I have published from an early age having my first poem in Cricket magazine at the age of 8.  The first poem I ever wrote was entitled TWO HEARTS.  It was about a red heart and a blue heart who fell in love despite people telling them they were different When they came together they created a new child whom every one loved and who was purple in color. . I was around age 4. I spoke poems before I wrote them.  The usual publishing in the High school paper etc.   I did poetry readings from an early age. By the time I was 18 I was often a headliner.  This was the days before slams!  I have read with wonderful poets such as Antler and  Brenda Cardenas Christianson. I even met Tracy Chapman before she became famous!  I also did local poetry shows on cable TV which often won awards such as JAZZ IN THE PARK where I read and Brandon played music.

I published two chap books Survivor and Incantations to the Spirits of the Dark under Valhalla publications.  I won an honorable mention award from The American Music Awards. It is in the attic somewhere and it is gold.  I also won The National English Honor Society's poetry contest for my poem WHY WON"T YOU LET WILD HORSES RUN!  They had a huge reception for me but I was so shy I ran away and they had to mail me the certificate and prize money.  

In college I majored in everything from Comparative Literature, English, Women's Studies, Native American Studies , Gay and Lesbian studies and more.  My professors often had me teach classes and pass out my poems. I remember how surprised I was when my Celtic Literature Professor had me read my ancient Norse form of poetry and my Satire on Cuchulin! He was a very staid Yale man so I felt flabbergasted he'd have me read a sexual satire!  I was as i said shy but created a different persona when I read. To say the least after that I was teased somewhat!

I have had my works published in many various types of formats. I've been published in academic magazines and anthologies and  what people now call zines but were much more difficult to publish in back then.  Everything was the age of snail mail. Postage was expensive.  Sometimes the only pay would be several copies. I feel good also about donating proceeds of some of my readings to Battered Women's shelters and places for the homeless and runaways. Several places I can remember being published are Task Force on Battered Women's Newsletter, Hagrag, Welfare Warriors, Circle Network News, and AIM. I was very much into helping so called 'disenfranchised groups".  When the AIDS. epidemic started I wrote in an anthogology to raise money for people with AIDS. to afford medical expenses. I dedicated my poem to my brother Joseph who died during that time. I also published in feminist, pagan, GLBT, fetish and BDSM magazines as well as what people would consider "normal". I've been published in pamphlets , newsletters, plays, children's publications,posters, greeting cards, tarot decks,  newspapers (Milwaukee Journal, Santa Fe Sun)  and a variety of other mediums such as spoken word and meditation tapes.

Several things happened to halt my publishing.  I was in several car accidents in which my speech and memory were affected, lost my job (teacher) due to this and had a child at the age of 41!  To top it all much of my poetry and paintings, plays , sketches etc were lost in a freak accident about a year ago.  I have had some things published here and there on the internet and a piece in a hardcover anthology about nature.  I also created A chapbook entitled Inlets and Outlets with my friend Bill Tarlin.  It was an exciting format where words and pictures could be changed by spinning a wheel. Unfortunately the publishers we sent it off to lost it. We ended up giving away copies to family, friends and poetry acquaintances!  I still think Bill did a fantastic job in making my vision of it a reality!  

I am now experimenting with different forms and writing more short stories.  My novel was lost in the horrid mishap  but some of the ideas are still in my mind!   It was a very complicated blend of science fiction, detective , mystery and other genres.  OH, and the thing I hate the most now is that my punctuation is horrid!  Not to mention trying gather the puzzle pieces of my vocabulary and trying to restimulate and reignite those synapses of mine!

As to my pen name I have had it for a long while. Vashti is Persian in origin and means "Weaver of the threads of life".  Those of you into religion know the story of Vashti in the bible. There is also a singer named Vashti Bunyon...but the name is uniquely mine as I have kept it for over 35 years of writing!  My last name Puls means pulse, basket and Shamans in Pomo Indian language.  As you can tell I am very entrenched in symbolism and multiple meanings and perspectives.  I try not to think of opinions as being wrong, just people having different perspectives. Rather like looking into different facets of a crystal!

Thanks, I enjoyed telling you a small bit about myself. Feel free to contact me on any subject! 

Peace, Simplicity, Beauty, Prosperity and LOVE

Vashti