bbw2016

Banned Books Week 2016: Celebrating the Freedom to Read

Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to ReadToday is the start of Banned Books Week 2016:

Banned Books Week (BBW) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September, BBW highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted banning of books across the United States.

Andrew Diamond

A Classic Crime Novel for the Digital Age by Andrew Diamond

Few topics are hotter these days in the world of fiction than cybercrime/cybersecurity, so I’m pleased to welcome Andrew Diamond to the site to talk about his newest, Impala (September 21st from Stolen Time Press), a book that drops its protagonist Russ Fitzpatrick right in the middle of a fast-paced cyber mess, caught between crooks, the FBI, and a woman who may be more dangerous to Russ than the rest combined. Today, Andrew’s here to talk about how what began as something of a personal writing challenge grew into a book that’s generating such great advance buzz it was selected as an Amazon Best Book of the Month for September 2016, alongside such luminaries as James Patterson, Carl Hiaasen, Karen Slaughter, Harlen Coben and Anne Perry.
Trace Conger

The Origins of Mr. Finn by Trace Conger

It’s a pleasure to welcome Trace Conger back to the site. Conger has previously released two books in his Mr. Finn series to great acclaim, including winning a Shamus Award for series opener The Shadow Broker. I started out as one of Trace’s readers, but had the honor of stepping into the role of editor on The Prison Guard’s Son (Black Mill Books), Trace’s most recent Mr. Finn release. As such, it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to review The Prison Guard’s Son, but I’m more than happy turn things over to Trace to talk a little about his fateful conversation with a retired private investigator that gave rise to the creation of Mr. Finn.
JDuncan

Could America Collapse? by James R. Duncan

I’m pleased to welcome Jim Duncan to the site today. I had the pleasure of working with Jim on his novel Blood Republic, a book that looks more and more prescient as each day of our current election cycle passes. In Blood Republic, America descends into a second civil war, one driven by conservative vs. liberal ideology run amok in the wake of the most hotly contested presidential election in history. Jim presents the story in a balanced manner, showing no discernible preference for either side. Instead, he leaves it to the reader to decide where their allegiance lies and with whom they sympathize, as well as challenges readers to question why that is.
The Prison Guard's Son

The Prison Guard’s Son

“Choosing an editor is tough. It’s supposed to be. You want people on your team who are as passionate about your work as you are. Elizabeth edited my third Mr. Finn novel, The Prison Guard’s Son, and she delivered. She surprised me several times with her comments and level of detail. In short, she knows her stuff, and she made me look like a better writer. If you’re looking for someone to substantiate how wonderful your writing is, move along because that’s not what Elizabeth does. Instead, she’ll provide the critical eye that you need. She’ll ask the right questions and poke holes in your work. And then she’ll help you fix it. And that’s what a damn good editor should do.” — Trace Conger

NelizaDrew

Write What You Know, Y’all by Neliza Drew

It’s a tremendous pleasure to welcome Neliza Drew to the site today. I had the honor of working with Neliza on her debut novel, All the Bridges Burning, which was released on July 1st. Accomplished authors and respected reviewers are already weighing in with raves and kudos for Neliza and her lead character, Davis Groves. Author Josh Stallings calls the book “heartbreakingly real. Neliza Drew understands pain and alienation. She sees the scars we inflict on ourselves and the ones the world gifts us with.” Author Thomas Pluck says Davis Groves is “tattooed, with scars inside and out, and armed with brutal experience, an unfazeable demeanor, and a wicked sense of humor.” And reviewer Benoit Lelievre calls All the Bridges Burning “a very good mystery” that has “a powerful sense of realism.” So how did Neliza create that pain and alienation for Davis Groves, that sense of realism that permeates All the Bridges Burning? I’ll let her explain.
Archer Hunt

Reboot/Reborn by Arlene Hunt

I’m very pleased to welcome Arlene Hunt back to the site today. Arlene is the author of numerous books, including one of my favorite reads ever, The Outsider, an emotional sledgehammer of a story that dissects life in a small, rural Irish village by delving into aspects of human behavior that are at times extremely unpleasant: bigotry, sexism, religious intolerance, callousness, casual cruelty. Arlene previously guest posted in conjunction with her book The Chosen, in which she talked about how an Irish author went about writing a psychological thriller set in North Carolina. Today she’s here to talk about how that same book came to have a second life with a new publisher, this time under the title Last to Die, available now in the US and in the UK.
Neliza Drew - All The Bridges Burning

All The Bridges Burning

It was a tremendous pleasure to work with Neliza Drew on her debut novel All the Bridges Burning, which has garnered praise from readers, reviewers, and Drew’s fellow authors.

Whether your manuscript is in the early stages and you’d like significant developmental input, you’re almost ready to query and are looking for someone to do a final copyedit, or anywhere in-between, I can help. For testimonials from authors with whom I have worked, as well as more detailed information about my editing services, please click here.