JEWELL WASHINGTON, a native of Denver, Colorado, now lives the life of a rocky mountain chick turned southern belle, in sunny South Carolina. After moving to Columbia in high school, she got accepted to both the newspaper & school TV staff, but was forced to make a choice when her teacher told her she couldn’t write for both print and broadcast. She chose to anchor, report, and edit for Cavalier News, her school’s daily on-air show & never looked back. Jewell went on to earn a B.A. in Broadcast-Journalism at the University of South Carolina, and plans to pursue her Masters Degree in Fiction Creative Writing at a low-residency graduate program in 2K11.
A lover of written word since age 9, she hid her craving to make it into a career, when others told her to find a more practical, lucrative thing to love in life. Her college major boosted her confidence and she applied for a writing internship her first semester in. Laughed out of the studio and told to come back as a senior, she fought her way into writing internships, determined to craft her skills and network herself with other reporters. Her excitement to learn from others landed her first paid-gig at a local TV station, just before her senior year of college. After graduation, she competed against hundreds of other writers for a prestigious apprenticeship covering state political news. With no knowledge or experience with politics, she was later told her ‘passion for success’ landed her the full-time job. She loved working with political leaders, but still felt compelled to her first writing love: freelance. After a year of brainstorming ideas for a blog, A Hidden Jewell: Beauty Beyond the Writing was finally launched in December 2009. The very first words of her first post were aptly written “Dear Diary”, her inner child somewhat reborn inside of the now 24 year-old. Since then, she’s poured out her thoughts on love, life, and inspiring logic for her readers.
In addition to connecting with her readers, she also keeps them updated while writing and probably over-editing her first fiction NIP (novel in progress) set for completion and publication by year’s end.
She checks her twitter daily, wears makeup occasionally, cooks as an avocation, watches innumerable romantic comedies, collects LA Lakers memorabilia, is an avid devotee of Charleston King Crab legs and maintains a hidden collection of yoga/pilates videos. Her favorite film is Forrest Gump; her favorite song is “Dangerously in Love;” her first taste of NY Pizza was nothing like she expected; and she is a firm believer in positive affirmations and that God "only allows you to bear what you can endure" She has a big heart and is willing to share her Twilight books with anyone that asks to read them (but no, really, only if you’re Team Edward.)
