Boston (ap) — A famous author accused of sexual misconduct has broken his silence. The Boston Globe wrote on Saturday that Junot Diaz adamantly denied allegations from the women saying he behaved inappropriately. Diaz said he was shocked by the accusations and said it doesn’t sound “like anything that’s in my life, anything that’s me.”

Author Zinzi Clemmons and other female writers recently shared stories of Diaz’s behavior. Clemmons said Diaz forcibly kissed her several years ago; others cited instances when they felt he had verbally attacked them. Diaz has said he takes responsibility for his past actions. Diaz is keeping his teaching and editing positions at the Massachusetts institute of Technology and Boston Review following separate investigations of those organizations into wrongdoing. A top editor at Boston Review said the accusations lacked “the kind of severity” that animated the #MeToo movement.