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About Brian

Brian Sluga is an award-winning writer, an author, a cancer survivor and a change management consultant. He has written three books and his poems have been honored and published in a variety of books and magazines.

Brian has a background in public relations and change management, and these disciplines bring fresh perspectives to his writing, which has been influenced heavily by music and dreams. When he’s not daydreaming about his next book, poem or article, you can find Brian cooking gourmet Italian cuisine, laughing at Progressive Insurance commercials and listening to ’80s music.

The reason he writes has not changed one bit. For Brian, writing makes him feel like an underdog, and who doesn’t love an underdog. Filling the blank page is always exciting - and nerve-racking - and it’s the wish of a lifetime to share his words, thoughts and experiences with others. His poetry and prose invite readers to witness the wonder of that which surrounds us.

Brian was raised in Pekin, Illinois and graduated from Bradley University with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. He now resides in Naples, Florida, better known as paradise, with his wife and a menagerie of art collected from worldwide travel.

Words Of Wisdom

“Words bring imagination to life, they are like wings that have no limits, a journey to a new world.”

- Brian T. Sluga

Published Poems

The poem “Forgotten Christmas Letters I Sent” was selected by Poetry Publications International for publication in the 2024 Christmas Poetry Digest.

The poem “Bouncing Between Work” was selected by The Newcastle Press Poetry Review for publication in its 2024 Fall issue.

The poem “Because” was selected by Poetry Publications International for publication in its 2024: The Year in Poetry.

The poem “Because” was published in the 2024 Annual Poet's Yearbook and honored with ELITE WRITER STATUS for 2024 as one of the year’s top poems.

The poem “Runner’s Water” was selected and published by The Willowbrook Poetry Review and Digest in 2024.

The poem “Rich” was selected by The Waverly Press Poetry Review and published in its 2024 Annual Reader's Choice Issue.

The essay “A Winter January Night Run” received second-place honors in the Holiday Brevity 2022 Rochester Writers' Writing Contest

The poem “Cattywampus” was published in the Fall 2023 issue of Cardinal Sins.

Tidbits And Musings

Gratitude is easy to say. Start with the closest thing you can think of and be thankful for that. Thankful for stumbling upon something that you can never forget.

My motto: Life is a beautiful sport. Play it to win.

My favorite movie: The Godfather.

My middle name means twin in the bible.

No one has ever been able to prove I was never a wedding crasher.

The character from any book, who I would like to be is Charlie from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I would love to be Charlie, an underdog that gets his wish of a lifetime. Makes one think that dreams can come true. Plus, I love chocolate. 

I put practice into expressing myself more because, that way, I can catch the sympathy of the reader if there is any to catch, of course.

A writer once told me, “Paradise can become unreal to those very far removed from it.”

Writing is not only writing a book, but also living your life. The writer goes through life. The poet goes on the freeway.