Our team
A caring team curates personalized service from start to finish.
An experienced guide
Kathleen Groom, Founder
With more than twenty years experience as a ghostwriter, collaborator, and developmental editor in the book publishing industry, Kathleen has helped scores of authors finish their books. Some projects begin with an idea, others with a rough first draft. In the end, Kathleen’s clients from around the world now hold a copy of that long-dreamed-about book in their hands. She started Book Journey to help even more authors realize their dreams.
April Rust, Editorial Project Manager
In addition to being a professional copyeditor and book designer, April utilizes her skills for detail to manage Book Journey’s multiple projects. With a passion for literature, April pursued a BA in English and earned a Certificate of Copyediting from UC San Diego so she could help authors reach their dream of publication.
Erin Farr, MBA, Director of Business Operations
With more than 20 years of experience in business operations and systems design, Erin oversees the financial process and structural foundations that allow Book Journey to scale while maintaining its boutique, personalized approach. She is deeply committed to building seamless, end-to-end business operations that allow authors—and the internal team—to feel supported, confident, and guided at every stage of the book journey.
Editors
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Amy Carbo
Editor
Amy is a Hoosier who has been masquerading as a Southern Californian for the past few decades. (Do not put cilantro on her tacos!) She has a bachelor’s degree in photography and English from the University of Saint Francis, as well as a copyediting certificate from UC San Diego. She enjoys reading (of course), writing, gardening, volunteering, and spending time outdoors or going on adventures with her family and her best (canine) friend, Arthur.
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Christy Distler
Editor, proofreader, typesetter
Christy Distler has twenty years of editorial experience and a writing background that includes published fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Fiction is her specialty, and in 2015 she co-authored 5 Editors Tackle the 12 Fatal Flaws of Fiction Writing with four other editors. She regularly judges writing contests and teaches at writers conferences. Christy's authorial and editorial experiences have given her a broad understanding of what authors need on their publishing journey.
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Tina Matras
Editor
Tina is a ghostwriter, manuscript evaluator, and developmental editor who helps first-time and seasoned authors alike turn their ideas into great books. She is passionate about meeting authors wherever they are in their writing process and maintaining each author’s unique voice. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing and a certification in instructional design, and is a member of the Professional Writers Alliance. When she’s not writing, she’s probably reading or playing with her dogs, Daisy and Betsy.
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Michelle Miller
Proofreader
Michelle is a proficient proofreader dedicated to helping authors and writers improve their work for publication. She brings meticulous attention to detail and industry expertise to her clients. Passionate about supporting writers, she helps them present their best work to readers. Michelle takes professional development seriously and strives to keep her skills up to date.
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Marcy Ongert
Editor, proofreader
Marcy’s only hobby is reading. She should branch out more, but this passion has honed her editorial eye and made copyediting and proofreading a natural fit. Marcy has a copyediting certificate from UC San Diego, a Juris Doctorate, and a BA in English. She helps authors achieve correctness, clarity, and consistency in their writing, ensuring their stories reach readers with their intended message.
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Ariane Peveto
Editor, book coach
Ariane Peveto has called the US, England, and Japan home for a time. When she’s not writing her own novels, she is passionate about helping others tell their best stories through her work as an editor, drawing on over a decade of experience as well as degrees in creative writing and literature. She is also an active volunteer and frequent presenter for SCBWI.
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Jackie Peveto
Editor, book coach
Jackie Peveto is an editor, writer, and enthusiast for anything involving imagination and paper. She has a MA in creative writing and a BA in literature, her love of story cultivated as much by an academic background as it has by travel. An agented writer and volunteer with SCBWI and the Mixed-Up Files of Middle Grade Authors, she loves helping writers grow in their skills and confidence.
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Jennifer Prince
Editor, proofreader
Jennifer is a seasoned copyeditor with a passion for supporting authors as they bring their stories to life. With a keen eye for detail, she utilizes her deep understanding of written language to ensure clarity, consistency, and engaging prose, helping authors create their best work. Jennifer has earned a Certificate in Professional Editing from UC Berkeley Extension and a Certificate of Excellence in General Proofreading from Proofread Anywhere.
