This is my story I hope new and prospective writers find worth knowing, sort of comparing notes among artists. It’s a story of a lifetime and the inspiration that has become a forceful and demanding friend in creating poetry and prose. When I was in my teens, I was fascinated by the poetry of Dante Alighieri: La Divina Commedia (the Divine Comedy), which is part of the middle school curriculum in Italy where I grew up. Virgil guides Dante on a remarkable voyage through middle age and self-discovery visiting the Inferno, the Purgatorio, and the Paradiso. Virgil is the poet of ancient Rome, who acts more like a therapist of psychology toward his pupil, Dante. During middle school, I wrote my first poems, and continued doing so until now. On July 4th 2006, a small fall from a ladder caused a major injury to my left arm which was severed at the elbow. I was in the hospital for three weeks wondering if I was going to lose my arm if infections followed the ten hours surgery I had. While I was recovering, a force came over me. I started to write poems under a consuming obsession: sometimes several poems a day, sometimes one or two a week. Calliope, the muse of epic poetry, and Erato, the muse of erotic poetry were playing me like a musical instrument. My past, present and future were constantly before my eyes as I was recording events into poetry: happiness, dramas, adventures, misadventures, and special events in my life. I recorded my feelings and my observations of the human heart, mind and soul into poems. I formatted twelve chapters out of a hundred and ten poems. Each chapter has an unique romantic or uplifting theme linking the poems into an entertaining story. My goal was to help readers relax and enjoy stories in verse after a busy day at work and or at home. For instance: * A college romance where the hottest girl denies dates to all the guys who ask her, and finally gives in to a poet and student who writes romantic, sensitive and moving poems just for her. * Two men losing their heads over an exotic dancer: King Herod, John the Baptist and the alluring Salome. * Missing Italy * Medieval setting of heat-breaking romances: King Arthur, Sir Lancelot, and Genevieve. * Meeting, dating, and marrying my wife, and the joys of parenting. The thrills of writing it all down, and the excitement of drafting and re-drafting lead me to the joy of finding a publisher, to the magic of publication, to mingling with other poets and writers, to do book signings and book readings. The pocketful of dreams I had when I came to the States continues to unravel into more achievements: Hooked on You was born, published and is being sold. I am thankful to God, to my wife and kids, to my wonderful readers and fans, and to the Land of the Brave I am proud to call my home. I wish you lots of luck with your book/s while enjoying the satisfaction that goes with the process.