I am writing my butt off and making some serious progress on my poetry book. I am really excited to see what comes of this.

The first section of my poetry book is about my childhood and I’m finding it really challenging balancing the bad with the good. 

I grew up in a conservative rural area — heavily Christian and sort of stuck in time. My family stuck out like a sore thumb. I was raised by a single dad who was not conservative at all. I had big dreams and my dad was always supportive. It was everyone else I had to worry about. Knowing that I was leaving when I graduated high school is what got me through some rough times. 

Many of my poems have the usual small-town complaints. I know many people will relate to that. However, the countryside was always beautiful and I had some really nice experiences there with my family. Our little house was in the middle of nowhere with an endless horizon. I loved watching storms approach from miles away. I loved watching the fields speckled with lightning bugs. I just don’t have that where I am now.

I cherish these memories but I know I was never meant to live in that area and I’m sure as hell not raising my family there. At the same time, it wasn’t all bad and I’m having trouble expressing that without sounding confusing. Thankfully I don’t turn in my final manuscript until December so I definitely have a little time to figure this out.