Janet Matthews, Professional Speaker

Testimonials
(pdf document)

Download Janet's Speaker Profile
(pdf document)

Writing & Editorial Experience & Credits

"In 1997 when I invited Janet Matthews to head up the new Chicken Soup for the Soul division of my company, none of us knew what lay ahead in producing these two projects. However, I knew Janet to be a creative, innovative problem solver. When she first began, I remember saying, "here's an empty office with a desk and a phone, good, there’s a computer, I'm sure you'll figure out how to use it and oh, by the way, here's a manual that tells you how to write a Chicken Soup book. Okay, go."

There was no filing cabinet, but neither was there any paper to put in it. Starting from scratch she began an effort that no one else in Canada has done. My staff watched in amazement as the stories rolled in, and the new filing cabinet filled up. Three years later we released Chicken Soup for the Parent’s Soul right on schedule and it quickly hit the New York Times top ten list. Two years after that we released Chicken Soup for the Canadian Soul, and it became an immediate Canadian best seller.

It was Janet's creativity, her persistence, but above all her passionate belief in her vision that led to these two successful results. Along the way, her natural writing skills evolved and matured, and her flair for editing became obvious and highly respected by both Jack Canfield's staff, and the editorial staff at H.C.I.

If there was some way I could keep Janet fully employed in my company, I would. We have continued to rely on her for ghostwriting, and for editorial assistance for much of the printed educational material we produce. I cannot recommend Janet highly enough. She is reliable, creative, resourceful, scrupulously honest, and a valuable asset to any team she becomes part of. "

Raymond Aaron

President and CEO of The Raymond Aaron Group®

Co-author of Chicken Soup for the Parent’s Soul

And Chicken Soup for the Canadian Soul

Writing Credentials:

Janet would love to help you out with your non-fiction writing or story project. Her unique experience will give you an honest and heartfelt rendering that comes only after working with hundreds of people and their stories during her 5 years with Chicken Soup for the Soul. E-mail her now to arrange a call to discuss it at:
Note: when you click on the email link below, an email message box will appear, please remove the _at_ and replace it with @.
janet_at_janetmatthews.ca

Janet is the Canadian co-author and Creative Producer of Chicken Soup for the Canadian Soul.
She is also the Associate editor and Creative Producer Chicken Soup for the Parent's Soul
She has authored numerous short stories, and her work has been published now in the following books:

Chicken Soup for the Parent's Soul
Chicken Soup for the Canadian Soul
Chicken Soup for the Ocean Lover's Soul
Chicken Soup for the Bride's Soul
Chicken Soup for the Soul - Living Your Dreams
Chicken Soup for the Beach Lover's Soul

Her story entitled 'A Piece of Cake' appears in Conscious Women Conscious Lives by Canadian Author Darlene Montgomery.

Janet has recently completed The Navy's Baby a full-length work of dramatic non-fiction.
For more details, see Current Projects.

Ghost Writing:

Janet has had the pleasure of working with dozens of people in writing their personal stories for publication. A few of these include:

Olympians:

Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini - Canadian and World Figure Skating Pairs Champions
Penny and Vicky Vilagos - Silver medalists in Duet Synchronized Swimming
Kurt Browning - Canadian Men's Figure Skating Legend
John Limniatis - Soccer player - for Les Chemins de L'excellence - A compilation of stories from Quebec Athletes, by Penny and Vicky Vilagos
Alywn Morris - Olympic Kayaker - for Les Chemins de L'excellence

Also:

Marilyn Bell DiLascio - Lake Swimmer
Paul Henderson - Canadian Hockey Legend
Rick Hansen - Canada's Man in Motion
Faye Dance - TV Personality
Natalie MacMaster - Award winning Fiddler
Erin Davis - Canadian Radio Personality
Jan Meek - British Ocean Rower; Guiness Record Holder - oldest woman to row an ocean
Bob Proctor - Speaker and Educator
Canadian Senator Jerry Grafstein
Frances Wright - Founder of the Famous Five Foundation
Craig Kielburger - Founder of Kids Can Free the Children
Carl Hiebert - Paraplegic Ultra light flyer and inspirational speaker
Raymond Aaron - Co-author on Parents Soul and Canadian Soul.

She also ghost-wrote The Monthly Mentor™ Goal Handbook for The Raymond Aaron Group.

Editing Credits

Chicken Soup for the Parents’ Soul	full manuscript
Chicken Soup for the Canadian Soul	full manuscript
The Soul Promise, by Ruby Bedi	full manuscript
If I Were Your Daddy, This is What You'd Learn, by Julia Espey	full manuscript
Feed Your Body, Feed Your Soul, by Ara Wiseman	full manuscript
What your Mother Never told you about Love, Sex and Power: by Mardi Thomas Goodman and Shelley Pomerantz	full Manuscript
The Notre Dame Experience, Compiled and Edited by Janet Matthews - for Athol Murray College of Notre Dame	full manuscript
EVOLVE - by Dale E. Sarna	full manuscript
From Modeling Clothes to Modeling Self – Frannie Hoffman	full manuscript
Live Your Dreams - Doctor's Orders by Dr. Samuel Gerstein M.D. -	full manuscript
Human Rythmic Energy With Soul Drumming - by Doug Sole -	full manuscript, including layout and presentation
Dream Yourself Awake – Darlene Montgomery	editorial assistance
Conscious Women Conscious Lives – Darlene Montgomery	editorial assistance
Chicken Soup for the Soul of America: Introduction	editorial assistance at the personal request of Jack Canfield
A series of Monthly Mentor™ Tape transcriptions for The Raymond Aaron Group™	Full editorial assignment
Promotional pages for The Chicken Soup for the Beauty Professional's Soul website	Full editorial assignment

Janet with Jack Canfield, creator of Chicken Soup for the Soul. March 2005.

"Janet Matthews is a true class act, and I was very pleased to invite her to join the family of Chicken Soup for the Soul co-authors. Over the five years she actively worked with my staff, she repeatedly proved her abilities as a compiler, an editor, a producer and a promoter. When the going got tough, she stepped up to the plate, and justified my faith. She is a woman whose depth of insight and understanding I respect, and whose writing and editing skills I admire. On top of that, she is a wonderful human being, and just plain fun to be around! "

Jack Canfield
CEO Chicken Soup for the Soul Enterprises
Co-creator of Chicken Soup for the Soul®
Author of The Success Principles