Professional Portfolio

I've written countless articles and features for publication as a crime and safety reporter for a regional newspaper, a staff writer for a university public relations office, and a communications manager for a nonprofit with a 35-year history. A few of those articles are listed below, along with various projects tackled as a writer- and editor-for-hire. Local, regional, and national publishers have distributed my writing and my ghostwriting; several projects and pieces were recognized with statewide and national awards.
​

Contract Writing & Editing

​
Jackalope Stories by Jake Nickens
  • A highly-rated paranormal coming-of-age series.
  • Tackles a range of difficult subjects with honesty and clarity.
  • I edited all three novels and served as a publishing consultant.
  • Purchase
​

​
​
Aftermath by Dan Snow
  • A collection of photographs (taken by Dan Snow) and articles (written by me).
  • Records the histories of violent, sudden deaths and tragedies.
  • Investigates the nature of death and grief behind infamous and unknown disasters.
  • Purchase​ ​
​​
​
​​The Politics of Language: Byrhtferth, Aelfric, and the Multilingual Identity of the Benedictine Reform 
​​by Dr. Rebecca Stephenson
  • Examines the influences and changes in English and Latin language styles in the late 10th century.
  • Published by the University of Toronto Press.
  • I assisted with formatting and light proofreading.
  • Purchase​​

Freelance Writing

Career Writing

Poetry

Awards & Honors

Poetry
  • 2023 Vassar Miller Poetry Award, Honorable Mention​, University of New Orleans, March 2023

Publishing
  • ​DartFrog Book of Distinction​, DartFrog Books, September 2017
  • 2017 EPIC eBook Awards Finalist in Fantasy/Paranormal Fiction, Electronic Publishing Industry Coalition, March 2017

Professional
  • O. Ray Cornelius Scholarship, Louisiana Industrial Development Executives Association, November 2017
  • Award of Merit, Southern Economic Development Council Communications Awards, Medium Div, July 2015
  • First Place Investigative Writing Award, Louisiana/Mississippi APME Professional Contest, Division II, June 2015
  • Second Place Best Investigative Reporting Award, LA Press Association Better Newspaper Competition, Div I, June 2015
  • Silver Award for Institutional Relations Program/Project, Council for Advancement and Support of Education, April 2014
​
Personal & Scholarly
  • Premio Gabriela Mistral, Sigma Delta Pi: National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, April 2013
  • Student Worker Team of the Year Award, University of Louisiana at Monroe, April 2012
  • Outstanding Student Award in English, College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, May 2011
  • Undergraduate Best Essay Award, English Department at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, December 2010
  • Undergraduate Best Essay Award, English Department at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, December 2010

Speaking Engagements

​The Ouachita Parish Public Library invited me to give a 15-minute, grant-funded talk to teenagers involved in its summer reading program on June 19, 2017.

My presentation "Self-Publishing: It Started in High School" focused on the writing process, self-publishing, and methods for remaining motivated as a young writer.

Approximately 15 students between the ages of 13 and 21 attended.

Excerpts from the presentation can be viewed on YouTube.