In Her Own Words

I started writing as soon as I could hold a pen, thanks to my great uncle, Charles J. Fern, for whom I am nicknamed. Uncle Charlie gained fame in Hawaii in 1920 when he piloted the first commercial inter-Island round-trip flight in his JN4D “Jenny.” He gained respect, though, for his success as a brilliant writer, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He owned and operated the Garden Island Publishing Company, and in his spare time he was a champion for causes to improve health and working conditions on the islands. I remember him for his witty, informative and encouraging letters, which developed my passion for the written word and led to my career in journalism and communications.

I earned a journalism degree from the University of North Texas and took a job at the Galveston Daily News as a writer and Lifestyles editor. It was a fine and short-lived experience that ended with a surprise long-distance phone call one Friday night. Ray Kipp from the San Diego Union-Tribune was on the other end of the line. He offered me a chance at a lifelong dream: a reporting job at the Union. The job was mine if I could report for work in less than 72 hours, on Monday morning. Twenty-four hours later Texas was in my rear-view mirror and I was on my way to California. By age 23 I was managing editor of Universal Press Syndicate’s A&M Publications. While there I wrote, edited and directed the news content of four publications in north San Diego County.

My second life started back in Texas in the mid-90s, with a shift into government communications. I secured an insecure job writing proclamations and greetings in the state office of Governor Ann Richards. Having no prior political experience, I paid little attention to the fact that the Governor was in the midst of a re-election campaign. That might have been excusable if I had tuned in during or even after the election, which was not in her favor. But I did not. Instead I banged away at the keyboard, greeting and proclaiming the lame duck days away, while my colleagues packed their personal belongings and spent their lunches on job interviews. By January most of her staff was gone, and it was quiet after the exodus, except for the clackety-clack of typing that came from my office.

I was raised to believe that people who show up for work every day and give their best to a job are considered, well, assets to an organization. I was startled to learn that my steadfast refusal to quit my job could have such unpleasant consequences. Frankly, it had never occurred to me that I was supposed to pick a party. I was raised by a passionate republican (my father, a West Point graduate and retired Army colonel) and a loyal democrat (my step-father, former Speaker of the House of Texas), and I didn’t respect either one of them.

The story ends well. I survived the transition and escaped the firing line -- a little worse for the wear, perhaps, but only a few permanent scars.

Eventually my writing skills paid off, and I became a press officer and speechwriter for First Lady Laura Bush. I worked in that capacity until the 2000 presidential campaign began in earnest. I accepted a job in the Attorney General’s press office – another fine and short-lived experience that ended with a long distance call. This time the White House was on the other end of the line, and a month later I was in Washington, D.C., writing speeches for Mrs. Bush from an office in the Old Executive Office Building and later, the East Wing. I may well be the only woman in America who can say that if it weren’t for Ann Richards, political ignorance and writing skills, I never would have made it to the White House.

In November 2003 I moved from one White House to another when I joined the public affairs team at Merck & Co., based in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey. After a year I decided that the East Coast lacked something: Texas. I moved back to Austin, settled down with my family, and started Charlie Fern Ink consulting.

I choose our clients on a case-by-case basis because I believe in great ideas and individuals, and I respect that that neither of the two are limited by the boundaries of geography, culture or philosophy. Four years later, business continues to exceed expectations, and I’m optimistic that this path will lead to even more intriguing destinations.

Read More About Charlie >

• Feature Article in Austin Monthly Magazine