Joan Poulson is a Manchester-based prizewinning writer and dramatist, and is the first National Trust Poet in Residence. This appointment complements her work with "onetree", a major national arts/environmental project. Her interests lie within the relationship between humans and the environment: and how these origins are inseparable. In 1999, she produced "Pictures in My Mind", a poetry collection for children (MacDonald Young Books). She is a prizewinner in major national/international competitions, including Exeter, U.S.A and Canada, as well as writing for a BBC Radio Soap. She has also worked at the royal festival hall with youth groups, as well as reading to adult audiences in Norway, California, New Mexico and the Manchester Poetry Festival. She also practices Reiki healing, and likes travelling with friends while enjoying the landscape and environment. She recently published "earth-being" (Flarestack) and continues with her ongoing residency.

Terry Pritchard has moved to Crediton since winning fourth prize in the 1998 Exeter Poetry Prize. He now writes as much as he can.

Sheenagh Pugh won The Forward Prize in 1998, and chose the winner of the Poetry Society's Geoffrey Dearmer Award. Her ninth collection "Stonelight" is published by Seren. You can reach her website at http://x-stream.fortunecity.com/sonicst/68

Andrew Robinson claims descent directly from Crusoe, and practices law in West Cornwall. His principle discipline in his poems is, rather than overt rhyme, a line of nine syllables. He is a member of the Liskeard Poetry Group, and lives in Truro.

Julie Sampson is a Devonian and has written on the American poet H.D. She is doing research towards a book on Devon Women Writers. She is also Visiting Lecturer at the University of the West of England and is a member of the Taunton-based FIRE RIVER POETS.

Robert Saxton lives in London. A regular contributor to 'Poetry Review', his first collection, "The Promise Clinic", was published by Enitharmon in 1994.

Clare MacDonald Shaw lives in Nottingham. Her first poetry collection, "Blue Fever" was published by Blackwater Press in 1999, following a chapbook in 1997, "How Ghosts Begin" (Shoestring).

Dana Littlepage-Smith lives in Exeter.

Greta Stoddart has had poems published in numerous magazines including Poetry Review, TLS, The North, and the Independent on Sunday. She won the Exeter Poetry Prize in 1998 and took second prize in the 1999 TLS/Blackwells Competition.

Michael Swan lives in Oxfordshire and writes English language teaching materials.

John Torrance is a retired University lecturer living in Poole, Dorset. He has been writing poetry for nine years.

Neil Wenborn graduated from Magdalene College, Cambridge, and worked at the Bodleian library in Oxford before pursuing a successful career in publishing. He is now a full-time author and publishing consultant, whose works include biographies of Mozart, Haydn and Stravinsky. He is also co-editor of the highly respected Companion to British History. His poetry has been published in both Britain and the United States and has been awarded a number of prestigious prizes.

Anna Wigley is a writer living in Cardiff whose poems and reviews have appeared in many magazines.

Pat Winslow lives in Bolton. Her book, "The Fact of an Eye", was published in 1999 by Amazing Colossal Press.