I graduated Temple in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in journalism. Found out quickly how hard it is to break into the writing field. After a short stint as a newspaper reporter, I quit the peanuts paying job because I really felt creatively stifled. I tried to break into magazines, but after ten or twelve rejections, I became so frustrated that I published my own underground magazine. It kept me busy and fulfilled for a while, but rapidly became too costly to publish and market. My focus turned to poetry and philosophy. I entered several contests, and even managed to be published in two anthologies. Ultimately, I published a book.