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Writer's Bio & CV

Ronda Wicks Eller was born 1965 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. At the tender age of two, her parents moved the family to Curries and then into Woodstock, Ontario when she was four. She majored in Visual Arts and English Literary studies at College Avenue Secondary School, Woodstock. Afterward, she took a year of study at Tyndale College in Willowdale (where she also functioned as the Maxaipa yearbook co-editor during her freshman year), followed by Urban and Regional Planning Technology some years later at Fanshawe College, London, Ontario. For many years Ronda operated her own hobby business Graphics Plus - Miscellaneous Art Services while working various full time day jobs.

She has volunteered on numerous Boards (for 4 yr terms) in the following capacities:

Corporate Treasurer - Trillium Place Housing Co-operative, Woodstock

Vice-President - Parkview Heights Co-operative Homes, Woodstock

Recording Secretary - AWAC (Abused Women's Advocacy Committee), Woodstock

Co-Editor - Trillium Tattler, TPHC, Woodstock

National Media Coordinator - CPA, the Canadian Poetry Association 2004-2012

Ronda's focus on "the human condition" as it relates to people in need both physically and spiritually

resounds through her volunteerism as well as her written word, all of which can, and have, been described as a journey of heart and soul!

CURRENT Literary Affiliations:

Editor for Verse Afire Magazine, Toronto, ON (May, 2023 - )

Mitchell and Region Branch Manager for T.O.P.S., The Ontario Poetry Society (2018 - )

Administrative Assistant, Publication Layout and Designer for T.O.P.S., The Ontario Poetry Society (2019 - )

Editor for Canadian Beat Scene on Facebook, (2018 - )

Owner of SkyWing Press, Clinton, ON since 2007 (on Facebook - SkyWing Press)

PAST Literary Affiliations:

 

Secretary for London, ON Chapter of the Canadian Poetry Association, 2008 - 2022

Editor for Sojourner Literary Festival, 2017-2020

Admin for Canadian Poets Guild Drop-In on Facebook,  2012-2019

Consul for Canadian Poets Guild, 2016 - 2019

Moderator for Poemata Lit Mag - Canadian Poets Guild on Facebook,  2012 - 2016
National Media Coordinator for the Canadian Poetry Association, 2004-2012

Associate Member of the League of Canadian Poets, 2008/9

Co-owner - London Writers’ Resource Center’s poetry workshop "Participatepoet", 2003-05

Poetry In Progress: 

several manuscripts are in the compilation phase:

          Somewhere in Time; Reincarnated Poems, chapbook, SkyWing Press

          Sometimes Snow, chapbook, SkyWing Press

          The Big Swim; Planetary Poetry, trade book, publisher to be determined

          Too Much Coffee, chapbook, publisher to be determined

Novels In Progress (Update):

The From North to South Series: Reworking and compressing the first four books (Milton Side -- Love, Lies and Adaptation -- For Adam's Sake -- A Family Divided) into a single volume is now complete! The book will have the title of the third book "For Adam's Sake" as a title (tentatively) as the essence is the predominant theme. The manuscript is under review by potential publishers NOW! (March 2023). It is also with an established scriptwriter. The writing of a fifth book in the series Brother's Keeper has resumed.

 

Poetry in Publication (includes but is not limited to):

  • "Embedded in Your Brushwork", in Verse Afire Magazine, Vol. 1, No.1, January 2024, Beret Days Press, Toronto, ON

  • "beyond the rift", "Insurrection", "how will i remember?" and "Enthralled" in Translating the Cosmos - A Canadian Anthology of Verse, 2023, ISBN 978-1-926495-99-6, Beret Days Press, Toronto, ON 

  • 'Who, but They", in Across the Universe, Canadian Poetry Anthology, 2023, ISBN: 978-1-926-495-92-7, Beret Days Press, Toronto, ON

  • 'Ibyss Song', in Verse Afire, The Ontario Poetry Society, ISSN 1715-0280, June 2023 (previously published in 'The Lion and the Golden Calf' SkyWing Press, Clinton, ON, 2008)

