How can I help? I’m an agented author with a focus on editing hopeful horror, dark science fiction and fantasy, and monster romance. If it’s uncanny or haunting or generally odd, I’m here for you! I also work with poetry, lyrical essays, and the occasional thriller.
My short stories have appeared on the NoSleep Podcast, the Creepy Podcast, and the Saturday Evening Post. One was a Top 10 Finalist for the Baen Fantasy Adventure Award. My poems are in Strange Horizons, Palette Poetry, and the Threepenny Review.
I’ve also got a career of technical editing behind me with clients including the World Bank, USAID, and ASEAN; I bring that technical precision to my creative work.
What kind of projects do you work with?
As an editor, I’ve helped creators with all kinds of projects:
- Novels. For years, I’ve offered manuscript feedback and line edits for critique partners and clients. Most recently, I was Kathi Huber’s line editor for Dance of the Owl Woman, the second book in her YA historical fantasy series published by SparkPress. For SuperSummary, a subscription-based educational platform, I developmentally edited 70+ book study guides using my firm grasp of story structure and critical analysis.
- Short stories and flash fiction. I’ve been a professional judge for Writing Battle and Scholastic, reviewing hundreds of competing short stories and flash fiction pieces.
- Poetry and lyrical essays. I’ve provided macro-level feedback on chapbooks in addition to line edits on thousands of poems for fellow poets. Perhaps most memorably, I offered feedback for Lorrie Ness’s “Anatomy of a Wound” (Flowstone Press) and Rose Boehm’s “Do Oceans Have Underwater Borders?” (Kelsay Books). I hold an MA in 19th-Century Romantic Poetry from the University of Bristol.
- Indie projects. I’ve edited two oracle decks from A Nature Unknown, an indie studio based in the Pacific Northwest. One deck has since obtained a nationwide deal with Barnes & Noble.
As a fellow writer, I’m passionate about passion projects, and I’m dedicated to helping clients feel confident about their finished work.
What do clients say about your editing?
Are you a good fit for MY story?
This is a great question. I’ve talked about the value of finding an editor who is a good fit in my blog Finding an Editor Is Easy: Deciding What You Need (and Finding a Good Fit) Is the Hard Part. In the spirit of what I say there, here’s some details about me to help you decide.
What’s your approach to editing? Respecting my clients’ voices is a priority. Storytelling does have patterns, and knowing those patterns helps me give clear feedback. But what makes a story special is how you tell it. As an editor, I want to elevate what makes your story unique, not sand it down. I also strongly believe that good editing should inspire, energize, and excite. As a fellow writer, I know the process. I’m good at seeing the vision even with early drafts.
What do you read? A bit of everything! Some of my favorite horror and dark fantasy authors today include T. Kingfisher, S.A. Barnes, Rivers Solomon, Rachel Harrison, Chuck Wendig, V.E. Schwab, Krystal Sutherland, Kate Alice Marshall, and Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Their work tends to have layers, atmosphere, and (beneath the horror or strangeness) a certain tenderness. That said, I also enjoy some more fast-paced, bloodier authors like S.A. Cosby, Christopher Golden, Nat Cassidy, and Grady Hendrix. Outside of speculative fiction, I read plenty of contemporary and monster romance. I’m also a big fan of impactful middle grade and young adult work. The Last Cuentista, The Girl Who Drank the Moon, and The Poet X have stuck with me.
Where are you from? I was born and raised in Kentucky, up north near Ohio. From there, I headed to Bristol, England for my graduate degree. I met my Peruvian husband at university, and after a brief stint in Miami, Florida, we moved to Lima, Peru, where we still are today. Living abroad for about a decade, I’ve experienced tangling with immigration processes and navigating a new culture (and language) firsthand. It’s a rewarding, frustrating, nuanced business, and I love writing that engages with these challenges.
What themes resonate with you? Give me stories about generational trauma, found family, the power of storytelling, and “otherness.” I’m big on books that tackle institutional injustices with an eye to how empowered community can change systems; it’s always great to see underdogs taking on (and taking down) malicious corporations. I’m also interested in work that explores death, grief, and our connection with nature.
Is there anything you won’t read? When it comes to romance, consent is crucial. I’m open to work that includes sexual assault, but I have some limits. I expect the narrative to try to deal with it sensitively. I’m not a great fit for splatter horror that doesn’t have a strong emotional core.
Do you use generative AI? Nope. Not in my editing or in my writing.
What’s on your editing menu?
Developmental edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.04 USD/word
I’ll provide a report of 8-10 pages presenting key macro-level recommendations, with a special focus on character development, character arcs, pacing, and narrative structure. This comprehensive report will correlate with in-line comments in the manuscript. We’ll have a debrief talk after to discuss the feedback and brainstorm next steps. With this service, I’m an editorial partner and “second brain” here to help you decide how to transform an early draft into a mature draft ready for line-level polishing.
Line editing with developmental support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.04 USD/word
This intensive review is for well-structured manuscripts ready for line-level edits. It provides in-text line-level suggestions via Track Changes; in-text suggestions via Track Changes demonstrating opportunities to strengthen plot, pacing, and character arcs; a report of 4-5 pages summarizing my main suggestions and any lingering concerns; a debrief chat to discuss the feedback and brainstorm next steps; and 2 hours of free follow-up, if you’d like my eyes on fresh revisions.
Manuscript critique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.01 USD/word
I’ll provide a report of 4-6 pages on key macro-level issues, with a special focus on character development, character arcs, pacing, and narrative structure. The report provides precise, actionable, and constructive feedback; I aim to give you a clear path forward so you feel empowered and excited about revisions. This service does not include in-line comments.
Query package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Starting at 350 USD
Let’s polish your query materials! We’ll go two rounds on your query letter. I’ll also do one round of light line edits and in-text feedback on your synopsis and first 12,500 words. For 50 USD, add a consultation call (~30 min.); we can discuss the edits, general querying concerns, and how to handle agent interest.
Office hour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 USD
For about an hour, let’s talk! Share up to 3,000 words of your writing in advance. We can talk about how to start publishing your short stories or poetry, how querying works, or the different publishing options. We can discuss craft, networking, or even marketing. I’ll follow up after with a list of resources to check out. Let’s build a game plan together.
Custom consulting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Starting at 30 USD/hour
What are your unique needs? I love weird or unusual projects: illustrated books, verse novels, oracle decks, indie games, tabletop games, epistolary content. I also love new writers (including ESL writers). If you’re just getting started, especially if English isn’t your first language, I’m here for you. For some select projects, I am open to substantive, content, and structural editing (effectively revising your existing draft myself).
Payment Methods & Plans
Venmo, Zelle, bank transfer | (For my South American clients) Plin, Yape
I’m open to an extended payment plan, though I’ll generally hold documents until final payment.