Megan Joy Rials
Production Editor
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
What do you do as Production Editor?
I perform line-edits on half of the papers that the Louisiana Law Review publishes, and for the other half, I perform table edits, which are less rigorous, final reviews of the paper before publication. Line-editing a paper is a huge responsibility because I’m checking for grammar, flow, and readability—I edit for technical matters as well as academic style and clarity, while still preserving the author’s voice.
What has been your favorite class?
Any class with Professor Trahan, and Evidence.
6. What is the last thing you recorded on TV?
NCIS and Blue Bloods. I also love Matlock, for obvious reasons. My current favorite TV show, though, is Sherlock, the BBC version.
What is your favorite book?
a. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury, but it’s really unfair to ask a bookworm for only one favorite book. My other favorites are Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Flannery O’Connor’s short stories are also excellent.
What three items would you take on a deserted island?
1. An air conditioner. 2. My books. 3. My iTunes library of music.
Do you collect anything?
Owls. Ceramic, plush, crystal, paintings—you name it, I probably have an owl like it.
If you had a warning label, what would it say?
a. Caution: beware of Greeks bearing gifts. (Yes, I actually have Greek heritage on my mother’s side…so you’ve been forewarned.)
You get to invite 3 individuals (living or dead) to dinner. Who are they and what would you talk about?
1. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor and theologian participated in the assassination plot against Adolf Hitler during World War II. He also wrote extensively on the proper separation between church and state, and I would want to hear about World War II and his participation. 2: Diana Wynne Jones, one of the most prolific fantasy writers of the 20th century—I would want to know where she got her ideas and how she juggled writing as many books as she did. 3. Sandra Day O’Connor. Of course I would want to hear about her tenure on the Supreme Court as the first female Justice, but I want to know more about her career and life before she was appointed to the Supreme Court.
What is one fact that everyone should know about you?
I love chess, needlepoint, and music, but most of all, I love reading and writing. I’m currently in the beginning stages of my fourth novel, a continuation of the King Arthur myth…with a female heir to the throne. Merlin, magic, and owls abound in my story.
What do you prefer: the Civil Code or the Common Law?
I love them equally. I love common law Supreme Court jurisprudence for its focus on philosophy and the Constitution, but I love the Civil Code for its clarity and precision.
Favorite quote?
“Stories are light. Light is precious in a world so dark.” –Kate DiCamillo, The Tale of Despereaux