  • 'Sunset Over WalMart', pg 123, Devour : Art and Lit Canada, Issue 016 - Spring Special Issue, 2023, Wet Ink Books

  • SALMAGUNDI - an omnium gatherum, 2023, Poetry Friendly Press, Toronto, ON ISBN: 978-1-926495-9-03 

  • 'The Lost Places', 'Look at You', 'You would', 'So Real', and 'Sail' in Phantom Parade - A Canadian Anthology of Verse, ISBN-13: 978-1-926495-85-9, Beret Days Press, October 2022

  • 'Giant Mouth', 'Poetic Urge' in The Ultra Best Short Verse 2022, ISBN: 978-926495-86-6, Beret Days Press, Toronto, August 2022

  • 'autonomy', 'black granite', and 'Line of Fire' in Battered Luggage - Jack Kerouac 100th Anniversary Celebration, ISBN 978-1-989573-02-0, July 2022, CBSpub (Canadian Beat Scene Publishing), Aldouane, New Brunswick

  • 'Poetic Catharsis', 'Life of a Poet' (poems) and 'The Greats that Never Leave Me Wanting' (article) in Awakening the Muses - Poems, Articles and Exercises to Get Your Muse to Help You Write More Poems, ISBN: 978-926495-83-5, May 2022, Beret Days Press, Toronto

  • 'Remembrances', 'Rock-a-Bye', 'White Crimson', 'No Lover', 'Swimming', 'My Console', in Executive Suite Anthology, Beret Days Press, Toronto, ON  ISBN 978-1-926495-80-4, January 2022

  • 'Touch', in World Poetry Anthology Vol. 4, Cooch Behar Magazine, Cooch Behar, India, October 2021

  • 'The Genius and the Beast', in Love Lies Bleeding Anthology (Contest Judge's Choice - George Swede), Beret Days Press, ISBN 978-926495-76-7, Toronto, 2021

  • 'Birthright', 'Ritual', Tamarack', These Woods Are Mine', and 'Within the Trees', in By the Wishing Tree; a Canadian Poetry Anthology, ISBN 978-1-926495-75-0, T.O.P.S. and Beret Days Press, Toronto, 2021

  • 'The Alliance, or The Double Vision of Michael Robartes Made Full', in The Celebration of Poetry 20th Anniversary Anthology, ISBN 978-1- 926495-73-6, Beret Days Press, Toronto, 2021

  • 'Onion Love', in Verse Afire, The Ontario Poetry Society, ISSN 1715-0280, January 2021 (previously published in 'Hoofprints on the Moon', SkyWing Press, Clinton, ON 2019)

  • 'Where the Dream Begins' in The Ultra Best Short Verse Anthology, ISBN:978-1-926495-68-2, October 2020, Beret Days Press, Toronto

  • 'Wedding With No Blood', in Beliveau Review Vol. 1, No. 1, Issue 1, August 2020, Beliveau Books, Stratford, ON,  ISSN 2563-3619

  • 'Somewhere -- Ste. Julian', 'These Are Your Forests' and 'Shadows to Shadows' in Infinite Passages; Anthology of Canadian Verse, T.O.P.S., Beret Days Press, Toronto, ON, 2020 ISBN 978-1-926495-66-8

  • 'I Fall In', in Rain on the Brain Anthology, Beret Days Press, Toronto, June 2020, ISBN 978-1-926495-67-5

  • 'Touch' in Verse Afire, The Ontario Poetry Society, ISSN 1715-0280, April 2020

  • 'Unchecked', in Taking a Dip in the Poetry Pool Anthology, Beret Days Press, Toronto, April 2020, ISBN 978-1-926495-65-1

  • 'Here I Sit' in Verse Afire, The Ontario Poetry Society, ISSN 1715-0280, January 2020

  • Field - Haiku and Senryu, a chapbook of haiku, senryu and haikai by "kinshu ori" (Ronda Wicks Eller),  HMS Press, London, ON in  January 2020, ISBN 978-1-55253-083-2

