I am a lover of literature and language, a frequent storyteller, and an experienced (and certified) high school educator. I have a wealth of past experience to draw on, including a semester of European travel. I have three college degrees, and have taught at three universities. I have swum in five seas and climbed several mountains, I have chased off coyotes and have canoed through a thunderstorm. I can make my own wine, bread, pizza, yogurt, and lesson plans from scratch. I have preached from the pulpit at my local church, and I am a published author. I know the right way to read Shakespeare, the wrong way to talk to dragons, the easy way to write an essay, and the hard way to light a fire. I am a wordsmith. I am a writer. I am a teacher.