Meet the Judges

Clem started writing poetry shortly after the birth of his first granddaughter. His wife Bonnie and daughter Kristen encouraged him in those early days. His poems have appeared in numerous small press journals. Four poems were nominated for The Pushcart Prize in Poetry. His book of poetry, "Where the Time Went," was delivered by Encircle Publications in 2018. It was nominated for the Massachusetts Book Award for Poetry, as well as a national award, Foreward Indies Book of the Year. The biggest gift in Clem's poetry is in sharing words about a joy or sadness, a sunrise, a granddaughter's wisdom. In Clem's words, "When I see a listener smiling, nodding in affirmation, signaling yes, I get it, we are connected. That is the biggest gift of all."

Maile Black spends her time coaching, editing, and publishing new work by rising authors through her up-and-coming indie business, Winter Island Press. Also a writing instructor at Salem State University, she happily guides young people through the (sometimes halting) first steps of their reading and writing journeys. She is hard at work on her own first novel and is co-writing an adventure memoir. Around the fringes of her days, Maile rows and paddles, cooks and reads.

Margo Steiner has been affiliated with the Literary Festival of many years. Her journey with words has encompassed copywriting for catalogs and corporations and speechwriting. For eight years, she served as editor-in-chief of a monthly travel and entertainment magazine in Europe. She is a recipient of the Marcia Doehner Poetry Award at the Literary Festival, and has previously won best of show and outstanding work awards. She also teaches a popular course on writing one’s own obituary.

Rod Kessler is no stranger to the Marblehead Festival of Arts Literary Festival. He served as a judge in 1984, 1985, and 1988, and was an invited speaker in 1988 (“Description in Fiction”) and 1989 (“Some Thoughts on Style for Fiction Writers.”) He taught creative writing at Salem State University for 31 years and has published fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. A graduate of Harvard College with an MFA from the University of Arizona, he taught in the Vermont College MFA Program and served as a judge for the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts, for Essex County Newspapers’ high school writers’ competition, and for many other  organizations. His latest book is Self-portrait with Tree, a collection of poems. His op-ed columns appear frequently in the Salem News. He lives in retirement in Salem.