My Writing
My ultimate career goal is to become a successful, published novelist. I have written all my life, both for academic assignments and for pleasure. I am an avid journal writer, and have participated actively in National Novel Writing Month communities since 2007, before I had even graduated high school. In high school, I was formally recognized as the best English student at my grade level for all four years, and was the English Sterling Scholar as a senior.
Once I began college, I only wrote more. I pursued and earned a Humanities degree with an emphasis in English literature from Brigham Young University, and also earned an editing minor. I worked in the library upon graduation, and was able to leave the workforce to care for my infant son in the spring of 2017. Since then I have written almost three regency romance novels, all of which are in various stages of the editing process, and I have been active in various writing communities and critique groups. It is my goal to publish at least two novels by the end of 2019.
To see my Nanowrimo profile, click here. (You need to be a fellow Nanowrimo participant to view it, unfortunately.)
Once I began college, I only wrote more. I pursued and earned a Humanities degree with an emphasis in English literature from Brigham Young University, and also earned an editing minor. I worked in the library upon graduation, and was able to leave the workforce to care for my infant son in the spring of 2017. Since then I have written almost three regency romance novels, all of which are in various stages of the editing process, and I have been active in various writing communities and critique groups. It is my goal to publish at least two novels by the end of 2019.
To see my Nanowrimo profile, click here. (You need to be a fellow Nanowrimo participant to view it, unfortunately.)
Writing Samples
Novels
A Stage for Harriet is a sweet Regency romance novel roughly 87,000 words in length that I am currently seeking a publisher for. To access a read-only google document of the first several pages, click here.
Surviving the Earl of Thetford is a regency romance adventure novel roughly 70,000 words in length with its first draft completed. It will likely reach 80,000 words or more before it will be polished enough to submit for representation and publication. The first few pages of the rough draft may be read here.
Green as Grass is a sweet Regency romance novel that is over 40,000 words into its first draft and that will likely reach 60-70,000 words before its rough draft is completed.
Articles
"A Blessing from My Dad?" an article for the LDS New Era magazine, published in 2014.
To read the article as published, click here:
https://www.lds.org/new-era/2014/09/instant-messages/a-blessing-from-my-dad?lang=eng
To read the article as published, click here:
https://www.lds.org/new-era/2014/09/instant-messages/a-blessing-from-my-dad?lang=eng
"Home Sweet Sicily: Becoming Ragusani," an article for Stowaway Magazine
"Michaela and the Marshmallows," an article for the LDS New Era magazine, published in 2009.
Follow the link below to read the article on the lds.org website:
http://www.lds.org/new-era/2009/05/michaela-and-the-marshmallows#
Follow the link below to read the article on the lds.org website:
http://www.lds.org/new-era/2009/05/michaela-and-the-marshmallows#
"Good, Better, Best," an article originally written for the LDS New Era magazine, published in 2010. In 2011, the magazine contacted me and asked me to adapt the article for use under the "Youth" sidebar in the first presidency message of an LDS Liahona magazine, published in September 2011.
To view the original article, follow the link below:
http://www.lds.org/new-era/2010/05/scripture-lifeline-good-better-best
To view the article adapted and used in the first presidency message, follow the link below:
http://www.lds.org/liahona/2011/09/general-conference-no-ordinary-blessing
To view the original article, follow the link below:
http://www.lds.org/new-era/2010/05/scripture-lifeline-good-better-best
To view the article adapted and used in the first presidency message, follow the link below:
http://www.lds.org/liahona/2011/09/general-conference-no-ordinary-blessing
Academic
"Paradiso XXVI: Dante e Adamo come padri peccatori" is a paper I wrote for Dr. Ilona Klein's class on Dante's Divine Comedy. This paper is included merely to demonstrate that my writing and analysis abilities transfer into the Italian language. In the class we were able to read and study most of the Comedy in its original "volgare," and were able to write final papers about the canto of our choice. I chose Paradiso XXVI, in which the pilgrim Dante is discussing faith in Paradise and is able to have a conversation with Adam that resolves some of his unanswered questions. My paper argues that Dante proved himself extremely egotistical by comparing himself to Father Adam, especially linguistically. Dante may be considered the "father" of the Italian language, but he certainly didn't invent it himself. My paper discusses what makes Dante's perspective on linguistics problematic.