Before I begin, I’d like to dedicate this space to one of my first students ever, Bianca Espinal. She’s part of a program called “Broadway’s Next Star” and I would love it if you visited the site, watch her perform “Rolling In The Deep,” and hit “Like!” Because I’m positive you’ll love that voice of hers.

In the middle of wrapping up my manuscript, I got to thinking about all the friends I’ve made over the last few years while working on this piece and said, “Who would I love to read a book from?” Some were natural choices and others surprised me when I threw their names in my imaginary bin. All in all, I not only came up with five, but I also thought about what type of stories I’d love to hear from them.

Now, without further adieu, here are my five:

Amber Cabral

Those of you know have followed my blogging since the early days know how much I value her writing expertise and point of views on writing. She has a way of emoting that’s akin to soaking a towel into a heart’s worth of blood and wringing the towel into a cup for a vampire’s thirst. She can do the wordplay, sure, but her best writing comes when it feels like she’s in the very moment that inspired her to write. Thus, when you’re reading, it feels like she’s acting out things so you can move your body and emotions with her. I’d love to read a book about love from her. I favor the memoir in her case, but self-help / advice is cool, too. She can do that rather well.

Eva Haldane

I’ve probably been waiting for this for some time, but Eva’s writing has just the right quirks and just the right simplicity that gets her message across to people who can’t always relate. I remember one of her essays for her application to Columbia University made me tear up as she spoke about her family and personal goals. Those types of essays aren’t supposed to do that to me, and they do. I can’t wait to see what these few years in city have meant to her as she writes about them. Hoping she does.

John Norton

Yes, the guy who’s helped edit teachers across the nation should have his own book. I envision an anthology with his own comments attached to them. He’s been instrumental in my own growth as a writer, and so many others can attest to that. Now, it’s his turn. I’ll keep begging him sometime after I’m done with everything else I have to do.

Rich Villar

For those in the poetry scene, Rich Villar’s intellect with regards to poetry is only matched by his levity and acute critique of the poetry scene as a whole. I’d love for him to take that persona and put that in a 150-page piece. Some of my favorite pieces from him have either made me fall on the floor laughing or made me deeply reflective about the hardships with death in his family. I know I’m not the only one who wants to see that, either.

Jessica Filion (no blog)

Everyone wants a poetry book out of her. I’ve watched the writing go from having a couple of layers in depth to having six layers in depth, and that says volumes in a scene that usually has the depth of a kiddie pool. Her voice in the poems she writes stands out in ways few can. Yes, people might want her to write more, but more important, people want it in a way that they can take it home with them instead of just hearing the reading.

Those are my five. Bonus, you say?

Renee Moore, but I’ve already waxed poetic about her. Her teaching is nationally recognized, and so is her voice. Promising educators, of color or otherwise, you must follow her.

Who would you put on your personal list?