I love words.
I started reading when I was 3 years old, and I haven’t looked up. As a child, I got in trouble for reading in the car, reading under my desk at school, reading when I was supposed to be outside. If a book is compelling, I would rather read than sleep.
I got a B.A. in English, followed by an M.A. with a specialty in Modern Irish Literature, and I started working at a small business magazine in May 1993. For more than 25 years, I’ve shaped, honed, and improved text for everyone from Martha Stewart to international human rights organizations.
I like big projects. I like messy ones. I like complicated books with 15 moving parts. I crave the jobs no one else wants to touch. If it’s overwhelming, send it to me. I love getting an email that starts, “I have sort of a miserable project that you would enjoy…” If you’re trying to produce a last-minute book in 12 weeks instead of 14 months, I’ve done it—more than once.
And if you have a straightforward project with a typical schedule, I’m still interested.
When I’m not editing, I’m practicing or teaching hot yoga. (If you’re worried that I’m losing the narrative thread, stay with me.) Yoga has made me strong, physically and mentally. I’m mindful. I’m focused. I have balance and flexibility. All my hours in a room heated to 104°F with 40 percent humidity means I’m used to being uncomfortable, but I stick with it.
In other words,
I will bend over backward to get the job done.