My dad is the English and journalism teacher, but it's my mom who likes to chuckle and recount the day I came home from kindergarten, upset that a fellow student had "used a dirty word" on the bus. "What word did he say?" asked Mom, wondering what sort of foul language a 5 year-old could possibly be spouting. "He said 'ain't!'" came my reply.
This, of course, came from a kid who considered "playing school" a favorite pastime. I would actually do exercises in my dad's high school journalism books and have him grade them. I also took great delight in writing short stories. Luckily most of them have been saved and now I can look back and giggle at the little horror and sci-fi stories I crafted.
Yes, I was born to be a writer.
Of course, I didn't realize this until many years after that abrupt introduction into the real world, where parents let their kids say "ain't" and use double negatives. I started college at Florida Atlantic University as an ocean engineering major, but after my first year I knew I needed to find a major that, well, made more sense to me, literally.
And that's where racing came in. My hometown is Sebring, Florida, the land of the cows and orange groves. But once a year, the Central Florida town plays host to a world-renowned sports car race, the 12 Hours of Sebring. Back before my time, Dad had started volunteering in the media center at the race, and he'd let his top journalism students join him so they could see the real media in action. As the years went by, Mom and I started volunteering alonside him. I'd volunteered in the media center every year since I was 12, loving every minute of working with the media.
As I was pondering what to do with my life, my thoughts strayed to my volunteer work at Sebring. I was a good writer, I always excelled in- and enjoyed- my English classes, and I enjoyed being around the world of press conferences and deadlines. That was all it took to swtich to a major in Communications. Two years later, I was graduating and heading for Road Atlanta Motor Sports Center, a prestigious race track in North Georgia. I was their new Public Relations Coordinator.
My two years at Road Atlanta were a great learning experience, but I was ready to branch out as a full-time freelancer. I did just that, starting Raven Communications. Things really got going after a couple of lean years while I built up my business and extended my client network. I began in sports car and motorcycle racing before expanding into Corporate America projects.
And what do I like to do outside of writing and gleefully marking up documents? After three years of motorcycle roadracing, I have decided to take a break from the speed and asphalt and have been puttering around on a dirtbike. My husband and I love to travel, and we are always adding new destinations to our wish list of places to go.
My broad background has helped me hone my skills at transforming the written word. Do you need a good copywriter who can create concise, catchy copy? Are you looking for an editor who's not afraid of wielding a red pen? Feel free to contact Raven St. Germaine Communications, Inc. and find out what I can do to enhance your projects!