I wouldn’t be the writer I am today without having engaged with a wide range of voices. The one thing I wish is that I were a faster reader— there are so many beautiful and transformative books out there waiting to be read. I am grateful for all the literature I’ve loved in my life and for the places and people who have introduced me— public libraries and independent bookstores, teachers and family, friends and importantly for my burgeoning community of artists who inspire me every day. Below is a brief selection of titles that have fueled me over the years and that I return to again and again to learn and marvel in the transcendent power of our stories and words.