Literary newcomer Renee` Crooks describes her first revelation for writing in a happenstance meeting with a prophet at a revival where she was led to ask what her gift was as she did not know her purpose. The story goes that the prophet turned to her and uttered instantaneously, "Gift of scribe, poetry, poetry...that's your gift." As if of divine appointment years later, a stranger approached her one day and randomly proclaimed that she should, "Write the book." If asked now, Renee would tell you that even before the prophetic decrees, she knew she was born to write. First born in the Unites States of her Jamaican lineage and the youngest of four children, Renee` had difficulty reading as a child and it wasn't until her mother sought additional aid for her learning did Renee begin to find the joy in reading and the spark for writing. Swept away by books at a young age Renee` has always been a fan of the written and spoken word. Though esteemed as a Free Lance writer having made contributions to the Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Times, Onyx Magazine and various Internet publications, Ms. Crooks will admit that her passion and heart's desire is in poetry. She describes the art of poetry as, "peering through fragmented glass that shifts and shapes and colors feelings in a very unique way for which no two people can see it quite the same." Now working on her second publication, Renee` is the author of "Now You've Seen Me Naked, a collection of poetry and prose. Read by Nikki Giovanni, Edwidge Danticat and James Todd Smith, known to most as LL Cool J, Renee` Crooks has received acclaim from seasoned authors and lovers of poetry across the United States and abroad. Poetically speaking to issues of womanhood, self esteem, relationships and spirituality, Renee` seeks to give voice in rhythms and words that are encoded for every heart to understand. A graduate of Bethune-Cookman University with a B.S in Psychology, the author reports that she never needed a degree to understand the psychology of the human spirit.

Please visit WWW.ARTISTFIRST.COM for the Ferguson Literary Hour. Listen to my most recent interview with host, Torrian Ferguson! Also stop by WWW.RENEECROOKS.COM to listen to interview clips and read excerpts of poems from, "Now You've Seen Me Naked"!

Now You've Seen Me Naked
"Now You've Seen Me Naked" is creating quite a buzz. Endorsed by poetic legends like Nikki Giovanni and read by literary giant Edwidge Danticat, this work is a MUST HAVE offering an undeniably freeing experience!