Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up in Los Angeles, California. Was born in the Harbor in Harbor City, CA but I was raised in L.A. Being from Los Angeles has influenced my writing a bit because I take my experiences and what I have seen and incorporate in my poetry sometimes in my fiction. Sometimes siting at the train station or local coffee shop I get this rush of inspiration from the people I see around me or what ever may be going on or a news story I hear or heard about. In each of my poetry books I have written there is at least one poem that pays homage to my home state, my city.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
Yes, I wrote my first short story in my freshman year of high school, it was called 'four knights in armor,' and to this day I have not published it because now when I read it, I just think it is cheesy. I originally wrote in my second period spanish class in my freshman year of high school. I remember sitting down after the bell rang and paying no mind to the teacher I just started writing this story. I had this idea and just started working on it, the teacher didn't exist at that moment, I was in my own world as I am whenever I write a new story or poem.
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