About

Genres

I enjoy working with almost any genre, but nonfiction is my favorite and key area of expertise. I’m particularly interested in memoir, autobiography, personal essay, self-improvement, health/wellness, and cookbooks. On the fiction front, I’ve edited dozens of novels for both seasoned and first-time authors.

Gamut of Editorial Roles/Specialties

• Acquisitions editor
• Production editor
• Developmental editing
• Line editing
• Copy editing
• Proofreading
• Technical editing
• Thesis and dissertation editing

Qualifications

• MFA in creative writing from Lesley University
• BA in English literature from Ithaca College

Background as an Editor

My formal editing career began in college, when I served as chief copy editor of my undergraduate alma mater’s award-winning weekly newspaper. As time went on, I picked up more editorial experience through volunteering as a manuscript reader for Post Road and serving as assistant editor for Relief: A Christian Literary Expression, which set the stage for my future career path.

Since then, I’ve worked in the realm of independent, small, and major publishing houses in myriad roles. I helped spearhead the launch of two new nonfiction imprints at HarperCollins and during that time, I worked on about 100 books in various capacities, from acquisitions and developmental editing to serving as the production editor on almost every title.

A sampling of bestsellers from my time at HarperCollins include:

For Harper Horizon: Make Life Beautiful by Syd & Shea McGee, Willie Nelson’s Letters to America by Willie Nelson with Turk Pipkin, Mooncakes and Milk Bread by Kristina Cho, and The Fresh Eggs Daily Cookbook by Lisa Steele

For HarperCollins Leadership: Stories That Stick by Kindra Hall and Shut Up and Listen! by Tilman Fertitta.

Within academic publishing, my editorial (and writing) experience involved college textbook development and online courseware creation for SIRIUS Academics. Additionally, I’ve provided specialized editorial work assisting master’s degree and PhD students to successfully complete their theses or dissertations, as well as preparing articles intended for publication in peer-reviewed journals. I have occasionally revamped résumés and CVs for job seekers too.

Complementary to all that, I’ve proudly helped scores of self-published authors launch their books into the world, collaborating with them through consultant and freelance contracting arrangements.

Background as a Writer

My writing endeavors began at an early age. The first writing honor was received my senior year of high school, when a creative nonfiction piece won first prize at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Writers’ Competition. Since then, my fiction and nonfiction has appeared in print and online, in MOTIF: Writing by Ear, Empowerment4Women: The Online Magazine, Tainted Mirror: An Anthology, Bent Pin Quarterly, Writer Advice, The Hiss Quarterly, and 30 Points of View. My work also received an honorable mention in The Writers’ Workshop of Asheville, NC, Memoirs Contest; second place in the annual Lantern Books Essay Contest; and one of my works was selected as Best of the AWP Pedagogy Papers. For SIRIUS Academics, I was a contributing author to English Composition II: Writing about Nonfiction and the lead author of Introduction to Literature.

As a collaborative writer or ghostwriter, I partner with authors to craft the manuscript of their dreams, all the way from ideation until the book is printed and being enjoyed by readers.

My personal works in progress include a memoir, a couple of essay collections, a devotional, a contemporary adult novel, a romance novella series, and a young adult novel—and several shorter pieces are always manifesting.

Higher Ed Teaching Experience

Last but not least, I also bring to the table several years of experience as an adjunct instructor, having taught various English and writing classes at different institutions, plus work as an instructional designer developing online courses.