I have always been an avid reader. I read Homer's 'The Illiad' and 'The Odyssey' years before I learned I'd have to read them in high school. I've read all of J.R.R. Tolkien's works, including his short, 'Leaf by Niggle.' I'm also a huge fan of Edgar Allan Poe, his dark, tragic humor always struck a chord with my soul. Why do I write? Because I can, and I must. My Muse does not wake as often as I'd wish, but when she does, I must write until she nods back to her deep slumber.

Poetry.com's Editor's Choice Award, 2004