I attended and presented at Tudorcon for the first time this weekend! I chose the “Tudorcon from home” option which allowed me to view all the talks on Zoom, participate in live Q&As, and present my talk digitally. I was impressed with the accessibility measures taken by the conference organizers. All sessions were recorded, and … More My talk at Tudorcon 2025!
I’m proud to say that the latest issue of Wordgathering hosts two of my pieces! The first is an essay called “Too Close to Text: How Writing Revives a Blind Poet.” This essay explores my relationship with reading and writing as a blind woman. The second is my poem, “Backyard By Ear,” which was also … More Essay & poem published in Wordgathering
Last year I had the privilege of teaching a creative writing class with an extraordinary group of high schoolers. Many of these students had taken previous classes with me and were interested in my work as an author. In a lesson on sensory details, I shared my poem “Cello.” After enthusiastically analyzing the poem, one … More “Cello”: A poem’s life continues
Several months ago, I began my foray into Tudor history. I’ve found joy in a plethora of history podcasts. In no particular order, here are the five Tudor podcasts I never miss! Some lovely features in common with all five podcasts: Talking Tudors Hosted by Natalie Grueninger, Talking Tudors is a rich exploration of Tudor … More Top 5 Tudor Podcasts
As I prepare for my 14th year of teaching, I can anticipate one major change: my guide dog York will not be walking beside me. After 11 years of incredible service, it’s time for him to retire. I met York on June 24, 2014, and it’s no exaggeration to say that he has completely changed … More Retiring York
For the past eight months, I have been rediscovering my love of medieval and renaissance history through books and podcasts. I’m having a blast! So I’m documenting my research journey here with some reviews. Today I’m reviewing The Cardinal: A Novel of Love and Power by Alison Weir (Ballantine, 2025). I’ve read all six of … More Book Review: THE CARDINAL by Alison Weir
I am no stranger to the dread of poetry. When my students enter class and see “Poem of the Week” emblazoned on the warmup slide, the groans and sighs begin. “Poetry? I hate poetry!” Many students fear and despise poetry because it makes them feel stupid. They imagine, or have been led to believe, that … More #TLC: Rigor, Energy, Delight: A Poetic Practice
So much of modern advice for teachers involves tuning in to students’ anxieties, fears, and moods in such a way that you are told, “Never cold-call a student,” or “Don’t give a student anxiety by asking them to read an unfamiliar passage out loud.” I think this is a misdirected or perhaps misapplied approach to … More #TLC: Bravery in the Classroom
I’m excited to announce that the Winter 2023-2024 issue of Wordgathering: A Journal of Disability Poetry and Literature is live. This issue boasts reviews for 11 books, and included among these is my review of Clark A. Pomerleau’s Every Day, They Became Part of Him. I first encountered Pomerleau’s exceptional poetry when he submitted to … More New Book Review for Wordgathering
Dear faithful readers: It’s been a long time since I’ve updated this blog, but I am happy to write today with an exciting announcement. I have decided to promote other valuable writers’ work alongside my own. Today, I bring to you the work of John Lee Clark, a treasured friend and colleague who has always … More New Book by John Lee Clark
I am so thrilled to be part of the Arts Society of Kingston’s Poetic License exhibit! In this exhibit, Poetry Barn editors offered ASK artists a selection of poems to turn into works of art. I submitted in March, and my poem “Deficiencies” was chosen by the editors — and chosen again by artist Pamela … More “Deficiencies” featured in ASK exhibit!
Hello and happy summer to all my readers! I’m excited to share that one of my poems is featured today as Split This Rock’s Poem of the Week. The poem, “Blindness Locked Me Out,” first appeared in my book, Neoteny, back in 2019. You can read the poem and listen to me reading it here. … More Split This Rock features my poem!
I am excited to report the release of Welcome to the Resistance: Poetry As Protest, a new poetry collection from Stockton University Press. This collection was edited by Taylor Savath and Ona Gritz, and it includes three of my poems: “A Phenomenology of Blindness,” “Strangers at the Coffeeshop,” and “I Bless Our Daughter.” Order your … More New Poetry Out in Anthology
It’s never too early to start celebrating National Poetry Month! I’ll be reading at this fun event from the National Braille Press! All the info is below. It’s been a tough year! In honor of National Poetry Month, the National Braille Press is offering a poetry circle by Zoom with the theme of “Poems of … More Virtual Poetry Reading in April
What a year it’s been! I am happy to report on the books I read. As you can expect if you’re a regular on this blog, my list includes books about food, animals, psychology, and writing. Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? by Frans de WaalYet another wonderful text from renowned … More 21 Books in 2020
On the Blink 