...in the wee hours of the morning, a 10-year-old girl is spellbound by the adventures of Sherlock Homes. Hidden under a sheet, using a flashlight to read the pages, she is unaware that danger lurks around the corner. That is, until her mother yanks open the door, shelves Conan Doyle and launches into a humdinger of a scolding.

Yes, that girl was me. And I'm still as enraptured with words as that 10-year-old. As a matter of fact, the operative word in my life has been and remains "words". My writing ability helped me earn a B.A. from the University of Chicago at age 19 and a M.A.from American University of Washington, D.C. two years later. (The operative word was expanded to palabras when I studied Spanish at the University of Salamanca in Spain.)

An affinity for words also paved the way to becoming a hotshot copywriter in Chicago, working on multi-million dollar accounts such as Proctor & Gamble and General Mills. Later on, in Washington, D.C., my talent with the written word helped me become a creative director and start a freelance business. E-mailed from my Scottsdale, Arizona home base, my well-chosen words now appear in national as well as regional magazines and newspapers.

Words became the magic carpet that flew me to Cairo, Egypt to create advertising for a fabled hotel. Words have earned numerous awards for print ads as well as for radio and TV commercials. Words have been spun into articles, brochures, newsletters, marketing materials, even books and plays.

Most importantly, my way with words has been of invaluable aid to clients -- big and small -- for more than 25 years. Utilizing a dictionary's contents in my own unique manner, I've launched a respirator for Searle, hotels and resorts for the Marriott Corporation, and many, many other products and services too numerous to list.

I invite you to read on. Afterwards, perhaps we can discuss your need for professional writing on the subject of hospitals, health care, pharmaceutical products, education, travel, hospitality, fine art, the arts or tourism?