Susan Warren Utley Email and Phone Number

Dear Lovely Contributor,Thank you for considering Haunted Waters Press. We are an independent publisher located in the shadows of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia along the banks of the Shenandoah River. We publish works from new, emerging, and established writers. We are interested in stories that entertain us, stories that captivate us, but most of all, stories that haunt us. We look forward to reading your work!Susan Warren UtleySavannah Renée Spidalieri Editors, Haunted Waters Press What we are looking for…Our goal is to bring to our readers engaging fiction in the forms of poetry, prose poetry, short stories, and novellas. We welcome both the profound and the quirky. We are open to most styles and genres of fiction and enjoy all forms of poetry. While some selections are made available in electronic formats and traditional print, others will be offered as handbound originals and paper ephemera as we strive to celebrate the art of the book and letterpress printing. Our print studio consists of three presses including the Cooks Victor, the Baltimore #14, and a vintage sign press. If you are new to Haunted Waters Press, we encourage you to visit our website to get to know us better. There you will find news and information about our small press and links to recent publications. Downloading free copies of our latest issues will help you get a better feel for the kinds of work we tend to publish and the level of attention paid to each and every published piece. From the Depths features custom artwork inspired by our contributors’ works to create a cohesive collection of prose, poetry, and art. It truly is a labor of love. We hope you enjoy what has been described as “one of the most compelling and beautifully illustrated literary journals.”Please visit HWP News and our Submissions page for the latest updates on open submissions and writing contests.

Lead artist and designer with Haunted Waters Press. Primary works include cover art and featured illustrations of the literary journal From the Depths and the HWP Poster Collections. Specialize in crafting scenes and images to convey the ideas and emotions of the individual author or poet. Mediums include photography, drawings, paintings, typography, mixed media, and computer-generated images.

“Much to my parent’s dismay, I grew up telling everyone who would listen that I was adopted or switched at birth, neither of which was true. When asked why I made up such a story, I respond, “Maybe I just wanted a life less ordinary.” Or maybe it was just a sign that I would grow up to become a storyteller.Sometime around the age of eight, I started writing. It began with a short essay about my true encounters with two houseflies by the names of Charlie and Freckles and continued with stories about an invisible blind cat who ran into furniture and a giant talking turtle who stalked me in the basement; all characters in my life less ordinary.Now that I'm all grown up, my roles as daughter, sister, wife, and mother have taught me that the unexpected twists and turns of real life are at the heart of every good story. Still, the child within embraces the origins of my writing, and I never underestimate the power of a talking turtle.”-Susan Warren Utley

For a little over five years, I worked for a small company designing and importing English conservatories to the United States. It was new, it was different, and I learned a lot about little glass buildings that I didn't know before. Attempting to take something away from every experience, I have incorporated a conservatory scene in two works of fiction. The culminating scene of my novel Leaving Lucy features a very nasty accident with a finial. Not pretty.

This was by far the best experience. Joe Walsh is an exceptional human being, a great boss, and a good friend. A person couldn't ask for a better boss. The work was fun and interesting. I had a great time working in the film and video business. I got to play grip on a few shoots. I met the Marlboro Man once and the guy from Nowhere Man. Derrick taught me a bit of animation, Bob some editing, Joe some lighting and grip work, screenwriting from Ron, and Rick taught me how to wrap an extension cord. It was fun.