LIBF article

Why I write:

When people ask me why I write, I often pause--not because I don't know the answer, but because the answer is layered with love, loss and something deeper than words can easily contain. Writing, for me, began as a way to remember. Overtime, it became a way to live again.

"You should write about all that stuff." Those could be viewed as her dying words on writing about my life in Africa. That southern girl convinced me that my voice and story were fascinating and needed to be shared with the world. So, when she suddenly died during childbirth, the writer in me was forced to awaken and express himself. The young man could not foresee the untimely passing of his young bride, now I write to honor her memory.

What started as a letter to her, turned into pages, then chapters, then a book. Every line became a conversation I didn't want to end, and so, the first novel was born. My first book, A Life of Resiliency, explored how I survived loss of a homeland and a best friend. Readers began to reach out, telling me that my story has helped them face their own grief. That's when I realized: I wasn't just writing for her anymore. I was writing for anyone who has ever had to start again. That's why I write.

My work has evolved. My second novel, Six by Nine, chronicles the gritty corridors of justice where the clang of steel meets echoes of locked away souls. A cautionary tale carefully crafted to give an account of what goes on beyond the confines of incarceration. As law enforcement and corrections officer, I had a front row seat to the concrete jungle. I educated my readers about the true consequences to bad decisions in life. That's why I write.

My third novel and entrance into fiction, Antonov-225--is about a fight for survival. A David vs Goliath story--A Ukraine vs Russia story centered around the legendary Antonov-225. It's a game of espionage, loyalty, and a brutal fight against a looming threat. The story blends historical truths with gripping fiction. Antonov-225 is a story of defiance, sacrifice and liberation of heritage and future.

So, why do I write? I write because somewhere, someone needs to be reminded that even after a loss, life still has meaning--and stories still have the power to heal. That's why I write.