EDITOR IN CHIEF; FOUNDING EDITOR
R. Renee Branca earned her master’s and doctorate in literature at Binghamton University. She is currently the director of the Binghamton University Lyceum (College of Community and Public Affairs), where her focus is on community engagement and higher education non-profit administration. She is the author of the story collection I Would For You (2024). Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in december, Cagibi, Sixfold, Bowery Gothic, Harpur Palate and elsewhere.
Visit her at r-renee-branca.com.
MANAGING EDITOR; FOUNDING EDITOR
Ethan Knox (he/him) graduated from Binghamton University in 2020 after studying English with a concentration in creative writing. He works as a communications manager for his alma mater and is a published academic and science journalist. He is the 2020 recipient of the Portia Dunham Award in Fiction. His goal in this project is to help diverse voices tell compelling stories, especially those that might not fit elsewhere. If you can’t find him working on a fiction writing project, he is probably reading a novel, listening to podcasts about cryptids or making a list.
Still curious? Check out his social media at @knoxet17 or www.ethan-knox.com.
PROSE EDITORS
Lauren Garnett graduated from Binghamton University in 2017 after studying psychology and went on to earn her master’s from the University of Massachusetts at Boston in school counseling. She currently works at Binghamton University as the senior staff assistant to the Vice Provost for International Education and Global Affairs, where she is grateful to have the opportunity to work with faculty, staff and students from around the world. Lauren loves storytelling of all kinds and is excited to help others share their work with this new project. When she isn’t writing, she loves to crochet, knit and watch horror movies.
She is the author of The Spiraling, the first book in her debut fantasy series, and you can find her at @l.a.garnett.author or www.l-a-garnett.com.
Amber Gates studied biology at Cazenovia College for her undergraduate degree, with minors in philosophy and studio art. She is working on her master’s in English at Binghamton University. She currently works as a resident director on Binghamton’s campus, where she runs a residential hall with a focus on student success and student retention. Amber joined Eleventh Hour Literary to take her passion for reading and writing to the next level while helping others become successful writers. If she doesn’t have a book in her hands, she’s probably tending to her plants or buying toys for her cat.
POETRY EDITORS
Hannah Nathanson is a surrealist poet who believes creation in the face of rejection is central to the role of a working artist. Currently, she is an MFA candidate at Stony Brook University’s Manhattan Center. She has been the recipient of an Academy of American Poets Prize, and her first chapbook, Alternative Universes, was released with Bone & Ink Press. Her poetry has been featured in magazines such as Dollar Store Magazine, Hot Pot, Gone Lawn, Rejection Letters and Peach Mag. Her journalistic prose has been featured in the likes of The Travel, Patch Media and The Buffalo News. You can learn more at hannahnathanson.wixsite.com/poetry.
Arthur Turfa earned a master’s in history from Binghamton in 1996. Originally from Pennsylvania, he and his family have lived in the Midlands of South Carolina since 2004. He is retired from careers in education, the Lutheran Church and the US Army Reserves. A poet/writer, his works have appeared in print and online publications, including The Petigru Review, LIT eZINE, and the Alien Buddha’s Best of 2024. An active member of the South Carolina Writers Association, he is also a fiction reader for the Northern Appalachia Review. His most recent publication is a short story collection, Epiphanies, from Alien Buddha in 2023.
Abigail Cornelia is an artist and arts professional living and working in Philadelphia, Penn. She received her bachelor’s degree in English from Binghamton University and currently serves as the communications and development coordinator for the Wagner Free Institute of Science. In her creative work, Cornelia uses both text and visual mediums to reconstruct domestic messes and translate personal experiences into tangible artifacts.
VISUAL ART EDITOR
Douglas Russell holds a degree in cinema from Binghamton University and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in technology management at SUNY Polytechnic Institute. He also holds degrees in marketing and information systems technology and serves as the assistant director of technical support for information technology services at Binghamton University. While his professional background is rooted in technology, his passions lie in film, visual media and contemporary art. He is a practicing artist specializing in found object assemblage, holds an IMDb credit for visual effects on the indie film Waiting on Alphie and serves as a technical director for the annual LUMA Projection Arts Festival in Binghamton.
READERS
Sarah Ford received her doctorate in American culture studies from Bowling Green State University and her master’s from the NEOMFA program. She currently works as a lecturer in digital and data studies at Binghamton University, where she talks about being online far too much. Her academic work has appeared in the Journal of Fandom Studies and New Media & Society, among other publications.
Michelle L. Gardner holds a bachelor’s in English from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and a master’s degree in systems science from Binghamton University. She is a certified fund-raising executive (CFRE) and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. By day, she holds the position of senior supervising director of foundation relations in the Division of Advancement at Binghamton; by night, she is working on a highly personal CNF passion project about Britain’s turn-of-the-century Home Child immigration scheme.
Ellie Noti has a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in writing studies from Binghamton University. She has had a passion for words since she was old enough to read them, and has been writing since she was old enough to hold a pencil. Her written work appears in PETTY Magazine and other projects scattered throughout New York State.
Taylor Veneto is currently working towards earning her bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing, with a minor in digital and data studies, from Binghamton University. She is also a member of the Scholars Program at the university. In her free time, she enjoys both reading and writing fantasy and horror, but is always interested in exploring other genres.
Matthew Smearing is a second-semester master’s student in the comparative literature department at Binghamton University. He strives to publish and showcase works that highlight underrepresented communities and issues, and he joined the journal because he loves reading works to see all the different styles and manners in which people write.
SOCIAL MEDIA INTERN
Evelyn Mital is a current freshman majoring in business administration. She is from Long Island, N.Y., and first explored SEO marketing through an internship for a nonprofit. Since then, she has explored many different areas of business and published a research paper about the effects of price conformity on demand. Her interests outside of business include running, painting, art history and mixed martial arts.
ELEVENTH HOUR LITERARY 