Kayla’s Clients & Partners
kind, consistent editing to get you where you want to be
I define “success” by the positive change
I can co-create within my community & beyond.
Reading with Reem Fayyad Abdel Samad & Maha Imazitene at “Love in the Eyes of Poetry” a multilingual event that celebrates Arabic love poetry.
I was overjoyed that the Arab Culture Club asked me to participate!
My Clients
Network for the Empowerment of Women, Halifax NS
A phone call out of the blue from Ifeoma Esonwunwe, CEO & Founder of Network for the Empowerment of Women changed my professional life. NEW was one of my very first clients. Part of my mandate was to help women in business & my opportunity had arrived! I worked with Ifeoma to make NEW’s website content shine. I was so thrilled when she said it was as though I had reached inside her & said exactly what she had been thinking & feeling! Although Ifeoma was my client, she made sure I had more: I was welcomed into a thriving community of female entrepreneurs.
I am a person who believes strongly that everyone is uniquely endowed and that every dream is realizable if you work SMART at it. This mindset has helped me in all my endeavours. I am also a believer in the empowerment of women and girls, and the advancement of gender equality. I am most proud of the work my team and I have done creating empowering events for women and girls, and our efforts in advancing gender equality. I am also proud of all the amazing women who believe in me and support me with everything I do.
Ifeoma Esonwune
Thandiwe McCarthy
Poet, Writer, Griot, I met Thandiwe McCarthy—the 1BlackPoet—when he read at the Frye Festival’s 2020 Prelude event. As he struck the floor with his palm & the pitch & presence of his art carried across the theatre. I was thrilled when he approached me to be his editor for his first book Social Oblivion: Raised Black in New Brunswick. Despite being new to his craft, in just eleven months Thandiwe wrote his memoir hybridized with poetry. His storytelling style, inspired by kitchen table talks & debates with his family, exposes structural & social racism, that to “be a Black artist in New Brunswick is to be invisible. Regardless of how great you are able to wield your creativity as a human being; if you also happen to be Black you run the risk of being forgotten….It is also fundamental to the survival of my story that what I create also generates conversations so meaningful that in 200 years when people are discussing artists from New Brunswick, they will never forget the contributions from all the other wonderful cultures that live here. Hopefully, my book will help keep such conversations alive.”
Ali Ettarnichi
I met Ali Ettarnichi at the Arab Culture Club’s “Love in the Eyes of Poetry” event. He said he had heard good things about me & wanted to meet to discuss his project. Soon I was working with Ali on his motivational memoir JUST A Cab Driver. Ali, like many of my clients, has a mission which means he has his fingers in a little bit of everything. Not only is he a self-published author, Motivational Speaker & Life Coach, he is an Arabic YouTuber, podcast host of “Ali’s Dose of Inspiration” & an organizer of international summits featuring speakers who raise awareness about our humanity & connection. He recently launched “Let’s D.I.C.E. Together” a local cable TV show that brings together immigrants & Canadians to have conversations about multiculturalism. He created the Find Your Voice Series, anthologies featuring speakers from his global summits, to help individuals live the life they are meant to have.
Words on Water Miramichi
Words on Water Miramichi President Judy Bowman offered me my first book full-length book project, Life: A Gift Passed On. This project was very dear to Judy & Words on Water had been awarded a Government of Canada New Horizons Grant for Seniors to complete it. Judy spent a year organizing elder story circles & building intergenerational relationships between students & the elderly. She collected interviews from elders within Miramichi region, including Mi’kmaq Elders, former immigrants from places such as Naabeehó Bináhásdzo: the Navajo Nation, India, England & the Netherlands, as well as those raised in New Brunswick when it was still “wild”, predominantly rural & undeveloped. It was an honour to be the editor & social media marketer for Life: A Gift Passed On. As my editing career progresses, I will always be proud to say this was my first official book contract.
Judy Bowman
When Judy said she was interested in working with me, I thought, Wow. She’s a journalist & she’s been writing for years! I appreciated her trust in me as her poetry editor & I admire her hard work. Judy has transformed her poetry in such a short time. We are currently working on her collection Nights on the Wing, veteran & elder related narratives that speak to the cost of war on vulnerable men & women: night terrors, memories loosened by dementia or random late night confessions. A regular in my masterclasses & workshops, the other participants often share just how much they enjoy her work & her enthusiasm for what they bring to the course.
