My name is Heather Bedsaul, and I am a published author seeking to lend my current expertise to the field of writing/editing/copy-writing/biography/blogging; to increase my overall writing experience and research skills; to enthusiastically earn an income while getting paid to do what I already do for mere personal satisfaction! There is no greater joy to me than intelligently putting pen to paper (or keystroke to monitor) and seeing what magic may spring forth; or--equally exciting--reviewing and/or re-writing someone else’s written words. I am highly organized, focused, and accomplished in all areas of writing. I have even just recently completed my own narrative non-fiction manuscript and am planning to sign a deal with a small publisher, Argus Enterprises, toward its publication. My relevant writing background history is as follows:
Presently, I am a successfully published journalist in The Christian Science Monitor, one of the nations leading newspapers, and the editor for doctoral dissertations and English subject-area books for students and a professor at the University of Kansas. As well, I am working on two uplifting children’s book series, one aimed at girls, the other toward boys, seeking to show the power of good in ways children (and the adult's child within) can understand. I have even completed a science fiction book, which incorporates many powerful metaphysical metaphors into an interesting fictitious storyline. However, these items represent only the most recent of my writing accomplishments.
In 1994, I wrote and edited masters theses for myself and others; mine was for a degree in Environmental Engineering Science, with an emphasis on journalism (also my undergraduate area). With this foundation, I quickly became a widely published newspaper and magazine writer in two cities, Ocala and Gainesville , Florida; my clip file covers a three-plus year period of regular weekly newspaper reviews, monthly contributing magazine pieces, and additional steady outside free-lance work within the university environment, where I also taught students rudimentary science topics and techniques. This helped me to secure right out of graduate school a prestigious job as an environmental consultant with the nation’s then top environmental engineering firm, CH2M HILL. Here, I wrote long, technical reports for the state, as well as prepared and delivered in-house lectures, programs, and seminars to attract outside talent. My job involved a great deal of writing, re-writing, and, above all, planning about what to write. I also functioned as copy editor for my boss and other bosses throughout the corporation.
Additionally, in 1992, after receiving certified state teaching credentials in many subject areas, I taught high school English composition/grammar, and earth, environmental, and biological sciences in both poor neighborhoods and state charter schools over a ten year period. While a graduate student in Environmental Engineering, when not still adding material to my clip file in human interest, music, and scientific areas, I worked as a university library assistant and cataloguer and as a student researcher.
Finally, in 1983, as a high school junior, I won a national Junior Achievement Academy National Scholastic Writing Composition Award, competing against 100,000 entries, winning with a short story of fiction; shortly thereafter, I founded the Creative Writing Club, which still exists these many years later. As the graduating senior class valedictorian, I was included in Who’s Who among American High School Students, and received the prestigious Alonzo Rollins full-paid scholarship to Rollins College , an honor I had to turn down due to health issues, sending me to a school closer to home. In the end, I eventually graduated summa cum laude from both undergraduate and graduate school programs.
