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I think about imagination and creativity and its place in our fast-paced world. For me, writing is a way of slowing down. The cadence and layers in both fiction and poetry are something to savor—and I do—rereading books by my favorite authors and new authors I discover again and again. The words stay with me long after I've turned the last page. These poems and stories bring a deeper meaning to my daily life.
I can't remember a time when I didn't use writing to make sense of the world. The best writing reveals an emotional truth--different from the literal truth. As I tell my students, you owe nothing to reality. The best writing feels authentic even if it takes us to imaginary towns or leaps into a future we cannot know.
I am the author of a debut collection of short fiction, Growing a New Tail (Arlen House/Syracuse University Press, 2015) and four collections of poetry, most recently Necessary Silence (Arlen House/Syracuse University Press, 2013). I'm happy to visit your book group (or Skype faraway readers) and I can provide questions for discussion. I also offer workshops, book talks, and one-to-one mentoring. Please contact me for more information. I hold an MFA in Creative Writing and I've been teaching writing at the college level for many years. I also go into schools and write with students from grade two through high school.
Literature matters because it is one way that humanity with all of its losses and triumphs can become a work of art.
Check my schedule for a reading near you or contact me if you'd like to bring me to your hometown. Buy books (particularly from independent booksellers) and bring them as gifts next time you're invited to dine at someone's house. They last longer than a bottle of wine and you'll be one of the many heroes supporting small presses who often struggle to survive. You'll also be introducing writers to your friends.
I hope to meet you at a reading or literary event! Thank you for your support. |
