Resume of Joanne Asala

When you have finished reading my resume, I invite you to read some testimonials regarding my work.

Career Summary

Meticulous, accomplished writer, editor, and proofreader with more than 15 years of experience in book, magazine, and business publishing. Skilled in print and on-line editing. Regularly edit fiction and non-fiction books, academic and medical transcriptions, manuals, annual reports, proposals, newsletters, business communications, Web sites, and e-books. Certified in technical writing. Proficient in InDesign®, PageMaker®, Photoshop®, Acrobat®, and Microsoft® Word. Author of more than forty books.

List of Published Books, Articles, and Other Resources

Cookbooks

• Celtic Folklore Cooking (Author / Compiler; book has been translated into Czech)
• Ukrainian Recipes (Compiler / Editor)
• Recipes of Ireland (Compiler / Editor)
• German Recipes: Old World Specialties and Photography from the Amana Colonies (Co-Author)
• German Regional Recipes (Contributor)
• Christmas in the Midwest (Co-Author)
• License to Cook Kansas Style (Editor)
• Definitely Danish (Editor)
• Food, Folklore, Mythology: Peru (Compiler / Editor, Available Soon)
• Culinary Campaign (Co-Author and Editor, Available Soon)
• The Green Fairy Book of Absinthe Cocktail Recipes: Over 700 Drink Creations to Celebrate the Green Hour (Co-Author and Editor)

Folklore Collections

Each of these titles features retellings of ancient folktales and folklore. The Legend of St. Urho is a major folklore study, the first to tackle the subject.

• Celtic Tales of the Strange
• Trolls Remembering Norway
• Fairy Tales of the Slav Peasants and Herdsmen
• Irish Saints and Sinners
• Whistling Jigs to the Moon: Tales of Irish and Scottish Pipers
• Scandinavian Ghost Stories and Other Tales of Terror
• German Legends of the Rhine
• Polish Myth and Legend
• Finnish-American Folklore: The Legend of St. Urho

Small-Format Books

Each of the following titles was written for American Media, Inc. as part of their Digest Series. Each book is between 96 and 128 pages in length.

• Love Spells from Around the World
• Healing Spells, Charms & Cures from Around the World
• Healing Prayers: Words of Hope and Inspiration from Around the World
• Sleep Like a Baby: How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep
• The Magic of Vinegar
• Miracles from the Bible
• Kitchen Magic (Also translated into Spanish)
• We the People (Reprinted twice )
• Prayers for Peace from Around the World (Reprinted twice)

Travel Guides

• Thirsty? Chicago: The Lowdown on Where the Real People Drink (Contributor)

Books for Kids

• The Green Knight: A Tale of Ancient Britain

Illustrated Proverb Collections

• Words of Wisdom from H.C. Andersen
• Proverbs of the Brothers Grimm
• Words of Wisdom from the Vikings
• Norwegian Proverbs from the Tales of Asbjornsen and Moe
• Swedish Proverbs
• Polish Proverbs

History Books

• Also Known As Albert D.J. Cashier: The Jennie Hodgers Story, Or How One Young Irish Girl Joined the Union Army During the Civil War (Editor)
• Miriam: Daughter of Finnish Immigrants (Editor)
• The Best of Finnish-Americana (Co-Editor)

Miscellaneous Books

Proofread and edit book-length manuscripts for publishers and individual authors. Published works include:

• Careers in Journalism (Copyeditor)
• Forbidden Fruit and Other Tales (Co-Editor)
• Some Glad Morning
• The Art of the Film (Copyeditor)
• The Demise of Luleta Jones: A Novel (Proofreader)

Newsletters

• Quarterly newsletter for DPI, the American holdings of the Irish Dairy Board See testimonials

Brochures

• Advertising copy for Distribution Plus, Inc.

Video and Book Reviews

• Independent reviewer of books and videos (ongoing)
• Former movie reviewer for Video Librarian Magazine

Journals

• Full-time proofreader, copyeditor, writer, and page designer for Farm Progress Companies and Rural Press from 1996 to 2000. Publications include: Prairie Farmer; Indiana Prairie Farmer; Washington Farmer-Stockman; Oregon Farmer-Stockman; Texas Farmer-Stockman; Oklahoma Farmer-Stockman; Carolina Farmer; Wallaces Farmer; Dairy Producer; Hog Producer; and Irrigation Extra in addition to various special inserts and farm show programs.

