What have I done?

I have a BA in English from Yale University and an MFA in creative writing (fiction) from Louisiana State University.

My career has not followed a single, straight path, which is exactly what I wanted. Among other things, I have interned for a legendary literary agent; taught writing to hundreds of college students; written and edited everything from organizational histories to op-eds; led writing workshops for elementary school students, retirees, and every age in between; published fiction, book reviews, and personal essays; and ghostwritten a variety of book projects, particularly in memoir.

Why am I good at this?

I have a very particular set of skills, skills I have
acquired over a very long career.*

My first love was fiction. I use my knowledge and love of story in whatever project I’m working on. I specialize in elevating the anecdotes and life stories that make a memoir come alive.

I have a weird combination of high-level creativity and superior executive function. I can spin out new ideas and new connections but also stay on deadline, and I can help writers explore infinite possibilities while also keeping an eye on the realities of the publishing market.

I excel at learning as I go. I read widely, and I’ve always enjoyed taking on new projects where I can learn new skills and expertise. I never hesitate to ask questions or reveal I don’t know something because I’m eager to add to my knowledge base—and I’m confident I’ll do so. I’m able to work with clients on a range of topics because I’m familiar with many fields and can quickly get up to speed on the subject matter if I’m not.

I know how to customize. If there is one thing I learned from teaching writing to rooms full of first-year college students who didn’t want to be there, it’s how to make the writing process work for anyone no matter their strengths and weaknesses.

*Liam Neeson as Bryan Mills in Taken

Want to know still more?

I already love what you’re writing AND I already know you can make it better. I’m a writing geek. My brain gets excited every time I think about what a piece of writing is doing and why. And then it gets even more excited by figuring out how to make that writing even better.

I say what needs to be said. I don’t just mention the elephant in the room—I invite it to sit down on the couch next to me.

I don’t give up. I’m a problem-solver who makes sure the solution actually works. If it doesn't, I revisit, re-research, and reframe until I find a solution that does work.

I’ve lived a lot of places. Born to Massachusetts natives, I spent my first years in Georgia, Michigan, and Indiana before my parents moved me and my sisters to a town on the coast south of Boston. After college in Connecticut, I took on New York City for a couple years and then went to graduate school in Louisiana. I spent the next four years in south Texas, followed by thirteen years in Illinois. I settled for good in Kentucky in 2013.

When I’m not working, I’m usually reading, spoiling my dog, throwing dinner parties with my husband, engrossed in a tv show, texting with one of my three sisters, keeping tabs on my kids and grandchild, traveling, or writing a short story or two. I live in Bowling Green, KY.