Angel Butts - Editor
The devil is in the details! The Word Angel casts demons from scifi, suspense, romance, and research for Macmillan, Rutgers, and nonprofits.
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Overview
After nearly two decades in the business, I've worked with just about everything. Pulitzer-prize-winning novels. Dissertations in sociology, anthropology, political science, economics, philosophy. Thrillers, mysteries, zombies, true crime, romance, erotica, scifi, and more zombies. Men who love dogs and the women who love them. Quantitative and qualitative research reports, journal articles, grant evaluations, and more.
I trained at MLA headquarters, I hold an MA (ABD) in sociology, and I love what I do.
I am not an official sensitivity reader, but I hope to become certified soon. I reject sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, and fat shaming, and I will call it out when I see it, every time I see it, in every manuscript I work on. This is not a crusade; it's a professional decision as much as a personal one. I firmly believe the majority of contemporary readers are alienated by such language. In 2021, both authors and editors should be educating themselves about things like, for example, how to write nonwhite and/or nonheteronormative characters in ways that do not perpetuate stereotypes or enduring harms. We can all do better. Let's do better together.
WHAT TO EXPECT
I am not shy in my feedback; expect to receive a heavily marked manuscript at the end of our contract. In the interest of both clarity and expediency, I am direct in my feedback; though none of my clients have ever mistaken this directness as stereotypical editorial disdain or hostility (it is not), they might agree that my services are not for the faint of heart.
That said, I work with the understanding that you are the driver of your property. I am simply here to make your work as polished as it can possibly be. In the end, it is entirely up to you to decide whether to accept any changes I suggest or follow any advice I provide, and I respect your voice and your decisions.
PRE-SUBMISSION CONSIDERATIONS
I am fortunate to have a very active client roster--even busier lately with the recent addition of Simon & Schuster. As a result, I typically book anywhere from one to four months in advance. (At the time of this writing, July 2021, I am booking new projects to begin in October 2021.)
I am fairly selective in the titles I choose to bid on.
I accept complete manuscripts only. (I will occasionally accept a manuscript that is very close to completion with the expectation that it will be complete by the time my work is scheduled to begin.)
If you haven't received at least one professional developmental edit, you will need at least two rounds of edits with me before your work is ready to print.
PRICING (Please respect my time and consider this carefully before you send your request.)
Expect my bid to come in around $600 per 10,000 words. It varies a bit based on your sample and a few other factors (e.g., the work is part of a series, the theme is of particular interest, etc.), but it will be in that vicinity. Subsequent rounds and projects may be discounted unless part of a package.
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Though I welcome submissions of any genre or topic, I am particularly interested in receiving socially impactful works that seek not only to entertain their audience but also to elevate, educate, or enlighten. This may be as direct as a nonfiction book about the history of a particular social movement or as indirect as a romance novel in which gender equity is a central motivating force, or a sci fi novel that tackles income inequality or climate change.
I trained at MLA headquarters, I hold an MA (ABD) in sociology, and I love what I do.
I am not an official sensitivity reader, but I hope to become certified soon. I reject sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, and fat shaming, and I will call it out when I see it, every time I see it, in every manuscript I work on. This is not a crusade; it's a professional decision as much as a personal one. I firmly believe the majority of contemporary readers are alienated by such language. In 2021, both authors and editors should be educating themselves about things like, for example, how to write nonwhite and/or nonheteronormative characters in ways that do not perpetuate stereotypes or enduring harms. We can all do better. Let's do better together.
WHAT TO EXPECT
I am not shy in my feedback; expect to receive a heavily marked manuscript at the end of our contract. In the interest of both clarity and expediency, I am direct in my feedback; though none of my clients have ever mistaken this directness as stereotypical editorial disdain or hostility (it is not), they might agree that my services are not for the faint of heart.
That said, I work with the understanding that you are the driver of your property. I am simply here to make your work as polished as it can possibly be. In the end, it is entirely up to you to decide whether to accept any changes I suggest or follow any advice I provide, and I respect your voice and your decisions.
