HUTCHISON, Linda 1942-

Personal

Born September 12, 1942, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada; daughter of James (an engineer) and Helen Nelson (Stringer) Hutchison; married Ronald Rathmann (divorced); children: Raul, Erik. Education: Attended University of California—Berkeley, 1960-61, and San Diego State University, 1961-63; California State University—Dominguez Hills, B.A. (journalism), 1981. Politics: Democrat. Hobbies and other interests: Photography, piano, yoga.

Addresses

Home —841 Loring St., San Diego, CA 92109. E-mail —[email protected].

Career

Worked as technical writer in Los Angeles and San Diego, CA, a journalist in Los Angeles, CA, and a copywriter for advertising agencies in San Diego, CA; freelance writer and poet.

Writings

Lebanon (part of "Modern Nations of the World" series), Lucent Books (San Diego, CA), 2003.

Finland (part of "Modern Nations of the World" series), Lucent Books (San Diego, CA), 2004.

Contributor of poetry to national journals.

Work in Progress

Research on world cultures and politics, geography, the environment, social issues, women's rights, psychology, and health.

Sidelights

Linda Hutchison told SATA: "I have been fascinated by people and places in the world all my life. As a kid I wanted to draw, but when I realized I couldn't, I began writing poems and essays. Two of my friends' fathers worked for the Montreal Star, one as an editor and one as a reporter. I was enchanted by their stories of life as a journalist and knew by the time I was twelve that's what I wanted to be.

"At that time, my family moved from French Canada to Manhattan Beach, California, a sleepy beach-town sung about by the Beach Boys. Talk about culture shock! To me, it was a great adventure.

"Journalism has been one of my three careers during my working life. I also worked in advertising as a copywriter and in the high-tech industry as a technical writer. Until recent layoffs, technical writing has been satisfying, requiring many of the same abilities that journalism does. I would recommend it as a challenging option for writers who want to make a good living, especially in the medical and scientific areas, which are less vulnerable to economic downturns.

"All writing for me—whether a book, article, essay, or poem—is a way of looking at a subject from many different angles, trying to understand it and put it into perspective, and then trying to communicate what I have learned to others. Learning and finding the right words are the biggest challenges, and if I have helped just one person understand something better, then I feel I have accomplished something.

"Recently I was saddened to hear that American children have a poor knowledge of world geography. This does not surprise me. When I arrived from Canada, kids used to ask me if I lived in an igloo! If I can contribute in even a small way to increasing knowledge of other cultures, I will feel better about the future of humanity. I feel very strongly that our successful survival depends on understanding and communicating with each other throughout the world."