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Testimonials

“I first had the privilege of learning from Clarissa in her Children’s Literature course, which I took during my second year of [university] studies in Creative Writing, English Language, and Literature. After learning of my interest in writing and publishing books for young adults, Clarissa offered to assist me with editing my manuscript (which was later bought by a publisher and came out in April 2020). Her detailed feedback and encouragement were instrumental to my editing process, and her support and advice as I began querying agents and publishers was invaluable to me.”

—Olivia Smit, author of Seeing Voices and Hearing Lies

“Clarissa is an attentive and perceptive editor, keying in on both the strengths and the room for growth in a manuscript. She excels at helping characters emerge, radiant, from the soggy bog of an early draft, and she will gently nudge a wobbly plot back onto its path, all while taming typos and malapropisms. Perhaps most importantly, her generous spirit never forgets to praise the writer for what’s going well.”

—Carrie Callaghan, author of A Light of Her Own and Salt the Snow

“Clarissa’s editing was thorough and her feedback straightforward, insightful, and very helpful! ”

—Dianne Freeman, author of the award-winning Countess of Harleigh mystery series

“I know I can always rely on Clarissa to bring her sensitive, compassionate eye to my manuscripts. Not only is she an intensely gifted editor able to hone in on what a story needs to make it shine, she’s also a critically acclaimed novelist whose richly rounded characters leap from the pages. Clarissa’s extensive real life experience on both sides of the publishing desk sets her far above the rest.”

—Kris Waldherr, author of The Lost History of Dreams and Doomed Queens

“What I LOVE about Clarissa’s editing is how she immerses herself in the characters and draws attention to nuances the writer might have otherwise missed. She uses that keen awareness to help the writer untangle problems in a story and to develop richer, more compelling characters. Add to that her sharp eye for making the writing crisp and tight, and you’ve got the perfect editor!”

—Dana Chamblee Carpenter, author of Bohemian Gospel, The Devil’s Bible, and Book of the Just

“Clarissa was my mentor in the Saskatchewan Writers Guild Mentorship Program in the winter of 2022. She is a highly skilled writer and a great writing coach. She taught me so many lessons that I will continue to use for years to come. Not only was she consistent, organized, and punctual, she had excellent insights on my writing and was skilled at giving specific and constructive feedback upon which I could take action. She is knowledgeable about various tools/books/resources to enrich the lives of writers at any point in their careers or writing journey. Most of all, she cared about my characters, my writing, and me as a person. Clarissa goes above and beyond as a writing mentor by using her skill, work ethic, and care for writers.”

—Amanda Marcotte, CBC Journalist and Sessional Lecturer at the University of Saskatchewan School of Journalism