Executive Editor & Director of Business Development Ali McCart
Ali thinks her love for the written word might have something to do with the pungent odor of ink and the methodic sounds from her parents’ printing press, which permeated her senses before she even knew how to read. She has a bachelor’s degree in English from Willamette University and a master’s degree in book publishing from Portland State University. She’s written and edited for periodicals in Oregon, Idaho, and Montana and edited for authors and book publishers across the country. Her most recent story is a narrative nonfiction piece published in
Hippocampus Magazine. She also spent two years as a bookseller and sometimes still itches to create front-of-store displays. Ali recently moved to Alaska and is enjoying the abundance of salmon, starry nights, and Native art.
Ali is also the director of the
Sledgehammer 36-Hour Writing Contest.
Ali's editing specialties: health and wellness, fitness and recreation, metaphysical, how-to, self-help, memoir, and feminist nonfiction books; young adult fiction and nonfiction; short stories; professional documents as well as calendars and other design-heavy materials.
Senior Editor & Director of Community Engagement Kristin Thiel
Editing fiction and nonfiction for a variety of clients—among them individual authors like
Melanie Thernstrom, Coffee House Press, Simon & Schuster, Portland State University, and Studio Geologie—Kristin loves the written word, its playfulness and intricacies, and working with writers to snap each one into just the right spot.
Kristin draws additional editing support from her own work as a writer. Even before she knew how to form the letters of the alphabet, Kristin was "writing," dictating stories to her mom to put on paper. Her short fiction "Patient" is forthcoming in
Men Undressed: Women Writers and the Male Sexual Experience (Other Voices Books/Dzanc Books, fall 2011), and an excerpt from her story "Pilgrim for Hire" is in the reference book
Don't Sabotage Your Submission: Save Your Manuscript from Turning Up D.O.A. Kristin regularly reviews for the
Oregonian and
Rain Taxi and will soon be talking books in the
Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St. Paul) and the
Christian Science Monitor.
Kristin signs on here and at
www.kristinthiel.com.
Kristin's editing specialities: adult literary fiction (anything along the magical realism spectrum is of particular interest), adult mystery or thriller. Kristin also edits university materials, including catalogs, brochures, and more.
Associate Editor Susan DeFreitas
Susan grew up reading mysteries, fantasy novels, and science fiction—and despite her recent fixation on literary fiction, still loves “the genres.” She studied fiction and poetry at the Interlochen Arts Academy, earned her BA in creative writing from Prescott College, and is currently working on her MFA in writing at Pacific University. Her poetry, fiction, and magazine journalism have been published in
Yes! Magazine,
Natural Home,
The Utne Reader,
The Bear Deluxe,
The Noise, and
Southwestern American Literature, among others. Along the way, she has worked as a freelance editor and publicist, a copywriter, a grant-writer, and even a professional blogger.
Susan's editing specialties: poetry, fantasy, science fiction, and mysteries, as well as grants and business plans.
Associate Editor Laura Meehan
Laura was born with a book in her hand. At the age of eight, she won a school-wide book-cover illustration contest, and she started telling people she wanted to be an "author-slash-illustrator." Since then, she has dropped some of the visual-art dreams, but she still loves books—reading, editing, and hopefully someday writing—with a passion.
After receiving a BA in English from UCLA and an MA in book publishing from Portland State University, Laura started her career working as senior editor for Ink & Paper Group. Since launching her freelance career, she has edited for Ken Arnold Books, Ink & Paper Group, the
Hollywood Star News,
intentionally urban magazine (where she also served as lifestyle department editor), the Portland Bridge calendar, and many individuals. Outside of work, she enjoys chasing her two young children, being active outdoors, and cooking and baking.
Laura's editing specialties: nonfiction, historical fiction, young adult fiction, children's books, and women's fiction. She also edits academic works, including anthropology journal articles and books, and graduate student materials. You can also visit Laura's Web site at
www.laurameehan.com.
Associate Editor Kristen Hall-Geisler
Kristen Hall-Geisler spent four years working her way up the editorial ladder as a proofreader, copy editor, and managing editor of
Sports Car Market magazine, then struck out on her own as a freelance editor and automotive journalist. She has edited a wide variety of books, including self-help, memoir, YA, spiritual, and fantasy novels of the sword-and-sorcery variety. Her automotive articles have been published in the
New York Times,
Details,
Oregon Business, and on web sites such as HowStuffWorks.com and VroomGirls.com. She is also the author of
Take the Wheel: A Woman's Guide to Buying a Car Her Own Damn Self, available September 2013.
Kristen’s editing specialties: creative nonfiction, memoir, how-to, spiritual, scientific, and self-help books.
Publication Consultant Vinnie Kinsella
Vinnie Kinsella’s varied career as a publishing professional includes work as a writer, editor, document designer, journal publisher, and college instructor. He has used his broad knowledge of the publishing industry to help numerous book publishers, independent authors, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations produce high quality print and online publications.
Vinnie's specialties: guiding independent publishers through the publication process, book design.