"Everyone is a reader, some just haven't found their favorite book yet."

Luke Wascaz:

Luke Wasacz is a stylin’ individual. When he’s not reviewing lit for the lit mag, he’s busy fighting crime on the streets of Easton as his superhero alter-ego, Duplicitous Man. He’s been known to spontaneously combust – in the chemical sense. He was born fully-grown from his mother’s forehead and doesn’t at all enjoy long walks. He writes poetry about family, mathematics, and sometimes about corndogs. He doesn’t make me want to re-write his bio, but he also doesn’t make me want to handcraft Stradivarius violins.

If you ever want to chat with Luke, his e-mail is wasaczl@lafayette.edu and his phone number is 732-272-4534. Yes, ladies (and men?) he’s single. He’s always willing to help if you feel stuck on a poem and wants Lafayette’s literary community to grow, grow, grow. If you have any fertilizer, let him know.

 

Rachel Rubino:

 

Rachel Rubino is currently the co-editor of The Marquis Literary Magazine. As an English major and contributing writer to the Lafeyette campus newspaper, she harbors a passion for writing in all its forms. Besides reading and scribbling in her notebook, Rachel enjoys spending her free time doing a variety of activities. She loves long runs on the beach and hiking in the woods. Rachel has a great love and respect for nature; such settings not only provide her with cool poem ideas, but also inspire the occasional picture, drawing, or painting. In addition to carrying out artistic and athletic inclinations, Rachel loves to work with children. Some of her fondest college memories involve tutoring and hanging out with kids at the Easton Community Shelter.

 

Another integral aspect of Rachel's interests involves music. Although she does not play any musical instruments and can barely carry a tune, she adores listening to and discovering numerous genres and artists.

 

 

 

 

Fun Fact: Rachel's middle name is "Millay," after her mother's favorite poet Edna St. Vincent Millay.    

 

 

 

Caroline Russell:

 

Caroline Russell. She has been told many times that she has a movie star name. Too bad she can't act to save her life--although Caroline did manage to work her way up to town person number one in eighth grade...but she doesn't like to brag. What Caroline is mainly known for is (or will hopefully be known for in the future) is photography. She usually always has a camera with her and if she doesn't you can find her doing one of two things: 1. Sulking, or, 2. Saying the phrase "I really wish I had a camera."

 

Why does Caroline love photography so much? Well, because it's her passion. Caroline never thought in her lifetime that she would find something that she can't live without. And it is both terrifying and pure bliss. 

 

While Caroline is a photographer, she also loves to write and listen to music, but she shyer about her writing. Caroline often thinks of a random line that she wants to incorporate into a poem that doesn't exist yet. In order to remember the line, she simply writes it on her hand. How she has evaded ink poisoning is beyond her. So, she currently has a sketchbook filled with random lines. She often listens to music much too loud while writing, doodling, or editing her photos--usually Green Day or Fall Out Boy. If you ever need her attention just throw something at her.  

 

 

Walter Burkat:

 

I am currently a junior French and Anthropology & Sociology double major and Chinese minor. When I'm not doing Lit Mag stuff, I might be found participating in the McKelvy Scholars Program as Treasurer and co-head of the Social Events and Social Media Committee, playing in Pep Band, Concert Band, or Pride Jazz, or even volunteering through the MOSAIC program in Adopt-a-Grandparent. I first came to Lit Mag Freshmen year because I never had the experience of being in a Lit Mag before and I though it would be interesting to try it out, so I went for it and fell in love with it instantly! It's refreshing to come together every week with other literary enthusiasts and critique poems, prose, and other forms of literature, not to mention pieces of art and photography!

 

Being a literary enthusiast, I have also gained a deep appreciation for language and all of its beauty. I am multilingual and can speak four languages; having said that, learning four languages helps me better understand the complexity and richness of the English language and further more, I can better understand varying interpretations of texts. The Marquis has ben a significant part of my lifetime at Lafayette and I hope to stay in the literary community.  

