Women Make Arkansas (April, 2019) and editor of Scars: An Anthology (2015). Experience editing dozens of books for Et Alia and other clients, and the manuscripts of more than 500 writers at all levels and across genres, informs her as she edits energetically and thoughtfully.
Her experience as a writer also influences her work with authors. Her work has been a notable in The Best American Essays and nominated for a Pushcart Prize and is forthcoming or has appeared in The Sun, Creative Nonfiction Magazine’s “Sunday Shorts,” Scary Mommy, The Rumpus, Catapult, River Teeth’s Beautiful Things, Psychology Today, Ms. Magazine's Blog, Entropy, The Woven Tale Press, Tales from the South, and elsewhere.
Erin has an AB in English from Duke University, a JD from Georgia State University College of Law, and an MA in professional and technical writing from University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Visit her at Wood Writing and Editing.
Amy Ashford
Amy Ashford, Graphic Artist, has provided award-winning cover design and layout for Et Alia from her hometown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, since 2017. She holds a BFA from Louisiana State University with a concentration in Printmaking. In addition, she has studied at SVA and Parsons in New York City. Projects for Et Alia include the interior layout and cover design for nearly every Et Alia book, including hand-illustration for the award-winning covers of Women Make Arkansas and Can Everybody Swim? Her other clients include specialty foods companies which fuel her passion for food and drink. Visit her at Ashford Design Studio.
Isabel Wood
Izzy Wood, Junior Editor and Author, shares, “I never thought I’d start my writing career in September of 2020, when I was eight years old. One day, I was looking at my activity book called The Big Book of Fun. On the front cover is a picture of a mamma bird giving her baby a worm. The baby said, “Thanks Mom, but could you supersize that?” After I saw this illustration, it was all over. I set it aside, grabbed a pencil and paper, and started my first book called Diary of a Blue Jay! It has illustrations of joyful, cute characters and a little text. When it was finished, and I read it to my family, it was a big hit around my house. The next thing I knew, it had become a series. I’ve continued adding to my Diary of a Blue Jay series and have made several other series, too! Would you believe I’ve written more than 200 books? These days, they have more text than pictures, and some are about vampires while others are about every day human life, fictionalized.
I have always enjoyed helping my mom edit picture books like Adam Gets Back in the Game, Cartwheels, From Cotton to Silk, Beanies, and Butterfly Dreams.
Besides books, my life is pretty great. But there are some things that’ve really scarred me permanently, like my Bullmastiff Sumo passing away of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and being one of the only kids in my grade who isn’t the best at math or sports (and doesn’t like them much). But not all things are bad. I have a best friend named Sofia and two wonderful parents who love and take care of me.
My mom’s business has inspired me to follow my dreams and go my own path. Finally being an official member of Et Alia Press is a dream. I feel like one of the luckiest kids ever. Stay tuned for my new book releases on the website, because I’m at work!”
Kyla Oler
Kyla Oler, Spring 2024 Intern, is a senior in the Schedler Honors College at the University of Central Arkansas. She is majoring in Creative Writing and minoring in Interdisciplinary Studies. After graduation, Kyla plans to pursue a master’s degree in Library Sciences, with the hopes of creating programs for libraries that foster community engagement and develop youth reading programs. In her free time, she enjoys writing creative nonfiction pieces, overanalyzing movies, and attempting to create origami.
Past Interns and Contributors
Image by Melissa McCrotty Photography
Gabrielle Elaine Thurman
Gabrielle Thurman, Fall 2021 - Spring 2022 Intern and 2023 Editorial Assistant, is a junior in the Schedler Honors College at the University of Central Arkansas. A pre-law Creative Writing major with a minor in marketing, Gabby plans to pursue a career in the publishing industry. She currently juggles being Editor-in-Chief at The Vortex Magazine of Literature and Fine Art with finding time to pour herself into her own writing. Her creative works have appeared in Infinite Worlds Science Fiction Magazine, 365 Tomorrows, The Elephant Ladder, Surreal Poetics, and The Global Poemic.
Macklin Luke
Macklin Luke, Spring 2023 Intern, is a senior at the University of Central Arkansas, majoring in creative writing and minoring in Spanish and Chinese. Whether it be writing poetry or studying dialects, she has a love for all things language. She is a judge for the poetry and script sections of UCA’s undergraduate literary magazine, Vortex, and in her spare time, enjoys movies, video games, and anything animated.
Melanie A. Wilson
Melanie A. Wilson, Fall 2022 Intern, is an MFA candidate at the University of Central Arkansas. She is pursuing her degree in Creative Writing and is working on a young adult fantasy series and a correlating Dungeons & Dragons campaign module. She is currently the nonfiction editor for the online literary magazine, Arkana, and has previously interned for Trio House Press and the literary magazine, The Laurel Review. She has featured blogs on the Arkana online blog and has publications in the genres of poetry and fiction. You can check out her work at melanieawilson.work. Image by Derrick Rose.
