I became an editor after graduating from college with a degree in English and linguistics and no real idea about what I wanted to do for a career. I was working at a bookstore at the time and decided, after a lifetime of reading, I wanted to know more about the process of creating books. I completed a graduate program in publishing, then worked at two traditional publishers before beginning a freelance career. Now, I get to work on many different kinds of books, helping authors bring their visions to life.

Without a doubt! As a child, I could always be found in the middle of the book. In the car, at the dinner table, up a tree, during recess, under my covers at night—I was always reading! The library was a home away from home, and I would ride my bike there at least once a week, loading up my backpack with as many books as I could fit. 

I live in Boulder, Colorado. As you might expect, my workspace is filled to the brim with an eclectic assortment of books overflowing the shelves (and stacked up on the floor) and curios from my various travels. As a Taurus, I delight in collecting and having physical reminders of all my adventures around me.

I've found that there is no singular editing process. Each book is a completely different beast with different needs. In order to tame the beast, I first have to understand the goals of the author. What kind of message are they trying to share? And what is the most effective way to pass that message along to the reader? From there, it is a process not unlike mediumship, where I become a conduit between the author's vision and the page. 

Of course, there are expectations of technical mastery—grammar, style, and the like—but in my book (pun intended), the only real rule is to love books and read a lot of them. As Stephen King wrote, "Reading is the creative center of a writer’s life," and that applies to editors as well. Delight in books, but also dissect them. What works about a particularly excellent story? What makes you keep turning the pages?

Too many to count!

I have always been fascinated by the Celtic stories of changelings, so I am partial to "My Brother Monster" and the interesting twist that Anastasia offers on that classic lore. While I adore the purely frightening tales (of which there are plenty in this collection!), this is also one of the only stories with a humorous tone, and that is such fun to read!

What are your favorite kind of books to read? I read around 250 books each year, about two-thirds of which are fiction. I read across all genres, but my favorites are horror and speculative fiction (of course!), followed by LGBTQIA+ stories. I love to learn, so I also read lots of general nonfiction books on a wide variety of topics, from the death industry to birding to social justice to mushrooms to movies and beyond! 

I have to admit, when it comes to fictional stories, I am pretty difficult to scare at this point. I have read a lot! But, perhaps ironically, I don't seek out scary books to be frightened. One of the reasons I love horror so much is that it helps me be less scared in my everyday life. It teaches me about resiliency, hope, and strength in the face of seemingly unbeatable odds. If the werewolf can be captured, the slasher can be slashed, the vampire can be staked, and even just one final girl can limp into the dawn of the next day, then I can certainly take on whatever comes my way. 

Almost everything that resides in my home is a monster of one kind or another! Currently, I share my space with a goldendoodle named Ouija, a ferret familiar named Jinx, a ball python named Planchette, a pink-toed tarantula named Onion, and my partner, a mysterious, bespectacled creature named Kyle. There is also the ghostly presence of a cat who resides in the closet in my bedroom, but that is a story for another day. . .