 

 

Lizzie Parks:

 

Why hello there! This is Lizzie and this is the part where she's supposed to tell you all about how exciting and wonderful her life is. It's not all that exciting to be honest; Lizzie is from a small town called Yardley in Pennsylvania but she was born in NYC (that's about as exciting as this is going to get...). Lizzie has loved writing for almost her entire life (hey, as a first grader it's doubtful you wanted to do anything other than playing outside too) and she writes mostly poetry and song lyrics. Lizzie has started and failed to complete two novels to date and she has decided that she doesn't have the patience to make a career out of her writing. It's for this reason that she is a psych major here at Laf and plan to go on to be a child counselor. Apparently Lizzie's patience with children is far greater than her patience to write for copious amounts of time. Well, that's everything that is relevant...Oh wait, Lizzie also loves The Marquis Lit Mag and every one of the staff members who make her Thursdays so much brighter! Thanks for reading, and she hopes this was mildly entertaining/amusing.    

 

Matt Marlin:

 

An infrequent writer, professional short short-seller, and self-deprecator, and unable to list things in counts fewer than three, Matt Marlin looks to bank off his somehow real name and devilishly good looks* to steal The Marquis's secret formula for being awesome. (Wait, I wasn't actually supposed to write that part down. Crap! Um...look over there! A distraction!) In his spare time, Matt "enjoys" wasting hours on end on the Internet, and watching awful movies, making terrible puns, and living in a perpetual existential quandary. The fastest way to his heart is telling that you are a fan of [insert super unappreciated indie band here], which he'll respond to with a level of unadulterated fangirlish glee, that frankly, he should learn to control. 

 

IIf you find yourself in times of great internal struggle, do not be afraid to contact him at marlinm@lafayette.edu literally (LITERALLY) any time of the day because, seriously, he'll most likely be awake for reasons that are probably incredibly dumb and unfounded. He's like Batman, but if Batman had his efficiency and life's priorities severely out of check. So, he's like a college student. 

*Appearance subject to personal taste. 

 

 

Melissa Sebold: 

 

Melissa Sebold was born many, many, years ago, back what her parents call "the good ol' days" (or rather, the period of time before she could talk).

 

Since that day, Melissa has continued to be perfectly adequate. Her notable achievements include receiving third place in a karate competition (of three participants) and being called for jury duty this passed December (only after a month she registered to vote!) However, when she isn't out doing such remarkable things in the world, Melissa enjoys a nice romp from her bed to her refrigerator to grab a snack, eating snacks, playing the devil's sassy and sarcastic nineteen-year old alter ego in common conversation, reading narratives with snarky narrators, and writing.* So, if you share any of these interests, are a millionaire, enjoy spending money on your friends, wasting time with perfectly adequate humans, or engaging in a conversational style described as "pulling teeth," feel free to chat Melissa up at seboldm@lafayette.edu. She promises she'll respond with a lor of emoticons.

 

Also, if you're interested, Melissa is a freshman at Lafayette and would like to be a professor when she grows up, though has no idea of what subject yet.

*Pronounced not writing.  

 

 

Gavin Knox:

 

Sir Gavin D Knox II Esquire: Gavin Knox has dedicated himself to a life of poetry, literature, and critical analysis, in a way not unlike Dr. Frankenstein, so that he may find the perfect piece of writing that will feed the poor, balance the world's budget, bring upon world peace, and supply everyone in the world with free Wi-Fi. Although this piece of writing or literature has eluded him like the Fountain of Youth evaded Ponce de Leon, Gavin rigorously searches on, certain of its existence. Gavin is quite and aggressive person in his philosophies and tends to be one to firmly stick to his guns, though only pulling the trigger after exhausting every other possible option. When coming across a poem or a piece of writing he is in love with, he will defend and revel over it with the spirit of eleven stampeding elephants. When coming across some writing he does not quite fancy, he will politely yet with the firm stance of eleven elephants, discuss why his opinions stand the way they do. An absolute, objective truth is his north star, open mindedness is his horse, and his guild is the Marquis Lit Mag, a wonderful, wonderful place with wonderful, wonderful people that you should all submit to and take part in!  

