Hello, I’m Christina
I’m a Connector and Collaborator as well as a passionate Reader, Writer and experienced Language and Literature Educator with the deepest appreciation for storytelling and language.
At Francis Gilbert Books LLC, my aim is to help teams connect and explore books in unique and meaningful ways. I specialise in the curation of personalised Reading Journeys for learners of all ages.
Official Bio:
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