Work
More about me and my background.
Current position: As Editorial Director, I address a wide range of the college’s communications needs, both internally and externally. I specialize in integrated communications across platforms and handle a wide range of print and online materials (including e-newsletters, reports, various promotional programs, stakeholder messaging, social media, and more). I also serve as editor of the university’s acclaimed magazine, The Participant.
Book Critic
Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Review of Books, Kirkus Reviews
For many years I served as an assistant and then deputy book review editor of the Los Angeles Times. My work encompassed editing/assigning all forms of book-related material (reviews, features, publishing news, obituaries, prize announcements, etc) as well as writing and contributing to the paper’s coverage, including the online column “The Siren’s Call.” I was involved with the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books from years one through 12.
You can’t provide publishing feedback if you’re not involved in the industry. Since leaving the Times, I have kept active as a critic and reviewer on my own blog as well as serving as a regular contributor to the Los Angeles Review of Books and Kirkus Reviews.
Visit here to learn more about me and the Los Angeles Review of Books.
Visit here to learn more about Kirkus Reviews (you won’t exactly find me since I’m supposed to be anonymous!).
Manuscript Editing & Ghostwriting
I provide published and unpublished authors with manuscript editing as well as ghostwriting and other research services. My published clients (see below) reflect my facility in various kinds of nonfiction genres. I have also worked with a number of clients in the fiction category, including bestselling author of “cozy” mysteries Richard T. Jordan (Final Curtain, Remains to be Seen).
An Introduction to Modern Arab Culture by Bassam Frangieh (Cognella) Frangieh introduces readers to aspects of Arab culture and demonstrates how these facets intertwine to create a unique tapestry of identity, experience, and history.
Social Justice & Community College Education by Bryan Reece (Routledge) Reece is the former chancellor of Contra Costa Community College District in Northern California. His book addresses long-standing social and cultural structures that perpetuate inequality and how community colleges serve as disruptors of these structures.
Visions, Trips, and Crowded Rooms: Who and What You See Before You Die by David Kessler (Hay House) An expert on death and grief, Kessler addresses the mystery of our final days. Kessler is the co-author of two books with Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, a renowned psychiatrist celebrated for her pioneering work in the field of death studies.
Resume Secrets for Recent Grads: Proven Strategies to Land Interviews by Chris Munshaw (Bowker) Hiring practices have turned to technology to tighten the candidate filtering process. Certified customer experience expert Munshaw provides a detailed exploration of this filtering process and strategies to give job seekers a competitive advantage.
Getting the Job Done: Practical Advice and Real-World Anecdotes to Manage Successful P.R.O.J.E.C.T.S. by Kevin Torf (Inc. Original) How do you become a better project manager? Torf offers a flexible strategy to help you lead confidently through 100 educational, factual, and relatable examples and project management tips.
Other Writing Projects
In addition to articles and blog posts published in the Los Angeles Times and other publications, I’m the author of a long-form essay on dissident artists in the post-Soviet world in AGNI, the literary magazine published at Boston University.
I am also the proud author of the novels-in-progress, Sorry for the Interruptions, and The Best Things Are Unexpected.