Meet Your Editor

Hello! I’m Kieran,

lover of languages and sentences that sing.

And fervent supporter of the Oxford comma.

I firmly believe in the power of stories. To comfort. To escape. To teach. To grow and change us. And I learned early on that the most powerful stories aren’t just a good tale – a well-spun yarn has the power to captivate audiences, even if it’s about something as mundane as baking bread. (I’m convinced Tolkien could have charmed readers with pages about hobbit bread-making techniques. Can’t you just see it?)

As you might suspect, my love for stories began at an early age: fairytales and mythology, and later Tolkien, Lewis, Twain, Lackey, Pierce, Asimov, Pratchett – in truth, just about anything that found its way into my eager hands. And it wasn’t just stories – I found language itself a curiosity. I used to lay on the floor of our home library with our massive dictionary bound in tan and gold and pour over words and names, fascinated by the etymology. That fascination with words continued at the dinner table, discussing split infinitives over fish sticks. (Such conversations tend to happen when your mum’s an English teacher.)

My love for language has continued into adulthood: I’m one of those word nerds who will dissect a sentence to see why it sings. I’ve always felt language akin to music in that way. As a classically trained musician and dancer, I suppose you could say music’s in my blood.

I hold a Bachelor of Science in Music Therapy from Duquesne University, where my coursework included grant writing and submitting to academic journals in addition to writing and editing copy for several professional organizations. After college, I continued writing and editing copy for professional organizations and for my own career, and currently do so as the director of marketing for the orchestra where I also serve as co-concertmaster.

Fueled by my appreciation for the beauty of language and a desire to help authors unearth the magic and power in their stories, I started working as a freelance fiction editor in 2021 and joined the Editorial Freelancers Association, which provides access to continuing education and a community of professional standards.

In addition to my editing experience, I have a published novella and a short story under my belt, and my short fiction has consistently placed well in juried contests. I’ve also penned hundreds of flash fiction pieces and plan to query my dark (but cozy) contemporary fantasy this year.

As a neurodivergent mum of neurodivergent littles, I well understand the fear of releasing your work to someone who’s tasked with tearing it apart. We’re very familiar with rejection sensitive dysphoria in our household. You can expect me to be honest but gentle – my goal is to boost your confidence and help you grow as a writer and storyteller so you can craft a story you’re proud to release to the world.

Because we need your stories. Now more than ever.

editing with heart

Ethos

Providing quality edits with precision and passion to unearth and illuminate a story’s full potential.