From my desk to yours

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to chat with my friend and fellow editor, Isobelle of Inspired Lines Editing. We discussed all things editing, including what to look for when finding an editor for your manuscript – and how to appeal to your ideal editor! – as well as how an editor can help push your writing to be the best it can be.

If you couldn’t catch it live, take a listen and find out what we had to say and so much more. And if you missed the chance to submit your own question, please don’t hesitate to add to the comments below – we’d love to hear from you!

Thanks to everyone who took part, and the lovely Isobelle for joining me over a cuppa.

Watch our chat here!

After the past year, I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m really craving a holiday. However, with travel rules up in the air and my partner starting a new training contract, who knows when I’ll be jetting off next.

However, I’m not too worried, because I had the delight to work on Karen Dodd’s latest crime mystery, Everybody Knows, set on the beautiful island of Malta. Although there is a lot more action and dark deception in the novel than you’d want on your own holiday break, it’s the perfect summer read that will have you gripped and taken on a wild, thrilling ride, even if it’s from the comfort of your own sofa.

Karen is no newbie to the writing game and has a few mystery titles under her belt, but check out the exclusive interview below to find out what fascinating discoveries she made whilst researching for the novel, not only about the true story the narrative is based on, but also about herself as a writer.

Earlier this year, I was delighted to be invited to work on an ultra-secret-squirrel project – the debut publication of a brand new publisher, Wavesback!

Last month, I was invited to talk to a group of aspiring authors at the Book Brilliance’s monthly Voice and Pen networking event on the topic of the importance of editing. It was lovely to hear from so many motivated and talented authors about their current projects, and it was a privilege to be invited to speak.

However, for those of you who were unable to make the event, I wanted to make sure I was able to share my advice, so I’ve converted my speech into a two-part blog, all about the importance of editing.

In Part 1, I discussed the reasons why you should work with an editor, such as an editor adds a fresh and objective eye to your work as well as brings years of experience to your manuscript (to find out more, check out Part 1 here). Now, I’m back with Part 2, which is a collection of handy tips and tricks to consider when searching and working with an editor.

If you’d prefer to watch the full talk, the event was recorded, so you can check out the full presentation here. But if not, dive into Part 2: Finding and Working with the Right Editor for You.

Being a book editor brings all its own rewards – getting to work with brilliant authors and stories everyday being one of them – but it’s even more exciting when al the hard work of my fabulous authors pays off. Which is why I’m so excited to share the wonderful news that two of my talented authors have been shortlisted for the Selfies Awards 2021.

The Selfies Awards were created to celebrate the best in self-publishing and are judged on the quality of the writing; the production values of the book; an enticing cover and blurb that successfully addresses the target audience; and an effective and creative marketing and publicity strategy that has the potential for great sales.

Both Simon McCleave’s The Snowdonia Killings and AJ Wills’s His Wife’s Sister are both shortlisted in the adult fiction category, and I couldn’t be more proud. Congratulations!

If you haven’t read them yet, check out the below for a taster and make sure to grab your copy before the winners are announced on 20th April 2021.

Find out more about the Selfie Awards and the other nominees here.