I build worlds—on and off the page.
I don't just tell stories. I build them.
Where I've come from...
Stories saved my life
and again...and again.
Stories saved my life
At one, I held books like a dragon coveting treasure. By three, I was reading on my own. By twelve, I was buried in Tolkien. I wrote my first novel in a spiral-bound notebook with my best friend, convinced we were changing the world. We kind of were. Stories weren’t escape—they were evidence. I’ve been chasing that Scholastic Book Fair high ever since. .
again...
and again...and again.
Stories saved my life
In my twenties, I helped launch OverDrive in Canada—back when it was still becoming Libby. It was part of an internship, but it felt like a smuggling connection to my community. Books saved me again. At thirty, the community I built—Words & Whimsy, its people, our challenge—pulled me back from the edge. Four hundred author chats later, it’s still the anchor I grip.
and again...and again.
and again...and again.
and again...and again.
Now, I build stories, strategies, and platforms that connect readers to what matters. At OwlCrate, I lead partnerships, press, and author initiatives—shaping narratives, curating special editions, championing bold voices, and designing systems that last. The kind that builds people, not bottlenecks. Stories—and the people brave enough to tell them—still save me every single day.
Let's get the boring professional stuff out of the way...
What my Linked in says...
I’m Jordan Fleming: writer, editor, artist, speaker, and publishing strategist based in Ontario, Canada. I come from a background in community-building with an eye for systems that work. I quietly reshape without waiting for permission.
I love making friends
As Head of Partnership Development at OwlCrate, I oversee collaborations, press strategy, and the launch of an independent press model that pays above market, removes barriers for authors, and refuses to compromise on creative integrity. I also lead OwlCrate Press’s anthology programs, public representation, assist in amazing projects like "Stryx", and author development efforts.
I happen to make the right moves
I write and edit speculative fiction that carves into the marrow of readers' bones. With a decade of experience knowing exactly what readers want, I build tension like wires pulled taught and help writers find prose that lands like a fist or a feather—their choice.
What do I spend my time on, though?
I Love To Build Things That Last
I’ve led more than 400 events and panels across the book world—from quiet writing sprints to legendary literary smackdowns. I don’t just build communities—I architect ecosystems that last. My spaces are built on understanding exactly what readers (and users) want, and they don’t just grow—they endure. Words & Whimsy, the book club I helped scale from the ground up, is now one of the largest free reading communities online as part of OwlCrate's "Nest" social media app, numbering in the tens of thousands.
But this passion started a decade before that. During my internship with my hometown Public Library and Archives, I helped launch OverDrive (now Libby) in Canada, bringing digital reading access to thousands. It wasn’t about tech. It was about reach. It still is.
At OwlCrate, I helped launch OwlCrate Press, our small press built on ethics, accessibility, and author support. I built systems where none existed, where my team could say yes to innovation and no to exploitation.
Strategy & Leadership
I build from the inside out—team structures, comms frameworks, creative workflows that actually support the humans doing the work. I’ve led internal strategy for departments in transition, helped develop sustainable leadership pipelines, and coached high-performing teams through burnout, conflict, and growth.
I don’t do performative leadership and I don't care for politics. I build capacity. I’ve spoken at YALLWest, guest lectured at Emerson College, and advised publishing leaders on everything from partnership ethics to reader trust. My style is strategic, honest, and deeply human—designed to move things forward, not just talk in circles.