  • 'The Palmreader' in Synaeresis: arts & poetry journal, January 2020, Vol. 1, No.4, Issue 8, Harmonia Press, Stratford, ON, ISSN 2371-6940

  • 'High Ground', 'We Did Not Die', and 'The Gallery's Black Watch', in Roll Call; Days of War Anthology, November 2019, SkyWing Press, Clinton, ON, ISBN 978-1-9990964-5-8

  • 'If Only Just This Night' in We Are Beat, National Beat Festival Anthology, (August 2019) National Beat Poetry Foundation Inc., New Haven, CT, ISBN:  978-1-9510536-6-6 (previously published in "Hoofprints on the Moon", April 2019, SkyWing Press, Clinton, ON)

  • 'On Visiting Ancestral Lands' in Dancing on Stones Anthology, T.O.P.S., Beret Days Press, Toronto, ON, 2019 ISBN 978-1-926495-59-0

  • 'This Trinket' and 'Static' in Synaeresis: arts & poetry journal, June 2018, Vol. 2, No. 1, Harmonia Press, Stratford, ON, ISSN 2371-6940

  • 'Witch of the Caves' in Dancing on Stones Anthology, T.O.P.S., Beret Days Press, Toronto, ON, 2019 ISBN 978-1-926495-59-0 (previously published in The Lion and the Golden Calf, 2008, SkyWing Press, Clinton, ON)

  • "Ashram of Love"River Bones Press, Richibucto, NB, 2019  ISBN: 978-0-9738671-8-3

  • "Hoofprints On The Moon", SkyWing Press, Clinton, ON, 2019;  ISBN: 978-0-9809335-8-1

  • 'Her Final Coming of Age' in Verse Afire, The Ontario Poetry Society, Toronto, ON ISSN 1715-0280 (previously published in The Lion and the Golden Calf, 2008, SkyWing Press, Clinton, ON)

  • 'Prostate in Byzantium' in Tamaracks; Canadian Poetry for the 21st Century Anthology, Lummox Press, Long Beach, CA, USA, 2018         ISBN 978-0-9997784-2-5

  • 'This Trinket' in Synaeresis : arts & poetry journal, Vol. 2 No. 1, Harmonia Press, London, ON, 2018 ISSN 2371-6940

  • "Creative Misinterpretations", a collaborative poetry collection between Ronda Wicks Eller, Daniel Kolos and Filomena Pisano, 2017, HMS Press, London, ON ISBN 978-1-55253-087-0

  • 'What I Would Like' in Open Hearts Poetry Anthology, Feb 2017, Beret Days Press, Toronto, ON

  • Haiku For Japan, OM-Times Magazine, May 2011 online, in magazine and recorded on video, 1 / 200 haiku from thousands of international submissions

  • 'Venus - The Muse that Accompanies Us' and 'Venus - Fellowship Among Kin' in Poemata Silver Anniversary Edition 2010, Canadian Poetry Association Vol 25 No 01, pg 34, ISSN 12036595

  • Labour of Love Literary Journal, Coffeehouse Publications, Toronto, ON June 2008, ISSN 1192-621X

  • 'Night Subterfuge' poem and 'Why Poetry Matters; We Absorb, Reflect and Process in Poetic Renaissance' article in Dance With Your Words  Journal, Palabras Press, BC, March Issue, 2008 

  • "The Lion and the Golden Calf", SkyWing Press, Clinton, ON 2008 ISBN-13 987-0-9809335-0-5 (Literary Reviews in Poemata, CPA Vol 23 No 01, 2008)

  • "Canadian Zen Haiku Canadienne Quarterly", Adonis Press (under haijin name “kinshu ori”), Spring/Summer/Fall Issues 2008, ISSN 1705-4508

  • 'The Warring Fields' in Twelfth Key; Viva la Vida de Frida Anthology, 2008 , Pendas Productions, London, ON, 2008 