I began to work with Kayla Geitzler on my collection of poetry. As a writing coach and an editor, Kayla is first & foremost honest. I didn’t want an editor who would tell me what I wanted to hear. Anyone who wants to improve their writing skills needs this type of mentor. Kayla has has urged me to explore each subject in greater depth & unpack the images. She is kind & encouraging & explains her reasoning. With Kayla, I have an editor who has challenged me to work hard & expand my poetry.
Judy Bowman, Award-Winning Writer
Reem Fayyad Abdel Samad
A talented Lebanese-Canadian writer & inspiring poet, Reem’s poetry, in Arabic & English, is featured in Cadence: Voix féminines Female Voices (Frog Hollow Press, 2020). She has self-published two Arabic poetry collections To A Man (2018) & On the Margin of Revelation (2008). You can read her poems on her Facebook page, A Window to Truth. An accomplished vocalist, Reem sings in the band Arabica. A founding member of the Arab Culture Club, Reem is also on the festival Frye Festival Board of Directors. A Motivational Speaker, she operates Lead with Reem, sharing her wisdom & inspiring others to lead an authentic life. She spoke at Ali Ettarnichi’s global Summit 2 & her enlightening life changing article “Do Not Think and Grow Rich!” is forthcoming in Volume 2 of the Find Your Voice Series. It was a pleasure to work with Reem on the English translations of her poetry.
Karen Atteslander Anhang
Karen’s dream was to one day write her memoir to inspire & encourage other women to be ambitious & succeed in male-dominated industries & to reach their personal goals, just as she has. Jewish-Canadian, raised in Israel, the granddaughter of Shoah Survivors, Karen is one of the kindest, funniest, most open people I have ever met. She is fiercely proud of her Jewish heritage. One of the first things she said to me was, “I’m Jewish, I’m so Jewish but I’m not Shayna Maidel! How do we put that in my book? Are you taking notes?” She laughed, “Because you’ll be taking a lot of them—I hate to write! You’re going to do that for me!” Rather than pursuing a ghostwriting contract, Karen & I quickly became close friends & have been working on her memoir for the last two years.
Heather Masson
Heather & I were residents at Maggie Jean Chestnut, UNB Fredericton campus. Both mature students, we shared a lot of the same interests & quickly became friends. Now a successful woman in the corporate world & an amazing mother to three children, she wants to publish a children’s book! Written for her own kids, we are currently working on what is sure to be an amazing legacy for her family.
Steven Spears
Most writers take their work & the pursuit of their craft seriously. Steve is no exception. We met an at author fair, where he approached me saying, “My writing is good but I know it can be better.” I was impressed with the breadth of his writing ability. Steve writes poetry, fantasy, heroic romance, pagan education literature & much more. He has self-published two lovely books Under the Red Sheet (2019) & A Journey with the Lady (2016). It goes without saying that I value my patrons, however, I knew I had hit client gold when working late one night, without thinking, I left a comment regarding a mischievous leprechaun that said, “What an asshole!” Rather than fire me, Steve sent me an email to arrange a time to discuss my most recents edits. Then, over zoom, he said, “And there’s this this one that says…” As I did a face-palm he roared with laughter & replied, “Yep. I think this is going to be my favourite comment on my work.” Steve is a dedicated participant in my workshops & masterclasses. We’re currently working on a horror collection.
Elizabeth Blanchard
Elizabeth has magic in her writing, or perhaps that’s just water. Influenced by the rivers & bays of the NB North Shore where she grew up, as well as the warm currents of the Northumberland Strait that flood the tidal marshes where she now lives, Elizabeth’s prose is fluid & lyrical. Like all the women writers & entrepreneurs I work with, I greatly admire Elizabeth & I am honoured she chose me to be the editor of her incredible short story collection.
I’ve taken Kayla’s poetry masterclass course & certainly recommend it. I found the class to be a top-notch learning experience. She draws on a broad reading list during class to pull you into the discussion & to make you think deeply about your own writing voice. I particularly appreciate how responsive she is to each individual’s writing style. Her feedback is focused & constructive. Kayla edits in such a way that you are able to understand how you can better express what you want to say without compromising your intent. You come away with a much clearer sense of what you have to do to refine your work.
