The MockingOwls are a bunch of weirdos, goofballs, and fun-loving word nerds who just happen to have a similar vision: see the world become a better place. We’ve invested a lot of time in our vision, encouraging folks to share their thoughts and dreams through loving, non-judgmental, and honest images, performance pieces, and stories.
And because our whole purpose is connection and community, we thought you’d like to get to know us each a bit and better understand who we are, especially since most (all?) of us do some of the writing here at the MockingOwl Roost. We love hearing from folks, too, so if you feel like one of us would be a great friend, hit us up on social media or send us an email. We’ll be glad to hear from you!
Kitten Queen & MockingOwl Roost Mascot
Princess Lady Stardust McKittyton – Another Queendom, Another World
The Princess celebrates her Coronation Day every September 6, on the anniversary of her coming home to take up residence in the Mock-Pike palace. Both this and the annual celebration of Her Royal Fluffiness’s birth, June 3, should be celebrated with much excitement, fireworks, and veritable banquets of fresh yellowfin tuna and king salmon. When not celebrating these all-important dates, the Princess spends her time enjoying books (they make for a great bed!), dining on kitten food (adult cat food = adulting, which she refuses to do), napping in awkward positions, stealing all the comfortable furniture (particularly the taller servant’s side of the bed), and playing with the irreplaceable yellow jingle ball.
Co-founding Editor-in-Chief & Executive Director/Producer for MockingOwl Studios
Rita Mock-Pike – Illinois, USA
Editor-in-Chief and Staff Director of The MockingOwl Roost, Rita Mock-Pike (she/her) is the granddaughter of aviatrix, Jerrie Mock, first woman to pilot an airplane solo around the world. Rita has taken inspiration from her grandmother’s life and flight and pursued many of her own dreams in theatre, podcasting, novel writing, and cooking up delicious food from around the world. She now writes on food, travel, pets, faith, and the arts. She’s happily married to Matt, and faithfully serves the very fluffy kitten queen, Lady Stardust.
Follow her on Instagram, Facebook,
or LinkedIn. Or visit her website for short stories, fitness, and more. You can also get a copy of her cookbook The Unofficial Hogwarts for the Holidays Cookbook, I Love Trader Joe’s Air Fryer Cookbook, the forth-coming I Love Trader Joe’s Cooking for Two (May 7, 2024) or
her novels Nobody’s Girl or Drop Dead Daisy (under the pseudonym Juanita Millhouse).
Co-Founding Commissioning Editor & Chief Creative Officer for the MockingOwl Realms
Soren Porter – Illinois, USA
Soren Porter – He/him, INFJ, 30s-ish I think?, happily forever taken (sorry lads and ladies!). Writing reflections of faith and philosophy. LGBTQIA+ ally and sworn enemy of white supremacy. You might hear Soren ranting against evil policies, sharing ridiculous pop culture, or tossing around some theological thoughts on Tumblr or Twitter.
Head Copy Editor
Tandy Malinak – Illinois, USA
Tandy Malinak was engrossed in visual art, stage performance, and storytelling before she knew what the words meant. A second-generation homeschooler with a BA in Elementary Ed, she also knows kids and homelife; set her down with a cup of tea, and she’ll go until you stop her. She loves fantasy, sci-fi, Nintendo, board games, studying the Word, the smell of a campfire, the sound of ocean waves, and all things feline—to name a few! Originally from Seattle, Tandy now lives in Chicago’s northside with her husband, 2 dragon-loving kids, and 4 cats. Tandy recently perched herself on Twitter’s branch. She’s still figuring it out but will make noise there eventually.
