When I was young, I wanted to be a writer or an artist. At age 3, I memorized the flags of the world and frequently recited them in alphabetical order; I can still remember at least half, twenty years later. I had a photographic memory and, in school, I only studied the night before a test because I couldn't retain any long-term information. I had a hard time remembering names, but if I saw one written, I never forgot how it was spelled.

At 4 years old, I read my first J.R.R. Tolkien book, The Hobbit. A few months later, my uncle gave me his Lord of the Rings trilogy and I was hooked (although I still refuse to see the movie out of appreciation and respect for the author). Looking back, I think this is where my love of English and writing began.

Twenty-six years have passed since I first experienced The Hobbit. I am now pursuing a Master of Arts in English because I want to teach university students the basics of grammar, the fact that English can be fun, and that people who read Shakespeare are not crazy.

I put my heart and soul into every, single writing project and I'm a self-proclaimed perfectionist. I often spend more time editing than I do writing. I've also managed to satisfy my dream of becoming an artist through graphic design.

I hope I've inspired you to consider me for your upcoming project... or, at the very least, to read a book.

~Jayne :)