It should come as no surprise that I love words. How they sound; how a clever turn of phrase can make you rethink an idea you once had; how I can read something that touches me so deeply that I must put the book down and reflect for a moment, only to pick it back up and read it once more.

We use words to make promises, to declare love—or war. To swear allegiance. Words can be used to oppress or to liberate; to tear someone down or build them up. We combine them in our love letters; our sacred texts; our Constitution. Words have power. Words entertain us; they move us; they alter us.

I have many identities, but being a writer is probably the one to which I feel most connected.