Meet the
Team
Be the thing that’s missing in the world.
See. Love. Inspire. Become.
Human experience is much more nuanced and richly textured than we’ve come to see in popular culture. At Left Field, we publish stories that highlight marginalized and often underrepresented aspects of life. Because diversity and inclusivity matter, in life and in literature. Authentic stories—gritty, unruly, wondrous, real—show us what it means to be human. They teach us to see, and that is the essential foundation for learning how to love.
My philosophy on publishing is much the same as my philosophy on everything else. If you look, there is opportunity for good in everything. Even in the most difficult situations, there is something to learn and use for growth. At Left Field, we listen to the stories people have to tell—especially the one that may be historically undervalued. We look for substance that is not limited by traditional labels. For without looking, we’ll never truly see.
Amy Ruthenberg
Founder & Vice President
Washington
My life has been immeasurably improved because other people took the time to share their creations in the form of a book. So, when presented with a chance to start this endeavor, the purpose was intrinsically motivating. What a gift—that I could contribute, even a small part, to crafting and supporting more positive ideas in the world. Ultimately, however, while I trusted the good in this opportunity, I trusted the person with the idea to start it all more. Books are important, yes, but not more so than the people you share them with. . . or, in our case, create them with.
“As a writer, I love everything about Left Field's mission! The team cares so much about supporting different stories and authors who would likely be overlooked in traditional publishing.”
Catherine Mora
Social Media Manager
New York
Favorite Quote: The Night's Watch oath from A Game of Thrones by GRRM is pure art! "Night gathers, and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death... I am the sword in the darkness, I am the watcher on the walls." It's absolutely epic.
Fun Fact: The Lego Batman movie is my go-to comfort film.
Felisha Marshall
Social Media Content Creator
Texas
“Ever since I was a child, I have loved to read. Being able to work in the industry that brings books to life and into others’ hands is my definition of the perfect job!”
Favorite Quote: How do you pick one!?! One of my favorite lines is from, "The Bookish Life of Nina Hill" by Abbi Waxman. It says, "It's really paradise on earth, if paradise for you smells like paper and paste."
Fun Fact: I wrote a short children's book with my best friend.
“I love being apart of the world within literature where we are meant to uplift and help expand and diversify writers! As a writer myself, I know it’s insanely important to feel apart of a community that’s there for you and can advise you and being apart of Left Field helps me do just that!”
Samiha Uddin
Social Media Content Creator
California
Favorite Quote: “Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, expect to people who don’t understand.”
- Margery Williams, Velveteen Rabbit
Fun Fact: Ridiculously obsessed with the world of miniature items & goal is to have a cafe with a miniature collection of board games
“My passion for creating book covers comes from my love for reading. Although I agree that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, I believe that there are more chances that a book will be picked up and judged if it has an attractive cover. No matter the style, a book cover is a promise of what you will find inside. A good book cover though, is a promise that is fulfilled.
Working with Rachel on Asteria's cover was awesome. I got to learn about the magic worlds (with plenty to choose from) inside the book while they trusted my vision to bring them to life which is invaluable as a designer. I am excited about the next adventures with Left Field Publishers and the chance to expand their world through my art.”
My Lan Khuc Valle
Book Cover and Graphic Design
United Kingdom
Favorite Quote: “Progress just means bad things happen faster.” - Terry Pratchett, Witches Abroad. It's quite a simple one, but it reminds me to not obsess about little mistakes and that they are after all, what allows me to improve.
Fun Fact: When I was around 7 or 8, my mum showed my sister and me a photo of our living room taken during the night. In the photo, we could clearly see the shadow of no other than Peter Pan, being cast into one of the walls close to the window. I took this undeniable proof that he had visited our house to school and bragged about it all day long. Of course, my mum was behind it and you can imagine my embarrassment when I found that out a week later in the shape of a cardboard cutout of Peter, hiding in a drawer.
To see My Lan’s work and contact her about potential projects, check out her Instagram, @laolanart!
“I love publishing because it is no less than being midwife to the birth of art. And what is this world without art? I don't wish to belabor the metaphor, but every writer knows that bringing their words into the world is an act of labor; I am both honored and delighted to assist and bear witness to something as miraculous as a book come to life.”
Chelsea Reynhout
Strategy and Operations
Michigan
Favorite Quote: How to choose! With all of the books and all of the poems that have stitched me together... I guess I have to return to my roots, to my first favorite story: "Women, they have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they've got ambition, and they've got talent, as well as just beauty. I'm so sick of people saying that love is all a woman is fit for."
- Jo March in Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Fun Fact: You will always, always find me either learning about edible and medicinal wild plants or out in the weeds foraging for them! "I wonder if I can eat that" will definitely be the title of my memoir.
Developmental Editors
Alex Shea-Woods
Alex loves supporting authors as they develop their stories. The opportunity to take parts of your imagination and put them into the world is pure magic.
She thoroughly enjoys feeling that magic.
Alex accepts direct inquiries for personal projects. You can contact her at alexvictoriashea@gmail.com.Beta Readers
Malack Al-Haraizeh
Malack is a book fanatic. She immerses herself in the world of literature in as many ways as she can: reading, writing, reviewing, and supporting authors through the creative and technical process of crafting their stories. She is particularly passionate about uplifting underrepresented perspectives across all genres. Her main genres of interest include Romance, Fantasy, Memoir, and Contemporary Fiction.
Malack accepts direct inquiries for personal projects. You can contact her at malack.reads@gmail.com.
Mikkah Sorrells
“As an aspiring author myself, I always want to see other authors be successful, and if I can help make that a reality for them, I’m more than happy to help them get there. I also teach writing to college students, and one of the best parts of my job is seeing them grow and become more comfortable as writers. It is a skill and talent that can take you so far, and watching others gain confidence and be successful in writing is always a plus for me.”
Mikkah accepts direct inquiries for personal projects. You can contact her at M.esorrells@gmail.com.
Victoria (Tori) Cavallo
“Working in the publishing industry has always been a goal of mine! As someone in the educational and editorial field, it is uplifting to see others pursuing and achieving their literary goals and accomplishing so much. As well, with the hope of being an author myself someday, I am excited by the opportunity to be part of Left Field's journey in promoting fellow writers and expanding my palate in the wide world of literature and creation!”
Tori accepts direct inquiries for personal projects. You can contact her at tlccavallo@gmail.com.
Daniela Velez
“As an avid book reader and nonprofit grant writer, I'm deeply entrenched in the realm of words, experiencing firsthand their transformative power every day. Engaging with emerging writers and works in progress is such a privilege—one that fuels my passion for supporting storytellers.”
Daniela accepts direct inquiries for personal projects. You can contact her at nydanieladale.velez@gmail.com.
Renee Alcantara
Renee has always believed in the power of words to find, uplift, and change. As a writer born and raised in the Philippines, she is passionate about bringing queer, AAPI and other marginalized peoples' stories to the center stage of publishing. Her favorite thing in the world is the magic of creative collaboration. Her main genres of interest include horror, fantasy and all kinds of speculative fiction, though she is open to projects of all kinds.
Renee accepts direct inquiries for personal projects.
You can contact her at kr.alcantaraa@gmail.com
or on Twitter/X at @kralcantaraa.“Freeing yourself was one thing, claiming ownership of that freed self was another. ”
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