Denise is a painter of word pictures that inspire, encourage, and equip others. Through Denise, I learned the value of a special writing place, how to prioritize writing times, how to handle writer’s block, and how to reimagine written work. I even learned how to get unstuck. Denise’s teaching is personal, accessible, transparent, funny, and engaging. She took a gift that God gave me as a child who enjoyed writing and gave me tools, a listening ear, a place to be sharpened, and a standard to strive for without urging her mentees to dilute their own voices.