Passion. Experience. Diligence.
About April
“I like everybody, it’s my red pen that doesn’t.” This is what I tell my students at the beginning of every semester so that when they begin to receive their papers back, they won’t be shocked at the number of red marks and they won’t take the markings personal. Despite my warnings, the red marks still scare them!
Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve loved to do three things- write, teach and correct people when they use improper grammar! I do the latter so often that it’s more first nature than second nature. My family often laments, “We are not your students!” However, everyone needs test subjects right?
By way of family, I’m the oldest of two children born to Ray and Cathey Davenport. We have a huge immediate extended family and family gatherings are a way of life. We are a huge sports family and I love football as if I played it and my mother is the best cook this side of Jordan’s River (I might be biased).
By way of education, I received my B.A. and M.A. in English from the University of Notre Dame and I checkmark the box “Irish” on applications because of it. I attended graduate school at the University of Alabama and make my father cringe every time I yell “Roll Tide!” I am now an English Professor at Georgia State University where I get to critique my students “in real life” every single day.
By way of passion, I love to read and write and serve the Lord. I do all three daily, with the latter being the most prominent. Through my nonprofit, ASD Ministries, I am able to feed the homeless, mentor young girls, supply books to children, encourage others through IG @FreshStartFridays and a host of other things according to the Lord’s leading. I love studying God’s Word, writing about His Word and living His Word.
As God promises to give us the desires of our heart, I’m able to use my gifts to write and read for you and that also brings me indispensable joy. I am blessed knowing that others are able to present themselves clearly and beautifully and I imagine that when I was dreaming as a young girl of reading and writing for others, I must have been dreaming of Red Ink!.
My favorite book (and any adaptation of it)- The Color Purple, Alice Walker
My favorite poem- “Still I Rise”, Maya Angelou
My favorite essay- “Notes of A Native Son”, James Baldwin
My favorite play- Macbeth, William Shakespeare
My favorite movie- “What’s Love Got to Do with It?”
My favorite song- “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”