Shirley Radcliff Bruton says her poetry arrived “circuitously,” first appearing in performance art pieces in New York and California, then as parts of a script revealing moods, intentions and emotions. “I didn’t know they were poems then,” she admits. “Now I see my writing as a kind of investigation that offers greater insight into life and who I am in it.” Shirley, who lives in a rural area of California’s central coast, is the co-author of This ’n That, a collection of poetry, and Tales From a Rocky Coast, Vol. 1, an anthology of diverse voices. Forthcoming in 2021 are two new books—Jake, for young adult readers, and Z, for children five and up—plus a performance chapbook, Quiet Spaces. Learn more about Shirley here.