About Bruce B. Wilmer

Bruce B. Wilmer is a native Long Islander, raised in Manhasset, NY, who in 1976 decided to pursue his improbable dream of turning his avocation of writing poetry, cultivated while serving overseas in the U.S. Army, into a livelihood by forming his own publishing company, Wilmer Graphics, with his wife, a former teacher. After 28 years of building a thriving business selling his original poetry to a large domestic and worldwide market while based in Huntington, NY, the two of them relocated their company to an expanded facility in North Carolina, where Bruce continued to pursue his writer's dream while broadening his creative perspective living in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Starting out in 1976 with a pair of obsolete Chandler-Price letter presses, which the two bought at auction, they first published Bruce's poem about their newborn baby entitled "A Baby's Smile" using handset type and sold it in hospitals and gift shops in personalized form. As they shifted to modern printing techniques, that initial poem grew to more than 350 titles in their poetry line, all authored by Bruce. The poems, collectively known as Light Lines® Originals, appeared in over a dozen graphic arts products over the years and touched millions of readers worldwide. What he called his "purposeful poetry" was typically displayed on various types of wall scrolls or carried on little laminated cards called Wallet Stuffers®. Other poetry products included greeting cards, bookmarks, magnets, posters, and key chains. The poems expressed thoughts of love, friendship, family, inspiration, encouragement and communication. Appreciated by all ages, they were sold in thousands of stores of every type nationwide and in over 45 countries in English and Spanish.

Bruce has also authored eight books of poetry, including HIGH ON A LIMERICK (1974); FEELINGS (1987); LOVE POEMS (1990); BELIEVE IN YOURSELF: POEMS OF PURPOSE (1998); TIME CRIES: A POET'S RESPONSE TO 9/11/01 (2011); POEMS TO CARRY WITH YOU ON LIFE'S JOURNEY: INSPIRATION AND ENCOURAGEMENT FOR EVERY NEW BEGINNING (2012); POEMS FOR THE ONE I LOVE (2013); and ATTITUDE OF SUN (2019).

Writing in various styles over the years, he feels his poetry books have extended his creative opportunities, allowing him to assemble his considerable body of writings without the constraints of a graphic arts format. Thus, his emphasis in recent years has been on compiling collections of his poetry through his publishing imprint, Winding Brook Press (formed in 2011), and making them available through online publishing venues.

After over 40 years of publishing his poetry, Bruce's greatest satisfaction still comes from hearing the heart-warming stories and personal responses of readers to his poems. Making a difference and inspiring others has always been important to him.