PRE-SUBMISSION CONSIDERATIONS
I am fortunate to have a very active client roster--even busier lately with the recent addition of Simon & Schuster. As a result, I typically book anywhere from one to four months in advance. (At the time of this writing, July 2021, I am booking new projects to begin in October 2021.)
I am fairly selective in the titles I choose to bid on.
I accept complete manuscripts only. (I will occasionally accept a manuscript that is very close to completion with the expectation that it will be complete by the time my work is scheduled to begin.)
If you haven't received at least one professional developmental edit, you will need at least two rounds of edits with me before your work is ready to print.
PRICING (Please respect my time and consider this carefully before you send your request.)
Expect my bid to come in around $600 per 10,000 words. It varies a bit based on your sample and a few other factors (e.g., the work is part of a series, the theme is of particular interest, etc.), but it will be in that vicinity. Subsequent rounds and projects may be discounted unless part of a package.
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Though I welcome submissions of any genre or topic, I am particularly interested in receiving socially impactful works that seek not only to entertain their audience but also to elevate, educate, or enlighten. This may be as direct as a nonfiction book about the history of a particular social movement or as indirect as a romance novel in which gender equity is a central motivating force, or a sci fi novel that tackles income inequality or climate change.
Languages
English (CAN)
English (UK)
English (US)
Fiction
Horror
LGBTQ Fiction
Mystery & Crime
Romance
Science Fiction
Thriller & Suspense
Women's Fiction
Non-Fiction
Humanities & Social Sciences
Political Science & Current Affairs
True Crime
Work experience
Event Coordinator
Alexandra Chandler for U.S. Congress
April, 2018
–
October, 2018
(6 months)
Worked closely with campaign manager and volunteers to schedule appearances for a candidate running for U.S. Congress in the 3rd District of Massachusetts in 2018. Prior to the campaign, I had performed a developmental edit on an editorial written by Ms. Chandler that appeared in the Washington Post.
Owner & Senior Copy Editor
Self-employed
March, 2015
–
Present
(over 6 years)
Converted decade-plus "side gig" into a successful full-time endeavor. I copyedit, proofread, and correct files for print and online publication, build and maintain client list, generate and track all invoices, and maintain financial records.
Adjunct Instructor, Sociology
Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York (SUNY)
September, 2008
–
December, 2008
(3 months)
Taught one section of Introduction to Sociology.
Test Item Writer
Educational Testing Service
July, 2004
–
July, 2012
(about 8 years)
Generated test items for the Sociology Teaching Licensure Exam (PRAXIS II/2012) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL/2004). Developed items within strict content guidelines to ensure each exam’s fairness and accessibility.
Part-time Lecturer in Sociology & English Composition
Rutgers University
June, 2003
–
December, 2015
(over 12 years)
Courses Taught: Expository Writing, Mass Communication in Modern Society, Introduction to Sociology, Criminology, Sexuality and Society, Sociology of Deviant Behavior, Sociology of Sex and Gender
Assistant to the Managing Editor, Production Assistant, Assistant to the Executive Director
Modern Language Association (MLA)
August, 1997
–
December, 2008
(over 11 years)
Duties under the managing editor of MLA publications included selecting reviewers and ensuring the timely review of submissions to literary journal PMLA and both corresponding with and preparing correspondence for journal editors, editorial board members, authors, and reviewers.
***
Duties under the production director included proofreading and correcting electronic files of MLA publications for the in-house electronic production department (formerly the typesetting department).
***
Duties under the executive director included generating correspondence related to grant funding, governance, awards, and professional publications as well as creating and maintaining a historical archive of MLA actions.
