Van Gower, Neighbor

<strong>Van Gower on LinkedIn:</strong>  www.linkedin.com/in/vangower

<strong>Email:</strong>  vangower&#64;gmail.com

<strong>Van Gower Wordsmith Services on Facebook:</strong> www.facebook.com/vangowerwordsmithservices

<strong>Email:</strong>  vangowerwordsmithservices&#64;gmail.com

<strong>Van Gower Wordsmith Services Blog:</strong> vangowerwordsmithservices.wordpress.com/

Van Gower is a native of Meridian, Mississippi, and relocated to the metro Atlanta area in September 1997 in search of more progressive, cosmopolitan opportunities.  Van attended Mississippi State University and Kennesaw State University, where at the latter he studied English before taking a sabbatical from classes.  At Kennesaw State University, he served as a News Editor of theSentinel, KSU’s campus newspaper.  He was also a Vice-President of the university’s Gay-Lesbian-Straight Alliance club (later renamed Kennesaw Pride Alliance).  He is currently endeavoring to return to school at DeVry University to complete his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications with a concentration in Emerging Media Communication.

He has lived in Decatur since October 2009. 

Van has written for newspapers and other literary publications ever since grade school.  He is passionate about the written word and its power to convey facts, ideas, and emotion.  He has more than ten years of professional experience as a reporter, copywriter, proofreader, copy editor, and researcher in journalism, publishing, and media fields.  His credentials in Atlanta include two years as a writer and Editorial Assistant atSouthern Voice newspaper and David Atlanta magazine, where he honed his skills covering local, regional, and national news and arts features with equal distinction.  The well-known music artists he has interviewed in his career include Tony Award-winning singer-actress Betty Buckley, Deborah Harry of Blondie, Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls, The Smithereens, Janis Ian, bassist Tom Peterson of Cheap Trick, and Tiffany.

In addition to blogging for the Decatur-Avondale Estates Patch, Van’s current endeavors are seeking a full-time position and increasing his freelance writing portfolio.  In his free time, he enjoys going to church, reading, creative writing, listening to music, watching movies, playing with his dog, walking, and hanging out with friends in Decatur&#39;s historic Oakhurst neighborhood.

He is a member of Oakhurst Church.