Jay Sizemore is an American poet and author of over twenty books of poetry and prose. His work blends raw emotional truth with dark imagination, often exploring the strange intersections of memory, place, and the unseen. A finalist and nominee for multiple literary awards, Sizemore’s writing has been recognized for its lyrical power and unflinching honesty.

Born and raised in Clarkson, Kentucky—a town with one caution light and a single convenience store—Jay’s roots run deep in the surreal and spiritual strangeness of rural life. As a child, he was shaped by the towering trees of Kentucky and the fiery sermons of one-room churches, where people shouted “Amen” between tears and thrust their children into the center of the room to teach them prayer through dizziness and devotion.

At age twelve, his life changed when his mother handed him a copy of The Shining. From that moment forward, he knew he wanted to write novels like his favorite author, Stephen King. He devoured horror novels, haunted video stores for the next terrifying VHS, and eventually worked behind the counter at one—renting out fear while studying every frame of what made it tick.

Jay's first novel, APNEA, was released in early 2023, marking his debut into long-form fiction. It won't be his last. There’s much more to come.

Though the road to becoming a writer hasn’t all been wine and roses—complete with student loans, false starts, and three changes in college majors—Jay ultimately found his place in words. He studied creative writing before leaving academia behind to pursue his craft on his own terms.

Today, Jay lives and writes in Portland, Oregon, where he lies awake at night listening to the rain. He enjoys good food, cold beer, long road trips, and the company of those who’ve weathered the storm with him. He is happily married to one of the most beautiful women on Earth. They share their home with two cats named after characters from The Lord of the Rings and a dog affectionately known as The Dingo.

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