I love everything about books. The smell of a freshly opened new book excites me. The texture of the pages in an old and dusty library book comforts me. And the heavy pull of my book-filled library bag on my shoulder makes me giddy.

What do I read? I enjoy stories about relationships, families, or the lives of women. Contemporary fiction (from literary to commercial) is my favorite, especially women’s fiction, domestic suspense, magical realism, and family saga.

However, books are not what led me to editing! I discovered my passion for editing through proofreading and giving feedback on my friends’ screenplays. I found that not only did I delight in finding typos, grammar issues, and spelling errors, but I also loved sharing my overall impression of the scripts, suggesting possible ideas for improvement, and giving encouragement to these screenwriter friends. And the best part—they found my work helpful! I was hooked.

To solidify and expand my knowledge, I enrolled in a basic proofreading course and then decided to earn a Specialized Certificate in Copyediting from UC San Diego’s Extended Studies program. I started LaBine Editorial in October of 2020!

I love my business, and I take my work seriously. I’m a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA), the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), and the Freelancers Union.

What else is there to know about me? I’m a forty-something mother of two who lives in—and loves!—California. Besides my interest in books, I also have a passion for digital photography that I hope to continue developing when I have more time.