LEAH
Leah originally hails from Montreal, Quebec, but now lives in Portland, Maine. She began her copyediting career at the American Meteorological Society in Boston, where she not only honed her grammar skills but also learned a lot about how to punctuate equations, a skill that has come in handy more than a few times. Having earned a master’s degree in children’s literature from Simmons College, she has since edited biographies, textbooks, and magazine articles. A natural trivia hound, she loves learning something new from every project she works on.
Leah lives with her husband, daughters, and pets in a slightly drafty Victorian house in Portland. They all try to get outside to enjoy Maine’s natural beauty as much as they can. When the fickle New England weather confines her indoors, she can usually be found cooking, knitting, or reading a detective novel, sometimes all at once.
If I weren’t a writer/editor I would be: This is a tough one, since I really do love being an editor/writer! I guess I would say historian or archeologist; I love the past and all the stories it holds, it would be amazing to get to be in touch with that every day.
My morning routine is: Now that we have a puppy, I am up long before I would like to be! I get greeted extravagantly by the dog, then caffeinate before starting to get my children ready for school. My teen takes care of herself, mostly, but my pre-teen still needs to be reminded to put on socks. In winter, in northern New England. Then it’s the school run, a quick dog walk, and finally work at my messy desk.
I most admire: Self-sufficiency. I have a recurring dream of living on one of Maine’s tiny deserted islands with only a flock of sheep for company – but I know myself too well to ever try to live out that fantasy. I need people to talk to and bounce ideas off of. I also need to be within walking distance of coffee shops and bookstores. Oh, and the Internet.
My superpower is: I can usually make people laugh. I don’t feel like a meeting or dinner party or encounter is going well until I hear the other person laugh.