I cannot recall a time when I did not love writing. I’m not quite sure when I fell in love with words, but I do know that without expression through writing my life would be empty, void.

My writing interests include poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and journalistic writing. I love to express life through words, whatever form that might be. But, poetry was my first love—finding the exact words to express and describe life, playing with words on the page, the rhythm. I began writing poetry in elementary school and I have developed my craft through courses in poetry writing, reading, experiencing life, and by being involved in poetry readings and groups like the Chattanooga Writers Guild.

Throughout my schooling, teachers and professors encouraged my writing and creativity. I’d like to take this opportunity to recognize them because where would we be in life and in our writing if we didn’t have the teachers, the mentors to encourage creativity? There are many other teachers that touched my life, but these teachers, specifically, helped to encourage and develop my creative writing: Mr. Coulter (3rd grade), Diane Womble (9th grade), Mrs. Robbs (11th grade), Lee Papa (freshmen year of college), Art Smith (sophomore year of college), Allen Wier (senior year of college), Roberta Binkley, Eileen Meagher, and Ken Smith (graduate school).

So, where am I with my writing today? After a long sabbatical from my creative writing for about a year and a half, due to many excuses (planning a wedding, busy work schedule, etc.), I have now begun to write again. After the death of my sister and nephew in a car accident in November 2002, my writing was the only thing that would bring me comfort and allow me to express my life, which was drastically changed.

So, now I am keeping a journal again and getting involved in some other exciting writing ventures. Since early 2003, I have worked (in my spare time) as a freelance writer and have had articles published in MountainLife magazine, Chattanooga Magazine, Envirolink and Exquisite Brides & Weddings. I also continue to work on some of the short stories I have written over the last few years and hope to work on some book projects down the road.

My background:

I was one of the Co-Founders of the Chattanooga Writers Guild and currently serve on the Board of Directors. I received a BA in English (with a writing concentration) from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville in 1998 and a MA in English (with a rhetoric and writing concentration) from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) in 2001. I currently work full time at UTC as a grant writer and consultant, which involves a lot of technical writing on a daily basis. Occasionally, I teach part-time as an adjunct instructor in the English Department.

My poems have appeared in The East Tennessee Writer and Breathing the Same Air: An East Tennessee Anthology.

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