Enthusiasm for Books

I’ve always had an eye on the Book Publishing industry and an internship in the Foreign Rights Department of Hodder & Stoughton, London, UK, whilst earning my BA English and Italian at the University of Leicester gave me a taste for more. It goes without saying, my love for books, reading, writing, and all things literary-related has held me in good stead for a varied and far-reaching career surrounding the world of comparative literature.

Language and Literature Background

My 4-year course with year abroad at the Universita di Pavia in Italy involved study of both English and Italian Literature, alongside History of Art and Italian language. Modules I enjoyed included Italian Postmodernism literature with authors such as Italo Calvino, Alessandro Baricco and Umberto Eco as well as Renaissance English Literature including William Shakespeare and John Milton. I also jumped at the chance to study older Anglo-Saxon texts and manuscripts such as Bede plus some exploration of Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy. Nowadays, I #readabitofeverything but love literary/upmarket/contemporary fiction as a preference.

Editing Experience

After graduation in 2002, I worked as an Editorial Assistant in the Communications Division at The European Space Agency in The Netherlands. I gave assistance for coordinating workshop publications and some minor editorial work, which gave me fantastic administrative experience. Without knowing enough about the science though, I faced strong barriers to entry.

Travel and Writing

After exploring, hiking and travel writing my way around South America, I returned to Europe and returned to gain a PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education) in English and Drama. At this time, self-publishing both my paternal grandfather’s memoir and my maternal grandfather’s travelogue and writing of my own travel experiences in journal form opened another connection to the writing world.

Teaching Literature and Language

Though I fought hard against it, I became an English Language and Literature Teacher in 2004 and have been teaching for almost twenty years! The schools I’ve worked in have all been great. I’ve taught children from the ages of 11-18, helping them towards SATs (UK Standard Assessment Tests), GCSEs (General Certificate Secondary Education), AS (Advanced Subsidiary) and A’ Levels, IB MYP (International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program) and IB DP (Diploma) and IB CP (Career-related). I’ve also examined for UK examination boards and continued to offer English as a Second Language education.

• Tonbridge Grammar School, Kent, UK

• The International School of The Hague, NL

• Dubai International Academy, UAE

• Fairgreen International School, Sustainable City, UAE

Continued connections with the Literary World

I’ve kept my eye on the Literary Arts and Publishing world and have continued to encourage students towards involvement at the Emirates Literature Festival in the UAE, enthusiasm for the NaNoWriMo events organised by the American Book Center in The Hague and Blurb self-publication of anthologies of students’ work at both Tonbridge Grammar School and the International School of The Hague.

Volunteering, Parenting and Freelance

Now I’ve relocated to the US, I’ve spent the last few years settling my four children into their elementary and junior high schools, I volunteer at the school library and with science experiments, work as an ad hoc substitute teacher, tutor English online and work freelance contractual copywriting and editorial positions when I can.

Writing

I have two 1st draft novels in the developmental editing stage. They are Contemporary Upmarket Women’s Fiction with a strong lean towards social commentary on medical issues and personal identities.

I’m also busy developing and honing my craft of short-story writing. I submit pieces to literary magazines with nothing chosen for publication yet!

I keep a blog and regularly read, review and recommend books on Instagram, Facebook and the Book Reviews and Recommendations page.

I’m a WFWA (Women’s Fiction Writer Association) member, TSNOTYAW podcast advocate and workshop regular attendee, a member of debut author Lidija Hilje’s Writers’ Book Club for Literary/Upmarket/Women’s Fiction writers, a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association and a 2nd time 1st round judge for the WFWA STAR Writing Award. I recently attended the Women in Publishing Summit 2024 and a NetGalley ARC reader.