Carmen Bouldin works as an English teacher—working in education since 2004. In her spare time, she writes gothic romance, mystery, and poetry. Much of her writing and art is inspired by Edgar Allan Poe. Her debut novella, The Rose Bush, was published May 16, 2025. It is the first book in her Gothic Garden Series. Her poem, “The Raven’s Mourning,” was nominated for a Saturday Visiter Award in 2020. This poem was published in Raven’s Quoth Press’ poetry anthology, Evermore 4, in 2024. She also has poems in the Raven’s Quoth Press’ poetry anthologies Cherish 2 and Evermore 5. She cohosts a podcast, The Six Degrees of Edgar A. Poe, where she and her POEcast partner, Jeanie Smith, discuss Poe’s influences on multiple genres. She also enjoys creating visual art. Her painting, “There’s no Place like Poe,” was nominated for a Saturday Visiter Award in 2019. A native Memphian, Carmen, resides in Middle Tennessee with her husband, Jeff, and their three cats, solid black cat-Poe, tuxedo cat-Montresor, and solid black cat-Forunato. Carmen and Jeff love to travel and wear vintage inspired attire Carmen creates through the art of sewing.