Welcome to The BW Printing Press
As a little kid, I had three first loves: reading, writing, and Tyler Perry stage plays. The love that I had for these three things was founded upon the fact that I could temporarily forget the realities of my station in life. I never felt like I was transported to another world, but I could see the beauty of things that I would only dream to see; it’s as if reading and writing allowed me to live vicariously through the stories. With a love for both reading and writing—the complements of each other—I had always dreamed of becoming an author.
Dreaming of becoming an author, just always felt right. I always felt that since I loved both reading and writing that it was only right to crave being an author. Such a dream was also rooted in the fact that, if done right, authors are never forgotten. Their names are written in stone for all to know. A younger version of me would have tried to sound humble and say that I didn’t want to be forgotten for the sake of my legacy; however, now, I’m willing to admit that I want fame and to be remembered for how it makes it me feel… it makes me feel worthy. (Yes, I know that I shouldn’t base my self-worth on how famous I am… I’m working on it.) Honestly, as I am writing this, it’s starting to seem less of dream and more of what I’m meant for… it’s in my blood.
But I had a problem… I had an ambitious dream of being an author, but my fires slowly became sparks. The fires within me for reading and writing slowly started to become nothing more than sparks as I grew up… they never fully extinguished though.
There was no doubt that as a little kid I had a deep affection for reading. Probably from the moment I could form sentences, I asked my mother to go the library at least twice a week. In primary school, I enjoyed P.E., I enjoyed music, I enjoyed all the specials, but no day brought more joy to my heart than library days. But my fire for reading started to extinguish when I had to read for necessity.
Early into my grade school career (I think going into 3rd grade), we had to attain a certain amount of Accelerated Reader (AR) points as part of our grade. Which quickly led me to become burned out on reading… I was no longer reading because I loved to read… I was reading because it was a necessity. And even though it was now a necessity, I did it proudly because the best readers—those who reached a certain amount of AR point—received accolades and their names were mentioned for all to hear. I received fame…. I felt worthy… my hungry for admiration was satisfied.
But halfway through middle school, AR points were no longer necessary for grades. My source of praise and admiration was killed and with it my want to read. I gave up reading and started a search for the next thing or things that would make me “famous”.
My fire for writing grew smaller and smaller until it became nothing more that tiny flame. But this fire didn’t die out because writing was necessity, in fact, it was quite the opposite. I think having to write as a grade requirement is the thing that kept the fire from being completely extinguished.
During my grade school years, in 5th grade, we had to write a narrative essay as part of the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP). Even now, as I reflect on those days, I can hear the groans and sighs of my fellow classmates and my older peers who weren’t so in love with the idea of having to write a narrative essay. I, however, longed for the days we did a practice write and for the actual essay writing day. It was on those days that I experienced the same joy that I felt in primary school on library days.
In middle school, I even submitted some essays for competition. One essay won 2nd place. Another essay ranked in the top 5, my memory fails me on its exact rank. In late high school, I started my blog. In 2020, a friend who was a writer for The Lance (Evangel University’s campus newspaper) asked me to write an editorial piece for Black History Month which later won me an Honorable Mention Award from the Missouri College Media Association the following year.
So, if writing out of necessity didn’t extinguish the fire; I like writing and my writing has won me several awards, why haven’t I gotten into my writing bag before now? What caused my writing fire to shrink into a tiny flame?
The answer is simple… my mind is what caused the fire to shrink. There is one thing that I can never deny of myself… I think too fast. My thoughts and ideas move in and out of my brain at such a high speed that if I’m not able to write to them down, their likelihood to be forgotten forever increases with each new thought that comes to my mind. In fact, I’ve gotten so many ideas for books and essays that if I had been dutiful about it and kept up with all electronic and physical rough drafts that I started throughout the years, I probably could fill my living room from floor to ceiling with them.
But lately, the fires have been calling my name and urging me to fan the flames so that they can grow. I started allowing my reading flame to grow a few years back. But it wasn’t until last year that I attempted to let my writing flame grow by being more consistent in how much I write.
Originally the plan was to write more via my email blasts and post more on my blog. However, the emails quickly became too long and started feel like books. And my blog just didn’t seem like the right place for the writing reflections that weren’t based on huge life moment. I needed a space where I could tell stories but also create a community of people who might not only be curious to hear the stories, but also who want to join the journey and be intentional about their growth.
To that end, I want to officially welcome you to The BW Printing Press!
This is a place where creativity, storytelling, and personal growth intersect—delivering thought-provoking essays, behind-the-scenes insights, and inspiration for multi-passionate entrepreneurs and intentional living.
Here you will find that I’ve already established some dedicated spaces for some of my more topic specific writings:
THE MARGIN NOTES
The Margin Notes is a monthly letter from the editor. Like the handwritten notes in the margins of a well-loved book, these letters capture the ideas, lessons, and stories that don’t always make the headlines—but deserve a place in the conversation.
THE WRITER’S ROOM
The Writer’s Room is the place where I chronicle the journey of writing my first book—the creative process, the challenges, and everything in between. Whether you’re a fellow writer, a curious reader, or just someone who loves the art of storytelling, this is a space for honest reflections on what it takes to go from idea to published work.
FROM THE PRODUCER’S DESK
From the Producer’s Desk is a behind-the-scenes look at podcast production—the wins, the challenges, and everything in between. Whether you're an aspiring podcaster, a seasoned creator, or just curious about what goes into making a show, this is where I share insights, lessons, and real moments from the producer’s seat.
I’m so excited to begin this new journey of writing! I hope that you will join along in this journey and join the community that will be built from stories told here.