Whenever I give readings, I think of the @sacredheartnyc91 Forensics Team. Three years of waking up early to compete in speech tournaments on Saturdays was the some of best preparation I've had for becoming an author, because it taught me how to know when I'm really connecting with an audience (or classroom, for that matter). I learned that every great performance comes from practice and preparation. And that when I'm actually enjoying myself, the audience is enjoying themselves too! Thank you again to @newforum for inviting me to read my fiction and poetry at @ucirvine, and for all you do to elevate the young voices in your extraordinary literary journal and events. 🌟 @ucihumanities @ucienglish @emaatuci @ucilibraries @uci_litj @uciwrites @epigrambooks @epigrambooksuk @helen_zell_writers_program @umichwriters #cshnyc #sh91 #forensics #speechteam #fiction #poetry #shortstories #reading #literarymagazine #literary #singlit #epigrambooks #behindthescenes #bestnewsingaporeanshortstories #singapore #socal #orangecounty #ucirvine #uci https://www.instagram.com/p/B4vHc8PhYpp/?igshid=epocd332g72y