Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Lorene Stunson Hill was raised initially in St. Louis and then Detroit, Michigan. In a visit to Sardis, Mississippi (hometown of her ancestors) in her teens Lorene experienced the cruelty of racial discrimination, but she stayed steadfast in her unshakable faith and belief in the values of the traditional African-American family, community, and culture. She currently resides in the Central Florida area. During her years in High School, Lorene read and studied voraciously. Lorene's passion for writing took center stage during every summer break. Her life experiences left her lacking in self-confidence, so she'd toss each book in the trash at the end of the summers. Along her path in life she completed Creative Writing Courses at the University of Central Florida under the esteemed guidance of Professor Wyatt Wyatt, who taught her that, if you want to write you cannot be a coward. Finally, in 2014 she has put words and actions from deep in her soul on paper, releasing, "To Dance with Ugly People," to energize the readers with passions and feelings, liberate the readers minds to become aware of the struggles of others outside of what we perceive on a daily basis, and to heal her own heart.