Meet Our New Intern: Franchesca Nicole Lazaro

I’ve always been drawn to instruction manuals. Aside from reading chapter books in elementary school, I was pulling how-to guides and building manuals off the shelves, because I was always fascinated by the idea of creating something through careful consumption. I would read books about taking care of animals like bunnies and making crafts, because I really love personalizing everything I own! I used to volunteer to organize the classroom bookshelves during recess, not because I was particularly neat, but because I loved the logic of categorization, which is something I still do today with my book notes!

My reading tastes have expanded since then, but that early love of structure and process never left me. In middle school, I fell head over heels for Tom Sawyer. I loved his free-spirited adventures and go-lucky optimism, as compared to Huck Finn’s solemn disposition (which was justified). In high school, I read many of John Steinbeck’s books, so I challenged myself to read East of Eden for English class, finding it one of the driest things I’d ever encountered. Years later however, I still think about that book constantly. I also read The Kite Runner, which didn’t fully resonate with me at the time in terms of writing style (it is still one of the saddest books I’ve read aside from A Thousand Splendid Suns), but has profoundly shaped what I want to write about now.

My current reading habits reflect this evolution. I’m voracious about memoirs, feminist theory, author diaries, and literary novels. My favorite nonfiction book is The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga, and my favorite novel is Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger, which is a book that changed how I think about searching for meaning in an often overwhelming and pretentious world.

What drew me to editing rather than purely creative writing was the collaborative process. Writing can be solitary, but editing is inherently relational. You’re working with someone to help them tell their story better, clearer, more powerfully. There’s something beautiful about that partnership, and about learning from other writers while helping shape their work.

I’ve spent time working with literary magazines, most recently focused on flash fiction and short poetry, but I’ve realized my heart is in longer-form work. I want to help bring full-length books, chapbooks, and novellas into the world. That’s what drew me to Sundress Publications! As a nonprofit press committed to amplifying diverse voices and creating space for work that might not fit traditional publishing models, Sundress aligns perfectly with where I want to grow as an editor!

I’m also passionate about amplifying perspectives from women, asexual voices, and religious backgrounds, which are communities whose stories deserve more space in contemporary literature. My editorial interests center on literary fiction, memoir, and nonfiction exploring history, technology, media studies, feminism, and literature itself.

When I’m not working on manuscripts, you can find me indoor climbing, drawing, learning Japanese, or adding to my ever-growing collection of shoujo and josei manga. I recently started a blog about women’s comics and just wrapped up a manga archival project that I hope to continue later in life!

I’m thrilled to join the Sundress team and can’t wait to learn from this incredible community of writers, editors, and book lovers. Here’s to making wonderful books together!

Franchesca Nicole Lazaro is an emerging editor with a passion for developmental editing and book production. She previously worked with Brink Literary Project and currently works with Tulipwood Press. Her editorial interests center on amplifying perspectives from women, asexual voices, and religious backgrounds, particularly in literary fiction, memoir, and nonfiction that explores feminism, history, technology, and media studies. She is learning Japanese and maintains a blog on women’s comics and reading. Franchesca is relocating from Seattle, Washington, to San Jose, California.