 

 

Carly Nasch:

 

When Carly is not reading submissions for the lit mag or procrastinating that big history paper, she is crafting duct tape roses and origami frogs. Once a week and only after a serious Netflix binge session, she will be seen donning her Pikachu onesie and for one night a week, living her life's goal of being Pikachu. She has a passion for poetry and art, although not very good at it and often resorts to buying fancy coloring books just so she can feel creative without having to think of something to draw. Her favorite activities include frolicking, reading comic books, and people watching. The Marquis is the first literary magazine that Carly has been a part of, but she is happy she joined. Carly is a very introverted person who doesn't open up to people right away, but when she does, watch out because there is secretly a silly, hyper, and completely goofy person. Giver her a chance and you may see for yourself.     

 

 

Christine Allen: 

 

Christine M. Allen really likes her full name. Like, a lot. Sometimes she thinks it would be cool to be called "Christine Marie" on a daily basis but it reminds her too much of the times when she was a child and would read with a flashlight when she was supposed to be sleeping and her mom would catch her and get mad and then she would take the book. Such sad times; a person can never read enough.

 

Christine has banging red hair now, and she loves Shakespeare's quote from Midsummer Night's Dream, "And though she be but little, she is fierce." Why? Because she is little but you really probably shouldn't mess with her because one day she's going to write a book. At least, that's what the family jokes about when they say/do something ridiculous: "Be careful, or you'll be in Christine's book." The Marquis is home; as quoted in the chapbook the lovely editors produced, "Lit Mag is full of beautiful people." And it really is. She thanks everyone involved for accepting her red face and loud voice because it's nice to be yourself with people who always love you.  

 

Connor Pirruccello-McClellan: 

 

Connor J Pirruccello-McClellan aka CJNightly aka Dean Moriarty is a future homeless person who has a framed arts degree hanging on the wall of his cardboard box. He has a passion for yelling swears and other uncomfortable things at semi-willing audiences at poetry readings. As an artist he works with metal because the voices in his head keep telling him to play with fire and blacksmithing is the most productive/least destructive way he could find to listen to them. He firmly believes "fuck" is the greatest word in the English language and if you disagree then fuck you. As fucking weird as he may be he loves writing and working with his hands and hopes to one day make a living of doing what he loves.  

 

Juila Guarch: 

 

Julia Guarch is a senior wordsmith and creative soul. She self-designed he major called "Capturing Gender in the Arts" which explores gender and its representation in various art forms including theater, film and media studies, art, dance, music, and creative writing. In her free time, she is writing, celebrating co-winning the H. McKnight Black Poetry award, being an active member of Quest (Lafayette GSA) and Association of Lafayette Feminists, serving as a Kaleidoscope Social Justice Educator, or running in and out of Literary Magazine meetings. Her time was brief but the fun was lasting! Additionally she is leaving Lafayette as a member of the Phi Beta Kappa and the theater honor society, Alpha Psi Omega. 

 

Julia is also a huge nerd. Not the type to play Dragon age or Biochock, but the type to watch her friends play it. She's also obsessed with Doctor Who, Sherlock, and spoken word poetry. She also loves to help people and rant about women and gender studies. You've been warned. 

 

Alicia Rosenbaum:

 

Hi! This is Alicia Rosenbaum! She is just a suburban Jersey girl in college because she has no idea what she wants to do with her life. Alicia loves to read in her spare time and she has to admit, she has a soft spot for cheesy teenage romance novels (and movies). Alicia loves the lit mag because it combines writing and awesome people. Alicia has been personally victimized by Marlene King, the producer of the Pretty Little Liars, but this is okay because she is a strong independent woman! Maybe Alicia will just write a poem about is one day. Miscellaneous facts about Alicia are that she lives beaches, ice cream, and rabbits.