M. A. Dubbs

Poet

Indianapolis, IN

Author's Bio

M. A. Dubbs (she/her/her's) is an award-winning Mexican American and LGBT+ writer who hails from Indiana. Dubbs writes poetry, short-fiction, and visual art. Her writing has been published in literary magazines, anthologies, zines across the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. 

She published her first collection of her poetry and short fiction, Aerodynamic Drag: Poetry and Short Fiction, in 2021 and released her chapbook An American Mujer (Bottlecap Press) in 2022. Her poem “Indiana Night” won first place in the 2012 Melba Geoffroy Poetry Contest and her poem “Slash-and-Burn won “Best of Poetry” award in the 2014 edition of Genesis. In 2022 she was nominated for the Pushcart Prize from Oyster River Pages for her poem "The Conquest of Hoarding". Her poem "A Bi Awakening in a Red State" was long-listed for the 2022 Spectrum Poetry Competition. Her poem "Poetic Paramour" won 2nd place in the 44th annual PSI Love of Poetry Prize. Her poem "A Forager's Haiku in Season's" won 3rd place in the 44th annual PSI Membership Award. In 2023 she was awarded the Holden Vaughn Spangler Award from RCC Muse for her poem "The Quiets of Parenting."

Her poetry has been archived in Indiana's Poetry Archive (INverse) and she is serving as judge for the 2022 Poetry Out Loud's state competition. Dubbs has performed in several live and virtual readings including being a featured author for both Poets Laureate of Lawrence and Poetry on Brick Street. She also performed at the 2021 Grand Opening of Fort Ben’s Culture Campus.

Dubbs earned her BA in English at Indiana University Bloomington. She was president and founder of IU’s Creative Writing Club and was an Associate Editor of poetry, non-fiction, and literary fiction for The Scribe, a literary ezine. Dubbs was also an intern for the nationally celebrated Indiana Review.

Dubbs lives with her husband, twin girls, cat, and dog and enjoys hiking, gardening, running, mushroom foraging, video games and watching 90s magical girl anime.

Publications & Prizes

Anthologies:
A Flame Called Indiana: An Anthology of Contemporary Hoosier Writing (Indiana University Press, 2023)
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Poetry As My Lover (Poetry Society of Indiana, 2023)
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Ink to Paper Vol 7 (Poetry Society of Indiana, 2022)
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The 50-word Stories of 2021: Microfiction for Lovers of Quick Reads Book 1 (Vine Leaves Press, 2021)
Book:
Aerodynamic Drag: Poetry and Short Fiction (CreateSpace, 2021)
Chapbook:
An American Mujer (Bottlecap Press, 2022)
Journals:
Backbone Poetry Journal
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Genesis
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noah magazine
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Open Minds Quarterly
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Periphery
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Plants and Poetry Journal
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Poetry and COVID
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Rainy Day
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RCC Muse
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Spoonie Magazine
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unFold
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Zaum
Prizes won: 
  • 2022 Pushcart Nomination for “The Conquest of Hoarding” from Oyster River Pages
  • 2023 Holden Vaughn Spangler Award, RCC Muse, "The Quiets of Parenting"
  • Melba Geoffroy Poetry Contest 2012 1st Place: "Indiana Night"
  • Genesis Best-of-Poetry Award Fall 2014: "Slash and Burn"
  • Spectrum Poetry Competition 2022 Long-list "A Bi Awakening in a Red State"
  • 44th Annual PSI Love of Poetry Award 2nd Place "Poetic Paramour"
  • 44th Annual PSI Membership 3rd Place "A Forager's Haiku in Seasons"
  • Finalist 2022 Onwords Press Who Freakin' Cares Poetry Contest "A Digital Obituary"
  • Renard Press 2023 Kinship Poetry Competition Long-list: "Here's to Us Spanglish Kids"

Personal Favorites

Favorite authors: 
John Dos Passos, Tim O'Brien, Lorrie Moore, Toni Morrison, Edgar Allan Poe, Virginia Woolf

More Information

Gives readings: 
Yes
Travels for readings: 
Yes
Identifies as: 
Hispanic, White
Prefers to work with: 
LGBTQ, Mental Health
Fluent in: 
English
Born in: 
IN
Indiana
Please note: All information in the Directory is provided by the listed writers or their representatives.
Last update: Sep 14, 2023