I have come along way, born in the height of summer, August 18^th, 1980. I was raised in Oakland, CA, my childhood was very lonely I am an only child so I had to find a way to keep myself entertained most of the time. I always wanted a brother or sister but when my parents divorced in 1986 I realized that would probably never happen and it didn’t. My imagination kept me out of a lot of trouble during my school days although I would still get the occasional note sent home or phone call to my father. It would always be the same complaint, Desiree talks too much in class, she’s always disrupting. I thought that expression was healthy for kids and I was never able to conform to the 'raise your hand for everything' rule.

After my parents divorced my mother moved to New Jersey and my father became a single parent. One thing I can say I had was a damn good father; he never went on one date after my mother left. His whole world revolved around me and raising me right, which he did, I think I turned out pretty good.

When the 1989 earthquake shock the Bay Area we found ourselves homeless, that lasted about a year. We stayed at the Harrison House (homeless shelter) in North Berkeley until my father got help from FEMA. Although the experience wasn’t pleasant at the time it was very humbling and now that I look back on it and hold a lot of pride. My father held us together and never lost hope. I wouldn't change those times for anything.

When I was fourteen I was placed in Kiros, a group home, in east Oakland for a month and a half while my parents went to court to fight for custody. Eventually my father won and I got to go home. My heart was always with my dad, we were each others rock.

After that life for me was pretty normal, I went on to graduate from Oakland Tech in 1999 and contemplated college but after a few classes I realized college wasn’t for me. Throughout school I hated (yes hated) English. I didn’t like being told what to read, how to write or any of the other crap my English teacher was feeding me. So with that said I honestly never thought that writing would be my passion. I didn’t even realize how much writing was a part of me until my father passed, I used writing as a way to mourn and in going through that process I realized this is where my soul lies. I dream of the day that I will walk through Barnes & Nobles and see my book draping the shelf of the fiction section. One day that will no longer be a dream, but until then it pushes me to stay focused.

Since I am not yet published I do have a full time job (on the side, wink – wink).  I work in the Human Resources department of Sutter Delta Medical Center in Antioch, CA, which just so happens to be the same hospital my father was in a comma. Feels good to give back to the nurses who gave me a few more months with him.

My life is just starting, I will be 27 in a month and I finally understand what my dad meant when he would say “The older you get, the faster time flies”. The months and years keep rolling by and I sometimes find myself trying to catch up. But I am determined to touch this world in a positive way before my time is up, or die trying. Until then I will keep expressing myself through writing and love living. Thank you for taking the time to get to know me.