MyStory
About
I've spent my life involved in writing. I've taught writing at the college level, written magazine articles, published and performed poetry, distilled corporate identities, and now I've been helping people write their stories full-time for close to 10 years.
This evolution into full-time writing is the path I'm meant to be on. I can feel it in my bones. The work tends to choose me, and I feel honored, privileged, and grateful every time it does.
I named Backhouse Press after my grandmother, who dreamed of becoming a nurse but never got the chance. This was during the days when if the father said no, then the answer was no, or at least it was in her house. She never wrote down her story. And I never had the chance to talk with her about her dreams, her struggles, or her wisdom.
That loss is partly why I spend my days making sure other stories don't disappear. I have also been on a path of transformation my whole life, and that is the main reason I want to help others on their journey. I’ve been supported, am supported, and giving support feels right.
I help people tell the truths they've carried, sometimes quietly, for decades. I work with trauma survivors using memoir as a path toward healing. With people who've overcome addiction, adversity, or impossible odds and achieved remarkable things. Entrepreneurs who've built successful businesses and want to share the lessons learned. With everyday heroes whose stories of resilience deserve to be told.
I guide people through the tender, difficult, beautiful work of making sense of their lives on the page. And I'm still writing my own story, too—still healing, still learning, still figuring it out as I go. I believe healing is a lifelong journey, and memoir is one of the most powerful tools we have. Not just to share our stories, but to understand them differently, to honor what we've survived, and to pass on what we've learned.
What everyone has in common? They want to help others, but memoir has this uncanny ability to open aspects of ourselves that we never fully understood or noticed before. It's the alchemy of the experience.
To show up for you, I take care of myself. I'm a certified yoga teacher, but I'm relatively new to yin yoga. Like many people, I often stay in my head and neglect the other aspects of my being—my heart, soul, and body. Yin yoga forces me to stop, breathe, let go, and create the mental space I need to do this work well. I want to show up as my best possible version for you. In this world of hyper-technology, memoir is very much about connecting human to human. And memoir writing isn't rushed. It can't be. It requires presence, patience, and deep listening.
Whether you're healing through your writing, honoring someone you've lost, preserving the life you've lived, or sharing hard-won wisdom with others—I'm here to help you find the words.
Your story matters. Let's honor it together.
Professional Foundation
My journey began with extensive international travel that deepened my understanding of diverse perspectives and global narratives. I returned to complete a BA in Political Science and an MA in International Relations from Brock University, followed by TESL certification and a postgraduate certificate in Advanced Writing from Humber College's prestigious Writer's Program, where I completed a full-length manuscript under the mentorship of acclaimed author David Bergen.
As a college instructor at Niagara College, I developed innovative curricula, including the groundbreaking "Social Justice and the Arts" program, teaching narrative development and critical analysis to audiences of up to 300 participants. My innovative approach earned me a nomination for Educator of the Year.
Business Leadership & Creative Excellence
Before dedicating myself fully to writing and publishing, I co-owned and operated award-winning ventures in Niagara-on-the-Lake, including Backhouse Restaurant, which earned Air Canada's EnRoute Magazine's People's Choice Award for Best New Restaurant in Canada in 2015. This experience in high-stakes creative direction, team leadership, and media relations—managing 45 professionals while orchestrating national media coverage—provided invaluable insights into project management, brand development, and audience engagement that I now apply to every publishing project.
Proven Track Record
My portfolio includes dozens of published works across multiple genres, all maintaining 4+ star ratings on Amazon. Recent highlights include "Writing with My Eyes: Living While Dying" and "My Mom is Really Really Sick But She Rocks" (both achieving 4.8-star ratings and featured in Forbes magazine), and "Fighting the Good Fight: The Memoir of Patrick Guy Roy" (4.7 stars, with extensive media coverage including Atlantic CTV News and Silver Magazine).
I've collaborated with clients spanning six continents—from Switzerland to Australia, from corporate executives to trauma survivors—adapting content for international audiences while preserving each author's unique voice and authority. My work has secured national and international media coverage, enhanced market reach, and achieved both critical recognition and strong commercial performance.
As Senior Project Manager at One Button Publishing, I was responsible for 80+ creative projects from concept to completion, guiding authors, executives, and thought leaders in bringing their stories to publish ready.
Recognition & Awards
My creative work has earned an Ontario Arts Council Grant and the Calling All Writers Pulse Niagara Award. My writing has been published in respected journals, including Descant, Harpweaver Review, and featured in publications across North America. The productions I've guided have been reviewed in major outlets including The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, UK Daily Mail, and various international publications.
Core Competencies
My memoir projects have achieved remarkable success, garnering multiple 4-star and higher Amazon ratings and securing national media coverage. I understand that memoir isn't just storytelling—it's about preserving legacy, healing, and giving voice to experiences that matter.
Narrative Development & Story Architecture: Transforming complex experiences into compelling, market-ready content.
Production Management: Overseeing projects from concept to completion while maintaining quality and meeting deadlines.
Strategic Creative Direction: Providing vision and guidance that achieves both artistic integrity and commercial success.
Cross-Cultural Content Development: Adapting narratives for international audiences while preserving authentic voice.
Media Relations & Promotion Strategy: Securing coverage and building audience engagement across multiple platforms.
Current Practice
Today, I work from Cape Breton, Canada, where I maintain a selective client roster to ensure a deep level of involvement in every project. I specialize in working with memoir writers who have untold stories and are ready to share their life experiences that can inspire and heal others.
I limit the number of projects I undertake each year, focusing on transformative works that inspire audiences and achieve lasting impact. Whether you're a corporate leader ready to share your journey to success or an individual with a powerful story, I provide the expertise, discretion, and strategic vision needed to bring your narrative to life at the highest professional level.
We're not just putting out books—we're creating legacies. I am privileged to collaborate with exceptional individuals in this remarkable craft, because ultimately, what defines us all but our stories?