ABOUT
Bio
I'm a native Bostonian transplanted to sweltering Florida. When not ferrying my children to extracurricular activities, I spend every free moment writing and reading, from novels to poetry and creative nonfiction essays. As mentioned below, volunteering is a big part of my life, as well. My tertiary passions include synchronized swimming, dancing in the kitchen to reggaetón, wine consumption, and teaching my daughters to curse in French.
Get to know me more in the Washington Independent Review of Books interview by illustrious writer and reviewer K. L. Romo here.
Why volunteering matters
To create in-depth fiction about the lives of women, I believe a writer must leave her desk and embrace women of all cultural backgrounds and points of view. One way to connect is by helping people wholly unlike oneself. I work and volunteer for RAMWI, a local nonprofit that welcomes refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers as they adjust to life in Tampa Bay, Florida.
Through its Sew Much Hope Project division, I teach sewing to women who use these skills to sell products and earn money. The resulting friendships and collaborations not only nourish a sense of community for everyone, but also blossom a perseverance I strive to portray in my fiction. Currently, I'm managing multiple projects for seven seamstresses and helping them sell at local craft festivals. Thank you, Ramwi family!
Why I interview: The Woman Reader Project
My greatest challenge as a writer is understanding who my target audience is. This can be difficult because I seek a diverse group of readers to enjoy my work. So, how do I learn what will make these women laugh or reflect or nod their heads in understanding?
Get to know them. Talk with them. Find the intersection between the scenes I love to write and those they enjoy reading.
The Woman Reader Project is an interview series aiming to do that. I’ve selected among women I admire in my community to hear their thoughts and readerly desires. Check it out here.
Affiliations
I am a proud member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association since 2016 and currently host their Diversity and Inclusion book club. Wonderful thanks to my ever-energetic mentor and the critique partners I have met through the WFWA community.
I ❤ National Novel Writing Month
I'm a two time "winner," having completed 50,000 words of a first draft in November.