Ralph Bland     Born: May 13, 1950     Nashville, TN A native Nashvillian, Ralph Bland grew up in East Nashville and received his education from the Metro Nashville School system, attending Rosebank Elementary and Stratford High School (Class of 1968). He completed his education with a B.A. in English from Belmont University (1973). He spent 38 years with the Kroger Company before retiring in 2005. Since then he has worked as a route salesman for two vending supply companies and is now employed by Hunter's Hometown Foods in Bordeaux, TN. He is married (Veronica) with one daughter, two stepsons, and three grandchildren. His first novel, Once In Love With Amy, first appeared in 2002, followed by Where Or When (2004) and Past Perfect (2006). He is currently at work on his fourth novel. He has had short stories appear in Short Stories Bimonthly, The Circle,Sugar Mule, My Legacy,Gloom Cupboard, Monkey Puzzle Press, and Bartleby Snopes magazines. www.bartlebysnopes.com (Foul Ball) Archives www.monkeypuzzlepress.com Issue 9 Ms. Frisky Is Expecting www.sugarmule.com Issue#31 Annaland> Archives www.gloomcupboard.com #108 I Spy 10/15/09 NOVELLA: Not Dead Again www.pikerpress.com serialized beginning November 15, 2010. A new collection of stories entitled Not Dead Again: Stories by Ralph Bland, was released by Publish America June 12, 2011. His hobbies include listening to music (he is a Frank Sinatra expert), obsessing over Vanderbilt Men's Basketball, and catering to two very spoiled dogs, Otis-a corgi/beagle mix with a touch of royalty- and Beo (short for Beowulf), a female rat terrier who just might be the reincarnation of Zelda Fitzgerald. Phoebe, a yellow lab who showed up at the doorstep, is currently busy joining the pack and eating all his possessions. Author/Presenter Southern Festival of Books, 2005 and 2007. Featured Author at Author! Author!, Shreveport Festival of Books(2009).