Elizabeth Blanchard, Award-Winning Writer
Nancy King Schofield
Nancy is all about the arts. An award-winning visual artist & co-founder of Galerie 12, she also founded two of NB’s longest running writing groups: the Breach House Gang & Women Who Write. Her visual art Keltic Series: Evolution (2019) & Many Go Into Hiding (2007) grace the covers of Cadence: Voix féminines Female Voices (Frog Hollow Press, 2020) & her poetry is featured within. Although we met at a wake, our relationship has been joyful. Nancy has welcomed me into Women Who Write & she has hired me for one-on-one mentoring. One of the key figures in my yearly Poetry Masterclasses, her keenness & dedication shine in the great advances she’s made with her poetry.
Avril Jean Jacques
I met Avril Jean Jacques at the 2020 NEW International Women’s Day Conference in Halifax, NS. Passionate, driven & delightful, Avril hired me to do some content writing & create digital client assessment surveys for her healthy lifestyle business. Avril is one of the busiest professional women I know! She is the Global Distributer of Opulence Canada, selling Safe Home Revolution & Fashion products, as well as a personal LifeStyle Advisor. Although busy, she is kind & devoted to helping others live the life that is best for them. I love working with inspiring women & I loved working with Avril so much I did some free design work for her!
Kayla did an amazing workshop at our International Women’s Day conference. She was on point, very professional & she loves helping people like me with my writing. I would recommend her to all my customers any given day. Kayla has excellent knowledge in her field of work & is very passionate about writing.
Avril Jean Jacques, LifeStyle Advisor & Global Distributor – Global Opulence Canada
Fondation Alexandre Parks Foundation
I learned that everyone has their destiny & that we should not take life for granted because we do not know when it will end.
Alexandre Parks
One of my first clients was Nicole Gautreau Parks & Cecil Parks. They were establishing a foundation that would honour the life of their extraordinary son Alexandre, affectionately called “Parks”. Parks was born with a rare autoimmune condition that prevented him from eating solid food. However, Parks never let the pain & limitations of his condition keep him from achieving his goals—he made significant strides in cancer research as a Post-Doctorate at Université de Moncton. It was a gift to work with Nicole & Cecil on their website content & marketing material for their fundraising brand Essence AP. They were patient with me as I learned about their son & crafted content that best fit Alexandre & their mission. I wish I could have known Parks in life, to learn first hand how he is “an inspiration for all.”
My Partners
“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives,” said Annie Dillard.
Who we spend them with is, of course, how we find fulfillment & joy.
Zina Aljaratli
Founder of Surreal Design, Zina is living her dream! A fellow entrepreneur, Zina takes graphic design to an entirely new level—eloquent, innovative & talented, Surreal Design’s diverse approach offers an expressive product as masterful as Kintsugi.
Shannon Edgett
Former CBC Journalist & Broadcaster, Healer, Manifestation Mogul & Mindset Maven, Founder & Operator of Spirit Fox Wellness. Shannon & I offer the transformational Healing with Writing Workshop Series.
Jean-Philippe Raîche
Award-winning Acadian poet & inaugural Francophone Poet Laureate of Moncton, NB. Together, we co-created Poésie Moncton Poetry with the festival Frye Festival. A gifted technical writer & translator, Jean-Philippe is translating Two Worlds Within Me: A Collection of Stories by NB Immigrants into French.
Elizabeth Blanchard
Award-winning short story author & essayist, Elizabeth & I partnered as co-editors on the multilingual poetry anthology Cadence: Voix féminines Female Voices (Frog Hollow Press, 2020). She is on the Board of Directors of the esteemed festival Frye Festival.
Judy Bowman
Prize-winning journalist & award-winning fiction writer, columnist & talented poet, Judy Bowman is the president & co-founder of Words on Water Miramichi. Executive Director of the Words on Water Legacy Series, we have partnered with David Insoo Shin & his project Two Worlds Within Me: A Collection of Stories by NB Immigrants.
David Insoo Shin
Award-winning entrepreneur, David owns & operates iconic Cafe C’est La Vie in downtown Moncton. A passionate patron of the arts, he & his wife Ellen open their venue to musicians, local art shows, slam poets & the Attic Owl Reading Series. David approached me with the idea of Two Worlds Within Me: A Collection of Stories by NB Immigrants, a book of stories told by newly arrived & long-settled immigrants, as he knows there are “many many differences in culture & newcomers don’t always clearly understand the language or customs, and they are busy adjusting to a new life. I want to share these stories with all Canadians. For them to understand what is it like for us to move & make a home in New Brunswick.”
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