Michele McDannold

Michele McDannold is a poet, editor, publisher and literary activist. She was the Editor-in-Chief at Red Fez Publications for five years and is currently the editor/publisher at Citizens for Decent Literature. In 2010, she founded The Literary Underground, a grassroots effort committed to supporting independent artists, promoting diversity in creativity, and fostering community in the small press. She is the editor and organizer of the “This Is Poetry” project which includes an online publication, live events and an eight-volume series of poetry anthologies highlighting some of the best of what the small press has to offer. Michele comes from the Land of Lincoln, downstate Illinois, where the corn grows. She landed in the Northwest region of Indiana, following an epic roadtrip via the Magical Jeep in order to #takepoetry (everywhere).

Since moving into the Michigan City Uptown Artist Lofts, Michele has established a monthly literary reading series, “Legit AF,” focused on mingling a diverse mix of accomplished contemporary authors from across the nation with emerging regional talent and the Michigan City creative community at large. The Magical Jeep Distributing Lending Library was also established—a mobile, curated collection of small press books and zines. Michele is the mother of three children, now all taller than her, and a very proud grandmother. She has an extensive assortment of flannel and rubber chicken heads. Michele’s full-length poetry collection Stealing the Midnight from a Handful of Days is available from Punk Hostage Press.