I believe my dual perspective adds a unique dimension to my writing about the culture. I can see that which is unique as an outsider, yet I know the forms and the uses of many idioms and cultural practices as a native. As a children's literature professor and a teacher of writing, I am having fun experimenting with all the genre and several forms of literature. My favorite is probably historical fiction because I love history. I love to unravel events back to their genesis.
Historical fiction encourages that.
I love to write poetry and find its rejection most difficult to deal with. In the future, I hope to attempt a science fiction book and a generational novel set in western North Carolina. My advice to young writers would include several points. The second point would be to practice the craft of writing until it becomes an art. My background and training as a musician has carried over in my writing.