Commissioning Editor, Staff Writer, Reviewer & Performing Artist
Faris Ridzuan – Singapore
Faris is a multilingual musician, artist, and writer. He has played roles such as education and youth policy officer, tech product policy manager, branding and curriculum lead, strategy lead, manpower lead, and social science and interdisciplinary researcher. He is due to graduate soon with a Master’s in Malay Studies from the National University of Singapore (NUS), where he tutored Asian and Malay Studies, winning teaching awards. Faris graduated from NUS with a First Class Honours in Sociology, minoring in European Studies. He has been leading national, regional & global initiatives such as Youth Panel Member for AMP 4th National Convention, Global Project Advisor for Connecting Climate Minds, and Co-Lead for Asia, Global Indigenous Youth Summit on Climate Change. Faris was awarded the prestigious NUS Outstanding Young Alumni Award in 2023.
Learn more about Faris on LinkedIn, enjoy his music on TikTok and YouTube and discover some of his research and writings in the publications section on LinkedIn and Google Scholar.
Proofreader
Nancy Mock – Illinois, USA
Nancy (she/her) was born in Montana, raised in Ohio, and moved to Florida almost 30 years ago. Mother of Rita Mock-Pike and her two siblings. Nancy learned to make computers “dance” in the early 1970s, with her husband’s encouragement, before most people had computers in their homes. She’s had a lot of experience formatting magazines, flyers, etc. throughout her life. As a retiree, her favorite hobbies are still crafting (mostly sewing) and reading.
Commissioning Editor, Performing Artist & Staff Writer
MJ Delfin – Mexico City, Mexico
MJ Delfin is a Mexican-American feminist writer and cat mom who dreams in English instead of her native Spanish, with a Literature degree from The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), and a special interest in Shakespeare, fantasy, and folklore. Subtitle editor, translator, and fledgling voice actress. Currently works, happily, at a museum. Her stories have been dramatized in several podcasts (Sin aliento, Vanya Reads, the 80 Cuentos bilingual anthology by Studio Ochenta), posted in online literary magazines (Revista Marabunta, Revista Irradiación, The MockingOwl Roost) and will soon be published formally by ITA Editorial.
Find more on MJ’s Instagram.
Copy Editor
Chris Hagberg – Illinois, USA
Chris Hagberg is a lover of dogs, travel, and photographing landscapes from a moving vehicle. She is happy for any time she gets to spend with her son, daughter-in-law, and grandson. In her spare time brought on by the 2020 pandemic, Chris joined a group of women forming a startup company that makes apps for the Amazon Echo. She aspires to be a writer someday, but for now, is content to polish up the writings of others.
Copy Editor
Helen A. Lee – Illinois, USA
Helen A. Lee (she/her) is a Kansas native and Chicago-area resident with 20+ years of writing and editing experience. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University and a master’s degree in biology from Miami University in Ohio. Her work has been published in many magazines, newspapers, books, and online publications, including Looper.com, the Chicago Windy City Guide, The Pretty Pimple, Simplemost, The Happy Puppy Site, the Chicago Tribune, and Gamespot.com. She’s a single mom with one child who enjoys volunteering in her spare time.
You can follow Helen on Twitter.
Staff Poet & Writer & Performing Artist
Sue Cook – Illinois, USA
Sue Cook (she/her) lives in Illinois with her husband Randy and dogs. Her passions include assistance dogs, rescue dogs, music, acting, theater, poetry, and Doctor Who. She’s been in both film and theater and is a regular cast member of the podcast Doctor Who’s Line is it….Anyway? Sue is an advocate for the use of Service Dogs to assist their disabled handlers to maintain their independence. Quigley’s Quest, her first children’s book, addresses how a dog becomes a Service Dog.
You may follow Sue on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or view her filmography on IMDb.
Co-Founder & Creative Team
Annali Carmel – New South Wales, Australia
Annali Carmel (she/her) enjoys her life in rural New South Wales, where she listens to a lot of music, does some singing, and welcomes the occasional affection of Aria the cat when she deigns the peasant worthy.
