First, can you tell us your current title and summarize your day-to-day responsibilities?
I’m Executive Editor for Lucasfilm publishing, reporting up into Disney Publishing but located at the Lucasfilm offices in San Francisco. I’m the in-house editor for Disney’s young adult and middle grade Star Wars titles, and the editorial advisor and Lucasfilm liaison for Del Rey’s adult Star Wars novels. I also work with various other publishers in the US and around the world to help develop and facilitate their Star Wars publishing projects, liaising between them and Lucasfilm as needed.
How does your role fit within your larger team?
I’m one of four editors working under creative director Mike Siglain, and the five of us essentially oversee editorial development for all Star Wars publishing around the world. We all have our different areas of expertise—mine is novels, while others’ are comic books, for example, or non-fiction—but we also work very much as a team to help execute franchise priorities and assure the quality of the brand across publishing.
When did you start at the company, and in what role?
I was hired in 2011 as a senior editor, working on the Star Wars novels from Del Rey and the comic books that were published by Dark Horse at the time. So essentially the “adult fiction” arm of Star Wars publishing. I continued to work on the comics for about a year after Marvel took over the license, but then Disney started publishing Star Wars novels for teens and kids, which seemed like a better fit for me, so I transitioned to working on novels full-time. But I loved working on comics and would be open to it in the future. I do currently work with the LINE corporation in Japan on some of their manga titles, and I enjoy that immensely.
What were your first impressions of Lucasfilm?
To be honest? Mostly how quiet it is! Going from a large office building full of loud New Yorkers in midtown Manhattan, to a smaller complex set in the middle of a park, was definitely an adjustment! The buildings and grounds are so beautiful—I miss being there right now. My other impression was how dedicated everyone here is to doing their best and taking care of the Lucasfilm brand.
Did you have a familiarity with the company or its productions before you started? Were you a fan?
Oh, absolutely. I’ve been a Star Wars fan my whole life. And a fan of Indiana Jones, too. (I’ve also had a crush on Harrison Ford my whole life, thanks to Lucasfilm.) So I was very much aware of the company as an entity, and of George Lucas, and of Industrial Light & Magic and the incredible work they do. The opportunity to be part of such a renowned company was a big factor in my taking this position. I wouldn’t leave my beloved New York for just anybody!