A lover of words, Paula Marafino Bernett came to us in the summer of 2009 with a poetry submission that immediately caught our attention. Beneath the careful words of her poetry is a world of  intense emotion. Her essays are challenging—unexpected, philosophical, and personal all at the same time. It’s been a pleasure to work with her!

Here’s what Paula has to say about her experience with Writer’s Relief:

I write. I devote my creative energy to producing publishable work. Writer’s Relief, in partnership with me, deals with the business of publishing my poetry and essays in appropriate journals. This is an active partnership, requiring equal energy on both sides. It works for me because I see it as a partnership—I produce high-quality work, I know the caliber of the journals and publications I want to publish in, and we work together to make that happen. I’m in continuing dialogue with my specific contacts, who respond to my needs and inclinations and gauge the appropriateness of my work for specific publications. The result has been an ever-increasing number of publication credits in noteworthy journals—and with every acceptance comes a fresh surge of creative energy.

About Paula:
Drawing inspiration from a range of psychological/spiritual landscapes, Paula Marafino Bernett’s work reflects a deep curiosity about the mind’s forays into memory, language, and association. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Nimrod, Rattle, Salamander, Tar River Poetry, The Louisville Review, Margie, and others. Paula was awarded the Resident Writer’s Award from the 2009 Taos Summer Writer’s Conference in New Mexico and was one of three first-prize winners in WordHustler’s 2009 Summer Poetry Contest. She was awarded the 2011 St. John’s College Essay Prize and has two poems nominated for 2013 Pushcart Prizes. Paula holds an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College.