The Last Expression follows a passionate, faith-driven journey of identity, heartbreak, purpose, and self-worth as you wrestle with pain and power while claiming your voice. Why was this an important book for you to write?

My book was important for me to write because I had an important message I needed to convey to my audience. I wanted to share my story with my audience that could deeply resonate with my words in poetic form. I wanted to leave a lasting impression, an imprint, and leave a legacy with my readers around the world. I didn’t want to leave the ending to my poetry series on a fall; I needed to return. Also, I wanted to correlate that return to the Return of Jesus. He will one day come back to rule and reign and be reconciled with His followers! I am a Christian, and I believe my writing influences people. Lastly, it was for my own therapy to have a release or outlet to cope with life.

The book often balances confidence with vulnerability. How do you navigate writing from a “kingly” posture while still revealing pain, doubt, and longing?​

I truly believe I write with an open heart and want to be authentic in my writing approach. I believe we as humans deal with the duality of opposites, for example, happiness and sadness. You can feel two things simultaneously. You can be confident but may wrestle with some doubts or fears. I believe you can disarm people with your demeanor, but people need to feel like they can identify with you! Every king wasn’t always perfect, especially those who were kings in biblical times. They all faced challenges, battles, or opposition. We all have our moments, but I truly see myself as a king because God is a King of All Kings. I am made in His image. He has crowned me with favor in spite of my struggles.

Faith is central throughout the book. Were there particular life experiences that shaped the spiritual urgency behind these pieces?​

Yes, absolutely!! When I went through rough seasons, I had to rely on my faith in God to get through them! I felt like people needed to hear my testimony so they could be inspired and know that God is with us, just like He has always been with me! I remember being in the military, and I was deployed to Iraq back in 2006 and 2007. We had a mortar attack that hit inside the compound I was working at. It was a very close call; my life literally flashed before my eyes. I had to go into combat mode and protect the detainees (the enemy) that I was guarding with my fellow troops. I knew God protected all of us that day from what could have been a disaster!

Which piece in the collection was the most difficult or healing for you to write, and why?​

Hmmm, let me see there were a few that were a bit challenging to write like “Therapy,” “Stages,” “Sacrifice,” “Evolve,” and “Letter To My Dad.” There was just a lot to cover and very complex topics to speak about. Stages were very detailed and were quite a process going from start to finish. “Evolve” was scientific and just a different lane into unfamiliar territory than what I am used to writing.”Letter To My Dad” was difficult because you’re trying to embody a whole person and the relationship you have with them into one poem. I made a rough draft of it and recited it to my father. He asked me to rewrite the poem. I was kind of shocked, but he wanted me to elaborate more, and he is a studious kind of person anyway. So, when I wrote it a second time, I put more emphasis on giving the poem more meaning to satisfy his liking and also showcase what type of man and father he is! Overall, this last book has been my most challenging yet, but I enjoy taking on challenges, and it’s really helped me become more efficient in my writing!

Author Links: X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Instagram | Amazon