Portfolio (29 selected works)
Double Lucky
Jackie Collins
DROP DEAD BEAUTIFULFrom Miami to Beverly Hills, from Mexico City to Acapulco to Las Vegas, dynamically sexy Lucky Santangelo and sweet-as-sin daughter, Max, are turning up the heat. So is Anthony Bonar, the son of Lucky's one-time godfather and lethal enemy, Enzio Bonatti. Lucky is preparing for the opening of her multibillion-dollar hotel complex in Las Vegas, The Keys, but Bonar-a vicious ki... read more
Pablo Escobar: My Father
Juan Pablo Escobar
THE POPULAR SERIES NARCOS CAPTURES ONLY HALF THE TRUTH. HERE, AT LAST, IS THE FULL STORY.THE INTERNATIONAL BEST SELLER!Until now, we believed that everything had been said about the rise and fall of Pablo Escobar, the most infamous drug kingpin of all time, but these versions have always been told from the outside, never from the intimacy of his own home.More than two decades after the full-fl... read more
The Walking Dead: The Road to Woodbury (The Walking Dead Series)
Robert Kirkman, Jay Bonansinga
The first book explained how the Governor was created; this thrilling sequel to The New York Times bestseller further reveals his ruthless, inhuman conquest of WoodburyThe zombie plague unleashes its horrors on the suburbs of Atlanta without warning, pitting the living against the dead. Caught in the mass exodus, Lilly Caul struggles to survive in a series of ragtag encampments and improvised ... read more
The Walking Dead: The Fall of the Governor: Part One (The Walking Dead Series)
Robert Kirkman, Jay Bonansinga
The third book in Robert Kirkman's New York Times bestselling series: The Walking Dead: The Fall of the Governor – Part One!The Walking Dead original novel series, set in the universe of Robert Kirkman's iconic comic book, continues with The Fall of the Governor – Part One. From co-authors Kirkman, creator of the Eisner Award-winning comic as well as executive producer of AMC's blockbuster TV ... read more
Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead: Descent (The Walking Dead Series)
Jay Bonansinga, Robert Kirkman
Written by Jay Bonansinga, based on the original series created by Robert Kirkman, The Walking Dead: Descent follows the events of The Fall of the Governor, and Lilly Caul's struggles to rebuild Woodbury after the Governor's shocking demise. Out of the ashes of its dark past, Woodbury, Georgia, becomes an oasis of safety amidst the plague of the walking dead - a town reborn in the wake of its ... read more
The smash-hit series continues! Now, from out of the ashes of a devastated Woodbury, Georgia, two opposing camps of ragtag survivors develop―each one on a collision course with the other… Underground, in the labyrinth of ancient tunnels and mine shafts, Lilly Caul and her motley crew of senior citizens, misfits, and children struggle to build a new life. But a secret ambition still burns in Li... read more
More than 2.7 million Weenies sold! Don't be a weenie. Read these stories. If you dare!Strikeout of the Bleacher Weenies is the eighth collection of spooky short stories for ages 8 to 12 by popular author David Lubar. This is the perfect pick for young readers who like a few chills and a lot of laughs.Welcome to the Weenie Zone! Here are thirty hilarious and harrowing stories that will scare y... read more
The Atlas of Forgotten Places
Jenny D. Williams
From author Jenny D. Williams, a fresh new voice in fiction, comes her stunning debut novel The Atlas of Forgotten Places. Set against the backdrop of ivory smuggling and civil war in Uganda and the DR Congo, it is a story of two women from different worlds, bound in a quest to save their loved ones.“Every page of The Atlas of Forgotten Places resonates with an intimate knowledge of life in ‘A... read more
Everybody Curses, I Swear!
