Biography

John Mark Green biography

 

I was born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1964, and am the oldest of six children. When I was around 11 my family moved to Arizona where I have lived for the majority of my life.

 

I work in the technology department of a school district by profession, but writing is my true passion.

 

Over the years, my poems and articles have appeared in publications such as Maria Shriver's Sunday Paper, The Wittenburg Door, River Poets Journal, Tuck Magazine, Full Moon Rising, The Urban Howl, Thought Catalog, Elephant Journal, Psychology Today, and more.

 

A divorce after many years of marriage, and life-altering questioning of the beliefs I’d been raised with propelled me into writing poetry as a means of processing my emotions and experiences. Along the way, I discovered that others also found meaning in my words.

 

Using various social media platforms, I have grown a substantial following for my poetry both in the U.S. and internationally. My writing covers a broad range of topics, including love and romance, overcoming abusive relationships, nature, and personal growth. It challenges the reader to see the world in fresh, new ways.

 

My poetry and quotes have been shared by diverse public figures such as motivational author Jack Canfield, actress Evan Rachel Wood, rapper and television personality Chanel West Coast, motivational speaker and author Steve Maraboli, Irish fashion and beauty journalist Triona McCarthy, VH1's Couple's Therapy host and therapist Dr. Jenn Mann. Fashion model and lifestyle blogger Elizabeth Keene used his poetry in her Tuscany wedding ceremony, and perfume designer Ruta Degutyte cites one of his poems as the inspiration for her new fragrance Encore Une Fois.

 

My poem Burn Our Masks at Midnight appears in the international bestselling book Leadership from the Inside Out by Kevin Cashman, and Dr. Rosalind Watts, Clinical Psychologist at Imperial College London poem included a poem of mine in an academic research paper.

 

Unexpectedly, through posting poetry online, I met and fell in love with Canadian poet Christy Ann Martine. Though our relationship is currently long-distance, we plan to marry and be together in the near future. She and I have collaborated on several poems, and help fuel each other’s creative energy.

 

With my writing, my ultimate hope is that my words will do more than entertain - I want to offer people hope, encouragement, and insight into living and loving fully. To let them know that they are not alone, whatever they are going through.

 

Much of my writing about love is drawn from my relationship with my wife - Canadian poet Christy Ann Martine - as well as things that I’ve learned in my own life, and by observing the lives of others, over the years. A significant amount of my poetry deals with women's experiences of domestic violence and abusive relationships and has been used in campaigns to raise awareness and provide support for victims.

 

I have been contacted by abuse survivors who have written to thank me for giving voice to their stories, and even how my words helped encourage them to leave abusive relationships. These messages are the greatest rewards that I could receive as a writer.

 

Influences on my writing include Ray Bradbury, Neil Gaiman, Charles Simic, Jane Hirshfield, Robert Bly, Carl Sagan, and Rumi.

 

I have published a poetry collection: Taste the Wild Wonder, A novelette: She Had a Very Inconvenient Heart, a poetry book for children: I Met a Woolly Mammoth, and co-authored a poetry book with my wife Christy called The Light You Need.

For inquiries about interviews, book permissions, or product licenses for my poems, contact me: johnmarkgreenwriter (at) outlook (dot) com