Professional CV

A sepia-tone section of the Res Gestae Divi Augustae.

To commemorate his having turned Rome from a city of brick to a city of marble, first Roman Emperor Augustus had publicly inscribed in bronze a lengthy list of his accomplishments. This came to be known as the Res Gestae Divi Augusti.

In Latin, that literally means something like “The Things-Having-Been-Accomplished of the Divine Augustus”, but most translations simplify the perfect passive participle of gestae into something less awkward in English along the lines of “Deeds” or “Achievements.”

While not inscribed in bronze, this page contains an overview of my educational and professional history – my own Res Gestae, so to speak.

Education History

  • Bachelor of Humanities & Classical Studies: Carleton University — 2013, Highest Honours

The prestigious College of the Humanities is Carleton University’s Great Books program. Beginning with some of the oldest literature in human history with Mesopotamian texts such as the Epic of Gilgamesh, we followed the intellectual history of humanity down to the most prominent thinkers of the 21st century.

As you might expect, I was particularly drawn to the world literature we study. While I have always had a lifelong passion for mythology, I was particularly struck by the epic stories found in Medieval and Early Modern chivalric romances.

Since first encountering the story in the program’s third year, Ludovico Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso remains one of my favourite books.

  • Master of Arts, Classical Studies: University of Ottawa — 2016, Major Research Paper: The Legal and Literary Reception of the Jews in Christian Late Antiquity (AD 312-430)

The University of Ottawa’s Department of Classics and Religious Studies specialises in high-level research of Late Antiquity (the period of roughly AD 300-800). To that end, much of my own research emphasised the religious and literary history of Late Antiquity, with a particular emphasis on Jewish history. 

The culmination of this research was a multi-semester Major Research paper examining the status of the Empire’s Jewish populations during the period of the consolidation of Rome’s new Christian identity during the reigns of Emperors from Constatine to Theodosius II.

  • Professional Writing Diploma, Algonquin College — 2020

Thanks to my previous academic experience, I was able to begin Algonquin College’s Professional Writing program as a direct entry student in the program’s second year. We gained practical hands-on experience with grant and proposal writing, social media branding and management, scriptwriting, various forms of editing, publishing, and creative writing, as well as insights in industry trends and best practices under such instructors as award-winning Canadian author Natalie Morrill.

While the Professional Writing program allowed me to engage with my passion for creative writing, it was during my time at Algonquin that I was first introduced to scriptwriting. In addition to receiving a perfect grade in my scriptwriting course, I discovered a new passion for scriptwriting as a discipline and have been pursuing it as a hobby since.

Seriously developing my scriptwriting remains one of my long-term goals, and I hope that Emona Literary Services™ will branch into audio and podcast production in the not-too-distant future.


Work History

  • Video Content Creator — since 2025
    To expand the reach and visibility of Emona Literary Services™, I have started producing video content that I post to Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

    In addition to short videos that consist primarily of trivia facts or quick jokes, I also post long-form video content about my career and as professional writer and editor and to supplement my RPG character creation seminar What’s Your Story, Stranger?”.
  • Professional Writer & Editor — since 2021
    My clients include local authors, government employees, and charitable organisations. Although I have primarily worked with Ottawa-based clients, I am open to working with new clients from all across Canada and around the world.

    After several years of offering freelance services on a more casual basis while pursuing other professional and educational opportunities, I established Emona Literary Services™ in the fall of 2024 to commit to professional writing and editor as a full-time entrepreneurial career.

    Prospective clients can learn more about my writing and editing rates and services for both authors and entrepreneurs here and here.

  • Editorial & Acquisitions Team, Renaissance Press — 2020-2026
    I have edited, proofread, and reviewed for publication 21 manuscripts by Canadian authors for Canadian small press Renaissance.

    I have also been involved with Renaissance’s acquisitions team, collaborating with Renaissance executives and the other members of the team to assess manuscript submissions and determine their suitability for publication based on literary merit and Renaissance’s commitment to elevating diverse Canadian voices.
  • Web/Social Media Writer & Blog Contributor — various projects since 2017
    My works have been featured on leading household name Pop Culture websites such as Screen Rant and the FanSided network’s Anime Away and Bam Smack Pow!.

    This job requires me to closely follow the industry (particularly anime and comic books) to break news including trailer reveals, episode release dates, and series renewals or cancellations. I also produce long-form reviews and commentary, which can be read here and on my Substack blog.

  • Literary IP Manager, Realmgard — since 2017
    As of Summer 2025, I am in the process of releasing the 9 middle-grade fantasy books I have written under the pen name J.B. Norman. I also maintain social media and web presence to promote this literary brand, including a blog that I continue to update every day.

    The Realmgard website can be viewed here. Start with the first chapter of my first story here.

  • Pro bono assistance to local not-for-profits — since 2016
    I offer clerical, administrative, research, writing/editing, and social media management services on a pro bono basis to non-profits including long-term care homes, churches, community, and educational organisations.

Further examples of things having been accomplished are available on my portfolio page.

Follow me on my various social media platforms here: