As far back as I can remember, I have been a lover of words. I first fell in love at three years old. From that point on, I was committed to reading whenever I found the time, wherever I found the space, and whatever I found available.
The writing came later. By middle school, I’d published my first poem. Throughout high school I wrote very bad poetry. By college, I’d dismissed the art of writing as a passing fling and rebounded with computer programming and engineering projects. In graduate school, I decided to yield to the call of the pen. By the time I’d obtained my MFA in Creative Nonfiction from the University of Memphis, I’d published a few pieces of nonfiction in literary journals across the country.
Since I’ve been away, I’ve collaborated and edited a 7-woman collection of essays, self-published a 40-day devotional, and co-authored two trilogies (or six novellas). At present, I’m toying with a fantastical chap book; finishing up a textbook,
working on a Christian non-fiction book, and getting back into the swing of submitting creative nonfiction. Somewhere, I found time to administrate this blog–I always come back to Who’s That Lady (Kinda like “Atlantis;” I’ll always come back to you–also, a song by the Isley Brothers).
I’m still teaching composition, literature, public speaking and African and African American Studies, but there’s been a new addition to my growing vita. Back in November 2017, I accepted the position of Vice President of Student Services at Memphis Center for Urban Theological Studies. Leadership has been a good source of blog posts for me. You’ll see what I mean as I offer up my reflections. In the meantime, I’ve amassed a decent pile of all kinds of writing, mostly nonfiction: memoir, personal essays, and little researched scholarly stuff.
All of these things have given me much fodder for you here on the blog. Were it not been for the Lawd on my side, I don’t know how I would have been able to tolerate the situations, challenges, and people I’ve encountered. God still got jokes–and after a while, I still got laughs.
Blessings
DiAnne