MY LIFE'S WORK

My first venture into the publishing world was as a nascent novelist at the age of 17. My young adult romance, A Dream Come True, had been accepted by a publisher.  From the signing of the contract to the first galley proofs, I was hooked on this business. Seeing my words bound in print sent me on a side quest. I got a college education in printing and worked for a commercial printer for seven years before returning to my original calling, creative writing – but how do I make a living doing that? Journalism.  Back to school I went.

With a new honours diploma in journalism, I embarked upon a 25-year rewarding career.  I've covered the whole of existence in my research and writing: love, health, business, fashion, art, theatre, politics, religion, tragedy, travel, war, science, humour and more. Early on I discovered my aptitude for editing and mentoring other writers. Equally as fulfilling as writing my own words is the art of helping other writers publish incredible work. From pulling a story's pieces into their proper arc, to finding holes that could trip a reader, to making the writer's voice clear and strong, to weeding out the last stray spelling and punctuation errors – I love it all. Written words, the moment they are published, become part of recorded history. I can't imagine applying my particular skills and passion to anything more noble. 

Below are some of the books and magazines I've worked on as either editor, author or contributor, or a combination of these roles.