The Druid Scholar

Pixie Priscilla Rose

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Then came the Princess Diaries, and for a long time, Meg Cabot was my favorite author. I wrote her approximately a thousand times and she (or more likely someone who helps her with fan mail) wrote me back every time, sending stickers and tips on how to become a writer myself. In private, I composed poems and short stories, always thinking of new worlds I could drop myself into.

In Middle School, I started writing (very bad) fanfiction. (Seriously, I didn’t know anything about Mary Sues back then, and yes, everyone was a Mary. I was a kid, I deserve the slack.) My first fic was MST’d (that’s Mystery Science Theatered) by some older folks and I took it pretty hard, but I learned a lot from the experience. I continued on to writing more Newsies, some Harry Potter, and even co-authoring some Dragon Ball Z fanfiction. I still wrote poetry, which made its way into the school newspaper, and even won a contest for which I was rewarded with some savings bonds (fancy, I know).

In High School, I received some acclaim from teachers for my skill at creative writing while I composed some now-shelved dystopian nonsense. There was nothing I wanted to be more than a writer, but given the economic climate and the unasked for advice from basically everyone, I had to figure out something to do that would make money while I spent my free time writing. Thus began my foray into being a hair stylist. Ultimately, it wasn’t for me, and I went back to school, still unsure how I wanted to progress professionally. I floundered around a bit until I landed a job as what was then called a Clerk at the Kempsville branch of the Virginia Beach Public Library. In the very place I developed my love of reading, a new love blossomed. It may have seemed obvious that someone who loves books would want to get into librarianship, but I had been turned away by promises of low wages. Incidentally, this was the best paying job I had held to date, and it was a job I loved more than any other I had held before. I enjoyed going to work for the first time, and I enjoyed it every time (yes, even that time I fell off a stool while shelving a book and whacked my groin on the back of another chair). The Librarian at my branch took an interest in me, and we had several discussions about career related things. My interests at that time led her to recommend that I take up a career as an Archivist, and I kindled that desire through the rest of my time as an undergrad.

I got my BA in English Literature at Old Dominion University. History might have been more useful, but I don’t regret my degree (though if I had known that Folklore was an option, boy howdy, that’s what I would have done). Two years later, I got my MLIS in Archives Management at Simmons College, and now I am working on my MFA in Creative Writing with the low-residency program at Cedar Crest College.

I’ve been working in libraries on and off since 2013, and have held various positions at MIT and Harvard since spring 2017. My passions are working with students, researchers, and old, unique materials. There’s something about working with students that I find infinitely electrifying.

So I guess that leaves us here. I’m still writing, still in love with books and stories.

I hope you enjoy my reviews and general posts!