When i was a child, I wanted to be a writer or a poet. In school I wrote a poem about the color brown that my teacher entered in a national poetry contest (I have no idea which and we are talking back in 1969, so...yeah...) It didn't win, BUT I always loved writing and took several poetry classes in college.

The idea for Broken Silence started as a late night conversation with a reader friend who urged me to write a smutty professor/student story and I thought, "sure, why not." But of course I can't do anything as planned and what started out as something a little naughty turned into probably my most romantic book yet. I mean it's got two guys reciting poetry to each other. Big sighs.

When I started writing Broken Silence, I had no idea Foster would be a poetry professor. I knew what he wouldn't be: MATH. Because, as Justin says, "I can't do that shit." So I dusted off my poetry brain and came up with the poems for Broken Silence. They are all original and very personal to me. I've always believed the written word is one of the most powerful tools we humans have. Being able to put our feelings down on paper, when speaking them out loud might be too personal gives us the ability to work through emotions that might otherwise overwhelm us. Poetry has that ability.

Justin finds that outlet in poetry. Foster regains his love for writing when he alows himself to acknowledge his desire for Justin. I hope when you read Broken Silence you enjoy the poems.