A Reintroduction

There are some new faces around here, so I thought that I would reintroduce myself. Hopefully this helps older and newer readers alike to get to know me better.

My name is Kate. I’m 24 and live in Boston. I was born and raised in Maine, went to Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, and lived in Nashville for a year after graduating. I double majored in secondary education and English and taught ninth grade in metro Nashville. I’ve written two books – one is a novel based on Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park and the other is a grammar guide complete with practice section.

Last summer, I quit my job as a teacher because of health problems. I have highly active seronegative rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia and have been in pain since fall 2001. It has been a rough couple years that ended in working myself to the breaking point. My main arthritis treatment is an infusion of chemotherapy once every four months. I also have been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, so when I refer to anxiety or pain, I’m not trivializing things.

I moved back to Boston last August after quitting and moved in with my parents. I was (understandably) not thrilled about this, but it was definitely the right decision. I’ve spent the time since then recovering, applying to grad school, writing, having surgery, and working on this blog. In September, I will start studying at Boston College for my master’s degree in English literature.

I love crime shows, coffee, and historical fiction. My life goal is to have a career as a best-selling author and maybe to win some awards like a Pulitzer or a Nobel. My other life goal is to find my lifetime partner in crime and have a family, but I’m more interested in finding the right person than in progressing along a timeline for the sake of achieving this goal.

I’m a Catholic and a firm believer. I’m descended from the first European settlers of the state of Maine – my ancestor was the third settler born in Maine – and my cousins are the family that had Andre the seal. I love history and genealogy.

I listen to country and pop music, and Mumford & Sons is my current favorite musical act. Fashion magazines are my guilty pleasure. I love the Red Sox and the Patriots. When I get upset, I like to clean. I’ve shown clear sensitivities/”allergies” to gluten, dairy, and eggs. I also don’t eat corn and soy. I have a more traditional allergic reaction to cranberries.

Buy The Essential Grammar Handbook, an ebook based on my experiences as a high school English teacher. For just $10, you can dramatically improve your writing, and therefore your life. It contains rules, explanations, examples, and practice.

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