Welcome to Doves & Serpents!
Most of the bloggers here are-or have been-connected to the LDS (or Mormon) church. Although this isn’t a “Mormon” blog, we often tend to see (and blog) through a religious lens shaped by our Mormon experience.
We’re often surprised by how similar individuals’ religious experiences are across different faith communities. Evangelical Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, atheist or anything else, we’re glad you found us. Give us a chance. We hope you’ll spend some time with us-and we hope you’ll share some of your experiences with us (and our Mormon readers).
Public thanks to our founding D&S bloggers: Heather Olson Beal, Heidi Bernhard-Bubb, Claire Cutler Eden, Matt Elggren, Laurie Johnson Gallagher, Paula Jensen Goodfellow, Andy Munzer, and Mel Selcho.
–The Doves and Serpents Team
The Doves & Serpents Bloggers
 | Heather (Editorial Head) Column(s): Ride to Church, Knit Together, Guest Post Editor Email: heather@dovesandserpents.org Heather is a mom of three kids who sometimes drive her nuts despite being genuinely great kids. She loves her job as an education professor and confess that she often runs to her office to hide from the demands of family and kids. In her spare time, she reads everything she can get her hands on. She doesn't cook, bake, sew, can, store, crochet, knit, quilt, garden, stamp, decoupage, make macrame owls, tole paint, or scripture chase and don't feel an ounce of guilt about it. |
 | Heidi (Editorial Head) Column(s): Stacks, Dear Jack Email: heidi@dovesandserpents.org Heidi has a reverence for books and music that most people reserve for church. She believes in Wallace Stevens, Marilynne Robinson, Zadie Smith and Leo Tolstoy. Arcade Fire, The White Stripes, The Velvet Underground, Miles Davis and Madonna have written some of her favourite hymns. She now feels guilty about the hundreds of writers and bands she didn’t mention. She is an American living in England with her husband and three children. Everyone in her house has big feelings and strong personalities. Sometimes people pay her to write. Most of her days are spent doing yoga, cooking, walking, reading and listening to music. |
 | Brent Column(s): Mormon in the Cheap Seats (MCS), Guest Post Editor Email: brent@dovesandserpents.org Brent is a business professor. His wife, Heather, is the real blogger in the family (see her bio). He hasn't put in enough time to become really good at any video games, although thanks to his three kids, he's an above-average Mario Kart Wii player. He likes good food, but lives in a small town without many good food options. He enjoys debating religious and political issues, reading and writing short stories, playing Scrabble, and hanging out with his wife and their three kids. |
 | Claire Column(s): Twelve Lunches Email: claire@dovesandserpents.org Claire is a saver. She's a saver of worms at risk of drying out on sidewalks, of items that should have been put in the recycling bin, of bungled dinner attempts, of women's visions of their futures. She is also a collector of trivia. Trivia like old letters, the creative efforts of her children, small objects related to her childhood, and other sentimental minutia, both actual and ephemeral. |
 | Dayna Column(s): Psaltery & Lyre Email: dayna@dovesandserpents.org Dayna wrote rhyming hate notes in the fourth grade. The fact that they were in verse didn't lessen the teacher's wrath one bit. She likes to believe she has learned her lesson and tries to use poetry for less angsty purposes. Her chapbooks, Loose Threads and Mothering, are available from Flutter Press. Her favorite poets include Dr. Seuss, Shel Silverstein, Cynthia Rylant, Lance Larsen, Carol Lynn Pearson, Susan Elizabeth Howe, Marilyn Bushman-Carlton, Emma Lou Thayne, Ken Brewer, Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Billy Collins, Mary Oliver, and Shakespeare. |
 | Erin Column(s): The Sanctuary, Stacks Email: erin@dovesandserpents.org Erin writes from deep in the heart of Texas, though she's a midwestern gal through and through. A teacher and writer by trade, she also enjoys tap dancing, eating Indian food, swimming, and practicing the same six guitar chords over and over. Two children, one chronic illness, a rotating cast of cats + lots of felt birds keep her company. She loves a good book, a wide hammock and rollicking conversations with friends about faith, pop culture, family, and life. |
 | Katie Column(s): Sojourner, guest posts Email: katie@dovesandserpents.org Katie is a born doubter but a believer by choice. Among other things, she believes in the power of love, grace, good food, bad movies, and Americana music -- especially the Avett Brothers, whom she would follow to the ends of the earth if she didn't have grown-up responsibilities. By trade, she's a professional copywriter and content development strategist for SMEs around the globe. By passion, she's a wife, mother, and friend. When she isn’t thinking about Mormon things, spending time with loved ones, or working, she enjoys running, reading, taking day trips, and watching a handful of television programs she couldn't live without. |