Tillie Lefforge
Tillie Lefforge, Summer 2022 Intern, is a rising sophomore at Hendrix College majoring in English - Creative Writing. At Hendrix, she is a Murphy Scholar in Literature and Language and hosts a radio show with KHDX. She also serves on the staff of the Aonian literary magazine, where she is a published writer and poet. When she’s not reading magical realism or writing creative essays, she’s likely collaging, practicing yoga, or walking her border collie named Banksy.
Rye Hazlett
Rye Hazlett, Spring 2021 Intern, is a sophomore English Creative Writing major with a minor in business at Hendrix College, where she is a Murphy Scholar in Literature and Language. Growing up with an English professor for a dad, she has known from a young age that her passions lie in literature and writing. When she’s not busy working on new poetry, Rye enjoys kayaking, listening to new music, and spending time with her friends. Rye’s internship is supported in part by a stipend from the Hendrix-Murphy Foundation.
maia henderson
Maia Henderson, Fall 2020 Intern. Maia is a senior English Creative Writing major at Hendrix College, where she is a Murphy Scholar in Literature and Language. She has a love for all things surrounding words and creation. When she is not gripping an ink pen or tapping across a keyboard, she is happily buried in music, law interests, and becoming a voice for the voiceless people who look like her. Maia’s internship is supported in part by a stipend from the Hendrix-Murphy Foundation.
Emma Lassiter
Emma Lassiter, Spring/Fall 2020 intern, is a senior at the University of Central Arkansas majoring in creative writing and minoring in French. She is Editor-in-Chief of UCA’s undergraduate literary magazine, Vortex, and has interned with Oxford American. In her free time, she enjoys playing the guitar and figure skating.
Angela Dribben
Angela Dribben, Spring 2020 Intern, is pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing in Pacific Lutheran University’s Rainier Writing Workshop. She graduated from Randolph Macon Woman’s College in Lynchburg, VA with a BA in Sociology. She serves on the board of Airlie Press. She is a poet and essayist preoccupied with sharing her own vulnerability and holding space for others to do the same. When she isn’t writing, she is kept busy with her two favorite redheads. Find her at angeladribben.com or on Instagram at @angeladribbenwriter.
Want to know the story of the miraculous rescue of her sweet pooch who came to her from the brink? Watch on Youtube.
Lindsey Fisher
Lindsey Fisher, Summer 2020 Intern, is pursuing an MA in English with a creative writing emphasis at Mississippi State University. She graduated from University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a creative thesis in poetry and a love for the Romantics. She is a poet and also enjoys writing outdoor travel articles. When she is not writing or completing graduate work, she loves to hike and kayak around The Natural State.
Image by Alex Veliz
Kaylene Veliz
Kaylene Veliz, Fall 2019 Intern, is a Rhetoric and Writing and Psychology double major at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock where she dedicates her time to the University's Writing Center. She is bilingual in English and Spanish. Kaylene is a freelance writer, and enjoys poetry, trying new foods, and being outdoors in her free time.
Kaitlin Lowe
Kaitlin Lowe, 2018-2019 Publisher’s Assistant, is a junior English major at Hendrix College. She writes for Hendrix's newspaper, the Profile, and serves on the staff of a literary magazine, the Aonian. She reads and writes about reading at ReadWriteRevue.
LIZ LARSON
Liz Larson, Et Alia’s Fall 2018 Intern and Copyeditor, is a member of the Arkansas Writers MFA Workshop at the University of Central Arkansas. She is a photographer, artist, and writer exploring Central Arkansas’ past through fiction and a wry lens. She serves on the staff of Arkana and blogs about place at marrowandbone.blog.
Victoria Mays
Victoria Mays, 2018 Intern, is pursuing a MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Central Arkansas. She is a freelance editor and writer. When she’s not crafting stories, she is inspiring people through her blog, Soul-Liberation.
vivian boe
Vivian Boe, Summer 2018 Intern, is a native of Little Rock, Arkansas, where she graduated from Mount St. Mary Academy. Now a rising Sophomore at Davidson College in North Carolina, she plans to major in English with a minor in Gender and Sexuality Studies. In her free time, she enjoys trying to make a dent in her room’s ever-growing stack of books.
Kathryn Olivero
Kathryn Oliverio (“Kathy”), Layout and IT, is the Academic Editor and Director of Military Student Success at University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Prior to joining the UALR Provost's office, Kathy served for 20 years in the Air Force, retiring in 2000. In the Air Force, Kathy held various senior-enlisted leadership positions, and was a military training instructor (drill sergeant) for 7 years. She holds an MA in Professional and Technical Writing from UALR. Projects for Et Alia include the index for The Mud & The Lotus: A Guide and Workbook for Students of Yoga, and the interior layouts for The Only World You Get, Can Everybody Swim?, Scars: An Anthology, and The President Next Door.