“I think literary magazines are important because they’re the subtle way in which authors may develop themselves and acquire a certain degree of recognition before taking on larger projects.”
“Some people are comfortable in a very nebulous space. They’re much more comfortable in the first person voice because it affords spreading across time. I’m not that kind of writer.”
“One of my goals as the Classroom Ambassador is to be a resource for new writers who are entering the world of fiction and publication. I want to be an advocate for their stories to be heard.”
“When a story surprises me with a vision that’s believable but unexpected, when a story combines urgency with authority of voice—to me, that’s honest fiction.”
“In much the same way you try to keep a translation loyal to the original text, I think “honest poetry” shows a constancy in relating to the human condition.”
"What’s really at stake in helping kids write better? It’s not about passing exams or getting a diploma or even about gaining the skills for college or career. It’s about using words to claim and proclaim your own life."
"Though there are aspects to drumming, like rhythm and beat, that certainly inform my poems, what I enjoy and appreciate most about being a drummer is how different it is from writing."
"As Rita Dove once said, so succinctly, poetry is the most “immediate and intimate” genre. Our brains/souls/hearts/memories/days are desperate for it."