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Amelia Denyven Ross
Children's and young adult fiction editor
With a gentle coaching approach, Amelia crafts editorial letters that affirm author strengths while providing actionable advice for revision. Amelia keeps up-to-date on the KidLit market and offers readers' advisory through her work in library youth services. As a former teacher, she also uses her knowledge of early childhood development to help authors accurately represent young characters and authentically connect with readers. Amelia holds an MFA in children's literature and is an active member of SCBWI.
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Jaime Selgrath
Editor
As a developmental editor, Jaime guides authors in shaping their manuscripts into clear, compelling, and well-structured works. With more than a decade of experience in training, curriculum design, and content creation, she brings both creativity and strategy to the editing process. She holds a master’s degree in Adult Education and Training, specializing in helping authors refine their ideas, strengthen their voice, and craft books that truly engage and inspire their readers.
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LeAnn Sheppard
Proofreader
LeAnn is an accomplished proofreader and copyeditor with a Certificate of Excellence in General Proofreading from Proofread Anywhere. Her experience working with Harvest House Publishers and The Sisterhood Magazine has honed her skills over the years, and she brings her passion for the English language to every project. God opened the doors to enable her to build a career in the summer of 2022, and she is loving every minute of it.
Designers
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Steve Asay Creates
Illustrator
Steve Asay is a professional illustrator, painter, and animator. His artwork is displayed in art galleries, on book covers, children’s illustrations, and more. Steve’s popular, hand-drawn pen and inks are ideal to represent memories and scenes—from small images for chapter headings to full-page illustrations. His wife, Scottie, with 20 years of experience in business communications, runs their day-to-day operations. Steve and Scottie Asay are the owners of Steve Asay Creates.
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Sophie Danielson
Graphic designer
Sophie Danielson is a freelance writer, book designer, and curriculum creator. She is also the founder of Books Unbound, providing contextualized educational resources for refugees. Having developed projects in southern Asia and consulted for international organizations, Sophie brings extensive experience to her work. Now based in Colorado, she designs books, writes, and creates curricula, while continuing work with resettled refugees around the US and abroad.
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Kaelin Groom, PhD
Cartographer
Passionate about fieldwork, cultural stone decay, and the profound intricacies that hold the world together, Dr. Kaelin Groom is a cartographer, professional researcher, instructor at Arizona State University, and founding director of the Stone Heritage Research Alliance LLC.
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Deborah Stocco
Cover designer, formatter
For over 15 years Debbi has designed and perfectly prepared books of inspiration, entertainment, memoirs, etc., to be printed, put into readers’ hands, and sitting beautifully on the bookshelf for posterity. She also prepares eBook files, testing and tweaking the back end code for the expected display on digital devices. Debbi enjoys helping other authors seamlessly publish their books, as if they were her own.
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Erin Stocco
Book designer, researcher, historian
Erin Stocco crafts interiors that make reading effortless. With a BA in History and a degree in Apparel Design, Erin has an eye for structure, detail, and aesthetics. A well-designed book should feel natural, drawing readers in without distractions. Erin focuses on layout and flow, ensuring each page enhances the experience and lets authors' words shine.
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Cynthia Young
Graphic designer
Books are judged by their covers. And readability is created by many design decisions. Cynthia's been refining her craft as a designer for decades, working on books, magazines, and websites. Her eye for nuance, combined with years of experience, means a compelling book—inside and out—for you and your readers.
Marketing
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Jennifer Bulat
Content creator, editor
Jen is at home in the possibilities of language. And editing on four newspaper copy desks early in her career instilled in her a clear philosophy: Work in the service of the reader. She has followed that philosophy while writing for and editing weekly magazines, monthly B2B publications, and content marketing projects. Jen lives in Chicago, where you can find her doing outdoor yoga (in the summer!), going to live theater productions, and constructing crosswords.
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Alli King
Marketing, website design
Based in Colorado, Alli drives marketing and branding for Book Journey. She is also a freelance website designer who specializes in transforming clients' visions into cohesive, engaging online experiences, working closely with authors and creatives to bring their brands to life through thoughtful design and compelling visual identity.
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Ellie Womer
Marketing
Ellie supports marketing and brand communications for Book Journey. With a background in luxury retail and international business, she brings a sharp eye for storytelling and brand voice to the team, helping connect authors and their books with the readers who will love them.