The name I go by is "Ico." 
Pronounced either like "eco" or "aiko."   I am eco-friendly, though that
is not the reason for my name.  Ico also means "good child" in
Japanese ("ii ko").  I suppose that I am a good child, but that is also
not the reason for my name.  If you want to know the reason for
my name, you will have to get to know me better.

I have a BFA in painting and a BA in English from Cornell University.  During my years as an undergraduate, I spent most of my spare time engaged in activism, and this has been a
strong influence on my writing. I served as editor-in-chief and layout designer for The
Liberator, a student publication. After completion of my undergraduate degrees I moved to California, where I worked for a small Belgian chocolatier for one year. In addition to
managing the shop and sampling tasty chocolates, I designed brochures, advertisements,
and posters.

(The brand of chocolate, in case you are curious, is Valentino. I highly recommend it.
And remember: if it isn't dark, it isn't real chocolate.)

I recently completed my MA in Creative Writing at Ball State University, and will soon be
attending Hamline University's MFA program in Creative Writing. I have designed and
taught 3 sections of English 103 (First Year Composition). If you wish to know more about
my teaching philosophy and methods, check out my course website.