I write poems, short stories, personal essays and, occasionally, longer fiction. I am very grateful to all the wonderful writers and teachers who have fueled my love of words since childhood. I'm currently working on a book of poems. 

Awards and Recognitions: 

Martha's Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing: Poet-Author Fellowship

Virginia Poetry Society annual contests: two First Place poetry prizes, one Third Place poetry prize

Glenwood Clark Fiction Prize: First Place

Jacob von Kutzleben Fiction Contest: First Place

Minnesota Great River Shakespeare Festival: Maria W. Faust Sonnet Contest: Laureates' Choice Prize 

Fish Publishing's International Lockdown Prize for Haiku/ Senryu: Second Place 

Haunted Waters Press Short Shorts Competition: Honorable Mention               

Patricia Dobler Poetry Award: Finalist

Glimmer Train Short Story Prize: Finalist

Oprelle "Matter" Poetry Contest: Finalist

Sunspot Literary Journal's Culmination Contest: Semi-finalist (my work was also short-listed in a Sunspot fiction competition)

My work is featured on the Virginia Poets Database.

My creative writing is published in/by:

The Poetry Virginia Review; Ecological Citizen; Fish Publishing; Rattapallax; Heron Tree Poetry Journal; the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council; Bowery Poetry; Short Édition; Geez Magazine, 34 Orchard (upcoming), Corporeal Literary Magazine; Rogue Agent Journal through Sundress Publications; Rough Cut Press; Contemporary American Voices; Humana Obscura; Streetlight Magazine; Stanchion Zine; Kernel Magazine, Fredericksburg Literary and Art Review; The William and Mary Review; The Compassion Anthology; Whurk Magazine; Ledbury Poetry Festival; Mala Leche; The Journal of Wild Culture; Blueline Literary Magazine; the exhibition and book, Open to Interpretation, from Liberty Town Arts; Sparked Literary Magazine; "We Are Here," a collaborative poetry project with Virginia Poet Laureate, Luisa A. Igloria, as well as her Poetry Postcard Project; The Poet's Domain; Audubon Alaska; Budding Light Press, Birds Piled Loosely Press; Echo World Magazine; Postcard Poems and Prose Magazine; Butter Press; Sky Island Journal; Disquiet Arts, Kudzu Literary Magazine; The Good Men Project; Minnesota Great River Shakespeare Festival; The Big Windows Review; Vagabond City; The Eclectic Literary Magazine; The Gallery; The Escarp Review; tenderness, yea; Healing Forest; the “Million-line Poem,” from Tupelo Press; and the creative social justice groups, Racket and Period Piece. 

I have published numerous essays, including with OnBeing from APR; The Mindfulness Bell, a publication of Plum Village with Thich Nhat Hanh; with Sharon Salzberg’s Meditation Challenge blog; The Yoga and Body Image Coalition; Yoga Basics; and other publications.

Along with creative works, I also write news and analysis for multiple sites. I am published with NPR, Discover Magazine, Art News, Earth Island Journal, and others. Visit my non-fiction portfolio to learn more: jtravers.journoportfolio.com.

I am a visual artist and art teacher. I grew up near the Chesapeake Bay and now live in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. My pronouns are she/her.