Carrie Keagan, Dibs Baer
She’s been called vulgar, crass, sophomoric, offensive and dirty...and that was just in one article. But there’s so much more to talk show host, internet entrepreneur, and original YouTube sensation, Carrie Keagan. You may know her as host, writer, and producer of VH1’s hit morning show Big Morning Buzz Live with Carrie Keagan, but before Judd Apatow made being dirty mainstream, she was pionee... read more
The Debt of Tamar
Nicole Dweck
A USA TODAY Best seller!Bestselling author Nicole Dweck brings to life one of history's greatest yet overlooked stories of love and resilience.In 2002, thirty-two-year-old Selim Osman, the last descendant of Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, flees Istanbul for New York. In a twist of fate he meets Hannah, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor and an artist striving to understand a father... read more
Watch Me
Jody Gehrman
"Riveting, chilling, and page-turning. Be prepared to stay up all night." -- New York Times bestselling author Lisa ScottolineFor fans of dark and twisty psychological thrillers, Watch Me is a riveting novel of suspense about how far obsession can go.Kate Youngblood is disappearing. Muddling through her late 30s as a creative writing professor at Blackwood college, she’s dangerously close to n... read more
The Prada Plan 5
Ashley Antoinette
In this explosive addition to the New York Times bestselling series, Ashley Antoinette brings you pain, pleasure, love, hate, as YaYa struggles to hold it all together before life blows up in her face, in The Prada Plan 5.Disaya finally has it all. The man she fought for is hers at last. Her name is Mrs. Indie Perkins and their daughter is safe. Leah is gone. Life is supposed to be good. So wh... read more
Collecting the Dead
Spencer Kope
Magnus "Steps" Craig is part of the elite three-man Special Tracking Unit of the FBI. Called in on special cases where his skills are particularly needed, he works as a tracker. The media dubs him "The Human Bloodhound," since Steps is renowned for his incredible ability to find and follow trails over any surface better than anyone else. But there's a secret to his success. Steps has a special... read more
Rival Forces
D. D. Ayres
DESIRE IS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITHWhen it comes to training K-9 patrol dogs, Yardley Summers always trusts her instincts. But when it comes to dating men, she keeps her heart on a very short leash. Mostly, she’s too busy with her four-legged trainees at Harmonie Kennels to commit to a relationship. Only two men have managed to distract her: a handsome Doctors Without Borders physician who’s... read more
The Sisters of Blue Mountain
Karen Katchur
A sisters’ secret.A mysterious phenomenon.A murder that ties it all together.An emotional, suspenseful novel about the bond between sisters and the secrets we hold to keep our family safe, The Sisters of Blue Mountain by Karen Katchur is a thrilling mystery that hurtles towards an unexpected ending that will leave readers speechless.The small town of Mountain Springs, Pennsylvania thrives on t... read more
A Man of His Own
Susan Wilson
Rick Stanton was a promising professional baseball player with dreams of playing in the major leagues and starting a family with his young wife, Francesca, when World War II changed everything. Rick returns from the war with his body broken and his dreams shattered. But it was not just body and spirit he sacrificed for the war. He and Francesca volunteered their beloved dog, Pax, for the Army'... read more
The Tsarina's Legacy
Jennifer Laam
Then...Grigory "Grisha" Potemkin has had a successful long association with the powerful Empress Catherine of Russia. But Catherine and Grisha are older now and face new threats, both from powers outside of Russia and from those close to them. Haunted by the horrors of his campaign against the Muslim Turks, Grisha hopes to construct a mosque in the heart of the empire. Unfortunately, Catherine... read more
The Greatest Risk
Kristen Ashley
A woman unable to connect, struggling to hide another part of her. A man burning to learn her truth, and make her whole. Through explosive passion and deep exploration, they are about to take the greatest risk of all. But will they be able to take that leap, and come out on the other side together? In this next passionate novel in the Honey series, New York Times bestselling author Kristen Ash... read more
And Then There Was Me
Sadeqa Johnson
Bea and Awilda have been best friends from the moment Awilda threw her fourteen year-old self across Bea’s twin-sized bed as if they had known each other forever. Bubbly, adventurous Awilda taught sheltered, shy Bea how to dress, wear her hair and what to do with boys. She even introduced Bea to her husband, Lonnie, in college, who pledged to take good care of her for the rest of their lives. ... read more
Polaris
Todd Tucker