 | Laurie Column(s): The Sanctuary Email: laurie@dovesandserpents.org Laurie spends her days pretending to get work done as a yoga teacher and studio owner, photographer, dog walker, and chauffeur. She loves all things that point to the moon, is drawn to Buddhism like a magnet, and actively pursues Al Green's famous lyrics of love, peace, and happiness. She's over the moon for Hafiz. Laurie is blessed with a super cute and sexy husband, 3 crazy kids, and a couple of fluff balls who keep her balancing on her yoga toes. She reserves the right to change her mind whenever it pleases her (and sometimes even when it doesn't.) She is very fond of parentheses. |
 | Mel Column(s): The Wayfarer Email: mel@dovesandserpents.org Mel is a recovering worry-wart, recurring runner, and road tripper extraordinaire. In addition to her career in public relations, she honors her titles of Punk Rock Girl to a witty husband and Meanest Mom Ever to four spunky children while amusing them with her loud laugh, bleeding heart and festive spirit. Hot baths, cheesy fondue and her beloved patent leather boots make her world go round. An eternal optimist, she is firmly convinced chocolate will be served on Judgment Day. |
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Guest Bloggers
 | Angela Column(s): Guest Blogger (Posts) Email: angela@dovesandserpents.org Angela Felsted is a Northern Virginia native who is overly fond of Olive Garden and Red Lobster. She grew up in a faithful Mormon home with three brothers and one sister where she learned to stand up for herself by tickling her attackers until they broke out into laughing fits. Her work has appeared in issue fifteen of Drown in Your Own Fears, Chanterelle's Notebook and Vine Leaves Literary Journal. Her chapbook, Cleave, was published by Finishing Line Press in 2012. Angela also blogs at www.angelafelsted.com and www.rabblewriters.com. |
 | Ashley Column(s): Guest Blogger (Posts) Email: ashley@dovesandserpents.org Ashley is a mother of three always on the search for other phrases to define her. And she'll be doing that here out loud, publicly, for whomever has the stomach to listen. She and her family are just beginning their European adventure this July with a move to Northern Italy. She hopes for long, spiritual runs in the Dolomites, visits to the World's great cathedrals (natural and man made), shopping at European markets, studying Lonely Planet and the flight schedules of RyanAir and loads of gelato. She welcomes any and all virtual communication but prefers a personal visit to her guest room located in an Italian Villa. |
 | Colin Column(s): Guest Blogger (Posts) Email: colin@dovesandserpents.org Colin doesn't know how to explain to his Mom what a graphic designer does, so he calls himself a fierce librarian. It's on his business cards. She tells her neighbors that he programs computers. Well played, Mama. Colin corresponds from deep inside enemy territory in a secret base that shall remain nameless. Okay it's Salt Lake City. Seriously, though, Salt Lake is rad. Here are his stats: Strength…8; Intelligence…8; Dexterity…9; Guts…10 |
 | Matthew Column(s): Guest Blogger (Posts) Email: matthew@dovesandserpents.org Claire is a saver. She's a saver of worms at risk of drying out on sidewalks, of items that should have been put in the recycling bin, of bungled dinner attempts, of women's visions of their futures. She is also a collector of trivia. Trivia like old letters, the creative efforts of her children, small objects related to her childhood, and other sentimental minutia, both actual and ephemeral. |
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Emeritus Bloggers
 | Andy (Emeritus) Column(s): Rogue Cinema Email: andy@dovesandserpents.org Andy is a student of Literature, a runner, a trainee father of two little girls, and a film fanatic. His birth certificate seems to show that he's English, but he's spent years of his life in Oregon and Australia, and considers the world just-big-enough-a-playground for his time on earth. A few of his favourite things: an old manual typewriter, a volume of poetry by Whitman or Auden, and having an evening in to watch a Woody Allen film with the people he loves most. |
 | Matt (Emeritus) Column(s): Cipher on the Wall Email: na Matt was the creator of Cipher on the Wall, a series that explored the realm of mind, memories and dreams. You can find a full archive of posts here. |
 | O'Q (Emeritus) Column(s): Mormon Fakebook Email: na O’Q is a man of many wishes. He is a lover, a laugher, a lawyer, a clown. He’s a father to three, a husband to one, a friend to many. Even though O’Q spends much of his time within the rambling, meandering restlessness of his over-active imagination. He grew up in the Midwest and now resides in the desert. When he is not lawyering, he is an amateur photographer, a sub-par guitarist, a wannabe writer, and the guy who will always try to make you laugh. |