Parisian Phoenix Publishing

My life, when reduced to a resume or a curriculum vitae, may appear eclectic, if you’re polite, and chaotic, if you’re not.

My professional life has strong themes of journalism and non-profit communications and development, while my academic life has various experiences teaching, mentoring, and researching. I’ve worked in a warehouse, a big box department store (where I primarily made and sold personal-sized Pizza Hut panned pizzas), and fast food restaurants.

I’ve studied people and their governments as a reporter and as an academic. I’ve analyzed documents and literature in English and French. I have two bachelor’s degrees and started my master’s in history (which I would really like to finish if anyone can point me toward a good program, scholarships, and/or financial support).

But spending more time with my authors, and watching them, especially ones who have been honing their voices for a long time (I’m looking at you Larry Sceurman and Nancy Scott)… I realize that I am dedicated to preserving stories.

Writers have stories to share.

I would say writers have stories to tell but the reality is we all have stories to tell. And whether you explore visual arts, the written word, theatre, the oral story, or music, it all comes back to story.

We all have stories.

Sometimes we only share them with friends, or family, or only write them in a journal.

Whether the story conveys humor, provides needed information, or documents a historical time, it’s all story, and it’s all valuable.

I am fascinated and committed to preserving stories and the unique voices of those stories.

All of my careers intersect at this point. And you say, “But, Angel, how does working at a fast food restaurant or folding clothes at the Stitch Fix warehouse do that?”

Those are the everyday people, and by working in those service jobs, I live a part of the story for many people. I certainly witness some stories. I see the best and the worst of society.

If you had a successful career where you rose through the ranks in one industry, or even at the same company, I am very proud of all you have achieved. But that leads to one perspective, one defined area of expertise, and a single story.

As a publisher and a former journalist, I had to understand the stories around me from every angle.