I'm an award-winning author, book editor, and creative writing instructor whose work explores identity, belonging, family, and the stories that shape our understanding of ourselves. Of Romani, Armenian, Greek, and Ukrainian descent, I draw inspiration from my multicultural heritage and am passionate about building bridges across cultures through storytelling.

I'm the author of the award-winning memoir American Gypsy (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012). My essays have appeared in TIME, Slate, The Rumpus, the Los Angeles Times, and numerous literary journals and anthologies. I've also had the privilege of speaking on NPR's Talk of the Nation, C-SPAN, at the American Library Association, and at literary festivals, conferences, and universities throughout the United States and abroad.

My work has been recognized with the BMI–Library of Congress Kluge Center Literary Fellowship, the Picador Guest Professorship at the University of Leipzig, and a Nevada Arts Council Fellowship supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.

When I'm not writing, I'm usually helping someone else tell their story. Through developmental editing, book coaching, workshops, and Lounge Writers—my creative writing studio—I work with writers of all genres to strengthen their craft, find their voice, and build the confidence to bring their stories into the world.