Storey Spotlight: Editor Lisa Hiley

In which we put some hard-hitting questions to our editorial department’s resident equestrian and grammar dragon-tamer.

Editor Lisa Hiley and her horse Patrick, competing in a local gymkhana. Lisa says, “My main goal as a rider is to keep Patrick between me and the ground at all times.”

Though her first job at Storey involved writing equestrian books, Lisa Hiley has gone on to shape a diverse collection of titles, from The Cat Behavior Answer Book to Drink the Harvest and the brand-new Nature Anatomy. When she’s not hard at work at her computer, she can be found at the barn or taking care of assorted pets, catching up with her grown daughters, or generally enjoying life in the beautiful Berkshires.

When did you start working at Storey? What was your first role here? 
I started as a freelancer in 1999, doing mostly writing and some copyediting. I was hired full time as a project editor in 2005.

What was your first project? 
My first freelance project was writing the entries from N through Z for Storey’s Horse-Lover’s Encyclopedia (still one of my all-time favorite assignments).

What’s your favorite thing about your job?
I love collaborating with authors and designers to shape raw manuscripts into actual books. And this is just a fun place to work — it’s a bunch of smart, funny people who care about what they do.

The editorial department’s mascot for the new year. Wonder who made the sign?

What’s one thing you’ve learned at Storey that you might otherwise never have learned?
I learn interesting facts from every book, which I promptly forget when I learn new interesting stuff from the next book.

Do you have a favorite Storey book, or one that you find yourself turning to frequently?
I don’t have a particular favorite, but no matter what topics are being discussed, it’s amazing how frequently I can tell people, “We have a book about that.”

Your favorite way to re-energize outside the office is…?
Horseback riding, gardening, playing Scrabble

And now for five random questions. How long is your daily commute? 
11 minutes

Sitting desk or standing desk? 
Mostly standing, but sometimes I perch.

Your favorite spot/thing to do in North Adams?
I love driving into town on mornings when the sun is breaking through the mist and lighting up the buildings, especially in the fall as the leaves are changing.

Kombucha: yes or no?
Yes, and I even brew my own, now that I’m working on a book about it!

Knitting or crochet?
I have knitted a few lumpy items.

What’s one non-Storey book you’re reading right now?
I’ve been enjoying How to Be a Victorian, by Ruth Goodman.

Know the difference between a neigh and a nicker? 

Visit our Fresh Picks page this month to sign up for our newsletter and download a free excerpt from Knowing Horses, with a special introduction written by editor Lisa Hiley.