Blair Thornburgh – Editor

Hi there! I'm Blair, longtime editor, multi-published author, and publishing instructor with over a decade of experience in trade publishing.

As an editor, I've worked on everything from NYT bestsellers to Goodreads Choice Award finalists to five-starred indie releases. I love YA, fantasy, romance, sci-fi, dystopian, and all kinds of children's books. During my years at Quirk Books, I got to work on the signature brand of delightful and quirky bestselling fiction, including the fan favorite YA novel GEEKERELLA series and its follow-ups. I was honored to receive the prestigious Publishers Weekly Star Watch nomination for my editorial work there.

I'm also the author of two critically-acclaimed YA novels from HarperTeen and two picture books with Abrams and Simon & Schuster. I've received starred reviews and made both Publishers Weekly and Booklist's "best books of the year" lists. I received my MFA in Creative Writing from Hamline University, where I was awarded two scholarships for my picture book and critical writing. I've taught publishing and writing at Rosemont College, the Romance Writers of America conference, the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, BinderCon, Writers Digest, and many more.

In my editorial work, I work hard to create a collaborative and constructive atmosphere. Seeing things from the "author perspective" allows me to bring an empathy and deeper understanding to my feedback style—I know what it's like, and I know it's just as important to point out what IS working as well as what needs work. I specialize in young adult genre fiction and picture books, but have worked on a breadth of genres and age categories, and have worked happily with authors seeking traditional and/or indie publication.

If you think we'd be a fit, I'd love to hear from you! Send me a message and tell me about your book and your goals.

Please note: due to my schedule, I am only able to work on query letter critiques for the time being.