Am I the right editor for you?
Tell the Truth but tell it Slant —
Success in Circuit lies
– Emily Dickinson
You have a true story to tell, but you want to do more than convey information. You want to “tell it slant” so that readers don’t just learn something, they feel something, too.
Narrative nonfiction comes in many forms – personal essays, memoir, biography, history, travel writing, spiritual life writing – any kind of writing that shapes events and memories into a story.
I used to be a writer. I worked as a reporter and then as a communications officer in health care. I even wrote two books – organizational histories about big personalities trying to work together for a cause bigger than themselves. Now, I like nothing better than to be in service to a story, and to you, the author.
I hold writers in high esteem, and I’ll always respect your voice and vision for your work. What I bring is the perspective of a trained, professional editor with 20 years of experience and a lifetime of reading and reflection.
I specialize in developmental and line editing for memoir and narrative nonfiction, but I also copy edit books in the humanities for university presses. I’m infinitely curious about history, the ancient ways, different cultures and beliefs, the natural world, death and loss, and what it all means.
As a member of Editors Canada since 2004, I’ve developed certification exams and served as coordinator of Editors Kingston.
I buy too many books, walk long distances, grow a tangle of vegetables, play the flute, and have no aptitude for sewing.
I live in Kingston, a block from Lake Ontario and a half-hour drive to the woods and lakes of the Canadian Shield. My husband, Dave, is a jazz musician, and we have three sons, all grown up now. Our adorable golden, Kasey, and two unaffectionate cats provide in-house therapy and comic relief.