Valerie Lawson’s first book, Dog Watch, was published by Ragged Sky Press in 2007. Her work has been published in Main Street Rag, BigCityLit, About Place Journal, Switched on Gutenberg, The Catch and others, with work forthcoming in Ibbetson Street and American Arts Quarterly’s website.
Valerie works as the Program Manager at Cobscook Community Learning Center in Trescott Maine, and has worked as the Executive Director at an arts center, a bookseller, editor/publisher, Coordinator of a Reach Out And Read literacy program, and once a security guard at a Rolls Royce show in Newport, RI.
A member of South Shore Poets for many years, Lawson was active with Poetry Slam and performance in Boston and New England, becoming the slam master of a venue and co-host at the Boston Poetry Slam. She performed extensively in New England including Boston’s First Night and with Doc Brown’s Traveling Poetry Show, an ensemble poetry troupe. Lawson also participated as an exhibitor, performer, and organizer of Optimal Avenues’ multi-media cultural exchanges between Massachusetts and Ireland, celebrating the United Nations Decade Calling for a Culture of Peace.
With her partner, Michael Brown, Lawson co-edits Off the Coast literary journal and teaches poetry at Cobscook Community Learning Center and Sunrise Senior College at UMaine Machias, where she is currently studying Book Arts and Electronic publishing. In 2012, Lawson became a member of the board of the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance.
Valerie lives in Robbinston, Maine on Passamaquoddy Bay with her partner Michael and a pair of Siberian Huskies. They share their 14 acres with a shy black bear.