I’ve been a writer for as long as I can remember. In truth, I was a writer even before I could read. When I was just five years old, I learned about a world record held by a four-year-old who had written and published book. I was already a year too late to claim the title, but I was undeterred. I believed I could come close, and so I picked up a pencil and began.

It took me many years to understand the difference between a God-given desire to write and the ability to write. I was no prodigy! What I had was determination, and what I needed was time.

Mastering the craft has taken years, even decades. I pursued the dream through a long academic journey, devoting myself to the study of literature and storytelling. Later, I brought that passion into the college classroom, where I spent years helping others find their voices while continuing to shape my own.