James Sander-Cederlof

I began writing poetry almost forty years ago. It was my outlet to a world that seemed cruel. Back then, I would not have guessed that my outlet would be something that people would enjoy.

I just wanted a way to relate to the world. I found I could deal with my emotions through my writing. I did not need to contain my emotions; I could set them free.

When I moved to New Mexico, I was encouraged to attend a a monthly meeting where writers would share their work. As I had many poems written by that point, I decided to attend the meeting.

Attending those meetings was Bette Waters. She was quite intrigued by my poems. She wanted to publish them. After what seemed like forever, my work was published.

I did not quit writing during the time the book was being prepared. I accumulated more writings and decided at some point I would do another book.

Throughout the years, I expanded my writings to include some essays and short stories. I even wrote a short play based off a challenge presented to me.

My writings tend to be personal; things I have done or observed serve as the foundation of my writing. There are a few things that are totally fictional, but I work best when I can personalize the writing.