Blue Summers

Headline

A dedicated and passionate writer, wife, fur mom, educator, and nature enthusiast

Biography

I have always loved writing ever since I learned how to string letters together to form words. To me, there is a special kind of thrill to creating something out of the gathered bare bones of words, ideas, and information, and the process that I take to achieve that thrill helps me to learn something new about myself and about the world, every time. As such, every writing experience adds layers not only to my contribution to the world, but to me as well.

Having a degree in English teaching and having been involved in the education industry for almost thirty years have likewise made up some of those distinct layers to myself. I love to teach, whether it is to one person or a whole group, whether my students are old or young, and whether they have special needs or not – and, like writing, teaching has defined much of who I am and what I bring to the table.

At the same time, what I am can be seen in the things I enjoy and value in life. I love reading practically everything, but I do enjoy reading fiction the most, especially fantasy, mystery, science fiction and contemporary fiction. I likewise love to read poetry – the play of words always piques my imagination, and that is one thing that is common amongst the genres that I enjoy indulging in. I also find a quiet pleasure in playing with my three dogs, in puttering about in our small garden, and in looking forward to the evenings when I can sit on the couch with my husband with a cup of something warm and talk about our day. One might argue that these are very small things indeed, but I am a great believer in the idea that it is in the small things that we find our biggest joys. True enough, my life is defined by a succession of small things, layers upon layers – and I take great pride and joy in every single one of them.

Previous experience, degrees, and qualifications

I am a passionate educator and have taught every grade level from first to twelfth; every child from those with difficulties, to those with giftedness, and everything in between; every subject focusing on language acquisition, literature, history, humanities, and individuals and societies. I am currently a consultant for schools with regards to curriculum development and teacher training, and work with an international organization to provide professional development to specific groups of educators. I have had some writing experience prior to joining TUW but it was mostly limited to textbooks, which is why I am excited to be part of this team and get to explore and write a greater variety of texts. It's a wonderful chance to contribute to the academe in some small way!

Interests and hobbies

I love dogs, gardens, and books -- and depending on the weather it would not be necessarily in that order. I generally prefer reading fiction over non-fiction even though I enjoy writing both, primarily because it's really fun to change things up every so often. I also enjoy scrapbooking and journaling as it not only soothes me but also provides me with an outlet for creativity; I used to love painting and sketching but unfortunately I have not really touched my paints and easel for quite a while now. I like to meditate when I can, pray when I can, and do yoga or Pilates when I can. I likewise play the guitar and the drums, and one day I have told myself that I will also learn how to play the piano, but that's still in my to-do list for now!

How I'd describe my personality in two sentences

I am straightforward but diplomatic. I am a stickler for quality and will not compromise until the work given to me is done, and done right.

How I'd describe my approach to my work

I like starting out by talking to the individuals that I am meant to work with, setting expectations and clarifying matters. I then read all the available resources and do my own research if the topic is not within my immediate realm of knowledge, adjusting things as needed and discussing this with my co-collaborators. It is only after that sort of preparation that I focus all my energies into writing, making sure to go over my work thoroughly several times in the end to ensure that it is of the highest quality that I can create.

Why should you choose me for your project

I am a hard worker and a perfectionist. Regardless of whether the topic is something that is within my wheelhouse or not, any project that I am interested in will get the exact same amount of focus, energy, and effort as everything else. I am an open-minded communicator as well, and I am always happy to listen to constructive feedback -- anything that makes the final product better is always a good thing!

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