With Josha Publishing’s vision to inspire, encourage, and empower through sharing stories and giving a voice to the voiceless, it is imperative to have the right team. Each person must have the values of integrity, passion, and purpose that make up the roots of this company. Our authors trust us with their deepest wounds, and we are here to help foster and bring to light the lessons, truth, and hope of their stories to a world desperately in need.
With compassion, strength, and empathy, these are the people who support our authors on their journey of writing about and sharing their healing with readers.
Shanna Hammerbacher, Founder, Owner, and Editor-in-Chief
Shanna is our fearlessly authentic and beautiful leader, a dear friend to each of us. She is a lover of words and has the vision of creating a more honest and caring world through those words. Driven, intelligent, and with a heart that won’t quit, if anyone has the capacity to see that vision through, it is her.
After witnessing the disheartening and monetary-focused inner workings of traditional publishing, Shanna realized authors need a different kind of publishing, one focused on the voice and messages of the authors. She poured the foundation of this company with fairness and sincerity, and built the framework with people who share her passion for stories, books, and the idea that words have the power “to effect change and positively impact the lives of those around us.”
In addition to identifying and bringing on board other team members who meet Josha’s high standards for quality and integrity, Shanna currently reviews and evaluates every potential manuscript and works directly with Josha’s authors, as well as performing editorial services in collaboration with Josha’s editors.
Shanna’s favorite quote: “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” -Mahatma Gandhi
Kayli Baker, Content and Copy Editor
Kayli, an introvert much like the founder, is a crucial calming and supportive presence in the Josha community. She has an uncanny ability to understand an author’s vision and to identify with their experiences. When a manuscript reaches her desk, she doesn’t just read it or even just edit it; she puts herself into the author’s shoes and provides supportive personal feedback in addition to editorial feedback, and she does so with gentleness, compassion, and encouragement. Like all of Josha’s editorial team members, Kayli is a survivor herself, and she understands the angst that accompanies writing and sharing material that centers around trauma and has a unique capacity to empathize and set the authors at ease.
Kayli is also a writer and freelance editor. She chose to pursue freelance editing when she was a writing coach and realized how many indie authors needed an empathetic and more affordable option to traditional editors. Although she enjoys many genres, she specializes in working with memoirs. She believes that the path to healing in this world is through understanding, and that the difficult and beautiful life stories of her clients play a vital role in that effort. You can learn more about her editing story and her clients on her website at www.kaylibaker.com.
Kayli’s favorite quote: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” -Martin Luther King, Jr.
Olivia Castetter, Acquisitions and Developmental Editor
Olivia is the free-spirited and tireless force helping to elevate the values and mission of Josha Publishing. As well as being a fantastic editor (both freelance and partnered with Josha), she is also an organizer and idea master for Josha’s blog and website. She specializes in acquisitions and developmental editing of literary works that focus on trauma, abuse, and life as a survivor. As a survivor herself, she understands emotionally as well as technically how to help authors convey their experiences in a manner that is authentic, informative, and engaging. The energy and zeal she brings is vital to not only this company, but to the world.
With her Too Much memoir collection and various other fiction and nonfiction pieces, she is also an author, one of the important voices we endeavor to provide a platform to. Outside of writing and editing, she works hard to advocate for policy changes in regards to sexual abuse survivors. You can learn more about her projects at www.oliviacastetter.com.
Olivia’s favorite quote: “What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson
Josha Publishing, LLC is a woman-founded, woman-owned, and woman-run company that is passionate about books, stories, and the power of words to change lives. Learn more about us here and remember to sign up for our newsletter to find out about new content, new books, and submissions update.
Meet the Team:
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The editors behind the scenes at Josha Publishing
Josha Publishing, LLC 