Marilyn Pryle has taught writing, English literature and ESL for over sixteen. She has lived and taught in Philadelphia, Scranton, and Boston, and began her career in Kathmandu, Nepal, as a Jesuit International Volunteer. In Boston, Marilyn created and taught a full-time eighth-grade writing workshop; this experience served as the springboard for both Teaching Students to Write Effective Essays and Purposeful Conferences, Powerful Writing. Marilyn has also published poems and essays. She currently lives in Clarks Green, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Tim, and sons, Gavin and Tiernan.