
I never anticipated that I would be publishing a lone book of poetry, let alone two in the same year. As a child, I wanted to write a book or magazine. The days of hauling out my dad’s dusty typewriter and putting together an article on the basics of tennis, seems like a lifetime ago.
For some reason, I never went to college to pursue writing. By the time I was a senior in high school, I was hyper focused on learning American Sign Language and becoming an education interpreter. When it was time to sign up for that program, I found out there was a waiting list over a year long. My mom was worried that once I took time away from learning, I might not get back into it, so I signed up for the Hospitality and Tourism Management course.
I continued writing throughout college and my internship with Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua. Sitting outside that big, beautiful canvas tent on the hill called Ashwabay, music filing the air, was inspiring. It will always be one of my favorite places to write. After graduation, the teacher of my program approached my mom, and told her that she hoped I would go back to school for writing in the future. I unfortunately never did.
While living in England I decided to attend The Open University. I did not know what I wanted to major in, so I took general classes for what interested me at the time. Sociology, psychology, art history, and literature. In the end, I chose to do a degree in sociology, despite my grades being much better in art history and literature. I never had the opportunity to finish that degree, but I absolutely enjoyed every moment of the experience.
I wrote a lot in England. A therapist suggested that I turn my hobby into mini therapy sessions, so I did, and the avalanche of feelings I was experiencing eased. I slowly started to figure out who I was again and realizing that I deserved to be who I longed to be. I finally found myself, and along with that, the strength to move forward.
When you move forward, opportunities arise, and I am trying to take advantage of as many as I can. Most opportunities have been amazing. Some have been “interesting,” and I could turn those experiences into a story all on their own.
For now, I will continue working on a third book. Even from inception, the idea has changed a bit. I am sure it will morph a little more as it takes shapes. I wanted to try something new, something with a challenge. I am incredibly proud of what I have published this year, and I hope you enjoy reading my work.
You can find my books, by clicking these links.
A Thousand Melodies https://a.co/d/gGvZ3gw These Words https://a.co/d/cKTz1on
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