About the Author

Hello! I’m Shannon, but internet friends generally call me Shay 🙂 I’m a 26 year old senior at California State University Northridge and I should be graduating Spring of 2020 assuming my grades don’t suddenly do a free-fall. I’ve been an avid reader for as long as I can remember (thanks Mom!) and writing creatively since I was in high school, but even though I’ve always loved English as a subject it took me a long time to decide what it is I want to do with my life, thus the reason I’m just now earning my BA.

My journey to choosing teaching as my path is a long and not very happy one, but I’ll abbreviate it as much as I can. I went through a hard time during my late adolescence and early 20’s and that kept me from committing to a life path for a long time. Eventually things got better (because things always get better) and I realized the answer was right in front of me the whole time: teaching! Not only have I always loved English as a subject, but I realized once I reached the light at the end of that dark tunnel that what I wanted more than anything in the world was to help kids, and keep them from going through what I went through at their age. I don’t know where I would be right now if one of my teachers, or any adult in my life, had stepped in and offered me help, even if it was just a listening ear, but I know it could have saved me a lot of pain and a lot of wasted years thinking the future didn’t matter for me.

Adolescence is such a rough time for everyone. High school and middle school aged teens are in the process of forming their own identity which is often difficult in the best of circumstances, meanwhile the world is so quick to write them off as moody, lazy, troublemakers without asking why. If I can help just one kid find the light at the end of their own dark tunnel sooner than I did then I will consider my life a success, and if I can do so by encouraging a love of writing and literature, even better! I know making every single kid love English and reading isn’t a possibility, but I want to foster a love for the subject in those who are open to it and simple tolerance and competence to those who aren’t.

Beyond teaching, I enjoy playing video games, watching YouTube, marathoning Disney films, and reading and writing (duh). When reading for fun I tend to gravitate towards YA Lit – my favorite series is Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (it’s so much better than the name implies I promise) – but I also enjoy the classics sometimes! Some personal faves of mine include Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, and The Great Gatsby. Really, as long as it’s not The Catcher in the Rye I’ll happily read it.

If you read all of that I salute you, and I hope you enjoy your visit!