Happy New Year
Happy 2026!
In Free December 2025, I found myself doing a lot of soul searching. Last year was quite tumultuous with all kinds of highs and lows. There was one particular low that bears mentioning here. My friend, Leila Ben Nasr, passed away. She was a profoundly honest, generous, and graceful person. There are things I believe about myself and the world because she told me so. There are a cadre of us who are better because she lived. While the world feels dimmer without her, I carry her memory everywhere I go. Rest well, friend.
Let me debrief you before I let you know what’s on tap (pun for my initials) for 2026.
Here’s a list of what I did in 2025:
· Went to Qatar for the first time and had an absolutely wonderful time. Special thanks to Dr. Amy Walker and her family, the Sorors of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc’s Arabian Gulf Alumnae Chapter, and Georgetown – Qatar.
· Had a fabulous book release party (and endowed chair celebration) for my debut collection of poetry, What Had Happened Was. Thank you to everyone who contributed videos, cards, and well-wishes. I read and saw every single one!
· Gave interviews for podcasts and publications including Poetry – Medicine for the Soul (with John Gillespie), WURD Radio (with James Peterson), Langston Hughes Review (with Ryan Sharp), American Poetry Review (with Phil Metres), Black Studies Podcast, New Books Network, Ethically Immoral Podcast (with Mike Payne), Conversations in Atlantic Theory, The Café Review (with Jefferson Navicky), The Dispatch, NPR, Down East (with Michaela Cavallaro), and The Adroit Journal (with Nefertiti Asanti)
· Finished four essays. I am proud to say I took risks in each one.
· Attended four writers’ workshops: Kenyon Online, From Revision to Submission with Minda Honey, How to Write the Poem You’d Rather Not Write for People Who’d Rather Not Read it with Patricia Smith, and Obsidian Foundation
· Gave readings or talks at UNC – Charlotte, Wake Forest, UNC – Chapel Hill, University of Cincinnati, Symposium Books, University of Virginia, The Third Place, Princeton, University of Pennsylvania, Texas Christian University, University of Texas at Austin, and University of Houston.
· Applied to a bunch of prizes for the book and fellowships and grants for my sabbatical in 2026 – 2027
· Completed a residency at Vermont Studio Center
Mind you, all this was happening against the backdrop of geo-political terror and horror, threats of war and wars, extra-judicial and state-sanctioned violence against vulnerable people, genocide, and capitalist greed.
It was a hard year to be an artist and to help artists. It was hard year to be a writer and to help writers. I am so proud of those of you who continued believing in your work and kept returning to it. I am so proud of those of you who wondered what this was all for. I’m so proud of those of you who let me help you with your manuscripts. I am richer for it.
For 2026, I have some writerly goals that include working on another poetry manuscript, starting my sabbatical project, and writing some creative non-fiction. I also plan to continue readings for my poetry and talks for my scholarship (let me know if you want me to come through). I have also applied for a bunch of workshops and fellowships, so we’ll see what pans out there.
Most exciting for Inquiry Editing, LLC is a new service: Book Coaching. Beginning in April, I plan to offer book coaching. With this service, we meet monthly for three months. We will set goals for that three month period and I provide you with actionable homework for each month. While your writing will be your responsibility, I am there to help you think through your project. Since that would not be complete without me reading some of your work, I will also read up to 8000 words each month. Unlike the developmental editing service, I do not provide letters or track-changes documents with this service. The price is a flat rate of $3000. As per usual, I have discounts for faculty from HBCU, HSI, and Tribal Colleges and Universities as well as faculty paying out of pocket.
I look forward to being in touch over the course of this year!