Welcome! … and What I’m All About

It is past time for me to build my own website, or so my good friend Hannah VanderHart (an absolutely brilliant poet in MD) informed me a few weeks ago. I admit, when she first uttered these words, I was a wee bit intimidated. Building a website seems difficult, and besides, who would really want to read about me? <Answer: Only my family. But I’m not informing them of this site. They already know too much.> What wise and oh-so-powerful ideas can I share with the world– or more accurately, the google generation? <Answer: Writing is scary. Do it anyways. … Yes, this idea is completely unprecedented and revolutionary, I know.>

When it comes down to it, though, the latter is exactly what I have to offer: my wandering thoughts on writing, the writing process, being a poet and novelist in the early 21st century when poetry is not widely read and publishing a book is a marathon on a sprained ankle against a multitude of Olympic gold medalists on the hottest day in July. What it is to be a reader. What it is to be a jealous, I-would-kill-to-have-written-this-first reader. The struggle to create images on paper or in a blank Word document. Heck, the very struggle to discover words. This I understand. And you know what? I’m learning more about it every time I sit down at my oh-so-cluttered desk and mumble to myself, “Okay, Dempsey, time to write.” I’ve come to believe we need to share our battles and successes, contribute to this writing community in which we claim citizenship.

Here is my website. Here are some of my words. I hope you enjoy the ride.