Education & Background

After a tumultuous and rocky start with college, I declared myself an English major. The idea of helping teach others to express themselves through writing prevailed over art, counseling, or politics. During my education at the University of Maryland, I studied Arthurian legend, Greek mythology, Shakespeare, feminist science fiction, LGBTQIA+ lit, young adult novels, and the history and structure of the English language.

My love of words continued. I wrote in my spare time and landed a few gigs as a ghostwriter, video game columnist, and fiction manuscript editor.

Then, my career as a public school English teacher began. I drowned in work. Grading papers became my everyday life, and I rarely had time to come up for air. My manuscripts, some already finished in second draft form, were printed and buried under piles of books and notes, or else lost in some dark corner of my Google Drive. Not forgotten, but left behind.

As I transitioned from teaching in public schools to providing therapy at both a non-profit agency and in private practice, I still had no significant energy left to write. But, I didn’t entirely give up on my dream of writing. Somehow, between large caseloads and a complete overhaul of my life, I managed to draft three messy manuscripts: a memoir told in a month, a poetry book about my late father, and a novel about pregnancy loss. But while continuing to be a full-time clinical counselor, I didn’t have the energy or spark needed to polish my work, figure out the publishing process, or do anything actually required to get my work into the hands of readers.

That is why, in 2023, I decided to take the ultimate leap of faith. I took a sabbatical from my traditional career as a full-time therapist to pursue my lifelong dream of being an author above all else.