When we do something that really matters to us—like create, learn, or care for something or someone—there’s often a kind of magic that happens, isn’t there? As a little girl growing up in Portland, Maine, this kind of magic—or flow state—appeared for me whenever I wrote stories and poems, journal entries, or letters to my friends.

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Later on, 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.

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My interest led me to the Center for the Study of Children’s Literature M.A. graduate 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 straight toward publishing, specifically editing.

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After interning at Houghton Mifflin, I was fortunate to land at Charlesbridge Publishing, where that magic flow state resurfaced. Editing books for children—primarily fiction and nonfiction picture books and middle-grade novels—soon started to feel like uncovering something already waiting under the surface. Collaborating with authors and illustrators is a fascinating dance of watching, listening, guiding, and trusting. It fills me with an immense sense of joy, purpose, and connection. Helping passionate creatives develop stories and marry text with illustrations is the most inspired job I could’ve imagined.

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However, that little girl inside me—and her desire to write—still hums alongside adult me. So I now try to give my own writing serious time. I wonder, though, whether I would’ve been brave enough to embark on my own creative journey had I not first become an editor, working for so many years with such thoughtful authors, illustrators, editors, and designers. Remembering that little girl—again and again—helps, too.

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Nowadays, I perpetually insist on reading aloud the latest picture book I can’t stop thinking about to my friends and family of all ages. And, for me, there’s nothing better than the privilege of hearing someone respond to something they’ve read and chatting about it together. (Meeting kiddos at bookstores, schools, and libraries during my author events or while supporting other creators continues to inspire the most memorable conversations!) I also love hearing about what pulls people—children and adults alike—into their own personal flow state. If you live near or are ever in the Yarmouth, Maine, area, and want to talk kid-lit or have me Zoom with your students to discuss publishing or writing, please do reach out!