April has been a busy month, even though I’m working from home. I have two new items to share with you, my lovely readers! First, I’ll share the shorter of the two items. Neoteny has a new review! Jennifer R. Jackson reviewed the book on her site, The Handy Uncapped Pen. She wrote some kind … More New Video & New Review
Because of current CDC regulations, many of my poetry events have been canceled or rescheduled. But since everyone is jumping on the Zoom wagon, I decided to see how a poetry reading and discussion works in this online conference format. My collaborators at the FSCJ Library and Learning Commons co-hosted the event and edited my … More My first poetry reading and discussion through Zoom!
I’m excited to share that I’ll be hosting my first poetry reading and discussion over Zoom! My event is called What Can A Woman Say?: Exploring Gender in Poetry. I’ll be reading from Neoteny: Poems, answering your questions about poetry and the writing life, and giving away three free copies of my forthcoming audiobook! Join … More Upcoming Event: What Can A Woman Say?
The latest issue of Wordgathering is live, and it contains some extraordinary work. Wordgathering is now a collaborative effort with Syracuse University, and it has a new virtual home! View the full issue here. Not only is my name listed in the official masthead as an associate poetry editor, but this issue contains book reviews … More NEOTENY reviewed in Wordgathering!
Dear Leah, Kevin, Christen, and all the lovely people at Finishing Line Press: I have such deep gratitude to express for all your efforts to bring Neoteny: Poems into the world. Though my work has been published in anthologies, Neoteny is my first solo literary endeavor. It’s a beautiful feeling when I can hand this … More My letter of thanks to Finishing Line Press
I’m excited to share a recent interview I did for Bidwell Hollow, a literary newsletter celebrating authors and book events! In this interview, I talk about teaching, embodied poetry, and the meaning of “neoteny.” I appreciate the thoughtful questions and the chance to discuss my work! Read the full interview here.
I am excited to say that Neoteny: Poems is on its way to the printer! The book is also now available on Amazon! Click here to order. I had the pleasure of writing the long Amazon description for Neoteny, so here it is! A lively and imaginative debut, Neoteny explores blindness, family, and birdsong. In these poems, … More NEOTENY on the way!
I have some very exciting news! Yesterday I found out that my publisher, Finishing Line Press, nominated Neoteny: Poems for The Pushcart Prize! This prize is specifically for the literary work of small presses, and each press may put forward six nominees for the year. I am one of five nominations from Finishing Line! I … More NEOTENY Gets Nominated!
A few weeks ago I was interviewed by Rance Adams of WJXT’s River City Live, and I am so excited to share the feature. Rance asked insightful and empathetic questions, and he created a wonderful segment about my work, even including clips from my TEDx presentation and JaxbyJax readings. The feature aired today at 11AM. … More My feature on River City Live
This morning I spoke with Charleen Shirk on WJCT’s First Coast Connect. We talked about Neoteny: Poems, the importance of mentorship, and cultivating a poet’s awareness. I explained that disability alone is not an angle or a superpower: it is a cultural identity. Listen to the full interview here. My segment starts around 35:30. You … More My spot on First Coast Connect
I’m thrilled to announce that nine of my poems are included in the Fall 2019 issue of Nine Mile Magazine! This special double issue was guest-edited by Diane Wiener, and it features the work of disabled, D/deaf, and neurodivergent poets. My poems in this issue are “Faith,” “A Phenomenology of Blindness,” “Ajeen,” “Patronage,” “Anniversary in … More Nine poems in Nine Mile!
This weekend, I was thrilled to be a guest on Scribbler’s Corner at River of Grass, a local podcast featuring interviews with Florida writers. My hosts, Darlyn Finch Kuhn and Brad Kuhn, welcomed me into their home studio for a warm and engaging conversation about writing, mentorship, and the habits of a creative life. We … More Guest on Scribbler’s Corner at River of Grass
Today I talked about Neoteny: Poems on News4Jax’s Morning Show. I got to discuss my love of teaching and the process of writing a book. Here’s the video. Thank you to everyone who has ordered a copy of my book – and to all who have liked and shared my posts! I am so encouraged … More Catch me on The Morning Show
As a writer, I often reread my own work. You might think this is out of pride or self-importance, but it really isn’t. I reread my own work to see if it holds up to the passing of hours, days, years. I write as much for myself as I do for a more public audience, … More Finalist for the 2018 Atlantis Award!
Poet, editor, and teacher Jill Khoury interviewed me for Issue 54 of Rogue Agent, a journal of embodied poetry,. You’ll remember Jill from when we discussed the importance of online poetry workshops. I also reviewed her book Suites for the Modern Dancer, and we participated in a dialogue about blindness and writing. So what is … More My interview in Issue 54 of Rogue Agent!
On the Blink 