Tell me 5 interesting things about you

I was asked to mention 5 interesting facts about me, so here goes:

• I taught myself to swim breast stroke, so my style is rather unusual to observe, but it works, somehow... lol. I do my laps for a whole hour, twice a week.
• I cannot sing to save my life, which is just the reason why I adore anyone who can. Perhaps that is why my characters have musical talents. I would like to think that I have a feel for rhythm, which expresses itself in my poetry, but music is more than a beat, it allows you to soar over the notes.
• In both my series, The David Chronicles and Still Life with Memories, I find it amazing--and hope you will too--to live in the skin of the character through an entire series of novels, and to experience events from youth to old age. In a way, this is similar to the way I sculpt: I let the figure age under my fingers, letting it go back and forth in time until I fix its features and its skin.
• I am an artist, poet, and author. I have published 25 books, including novels, novellas, poetry collections, and children’s books. My art and my writing are two sides of the same coin: I write with my paintbrush, and paint with words. In art, I use different mediums, which enriches my designs: I sculpt (in bronze, clay, and paper); I draw in charcoal, ink, and pencils; I paint in watercolor and oils and create animations. Similarly, in my literary work I write in different genres, which enriches my thinking. 
• I find great joy in working on challenging projects with other creative individuals. This is especially true when I am working on the audiobook editions of my books with amazingly talented voice artists. A special mention here to Bob Sterry, who narrated The Edge of Revolt, to Don Warrick, who narrated The Music of Us, Dancing with Air, and Marriage before Death, to Justin Harmer who narrated A Peek at Bathsheba, to David George, who narrated Rise to Power, to David Kudler, who narrated A Favorite Son and The White Piano, to Heather Jane Hogan who narrated My Own Voice and Twisted, and to Kathy Bell Denton who narrated Home. Each one of them has amazing talent. They've given voice to a host of characters and breathed life into my stories so I could hear them resonating not only in my own head.

Now tell me 5 interesting things about you!

My charcoal drawing, inspired by a small animal bone