Brenda Joyce Patterson is a poet, essayist, columnist, and talk show host. She writes the DIY MFA column, Writing Small, which focuses on short literary writing forms. She is Vice President/Treasurer (2003-present) of Lakeland-based nonprofit, The Serena Bailey Foundation. She hosts the Writers Den (PGTV) talk show. She is a former Mentee in AWP Writer to Writer Mentorship, Fall 2018. Her mentor was poet Callista Buchen, author of Look, Look, Look (Black Lawrence Press), Double-Mouthed (dancing girl press), and The Bloody Planet (Black Lawrence Press).