I write about stepping into the unknown and being changed by it.

I grew up in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, one of the three secret cities that produced the first atomic bomb. I earned a bachelor’s degree in religious studies from the University of Tennessee and a master’s degree in counseling from the University of Alabama. I’ve worked as a therapist at a state psychiatric hospital, exhibited my fine-art photography nationwide, and taught English as a Second language at the University of Tennessee. The pivotal experience of my life, however, was serving in the Peace Corps as a community organizer and health educator in a devout Muslim village in The Gambia, West Africa. I became fluent in the Wolof language, which allowed me to form close friendships and a deep understanding of the culture. Living in Africa changed my life in ways I could have never foreseen.

While I was working on my memoir of those transformative years, excerpts from the manuscript were published in Parhelion Literary and Persimmon Tree; a third is forthcoming in Allium: A Journal of Poetry and Prose. My work has been nominated for Best of the Net. A fellow of the Hambidge Center, I live outside of Chattanooga, Tennessee with my husband, whom I met and married in The Gambia.

I’d love to visit your book club, whether in person or on Zoom.

I’ve found that I enjoy discussing The Geography of Desire with readers—especially answering their questions, which often surprise me. If you’re interested in scheduling a visit, please contact me here. Also, please check out the downloadable book club questions!