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Ivette Maymi

"From Spelling Bee Champ to Word Wizard: My Journey Through Pages and Punctuation"

Growing up, I was the awkward girl who spent most of her time in solitude, often on the outside looking in. While other kids were off playing and socializing, I found comfort in words and stories. Spelling bees were my jam—nothing gave me more joy than conquering a tricky word, letter by letter, while everyone watched in awe (or at least, that’s how I imagined it). My humble upbringing meant I spent a lot of time indoors, but I didn’t mind. With my nose in a book, I could escape to different worlds and live out adventures far beyond my small, quiet life.


And it wasn’t just any book that captured my heart; The Wizard of Oz was my all-time favorite. By the time I hit 6th grade, I had checked it out from the library at least 20 times. There was something magical about escaping to Oz, a place where anything was possible, where even a shy, awkward girl could find her courage and strength.


Books were my sanctuary, my adventure, my way of traveling to places far beyond my small world. And let’s not forget, I was that kid who loved correcting my teachers’ writing mistakes—just a friendly little nudge in the right direction (haha). Reading was my passport to another world, a place where I could leave everything behind and get lost in stories that were bigger than life itself.


My love for words and stories grew stronger when I got to college. Writing essays—long ones, the kind that made other students groan—absolutely thrilled me. I secretly jumped for joy whenever a professor assigned a lengthy paper. There was something about crafting a well-researched, perfectly structured essay that made my heart sing. It was like piecing together a puzzle, one word at a time, and I couldn’t get enough of it.


And let’s talk about research. I grew up before Google, when finding information meant a trip to the local library and a deep dive into the card catalog. There was something so satisfying about flipping through those cards, hunting down the perfect book, and then sitting down to soak up all that knowledge. It was the good old-fashioned way, and I loved every minute.


Fast forward to now, and life has come full circle in the most unexpected yet perfectly fitting way. I married someone who felt compelled to write but would go a little comma crazy and needed serious refining of his words. It was like destiny had handed me the perfect puzzle piece, bringing back that same peace and joy I felt as a young girl every time I picked up a book. As I edited and proofread his work, designed his book covers, and helped him self-publish and promote his efforts, it all came naturally to me—like finding my way home.


Now, I get to combine that skill with something even more fulfilling: helping other women step into the role of author. There’s something incredibly special about guiding women on their journey to bring their stories to life, just as I once found my path through the pages of countless books. It’s my way of giving back, of sharing that same magic I discovered all those years ago, curled up with The Wizard of Oz for the umpteenth time.


Looking back, it’s no surprise that I ended up in a world where words are my life. From spelling bees to essays, from solitude to helping others realize their author dreams, books have always been my thing, my way of connecting with the world, and, of course, my way of escaping it, too. And honestly? I wouldn’t have it any other way.

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