The Team

Carly Hayward

Developmental Editor & Founder

Carly is a developmental novel editor who helps authors find their voice and bring their book to light. Editing combines her love of reading, giving advice, and logic puzzles. She will be your book’s best friend.

With 10+ years in publishing, she’s worked all over the industry, including at a big 5 publishing house, a small press, a hybrid publisher, and a literary agency. That experience has helped her to see the industry from all different angles. She is a co-founding Revise & Resub (#RevPit) editor and a host on Story Chat Radio, a writing advice podcast. She is a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association and ACES.

When not reading or working she lounges with her husband being vastly amused by their cats or binge-watching TV.

Pronouns: She/Her

Laura Dennison

Copyeditor

Laura has worked as a professional editor for 3 years. She has experience in both content and copyediting. Her copyediting services offer authors one crucial final set of eyes on their manuscript before being sent out—whether to an agent or for indie publication. Her goal is to help you produce a polished piece that you can be just as sure of as you are proud of.

She holds an MFA in Nonfiction from the Mountainview low-residency program, where she wrote a coming-of-age memoir under the mentorship of published authors and exstensively studied craft and publishing. She graduated from the University of New Hampshire magna cum laude with a BA in English. There, she focused her studies on print journalism, news editing, and fiction and nonfiction writing.

Pronouns: She/Her

Michael Tizzano

Copyeditor

Michael has been editing books for eight years at independent publishers, Big 5 houses, a literary agency, and as an independent contractor. He loves to live in a manuscript for days on end—improving its clarity, concision, style, and consistency—to ensure readers get that immersive experience we all crave when we turn a book cover.

After earning his BA in English and MS in book and online publishing, Michael worked at Fuse Literary, Simon & Schuster, W. W. Norton, and Penguin Random House. He now works independently with authors who are embarking on their publishing journeys. After roles in traditional houses, agencies, and indie publishing, Michael leverages his diverse and robust industry experience to elevate every book to its fullest editorial and commercial potential

Whenever Michael manages to tear his eyes from the written word, he can be found illustrating, hiking, or baking too many cookies.

Pronouns: He/Him

Stacey Johnson-Reza

Social Media Assistant

Stacey has 5+ years of experience working in the book community, including working as an event coordinator and social media manager at a Barnes & Noble store, running her own bookstagram account, and being the personal assistant to a few authors. Working around books and book people is what Stacey enjoys most.

When she isn't working, she can be found reading a fantasy or romance novel, binge-watching shows with her husband, or cuddling with her dog, Wallaby and her cat, Shoto.

Pronouns: She/Her