Cincinnati is an amazing place to live and visit for so many reasons. Local author Wendy Beckman and illustrator Allison Ranieri celebrate the city's eight wonders--architecture, art, commerce, food, customs, geography, history and people. With its Venetian Gothic lancet arches and crystal chandeliers, the Cincinnati Music Hall stands as an architectural masterpiece. The Cincinnati Red Stockings made history as the first professional baseball team. Remnants of marine fossils from the Ordovician Period remind residents that the city was once under water. Limitless local varieties of goetta range from family recipes to trendy café dishes. And the city birthed trailblazers like track and field star DeHart Hubbard, the first African American to win an Olympic gold medal in an individual event. These stories and more reveal the unique character of the Queen City.
Im an award-winning freelance writer and editor. Ive published five books and nearly 300 articles in print and online publications, and have received a bakers dozen of awards for my writing, editing and desktop publishing (remember that term?). My articles have been published in Writers Digest, Cincinnati Magazine, M.D. News Magazine and elsewhere.
My first book, a young adult nonfiction titled Artists and Writers of the Harlem Renaissance, was published by Enslow Publishers, Inc., in 2002. National Parks in Crisis: Debating the Issues (Enslow) and Communication Tools Made Easy (Kendall/Hunt) were published in 2004. Dating, Relationships, and Sexuality: What Teens Should Know (2006, Enslow) and Robert Cormier: Banned, Challenged and Censored (2008, Enslow) round out my published books to date.
Im finally finishing my first novel (which has taken me about 15 years to write!) about a womans quest for individuality in an all-womens singing group, and am editing a true story about a young woman who played second fiddle to famous avant-garde conductor and musician Tibor Varga.
In 1994, I founded Beckman Communications, through which I provide editing and writing services for individuals, educational institutions and businesses.
My bachelors degrees are in geology and natural science/technical communications from Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University and the University of Cincinnati, respectively. I have a masters degree in Englishwith a concentration in editing and publishingand a graduate certificate in professional writing from UC.
I used to teach college students Writing for Business and Scientific and Technical Writing at UC from 1999 until 2004. Also from 1999 until 2004, I taught Strength Through Cultural Diversity at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Now I get my teaching kicks by teaching adult learners through my many workshops each year for writers who wish to get published, from a few hours in length to weekend-long retreats. I also teach adult classes such as Writing to Publish and Discover Your Writer Within for UCs Communiversity. "