  • 'Turtle God' in "MythWeavers; Canadian Myths and Legends Anthology", Serengeti Press, Waterdown, ON, 2007, ISBN 978-0-9738458-8-4

  • 'Ibyss Song' in Poemata", Canadian Poetry Association Vol 22 No 02, 2007 ISSN 12036595 pg 17, Cartoonist credit: pg 26

  • 'White Crimson' and 'Tooth on Tooth' in The Innisfree Poetry Journal, Sept Issue 2007 

  • "Whale Songs in the Aurora Borealis", HMS Press, EBIP, London, ON, 2005 ISBN 1-55253-060-4; (Literary Reviews + selected poems in Poemata, CPA Vol 21 No 03, 2005; More reviews in Poemata, CPA Vol 21, No 01, 2006 ISSN    12036595)

  • "My Harmonic Perfection", HMS Press and Atlantic Disk Publishers, London, ON, 1995, ISBN 1-895700-02-7

  • 'Emulsive Hand' in The Sounds of Silence; Anthology of Verse, The Poetry Guild, Toronto, ON 1997, ISBN 1-57553-426-6 ; simultaneously published in audio format for the visually impaired

  • 'Do Not Sleep' in In Days Gone By; Anthology of Verse, The National Library of Poetry, Owings Mills, Baltimore, MD, USA, 1997

 

Individual Poem Awards:

Ronda is not an avid entrant in poetry competitions. 

  • "beyond the rift", "Insurrection", "how will i remember?" and "Enthralled" - 4 Honourable Mentions - Translating the Cosmos Contest, September 2023, The Ontario Poetry Society

  • 'Who, but They' - 2nd Place Award - Across the Universe Contest, May 2023, The Ontario Poetry Society

  • 'Giant Mouth' and 'Poetic Urge' - 2 Judge's Choice Awards -  Ultra Best Short Verse Contest, September 2022, The Ontario Poetry Society

  • 'The Genius and the Beast' - Judge's Choice Award - in Love Lies Bleeding Anthology Contest, June 2021, The Ontario Poetry Society

  • 'Where the Dream Begins" - Judge's Choice Award -  Ultra Short Poetry Contest, October 2020, The Ontario Poetry Society

  • 'I Fall In' - Honourable Mention - Rain on the Brain Contest,  June 2020, The Ontario Poetry Society

  • 'Unchecked' - Honourable Mention - Dippity Doo Dah Contest, April 2020, The Ontario Poetry Society 

  • 'The Palmreader' - Pushcart Prize Nominee, 2020 - nominated by Harmonia Press

  • 'This Trinket' - Pushcart Prize Nominee, 2018 - nominated by Harmonia Press

  • 'What I Would Like' - Honourable Mention - Open Hearts Poetry Contest, Feb 2017, The Ontario Poetry Society

  • 'Inner Planetary' - Judge's Choice - Epic Proportions Poetry Contest, Jan 2017, The Ontario Poetry Society

  • 'Do Not Sleep' - Editor's Choice - "In Days Gone By; Anthology of Verse", 1997, The National Library of Poetry, Owings Mills, Baltimore, MD

Poetry on Radio:
 

'Villanelle For Here and Now', in English and Farsi, on Ottawa Persian Radio Namaashoum CKCU 93.1 FM, with Mansour Noorbakhsh (translator) March 14, 2022 (available for replay HERE)



External Links:

Twitter: @RWicksEller

Youtube Account: Ronda Eller

 

Canadian Poet Ronda Eller Facebook Page

 

The Consul-General and the Poets ("Crossing the Lines" 2008 Poetry Event) - Descant Review; This web page has been recently taken off-line so the link is defunct. Ronda is looking to see if she has a copy of the text and gain permission to include it on a page of this site some time in the future.

Artwork in Publication:

Caricatures, Poemata CPA Vol 21 No 03, 2005

"Hemi and the Whale", Sesame Journal, Sesame Institute UK and International, Spring 2009 No.9

Cover Art for The Ultra Best Short Verse Anthology, 2020-22, Beret Days Press

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