Growing up in Portland, Maine, I secretly wanted to be a writer. During winters playing basketball and throughout summers on the water, writing remained my private passion.

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When I set off for college to earn a B.A. in English, I was uncertain about a career path. During an independent study, I discovered contemporary young adult novels—titles that felt so fresh compared to the traditional English literary canon I was accustomed to reading. Unexpectedly, I became curious about who was publishing and writing these books for teens.

 

My interest led me to the Center for the Study of Children’s Literature M.A. program at Simmons University. Here I embraced scholarly analysis of everything from folklore and fantasy to modern fiction, nonfiction, and picture books. I was hooked. And this exposure steered me right toward publishing, specifically editing.

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After interning at Houghton Mifflin, I was fortunate to land at Charlesbridge Publishing, where I remain many years later! I’m now a senior editor and have edited more than eighty books for young readers, including fiction and nonfiction board books, picture books, and middle-grade novels.

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Helping passionate creatives develop stories and marry text with illustrations is the most inspired job I could’ve imagined. However, that little girl inside me—and her desire to write—hasn’t gone anywhere. Alongside my day job, I now try to give my own writing serious time. If not for the gifted and thoughtful authors, illustrators, editors, and designers I continue to learn from each day, I’m not sure I ever would’ve been brave enough to embark on my own creative journey.

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In the meantime, I’ve recently moved back to my home state. I live in Yarmouth, Maine, where I spend my free time walking to the shore; visiting Portland’s remarkable restaurants and bookstores; enjoying live, local sports and music; and spending time outdoors with my husband, my son, and our supportive extended family. I also spend a great deal of my time wondering where time actually goes, all the while adding to an insurmountable TBR list.