Crystal Dawn Soph is just a girl from a small Midwest town with stories to tell. She is currently in the fight of her life, diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer. She believes that as you get closer to the end of life, you see the tapestry spread before you. You realize the light parts would never stand out without the balance of the dark. This is where you discover your purpose and the meaning behind each encounter. She loves to read, learn new facts, loves dogs and coffee, and is a believer in karma, reincarnation, and most of all LOVE. She was married in 2008 to Michael S. Emery. Originally from Oregon, he rode freight trains across the U.S. for many years until settling in Kansas, where he met Crystal and became a glassblower. They remained together until he unexpectedly passed away in 2016.A Spoonful o' Bitters is her first published book. Only a few close friends had read any of her poetry until now. She worked in the income tax field most of her adult life, as a tax preparer, Enrolled Agent, and then as a firm owner. Poetry was an occasional hobby in stressful times, until she suddenly found a lot of extra time on her hands, and a lot of anger. If you like "happily ever after" stories, her work will seem extremely dark. But if you find relief crying alongside others or screaming together from the rooftop, welcome! She is grateful and comforted to know readers will follow this healing journey while she peels back the layers and rips emotions from her heart and onto the pages.