Denise Sawyer was born in Colonia, New Jersey, squished in the middle of an older brother and two younger sisters. During the lazy days of summer, Denise wrote skits—mainly tragedies, which were performed by the neighborhood kids in garages and backyards. 

Her debut on the publishing scene, showcasing her signature folksy style, came in early 2016 with her humorous essay told through her mother’s voice called “Making Manicotti” published in the literary journal Dead Housekeeping. 

Other published works include her cheeky poem about wild turkeys eating everything in her yard called “Wild Feathered Foes” published in the Manatee Literary Journal and her short story inspired by her boisterous Italian relatives called “The Neighbor,” published in the Scarlet Leaf Review. Denise is currently working on her memoir Spinning Plates chronicling her heart-breaking quest to rid her teenage niece of an abusive boyfriend. Through this memoir, Denise hopes to highlight the growing problem of Teen Dating Abuse. 

Denise graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.A. in Creative Writing and English from Southern New Hampshire University and is an active member of the New Hampshire Writers’ Project. She lives in New Hampshire where her father’s old wooden workbench still resides in the garage. 

Denise published her novel, “A Swim Back Home” in March, 2023.