Staff Writer
Cynthia Ann Lublink – Midwest, USA
Writing has been a part of Cynthia’s life since she was 9. In the early 2000s, she became editor-in-chief of her motorcycle club magazine. For 5 years, her column, Gracie’s Heart, in Christian Biker Magazine inspired bikers across the United States. She has contributed to various biker magazines and newsletters. Beyond her writing, Cynthia is a biker chick with a lady’s heart and 40 tattoos that tell her life story. She is not just a cancer survivor but a life thriver. She is Mama to two grown children and Oma to eight grandchildren, all of whom she adores.
Regular Contributor
Perri Dodgson – England
Perri Dodgson was born into an RAF family, which meant travelling extensively and receiving a disjointed education. Her first job was a layout designer for a publishing house, then for twenty years she worked in the care sector, looking after the elderly and mentally ill. Now retired and living in Wellingborough, England, and after joining a writing group, she discovered the joy of writing. She has had features published in magazines and online literary magazines and been ‘highly recommended’ in a national competition. She also explores interior design and embroidery. Currently she is researching for her book which will be a biography.
Regular Contributor
Belinda Edwards – Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
Belinda Edwards is an African American writer who was recently nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She is currently working on a collection of essays that explore social justice and anti-racism issues through her experiences. By weaving threads of familial and community memories with the threads of current and past national events, this book, much like quilting, will take an old fragmented western narrative and piece together a new one. She earned her M.A. degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara and lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She currently facilitates various writing groups.
Find more on Belinda’s website.
Regular Contributor
Ray Villacorte – Cavite, Philippines
Ray Villacorte is a writer from the Philippines and studied English at the PUP – Manila. When he’s not busy spending hours writing about people falling in love, Ray is creating digital illustrations with themes of outer space and nature.
Regular Contributor
John Muro – Connecticut, USA
A resident of Connecticut and a lover of all things chocolate, John Muro has authored two volumes of poems – In the Lilac Hour and Pastoral Suite – in 2020 and 2022, respectively. He is a three-time nominee for the Pushcart Prize, a nominee for the Best of the Net Award and, more recently, he received a 2023 Grantchester Award. John’s work has appeared in numerous literary journals and anthologies, including Acumen, Barnstorm, Delmarva, Moria, River Heron, Sky Island and the Valparaiso Review.
You may follow John on Instagram.
Regular Contributor
Susan Carberry – London, UK
Susan lives in NW London. Her poems are an eclectic mix of social commentary, the natural world, the human condition, humour, and her deep faith in God, and they appear in several anthologies. She recently published her own poetry booklet, Eternal Ephemera. Susan is a Poet in Residence to the gardeners of Roundwood Park. She reads her work for events at the City Literature Institute, and has begun writing flash fiction and short stories. She’s a familiar figure in her local cafes and restaurants, where she sits with a coffee and writes, gaining inspiration from the world around her.
Susan has participated in several recorded readings with others. Find them on You-Tube as an Anthology and Late Line productions.
Regular Contributor
Issy Jinarmo – Australia
Issy Jinarmo is the pen name for the writing trio Jill Baggett, Narelle Noppert and Maureen Kelly OAM. We live far apart, Mudgee, Picton and Adelaide, but started writing never ending stories by email during the lockdown. We have had eight stories published in anthologies and magazines. We never tire of seeing where our next story will take us.
Find more on Issy Jinarmo on the Fellowship of Australian Writers.
Staff Writer & Interviewer
Katie Daniels – Florida, USA
Katie Daniels (she/her) is a speech language pathologist in Florida, where she resides with her husband and their pup-child. She has dabbled in professional and personal writing over the years, but only recently began sharing her work with others. She is a proud Florida kid who enjoys meeting new people, seeing new places, and all things related to laughter, travel, faith, Disney, reading, and F.S.U. football. She is easily bribed with donuts or mac ‘n cheese. She would love to connect on Instagram.
Regular Contributor
Milene Correia – Caucaia, CE, Brazil
Brazilian multidisciplinary artist. Major in English Language and Literature, taking a specialization course in Teaching of Drama. I write, rewrite, draw and compose and expose because my heart can’t fit all these feelings. Leo, Queer, 92.
Follow Milene on Instagram for more.