I am a retired 7th and 8th grade English teacher–5 classes a day. In addition, I am a piano and vocal instructor in my home studio. I look forward to taking some creative time for myself now. I’m not sure whether I’ll have the required stamina for the day, but I look forward to giving it my best effort.

I love food, especially chocolate, and enjoy reading, downhill skiing, singing, traveling, and my two grandchildren Olivia 4 and Carter 22 mos. My husband and I camp in our 5th wheel and travel to see our daughter, a freelance photojournalist in Europe, Africa, and Asia. She is presently in Baghdad working for the UN and the Governor of Anbar Province. We will not be visiting there!

My publishing experience includes numerous publicity campaigns for non-profits and several musical reviews for the local newspaper. My poetry has been published in education/writing journals. I like writing free verse as well as formatted poetry.

Look forward to meeting you all and seeing your poems! Donna Jean (DJ)