Hi, I’m ABG. I’m a writer, poet, mother, friend, daughter, sister, enemy, teacher, student, fighter, defender, and lover of everything that is beautiful and feeds the senses. If you can relate to any of these things, you and I should get along wonderfully. I’m here to read and, if the lights in the sky hit me just right, I might do a little writing as well. I am truly a lover of words and I sincerely believe in their strength. The written word is a way to go beyond just your immediate existence. They allow you an opportunity to expand your mind’s eye, learn more about the world and people that surround you, and most of all they lead you to yourself. So, I’m going to gather the words and hopefully some good friends. One of them might be you.

Interests
I consume literature, all shapes, forms and sizes. I’m blessed because I have a job that allows me the opportunity to talk about all that I read and listen to the thoughts that others have about it too. In that way, I’m a definite nerd. I’m also a very physical person. I run several miles every day, except Sunday, before the crack of dawn. I loathe the tread mill and can’t do the monotonous circles around the track thing. So, I’m up before the cars get in my way and just in time to catch the sun. I weight train, do yoga, tai-chi and my new love is belly dancing. Where ever there are lakes or rivers or oceans, I find my home. I love to dance, sing and laugh. Don’t get mad if I laugh at you because I laugh at myself too. I shop (pause here). You have to take a moment to understand the depth of that statement. I dabble in photography, but mostly I like to pose. I enjoy so many things, but mostly because I share them with good, fun loving friends or that someone special. That makes it all the better.

Favorite Books
I have so many books that I love--past and present. I don't know where to begin or end. I've created my own personal home library. Everyone steals from me and I pretend to not notice. There is a line in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass" to cover every situation that you may have in life. I think I've remembered them all. "Sula," "Quicksand and Passing," "The Bluest Eye," "Possessing the Secret of Joy," "Jane Eyre" and "Wuthering Heights" were all early influences. I think that every pre-teen should read Paulo Coelho's "The Alchemist" and "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" by M. Pirsig. I recommend "Writing from the Body" by John Lee and memorizing William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White's "The Elements of Style". I recommend reading the books first and watching the movies last. Don't even get me started on poetry...

Favorite Authors
I love everything from Seamus Heaney and his "Beowulf" to Henry Louis Gates, Jr.'s commentary on Tupac. I've drooled over all the classic Anglo Irish writers and cried over all my womanist Goddesses like Ntozake Shange. I want to grow up and be Toni Morrison or cool like Alice Walker. Marge Piercy blew me away with "He, She and It". Anita Shreve just does it over and over again. I read W.E.B. DuBois, Joseph Campbell and Rilke to my son. I love Whitman and seriously feel that Grandmaster Flash hit it on the nose with "The Message" (And yes he should be included in the AA Norton Anthology). Did I mention Leslie Marmon Silko, I want to grow up and be her too. I'm saving a copy of "Nappy Hair" by Carolivia Herron to sing to my granddaughter one day--if I ever have one, simply because her words make me laugh and say amen. My list is long and deep. This is hardly the tip.

Favorite Movies
Once again, there are too many to name. I look for the same thing in movies that I look for in books. They have to delve into how people think and why they do the things they do. I like a good twist, lots of action and romance. I do enjoy a good comedy. I'm a through and through romantic with an edge. I love so many movies. My favorites change with my mood. I do come back to movies like “The Fountain” and then I just want to sing along with “The Wiz”. I like movies that are off the beaten track. I’m attracted to a lot of Indy films. I like supernatural and movies that deal with biblical lore, but not slasher movies. I like to think.

Favorite Music
I listen to a little of everything except bluegrass. I love to dance. I studied classical music and I grew up on all that is r&b and rap. Lately, I'm really into French jazz and neo soul.