▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 . ▁ ▁Sim ol ke ▁there after ▁proc ured ▁three ▁academic ▁degrees ▁in ▁English . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁he ▁received ▁his ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Arts ▁from ▁Bel mont ▁University ▁in ▁Nash ville , ▁Tennessee . ▁He ▁obtained ▁his ▁Master ▁of ▁Arts ▁degree ▁from ▁Hard in - S imm ons ▁University , ▁another ▁Bapt ist - aff ili ated ▁institution , ▁in ▁Ab il ene ▁in ▁Taylor ▁County , ▁in ▁west ▁Texas ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 . ▁He ▁earned ▁his ▁Ph D ▁from ▁Texas ▁Te ch ▁University ▁in ▁Lub bo ck ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁ ▁Sim ol ke ' s ▁works ▁have ▁been ▁published ▁in ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁journ als , ▁including ▁night Fire , ▁Mes qu ite , ▁Cap rock ▁Sun , ▁Mid west ▁Po etry ▁Review , ▁and ▁International ▁Journal ▁on ▁World ▁Peace . ▁ ▁Sim ol ke ▁is ▁open ly ▁gay . ▁According ▁to ▁his ▁website : ▁" After ▁a ▁lifetime ▁of ▁den ial , ▁I ▁finally ▁began ▁to ▁accept ▁my ▁hom osex ual ity ▁— ▁a ▁process ▁made ▁even ▁more ▁difficult ▁by ▁my ▁religious ▁fundamental ist ▁background ▁and ▁mind set . ▁N umer ous ▁ess ays ▁and ▁po ems ▁rose ▁from ▁my ▁inner ▁conflicts . ▁Much ▁of ▁that ▁writing , ▁along ▁with ▁some ▁of ▁my ▁earlier ▁works , ▁would ▁later ▁become ▁my ▁book ▁Hold ing ▁Me ▁T ogether . ▁. ▁. ▁. ▁All ▁of ▁my ▁books ▁reflect ▁the ▁reality ▁of ▁human ▁divers ity ;