Your Name: Debora Kaye Marsh
Your Nickname: Deb
Born (place and year): Wayne, Michigan on May 9, 1961
Day Job: I’m a high school English teacher, debate and forensics coach, and English Department chair at Dexter High School
Formative Childhood Experience: I had one. It was short-lived, however, because I am the oldest of five kids and I had to be a "good example" for the younger ones.
Your Interests include: Hmm. I like to vacuum, read, write, watch romantic comedy movies, watch Everwood on TV, and
Last Book Read: The Center of Everything by Laura Moriarity, I’d give it a B+
Ambition: I’d like to get a PhD someday and I’d also like to publish a novel that’s been creeping around in my brain for years.
Recent Accomplishment: I won the National Communication Association’s Marcella Oberle K-12 Teacher of the Year Award in November. That was pretty cool.
Prized Possessions: Can my daughters count? I have three amazing daughters! I have a new beautiful cherry bed, and I also really like my 6 vacuums.
When you started Slamming: I first went to the Heidleberg in 1991 and read in the open mic for a little while. Then, after I got comfortable with that I started slamming. I don’t remember exactly when, though. I went to my first National Poetry Slam in Chicago in 1991 when Larry Francis’ car was stolen and they needed a ride home. That’s when slam knocked my socks off and I was hooked. I was on the 1994 Ann Arbor Slam team in Asheville, and I helped host the 1995 National Poetry Slam in Ann Arbor.
One-sentence description of your Slam/Writing style: I write prosey, girly, motherly, personal stuff.
Influences (poetic and otherwise): I love Marge Piercy’s poetry, Barbara Kingsolver and Margaret Atwood’s prose and Warren Zevon.
Favorite Slam Poet: I don’t have one. Damn poets!
Favorite TV show: Everwood now, XFiles before they went off the air and Bewitched when I was a kid.