Richard Lassiter graduated in with BA in English literature from Washington State University and once won the Emmett and Mary Avery Writing Award. When asked why he studied English, he replied “I thought studying English would be pretty easy. I’ve spoken it most my life and I don’t really know any other languages.” He then attended grad school earning an MA in English and a little mortarboard tassel which still hangs from his rearview mirror.

Richard taught twelve sections of Freshman Composition at Washington State University, blending the teaching styles of Dangerous Minds and Dead Poets Society in what he called Dangerous Poets Society #movierights. During his tenure, Richard also received several “chili pepper” ratings on ratemyprofessor.com

After completing his MA, Richard worked at a local funeral chapel as an assistant funeral director and has since become a licensed director in Washington State. While helping the bereaved is intrinsically rewarding, Richard continues writing with the hope of becoming a published author and meeting Oprah.

Richard currently lives in Washington State, where the deer out populate the people. He recently attended the 2015 San Francisco Writers Conference (that’s him in front of the Mark Hopkins Hotel) where he later teamed-up with his wife to win second place in “pub trivia” at Kennedy’s Irish Pub and Indian Restaurant.

Richard also has a fascination with older film cameras and photography.

He is a true renaissance man.

www.richardlassiter.org