My Letter of Introduction

My name is Amy Chastain and I graduated from Missouri Western State University with a B.A. in English with emphases in Journalism and Public Relations and a minor in literature. I made the decision to return the following semester to earn my M.A. in Written Communications with an option in Writing Studies. After I earn my M.A., I intend to move out of state to pursue my PhD. I am currently looking into PhD programs at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. It will take me three years to earn my PhD, two years for the coursework and a year to complete my dissertation. I don’t know what I intend to pursue in the way of a PhD, but my options remain open. I’m interested in the field of rhetoric and composition, women’s studies, and the Tudor dynasty (circa King Henry the VIII and his six wives). All in all, you could say that I am addicted to school which is perfect since I intend to be a professor.


A short bio of myself: I come from a small town…Cowgill, Mo. Very few individuals have actually heard of it and are able to locate it on a map (if that is possible). I graduated from Braymer, Mo., with a whole tally of 32 students. In high school, you could find me with my nose buried into a book or writing away furiously. You could say that I was a tortured artist to some degree. Some of my favorite authors include Jodi Picoult, Philipa Gregory and Alison Weir. I particularly love reading about and learning about the Holocaust and serial killers, which most individuals find disturbing (in fact, they are rather interesting). I am also a big fan of Twilight; however, I have not gotten through the second novel as of yet. I’m stuck…perhaps, it is because of the loss of Edward for many many many months.

I love writing. Unfortunately, I haven’t written any novels, but I’m working on it. I have had writing published in the yearbook where I worked for five years during my years as an undergraduate. That is where my journalism background comes into play. Unfortunately, the life of a reporter does not excite me (neither does the pay, sadly); however, I am very interested in investigative reporting.

Random: I find inspiration in the everyday life including musical lyrics, novels, TV dialogue and the kindness in strangers. I’m very impatient, blunt, kind and quirky. You could say that I am an oddball. I’m a server…which I absolutely hate. I love money. My favorite color is pink. My favorite TV shows include One Tree Hill, 24, American Idol, The Tudors, Law and Order: SVU and Dexter; however, I usually have to wait until they come out on DVD to watch them because I’m never home. I value hard work, honest, open-minded individuals, which is what I request of all my students. I look forward to learning from you and getting to know you this semester.