I've lived in Papua New Guinea, Australia, and all over the United States--and travels have taken me to many other countries, too. As an ethnomusicologist in a linguistics organization, I've focused on accurate, effective communication in any context through speech, writing, music, and arts. In my spare time, I read widely and worry about how many books there are in the world and how relatively few years I have left to read them all.
I'm now a Professor of World Arts at a graduate institute in Dallas, Texas, and editor of an online academic journal. It's a joy to work with students and authors to make sure their writing communicates accurately and beautifully. (Academic writing desperately needs more beauty!)
I look forward to getting to know you through your writing, supporting your commitment to improve. I know it takes courage to ask someone else to look at your writing and give honest feedback--but I also know it's a rewarding process and a great relationship.
Most of my experience is in non-fiction writing: essays and papers, theses and dissertations, resumes and CVs, and business and personal correspondence. I also have a lot of experience helping people practice TOEFL essays. I've been a conference presenter many times, so I can guide you through the whole process, from initial abstract through final presentation script.
I'd love to work with you on any kind of writing at all!
Read books
5 favorite books:
- The Neverending Story (Michael Ende)
- King Lear (William Shakespeare)
- Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
- The Lord of the Rings (J. R. R. Tolkien)
- Surprised by Hope (N. T. Wright)
(And my favorite book about English writing: Garner's Modern English Usage)
Watch movies
5 favorite films:
- Blade Runner (1982)
- Lost in Translation (2003)
- Wings of Desire (1987)
- Vertigo (1958)
- The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Spend time with my family
Play saxophone