I’ve been writing since I could hold a pencil, and a combined love affair with words and the coveting of the position held by the late Jackie-O has led me here to astle ink. I can pick out a misplaced comma, a misspelled word, an incoherent passage, an ill-turned phrase, in almost everything I read… and I read copiously. The New Yorker Magazine and the New York Times rarely slip – have you noticed? Impressive. If I have something important to say, it’s always in writing. If you have something important to say, I can help.

Let’s face it: English majors are ill-equipped to rise to the top of the pail immediately; choosing Shakespeare over business is a life decision, not an indication of wild ambition. After graduating from a liberal arts program, during which I enjoyed a head-over-heels, head-in-the-clouds commitment to English literature, I made my first career in dentistry. I reached my pinnacle there on the stage of periodontics, then turned to the corporate world; two years at a high tech company in Oregon, in finance, awarded me responsibilities of a different nature, ones that coincided nicely with the word thing. I was the solitary figure at the print house on the eve of the annual report, fine-combing the documents for any embarrassing errors. All major corporate communications marched deliberately through my office. I taught an informal “E-Mail 101” to executive staff, between writing manuals and technical papers and employee education pieces to assist the ranks in understanding the intricacies of stock options.

In 1993, I left the company, and Astle Associates was born. Our small firm performed the securities reporting responsibilities for major public companies and administered the stock option plans for same. The business thrived for nearly ten years, at which time I sold it and went fishing. Literally.

Why is Kate here? I’m here because I know wildly intelligent people who need help with writing, and I love to knead a piece of work into a cohesive, concise product. I learn from what I edit, whether it’s a business plan or an academic effort or an article or a letter. My other passions (more on those on another page: see “something fishy”) coincide with this endeavor as a way to contribute to one facet of a world gone mad.

I am very serious about what I do. However, in the true spirit of “About Kate,” I invite you to visit the rocks-paper-scissors tab. There you’ll find a more creative, perhaps more frivolous, but no less important side of this astleink business.