“A riveting tale of warfare in the not too distant future. Tucker takes his technological know-how as a former nuclear submariner and masterfully weaves it into a sensational thriller that will leave you pondering the land- and sea-scape of armed conflicts yet to come. A gifted writer first, Tucker seamlessly maintains the perfect balance between exhilarating story-telling and edifying prose. ... read more
Starlight Nights
Stacey Kade
In this sizzling companion to the critically acclaimed 738 Days, Stacey Kade once again creates a masterful combination of romance, angst, and thrills in the backdrop of a Hollywood film set.At twenty-two, Calista Beckett is trying to overcome her early fame and fortune. The former savior of the world on Starlight is now a freshman at college―miles away from L.A. and her former existence. She ... read more
The Evil That Men Do
Robert Gleason
Robert Gleason brings his A-game to The Evil That Men Do, a terrorism thriller steeped with equal parts terror and witIncome inequality and the offshore hoarding of illicit black funds have reached such extremes that the earth’s democracies are in peril. The oligarchs are taking over. The People worldwide, however, are rising up, and they demand that the UN seize and redistribute all that ille... read more
My Sweet Angel
John Glatt
Lacey Spears made international headlines in January 2015 when she was charged with the “depraved mind” murder of her five-year-old son Garnett. Prosecutors alleged that the 27-year old mother had poisoned him with high concentrations of salt through his stomach tube.To the outside world Lacey had seemed like the perfect mother, regularly posting dramatic updates on her son’s harrowing medical... read more
Cultivating Compassion offers an effective and highly sensitive psychodynamic approach for working with ADHD children and their parents. Conway seamlessly interweaves theory and practice to present a step-by-step guide to psychodynamic treatment that focuses on facilitating compassionate relationships with ADHD children. Also exploring neuropsychological and behavioral approaches, this text of... read more
First Touch
Laurelin Paige
DESPERATE FOR THE TRUTH. OBSESSED BY DESIRE...Emily Wayborn is finally her own woman.After a string of shameful relationships and reckless partying with her best friend Amber, she’s now a successful voiceover actress, her wild past and everyone in it firmly behind her. Until she receives a cryptic voicemail from her former friend that sends her spiraling into the darkness she thought she had o... read more
Washington Post BestsellerWall Street Journal BestsellerUSA Today BestsellerPublishers Weekly BestsellerDo you want to change the course of your life?Do you want to be the best?The best manager, the best athlete, the best artist, the best speaker, the best parent?In There’s No Plan B for Your A-Game, former pro athlete, playwright, and acclaimed leadership coach Bo Eason shows you exactly what... read more
Song of the Risen God (The Coven)
R. A. Salvatore
Song of the Risen God is the climatic conclusion to the thrilling Coven Trilogy from New York Times bestselling author, R. A. Salvatore.War has come to Fireach Speur. The once forgotten Xoconai empire has declared war upon the humans west of the mountains, and their first target are the people of Loch Beag. Lead by the peerless general, Tzatzini, all that stands in the way of the God Emperor's... read more
Endangered (The Underground Series Book 1)
Maximilian Benjamin Baney
Zacharias doesn’t know a lot of things: who his parents are, where he came from, why he has horns and supernatural abilities. But he does know he hates rich, arrogant assholes like Vincent…Upon his first demonic transformation, Zacharias stumbles into the Underground, the invisible, nocturnal world of the Gothic and the undead. The 22-year-old doesn’t know what he is—be it demon or vampire or ... read more
Angel has 4 reviews
Professionalism
Professionalism
Quality
Quality
Value
Value
Communication & Punctuality
Communication & Punctuality
Thank you for the wonderful insight to help me tell my first story.
Rob Haze, June 2021
Superb.
I hired Angel for a copy edit, but she went above and beyond. Her corrections made my writing stronger. Now I can't wait to publish!
As a bonus, her explanations behind each edit are lessons I get to take for my next projects. Angel has made me a better writer.
An example:
"I think it’s best to leave the value judgments to the reader. Your job is to paint the picture of the character...
Read more
Javier G, January 2021
I absolutely loved working with Angel! Her feedback was fantastic, her dev was very helpful and supportive, and her line edits caught so much that I missed or didn’t know. Phenomenal!
Selene Maxley, December 2020
Reply from Angel Butts
I really enjoyed collaborating with Angel on "The Code". She took the time to understand the slightly different brief and provided me with updates during the process. The marked up manuscript was awesome, with clear differentiation between change, recommendation and suggestion. Her curiosity/professionalism was great as it gave me greater confidence in what I had done.
Her input has real...
Read more
Peter McAllister, July 2019
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