Saraiya-Shah, Varsha: - Born and raised in Gujarat, India, Varsha Saraiya-Shah has lived in Houston most of her life. She has studied poetry through workshops and conferences in Houston, New York's Sarah Lawrence College, Squaw Valley Community of Writers-California, Reed College-Oregon, and San Miguel De Allende-Mexico. She was a poet-in-residence at Noepe Literary Center, Martha's Vineyard, MA in October, 2015. She currently serves on the board of Mutabilis Press. Her work is inspired and informed by contemporary poetry, travels, hikes, music, dancing, gardening, bicycling, human relationships as well as nature and an untiring eye for the small wonders of life.