Developmental Editor & Author Coach — Portland, OR

Every manuscript is good unforgettable with the right editor beside it.

I'm a senior editor with twelve years in trade publishing and more than 250 titles behind me — from bestselling horror to romantic comedy to concept-driven nonfiction. I help authors and publishers find the better book inside the one they have.

250+Titles edited & acquired
12+ yrsIn trade publishing
Starred-review rate vs. major houses
Apple TV+Palm Royale adaptation

Editorial work at every altitude, from big-picture to line-by-line.

Developmental Editing

Structural, whole-book editing for fiction and nonfiction: argument, architecture, pacing, voice. You'll get a detailed editorial letter, embedded manuscript notes, and a clear path through revision.

For authors & publishers

Author Coaching

Ongoing partnership from outline to final draft. Regular check-ins, accountability, and craft guidance calibrated to where you are — whether this is your first book or your fifth.

For writers at any stage

Ghostwriting & Collaboration

Full-service writing for experts with a book's worth of knowledge and no time to draft it. I've written and rescued titles across lifestyle, memoir, and prescriptive nonfiction.

For subject-matter experts

Acquisitions & List Consulting

Market positioning, comp analysis, proposal development, and list strategy — the same work I've done in-house as a senior editor and editorial director, available to presses and packagers.

For publishers & imprints

Books that found their readers.

A sampling across categories — horror and speculative fiction, concept-driven nonfiction, memoir, and collaborative projects.

Kill Creek

Developed from acquisition through publication. A modern haunted-house novel that became a genre standard-bearer.

ALA Horror Book of the Year

Mr. & Mrs. American Pie

Edited and championed a razor-sharp 1960s social satire, then supported the rights deal that brought it to television.

50,000+ copies · Adapted as Apple TV+'s Palm Royale

The Punch Escrow

Guided a debut science-fiction novel from raw manuscript to breakout hit with film interest to match.

50,000+ copies · Lionsgate film rights

Shibui: The Japanese Art of Finding Beauty in Aging

Acquired and shaped a concept-driven gift title pairing philosophy with stunning design.

40,000-copy first print run

Strong as a Mother

Recruited an Olympian and a clinical specialist to build the definitive pregnancy-to-postpartum health program.

50,000-copy first print run

A God in the Shed

Developmental editing on a dark, ambitious horror debut that earned a devoted readership.

60,000+ copies sold

An editor's judgment, built in-house.

I've spent my career inside publishing houses — acquiring, developing, and shepherding books from proposal to shelf. As Editorial Director at Inkshares, I built fiction lists whose titles earned starred reviews at five times the rate of major-house peers. At Sasquatch Books, I revitalized a forty-year backlist, tripled annual acquisitions with half the staff, and grew revenue across three imprints by 26%.

That in-house experience is what I bring to every freelance engagement: I edit with the whole market in view. I know what agents are pitching, what sales teams need to hear, and what makes a distributor lean in. When I work on your manuscript, I'm working toward the reader — and toward the meeting where your book gets its shot.

My range runs from concept-driven, design-forward nonfiction and subcultural deep dives to fiction across the spectrum — horror, book club, romantic comedy, and everything between. I currently take on freelance projects for publishers including Hachette and Grand Central Publishing alongside independent authors.

Titles I've edited have earned ALA Horror Book of the Year · Bram Stoker Award shortlist · Barnes & Noble Best Horror Book · Kirkus 100 Best Books · Amazon Top 20 rankings
  • Sasquatch BooksSenior Editor
  • Blue Star PressManaging Editor
  • InksharesEditorial Director
  • Hachette · Grand CentralFreelance Editorial

How we'll work together.

First —

The conversation

We start with a call about your book, your goals, and where you are in the draft. If we're a fit, I'll read a sample and propose the right level of edit — no more, no less than the manuscript needs.

Then —

The edit

You receive a substantive editorial letter and annotated manuscript: what's working, what isn't, and a concrete revision plan. My notes are direct, specific, and always in service of your voice.

Finally —

The path forward

A follow-up call to walk through the edit together, plus guidance on next steps — whether that's revision, querying agents, or positioning the book for acquisition.

Tell me about your book.

Whether you're deep in a draft, sitting on a proposal, or building a list, I'd love to hear what you're working on. I respond to every inquiry personally, usually within two business days.