Who is behind Working Words?
Working Words is my (Marlies's) dream job. When I’m not editing, I have a lot of interests and hobbies to keep me busy. So please, allow me to introduce myself.
Book Connoisseur
I’ve been reading since I could hold a book. Reading is one of my favourite passions: anything from music history to a cozy mystery. I love shopping at my local independent book shops, like The Next Page and Shelf Life Books. I could probably talk about books all day, every day, given half a chance!
Music Enthusiast
Music has always been a part of my life. My parents gave me piano lessons starting as a kid until I was in high school, and I even took a guitar class in high school. My taste ranges from classical masters to punk rock to indie rock to hard rock to jazz. Every summer in late July you can find me on Prince’s Island Park for the Calgary Folk Festival. Live music keeps my soul tuned.
Writer
Anyone who knows me knows that I use exclamation points like I’m still in junior high, but only in my writing and not in yours. As a writer, I enjoy crafting and wordsmithing to engage the audience. In the past I’ve written blogs and reviews of books, but I’m hoping to branch out and write some fiction projects of my own.
Teacher
You’ll notice my educational side coming out in grammar tips on my social media accounts. As an English teacher for over 10 years, I enjoyed teaching grammar. Learning the difference between an en dash and an em dash, and learning how to use a semicolon properly are things I loved teaching my students how to understand better.
Learner
I am by nature a curious person: I guess I would describe myself as a life-long learner. For details of my formal education (BA in English Literature, BEd in Secondary English Education, Professional Editing Certificate, TESOL Certificate), you can look me up on LinkedIn. But I also enjoy not-so-formal learning, and I’m constantly taking courses to challenge myself: art, dance, Canadian history, and Indigenous ways of knowing are just a few.
Art Lover
Although I’m not a professional artist, I love drawing and painting. My latest craze is making punny homemade cards. But I also appreciate art and make time to get to galleries: one highlight was the Remai Modern in Saskatoon (of all places).
Adventurer
In the summers I love to camp, hike, bike, and be outdoors. During the winter, I like to skate and ski down mountains and cross-country ski. I haven’t tried winter camping yet, but it's on my bucket list. The last few summers I’ve taken road trips with my Mom to various western Canadian places, and we have plans to carry on this summer (maybe a plane ride to the East). Other adventures have also taken me to places like Newfoundland, Yellowknife, Ireland, England, Austria, and Hungary.
Sports Fanatic
As my partner says about me watching sports, “You’ll watch anything.” And he's mostly correct. I have been known to plan a trip around a baseball game or two. I do enjoy watching sports on TV or live. My team is the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. For life. And sometimes I am able to create a decent March Madness bracket. And after almost 20 years of living in Calgary, I finally converted and I now cheer for the Calgary Flames.
