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Bio
“The first time I read my poetry in front
of an audience, I was shaking like I’d just had twelve cups of
espresso. Somehow, I managed to read two of my poems, and in
spite of the anxiety, I returned to the same poetry night the
following month. When one of the audience members actually
requested one of my poems from the previous month, I finally
started believing that I’d found some direction for the first
time in my life.”
The arts have always been important to T.M. Göttl,
and she started
writing stories almost as soon as she learned to hold a
pencil. By high school, Göttl
started filling notebooks with poems and journaling on any
scrap of paper she could find.
College graduation brought partial
unemployment and a great big question mark about the future,
driving her away from the arts, probably at a time when she
needed them the most. But either by chance or fate, she
eventually found herself among some inspiring people. She
started writing poetry again, and finally took the chance of
attending her first poetry open mic night.
“Unfortunately, too many people fear
poetry because they don’t understand it, and just the word
'poetry' can conjure images of stiff, nasty, old English
teachers with thick glasses. I don’t know how many times I’ve
heard someone tell me, 'But I’m not a poetry person!' I want
to help break apart that fear, because poetry has little or
nothing to do with scholars. It has everything to do with
people reaching other people.”
Awards
2007 Wayne College Regional Writing Award
for poetry
Check back regularly for updates!
Some of the art that has influenced T.M. Göttl:
Tchaikovsky. When I was very young and my
family bought our first CD player, we had a limited selection
of CDs, including one copy of classical overtures. I would
set the 1812 Overture to endlessly repeat, and to this day, I
still believe that the chorale of that piece is the most
beautiful music ever written.
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora
Neale Hurston. This book changed my life and was the reason
that I started taking more chances and traveling abroad.
Czeslaw Milosz. A Nobel laureate in
literature, and my favorite poet. I first discovered his
poetry while waiting for three hours while my car was having
work done. I walked to the library to pass the time, and felt
like I was being guided down the aisles toward a fated
destination. Among all the books, his book of collected poems
stood out with big, bold letters. I read the poem on the
first page, and before I knew what had happened, the next few
hours had passed.
Ayn Rand. She came to the U.S. to escape
communist Russia, and her backlash against communist
oppression produced some of the most insightful thoughts and
philosophies, especially in her novels The Fountainhead
and Atlas Shrugged.
Jack London. One of my favorite authors
ever since I started reading his novels in grade school. He’s
also the reason I’ve had a life-long fascination with Alaska.
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor
Dostoevsky. The depth of the characters as they struggle with
spirituality and values is some of the most moving literature
I’ve ever read.
U2. My best friend was good enough to take
me to the concert when the Vertigo tour came to Cleveland.
I’d never before been to an arena rock concert, didn’t really
consider myself a U2 fan, and didn’t even know much about the
band. But I went anyway, looking for an experience. I got
more experience that night than I could have ever imagined.
The show not only made me a U2 fan, but it changed the way I
see the world.
Zach. The reason that you’re reading any
of this right now.
T.M.
Göttl Facts:
I started writing stories in first grade
when my mother signed me up for the local Young Authors
program. Somewhere out there are some rare, original,
self-published copies of “The Fox and the Apple” and “Randy
the Raccoon Goes Camping”.
I’m left-handed. People who have known me
for years will suddenly watch me with a pen in my hand and
say, “I never knew you were left-handed! Why didn’t you tell
me?” So now you know.
Chocolate, ice cream, ketchup, pasta,
cheese, and seafood should each be awarded their own food
groups. And corduroy pants are wearable happiness.
During college, I traveled to Germany and
Iceland, and I hope to travel more in the future. Truly
becoming global citizens to the best of our
abilities—experiencing other people, cultures, and thoughts
outside of our safety zones—is one of the most important
things we can do to change the world.
What’s up with all the squirrels? Watch
the squirrels sometime. You might see one squirrel on the
right side of the road when another one runs into the street
from the left, from a place you didn’t expect. A squirrel
will make a decision, run into the middle of the road, change
his mind, run back. But eventually, if he’s smart, careful,
and determined, he’ll make it across.
Read a banned book.
Art will save the world. |
