Staff

SAM HIYATE is keen to discover new voices and help writers prepare their works for market, and to help them build lasting careers. In the past two decades with THE RIGHTS FACTORY his hundreds of book deals have resulted in several bestsellers such as MORE, the memoir by Molly Roden Winter, THIS ONE SUMMER, the graphic novel by Jillian and Mariko Tamaki, non-fiction such as HEALTHY AF (DITCH THE DIET) by Oonagh Duncan and THE MYTH of CAPITALISM by Jonathan Tepper and Denise Hearn, and fiction such as GIRLS IN WHITE DRESSES by Jennifer Close and THE ADULT by Bronwyn Fischer.

Alex Thomson is a Toronto-born social media manager, writer, and digital storyteller currently based in Dublin, Ireland. After studying Fashion Arts and Business at Humber College, she built a career in social media management and content strategy, specialising in brand storytelling, digital campaigns, and audience engagement across a range of industries.

Alongside her work in social media, Alex has contributed written work and commentary to publications including The Irish Times and Irish Independent, while continuing to pursue her lifelong passion for fiction writing. Her creative work spans romance, literary fiction, and horror, driven by a fascination with the many contradictions of human nature.

Krista is an Agency Assistant who brings to this role a background as a competitive figure skater, a Level One coaching certification and a sales career culminating as the co-owner of a small executive recruitment firm. As a writer, her short stories have appeared in the Agape Review and her novella, The Birdcage, is published by The Bombay Circle Press. She’s a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, having served as Manager of Volunteer Recruitment, Special Projects Director and Vice President of Membership. She lives north of Toronto in a quiet hamlet, where she obsessively reads everything from creative non-fiction to book club romance to Giller prize winners amidst the chirp of birdsong and flush of farmland breeze.

Diana DeVault is an editorial assistant with a background as a writer, editor, and author's aide. Calling the American East Coast home, she lives in New Jersey with her partner, their nine cats, and enough books to qualify as her own library. She has a bachelor's degree in English from Randolph College and a master’s degree in creative writing from Southern New Hampshire University. Diana’s hobbies include reading, writing, playing video games, learning everything she can, and pretty much any activity that falls under the “cozy” umbrella. With an interest in working with authors who write young adult, middle grade, science fiction, fantasy, and anything with a touch of magic, she is especially captivated by LGBTQIA+ content and underrepresented voices.

Phoebe is a Toronto-based publishing professional with a background in visual arts and administration. She holds a BFA from Queen’s University and recently completed the Publishing Certificate at Toronto Metropolitan University, where she developed an interest in rights management and international publishing. She is a lifelong reader who is passionate about books and storytelling and dedicated to supporting diverse voices. 

Emma Moscan is a freelance social media and digital communications specialist with a background in marketing and a longstanding passion for books and publishing. She holds an MSc in Management, Innovation and Marketing from Ca' Foscari University of Venice and has worked with clients across the education, wellness, and creative industries, helping them develop thoughtful digital communication strategies. She has also collaborated with authors, translators, and an independent literary agency to connect books with readers through digital marketing.

Emma recently completed professional courses in Trade Publishing, Literary Rights Management, and Audiobook Publishing through Toronto Metropolitan University, where she developed a particular interest in literary representation and subsidiary rights.

Originally from Italy, Emma speaks Italian, English, Spanish, and German. Outside of work, she hosts a romance book club in Milan and creates online content exploring books and the intersection of literature and pop culture. When she's away from her desk, you'll find her on a hiking trail or by the water, always with a good novel and a thermos of warm tea.

Tapo Chimbganda PhD is a Zimbabwean-Canadian writer, researcher, and founder of Future Black Female. Her interests span academic, trade nonfiction, and fiction, focusing on gender, power, and the social systems that shape identity and relationships. She has lived on three continents in five countries and fifteen cities/towns/villages. 

She is published in the academic fields of psychoanalysis, education, and social justice.  Tapo is completing formal training in book and magazine publishing at Centennial College and is building a portfolio across literary and commercial projects.

Based in beautiful rural Niagara, she grows roses and peonies in the summer and hibernates during the winter. 

Leila Kazeminejad (she/they) is a Toronto-based writer and an Editorial Assistant at The Rights Factory. With her M.A in English Literature from Toronto Metropolitan University, Leila has a critical eye for form, function, and building connections between ideas and writing.

Unsurprisingly, and quite typically for an academic, she is interested in creative non-fiction,

literary fiction, memoir, poetry, short-essay collections, philosophy, and horror. Untypically, Leila is big on comics/graphic novels and cooking.

Alina Malik is a writer and recent philosophy graduate based in England. With a background in fashion, editorial work, and creative community building, she is interested in the intersections of style and cultural thought. She has experience managing social media for an independent art shop, developing visual content and brand voice, and has cultivated an engaged creative community through her independent magazine project, I’d Peel a Pomegranate. She brings both analytical depth and creative instinct to her work.

Ashley McCrea is a Toronto-based writer. She holds a BA in History and  English Creative and Professional Writing from the University of  Waterloo, where she wrote for their Missing Manual series. Her work has  also been featured in The International Shaw Society and White Wall  Review. Ashley is interested in women-centred stories that bring  underrepresented perspectives to light, as well as historical  reimaginings, rich fantasy worlds, and captivating romances. In addition  to reading and writing, her interests include knitting, watching old  movies, and taking ballet classes. She is currently completing an MA in  Literatures of Modernity at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Melissa (she/her) is a GTA-based Editorial Assistant most comfortable  when surrounded by books, with an ever-growing personal library. Having  received a MA in Literatures of Modernity from Toronto  Metropolitan University and a BA in English and Cultural Studies from  McMaster University, Melissa is eager to read queer and/or women-centred  stories that offer lyrical writing and compelling storytelling. In  addition to reading, she is passionate about travelling, journaling,  hiking, witchy things, and baking, and feels most alive in the autumn  months. With a particular taste for coming-of-age stories, classic  retellings, supernatural events, fantasy, and "weird girl lit," Melissa  is excited to engage with works by underrepresented voices.