My six full-length collections of poetry include Air, Light, Dust, Shadow, Distance, winner of the 42 Miles Press Prize; My Life in Heaven, winner of the FIELD Prize; Beauty Breaks In; Purr; Inside the Yellow Dress; and Captivity Narrative, winner of the Ohio State UP/The Journal Prize. I have also published two chapbooks. My current writing projects include poetry, flash creative nonfiction, and long-form fiction. Since 2002, I have taught in the undergraduate and MFA programs in creative writing at West Virginia University where I am currently a Professor of English and have won awards as an outstanding teacher, researcher, and mentor. My students have gone on to publish more than 20 books. I live in West Virginia and in my home state, Michigan.