Services for Authors

Ready to book a coaching session? 

I’ve spent the past 20 years immersed in storytelling craft from all sides: author, editor, teacher, industry nerd, and fangirl. I received my MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Notre Dame, and because I couldn’t get enough, I doubled up on classes for a dual degree in both Poetry and Fiction. I’ve been through the querying gauntlet more than once, and I understand the dogged determination, creative energy, and boundless curiosity needed to sustain a creative life. In the past five years, I’ve published four critically acclaimed novels with Macmillan/FSG Books for Young Readers and I love helping other writers achieve their storytelling dreams.

I am an absolute story geek, and I excel at looking at manuscripts from both a craft and industry angle. YOUR vision and characters are the heart of your story…but you also need strong structure, stakes, and emotional impact to connect with readers (and, realistically, gatekeepers).

If your goal is to be traditionally published (particularly in children’s books), my successful Big 4 experiences can help you avoid pitfalls and give you insider knowledge about current market realities, while always staying true to the heart and soul of your story — your true north.

If your goal is self-publishing, I can be the editorial eye you need to make sure your final product is a well-crafted jewel box that will grab readers’ hearts and minds and carry them all the way through to a satisfying ending. Note: I can help get your manuscript ready for the journey, but if you need advice about how and where to self-publish or promote, I suggest you consult another source like BookBaby or Jane Friedman.

I’ve worked with critically acclaimed authors including Ann Braden (middle grade), Shana Youngdahl (middle grade), and Anna Vodicka (adult memoir and creative nonfiction) as well as with other talented authors on their way to publication with middle grade novels, contemporary adult fiction and creative nonfiction, YA adventure, and fantasy series. I can’t wait for you to read their work someday! References available on request.

Genres I’m not a great fit for: horror, thrillers, steamy romance.

If cost is in any way a barrier to your practice, please let me know. I am always open to collaborating on a discount for multiple sessions or a sliding scale.