About Andrea

Andrea Sakiyama Kennedy - Writer | Editor | Lifelong Learner... cover girl? (photo: Algonquin College)
Andrea Sakiyama Kennedy - Writer | Editor | Lifelong Learner... cover girl? (photo: Algonquin College)

I am a bibliophile (lover of and collector of 'real' books).

I have been a voracious reader since childhood, and a regular visitor to the local public library. I used save up all of my allowance to spend at Scholastic Book Fairs, and participated in the MS read-a-thon every year (I even won a couple of times). We couldn't afford to buy books back when I was a kid, but as an adult with some spare change I have been able to indulge my passion, and routinely scour used bookstores and book sales to complete my Nancy Drew collection.

Books, stories and words have been anchors in my life and my career. They have entertained me, educated me and empowered me to be an entertainer and educator myself. I have a deep - very deep, very abiding - respect for writers and the trials and tribulations inherent in writing craft. My work as an editor has always wrapped around the writer - What do they mean to say? Is the message clear,? Together can we make it even better? How can I help the author shine?

After spending the better part of my career editing and shaping other people's words, I evolved my career to incorporate writing on behalf of others, first as a marketer within the Canadian publishing industry, and then as the founder and chief strategist of a marketing agency and as an educator.

In the pursuit of improving my storytelling skills, I graduated from J-School at Algonquin College in Ottawa, Ontario in 2022. I have added “journalist” to my roster of skills and interests, and have made research and writing a cornerstone of my personal and professional platform.

Find the truth and tell it.