Tiffanny Cato, psychology sophomore from Thibodaux, wrote a book of poetry entitled “Bayou Muse,” which compiles her love and life experiences from the last 10 years of her life. “Bayou Muse” was published by Rosedog Books and is a print-on-demand book, which means she has to promote the book herself, says Cato.

The poems in “Bayou Muse” are about various subjects including Cato’s living with Tourette’s syndrome, her ex-husband and her daughter, she says.

It took Cato approximately five months to finish her book.

As a child, Cato says she was told she would never walk, but she proved the doctors wrong.

“As long as your heart has faith, all the steps in your life will be easy,” Cato says.

Cato began writing poetry when she was 13, and she said it seemed to come naturally to her.

“I liked the format,” Cato says. “My thoughts came easier writing them in a poem rather than in a short story.”

Cato says when she first began writing poetry she wrote about things she saw on television. If she saw a commercial or something she liked, she would take a scene and write about it.

Cato says she enjoys writing poetry because it allows her to express her feelings, and it is also therapeutic. Heartache is her favorite topic to write about, she said, because she has experienced it multiple times.

Cato says her favorite poet is Edgar Allen Poe.

“I think he understood a lot about the dark side of life without being as cynical as he could have been,” Cato says.

Cato’s other hobbies include reading, watching movies, dining out and thrift shopping. She also collects Buddhas and unicorns, and she likes to sing karaoke and spend time with her daughter and best friend Bill.

Cato’s personal motto is “Always enjoy your own company. At least it’s honest,” she says.

Students interested in purchasing the book can order it online at [email protected] or by calling 1-800-834-1803.

The book costs $9.