Gretchen Slinker Jones was raised and educated in Southwest Idaho and continues to teach (and study) Vocabulary and Writing. She lived for 17 years in Southcentral Alaska before moving to the Inland Northwest, settling in the fringe of the beautiful Selkirk Mountains. A long-time reading tutor, Jones plans to fully develop the RSVP Spelling and Vocabulary Skills series over a period of several years. She writes poetry for adults and children as well as children’s short stories. Her poems, some of them award-winners, have appeared in anthologies, newspapers and magazines. The author of numerous books, from résumé writing to breastfeeding to inspirational photoart books to political commentary, Jones is passionate about helping students leave high school prepared to succeed both in post-secondary education and in the workforce. As a "highly-qualified" paraeducator, she has worked primarily with 11th and 12th grade career exploration students for the past 10 years. Jones tutored home-schooled students through her CompuLearn Lab(c) computer "school" during the 1990s. The owner of a desktop publishing and business writing firm, she specializes in résumé writing for clients all over the globe. Jones’ freelance writing projects have included a weekly news column in the Peninsula Clarion for five years and occasional newspaper articles. "The reason I was capable of doing certified court transcription in the 1990s was my extraordinary vocabulary," says Jones. "Vocabulary equals success, in my book - literally!"