Educational Publishing

• I wrote test questions for language arts, history, social studies, physical education, math, and reading for the Educational Development Series (K-12th grade) published by Scholastic Testing Service, Inc.
• Project Editor for Comprehensive Identification Process (CIP)
• Project Editor for Parent as a Teacher Inventory (PAAT)
• I created supplemental materials, case studies, test questions, and classroom materials for several National Safety Council textbooks. Projects include Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene and Accident Prevention Manual

Electronic Journals

• Agri-Pulse (Proofreader, 1998-2000)
• DTN (Proofreader, 1998-2000)

Transcriptions

Edit and proofread transcriptions for major media outlets, the healthcare industry, and educational publishing companies.

Press Releases

Write press releases for book publishers and individual clients.

Book Design

Design interior book layouts and book covers using Adobe InDesign. Samples include:

• Charming, Alarming, Disarming by Ann Lee
• Cradle Cruise by Lon Dawson
• Masquerade by Quashon Davis
• Mona Lisa’s Seduction by Kim Rogers
• To Be Self-Evident by Rob Hogan
• TravelFit Paris by Patricia John

Long-Lost Projects

These are book projects from the very, very beginning of my career, created on my kitchen table with a primitive word processor and actual paste ups that I had to cut, glue, and assemble myself. (For an explanation of this now archaic method of publishing, see Wikipedia.org.) I gave away my last copies years ago, but for the sake of nostalgia I wouldn’t mind having a copy of each for my office bookcase. Please contact me if you have a copy of either of these titles that you’d care to part with.

• Pipe Music of the Great Plains: Highland Bagpipe Music by Midwestern and Canadian Composers by Paul Deloughery
• And No One Would Eat Tomatoes: An Iowa City Anthology

Work Highlights

Senior Editor

Compass Rose Cultural Crossroads, Inc. ~ January 2004 to Present
Chicago, Illinois U.S.A.
Senior editor of a not-for-profit publishing company. Responsible for all editorial tasks, from book development and design to hiring and coordinating the efforts of freelance authors, artists, and proofreaders. Oversee the content, design, and production of promotional materials.

Full-time Freelance Proofreader, Editor, Writer, and Transcriptionist

Self-Employed ~ June 1999 to Present
Perform comprehensive freelance editing and transcription services through Compass Rose Horizons. Write fiction/non-fiction titles on a contract basis.

Staff Production Editor and Proofreader

Farm Progress Companies/Rural Press Ltd. ~ November 1996 to June 1999
Carol Stream, Illinois, U.S.A.
Supervised the layout and design of 11 monthly regional magazines, numerous special inserts, and four annual farm show programs. Proofread all content.

Editor and Project Manager

Scholastic Testing Service ~ June 1994 to June 1996
Bensenville, Illinois, U.S.A.
Served as an editorial consultant on a contract basis. Wrote content for K-12 test materials. Managed the development of the Comprehensive Identification Process, a pre-school assessment tool, and Parent as a Teacher Inventory. Responsibilities included editing all manuscripts and supervising the editorial development staff for key projects.

Editor, Proofreader, and Book Designer

Penfield Press ~ June 1993 to February 1994
Iowa City, Iowa, U.S.A.
Served as an editorial consultant on a contract basis. Planned, edited, and co-supervised the design and production of folklore collections and specialty cookbooks.

Professional Affiliations

Chicago Women in Publishing, The Authors Guild

Volunteer Work

Project Gutenberg Proofreader. Editor for the Open Directory project at DMOZ.org.

Education and Certifications

Bachelor of Arts, English
University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, 1991

Professional Technical Writing Certification
Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, 2005

Master-Level Typist
Certified by Brainbench.com, 2005

Interests and Hobbies

I live in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago on the city’s north side. I am keenly interested in the history of the Windy City and its vintage architecture. I work with several organizations, including Uptown United, Business Partners: The Chamber for Uptown, and the Uptown Historical Society, to help educate the public on the importance of historic preservation. I am also a member of Friends of the Uptown Theatre, a not-for-profit advocacy group that promotes the re-use and restoration of the 80-year-old Uptown Theatre.

Travel is my life’s blood and I try to go on at least one major trip a year. One of my most memorable backpacking trips was through Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. I’ve been lucky enough to visit such ancient sites as the Giza pyramids outside of Cairo, Egypt and the pre-Columbian ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru, the latter being reached at sunrise after a four-day hike along the rugged Inca Trail. I feel that my travels have enabled me to become a better writer and editor.

My favorite authors include Jane Yolen, Susan Cooper, and Neil Gaiman. I’m also a movie junkie. My current favorite is Pan’s Labyrinth, one of the most beautiful films I’ve ever seen.

Recently, I’ve taken up blogging, and maintain sites on The History of Uptown Chicago; Irish Recipes; Polish Recipes; Absinthe Cocktails; and the lore, myth, and mystery surrounding Whiskey.

eBay Auctions

I periodically sell signed copies of books I’ve written through eBay. There’s always something new!