My name is Samantha Burton and I was born in Bridgeport CT and grew up in Stratford CT. I struggled as an individual with mental illness late twenties. I received tremendous support from my family and friends however, there was something that was still missing and I had to figure out how to bridge the gap in my life. So, I started writing to express myself and it felt good. I took it seriously and realized that writing smooths my soul. So, when this famous singer and songwriter who I admired passed away in 2011, I challenged myself to write a song and then from there it blossomed into 100 songs. The idea then came to me to begin writing poems. Then a family member passed away and I volunteered to write a poem. The poem was well received by family members and friends. They loved it. I began to get more request to write poems for occasions. I thought to myself why not write a book of poems, and that is how I began my first book, which is called the freedom of a butterfly. The Freedom of a Butterfly was well received by family and friends and there was a request for a second book which I began and completed recently, called my love letters to the world.