At some point I want to add a page to this site which lists everything I can remember reading, but til then:

I have half of an English degree because for awhile college was free for me and no one was paying attention to my degree plan so I kept taking literature classes because they sounded fun. (Ditto half a History degree, same reason)

The last time I counted books was in Feb 2024: I had listened to over 100 audiobooks since November 2023 at that point. (thank you Libby and my local library). In the same time frame I probably read a couple dozen print books as well, and I have devoured more than one full-size novel in a day

Both Fiction and Nonfiction, though I go through phases where I favor one heavily

Genres include literary fiction from across the globe (in which I include “women’s fiction” because… no, that is not a separate category), fantasy, romance, magical realism, YA, memoir/biography (especially contemporary), history, sociology, psychology, philosophy, business, leadership/management, finance, travel, cookbooks, science-for-not-sciency-people, anthropology, books about books… I’m sure I’m missing something…

BFA Theatre and Performance, Emerson College; including coursework in both Voice and Direction; Instructors include Benny Sato Ambush, Kenneth Cheeseman, Lindsay Beamish, Ted Hewlett, and Josie Bray

Actor training over the course of 30+ years, including Meisner, movement, camera work, Shakespeare, combat

Vocal training from several professional-level singers, also over the course of 30+ years

Performance in theatre since 1995 and on camera since 2013; this includes Shakespeare, musicals, contemporary straight theatre, and student films

Military leadership training and experience at the NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer) level is all about coaching individuals to achieve their potential using a personalized approach for each person in each situation—which is to say, I have a couple decades of experience coaching people. Sometimes that meant helping them achieve their best, sometimes it meant helping them get out of their own way… ;)

I’ve worked in some form of customer service for 30 years, including a pharmacy and a casting agency in LA, so when I say I am skilled at interacting with all kinds of people in all kinds of situations, I mean it. Ask me about the patient who left my window laughing, despite the fact he was leaving without his medication because we were out and he had to come back…

Speed—reading: taught myself this as a kid because I was both an insatiable reader and an impatient brat ;)

You know that thing, where we tend to “autocorrect” misspelled words as we read? My brain doesn’t do that.

• I was the only one to spot that a badge insert given to hundreds of hospital employees displayed “ANIT [sic] ROBBERY PROCEDURES”

• During my onboarding, I informed new employers that their application had several typos in it

• I was the first to tip off a coworker that his middle name was misspelled on his military ID

I pick up languages very quickly. DOD has a test to determine aptitude for this in which they make up language rules for a fake language, teach them to you, and then test you on them. At the time I took it, the top score was 150, and I scored 144. This comes in very handy with accents: I can’t DO em to save my soul, but turns out I have an excellent ear for holding an accent once I know what it’s supposed to sound like

I’ve visited all 48 contiguous states and DC, and I’ve lived for at least a month in 11 of them: this comes in handy when books have locally-specific pronunciations or customs

I’ve worked for at least a year in the following professions: military (many roles there), medical, security, HR, education, food service, retail (including books!!), and administrative, giving me an unusual array of experience to draw from when it comes up in books

I have an extensive network, and in my work to date I’ve already called on friends or old colleagues from various cultures, professions, and backgrounds to help with pronunciation or definitions of things I and my narrator were unfamiliar with

Unhelpful in audiobooks or editing, but in certain circles I’m known for epic smores spreads. A Smores-gasbord, if you will.