Rus VanWestervelt received his undergraduate degree from Towson University and, more recently, his Masters of Fine Arts degree in Creative Nonfiction from Goucher College. He has been teaching at Towson University (Maryland) for nearly 6 years; in addition, he has taught at Centennial High School in Ellicott City, for 4 years and has been working with students for nearly 20 years in middle, high school, undergraduate, and graduate programs throughout the state of Maryland, specializing in English, writing, publications, photography, and theater. Outside of teaching, Mr. VW writes daily, publishing both fiction and creative nonfiction in local and regional publications, most recently in the June edition of Baltimore’s Urbanite Magazine. He is currently finishing his second novel, which he hopes to have under contract by the end of summer 2006. He is available for speaking engagements and workshops in writing and publishing. Contact Rus directly at rusvw@verizon.net.