Martin Elster, who never misses a beat, was for many years a percussionist with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. Martin’s poems have appeared in numerous literary journals and anthologies in the U.S. and abroad. His honors include the 2022 Helen Schaible International Sonnet Contest winner, Rhymezone’s poetry contest, five Pushcart nominations, and a Best of the Net. A full-length collection, Celestial Euphony, was published by Plum White Press in 2019. Martin finds contentment in long walks in the woods or the city. He met his collaborator, Joan Axelrod-Contrada, on a dating site. She wooed him with her word nerd charms.
Joan Axelrod-Contrada, who lives for rhyme, has an MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts in the U.S. In addition to poetry, she writes essays, articles, plays, and children’s books. She met her collaborator, award-winning poet Martin Elster, on a dating site. He wooed her with his poetic talent, and they’ve been writing together ever since.