Caroline Tolley - Editor
I have over 25 years of experience editing Romance, Women's Fiction and Suspense. I offer Developmental edits, line edits and Evaluations.
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Overview
I have edited for 2 major New York-based publishers, small digital presses, self-published writers, and literary agencies. During a very productive professional career, highlights include a handful of New York Times, USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly, bestselling authors. I am as passionate today about what I do as I was when I started out. New writers, established authors...It's a privilege to work with you all, no matter where you are on your journey. Popular fiction for women is my area of expertise. I particularly enjoy Romantic Suspense, Historical Fiction or Mystery, Rom-Com and Amateur Sleuth. Helping a writer to see the broad story canvas, strengthening structural weakness and fleshing out character development, are often main focal points for me as a developmental editor. I love to 'talk shop', brain -storming the ins and outs of a changing publishing landscape. There is often plenty to discuss when it comes time for you to figure out which route to take towards seeing your story out into the world. I am happy to bring my editorial recommendations to you to assist in creating a strong and marketable work of popular fiction. Please don't hesitate to reach out!
Languages
English (US)
Fiction
African American Fiction
Historical Fiction
Mystery & Crime
Paranormal Romance
Romance
Thriller & Suspense
Urban Fantasy
Women's Fiction
Work experience
Freelance fiction editor
Soul Mate Publishing
January, 2013
–
June, 2020
(over 7 years)
As a freelancer for Soul Mate, I acquire and edit all genres of commercial fiction and Romance. Developmental and line by line editing.
Freelance fiction editor
Avon Books
January, 2002
–
January, 2004
(about 2 years)
As a freelance fiction editor for Avon Books, I edited numerous commercial novels including Romantic Suspense, Historical Romance, Urban Fantasy and African-American Romance. Developmental editing and line by line editing.
Freelance fiction editor
Self-employed
January, 2002
–
Present
(about 21 years)
My editorial services include developmental editing, line editing, and manuscript critiques. I also offer assistance with submission proposals for literary agencies, publishing industry insight and career consultation.
Executive Editor
Pocket Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, USA
September, 1989
–
December, 2001
(about 12 years)
During my tenure at Pocket Books I worked with both new writers and seasoned veterans. My relationships included editorial work for 4 New York Times bestselling popular fiction authors. All sub-genres of Romance and fiction for women were the main focus of my editorial tasks. I worked closely with literary agents; put together contracts, offered input on marketing, publicity and jacket art options. I often attended writer's conferences, spoke on panels, took author pitches. and judged contests.
Portfolio (56 selected works)
Happiest Marriage in the History of the World
Patrice Locke
Tracy Price needs a sampler that says, “When you’ve got it all, don’t screw it up by worrying you’re going to screw it up.”Not that she doesn’t appreciate the abundance in her life.She has a rock star husband, two slightly spoiled kids, a successful career, friends who are mostly sane, a sprinkling of the ridiculous, and a pinch of the absurd.It’s her never-fail recipe for the potluck of life.... read more
Polar Vortex
Matthew Mather
Arctic meets Da Vinci Code in the new thriller from Matthew Mather, worldwide bestseller with over MILLION COPIES SOLD, translations in 24 languages and film development by 20th Century Fox.A flight disappears over the North Pole. No distress calls. Vanished into thin air.Mitch Matthews is a writer struggling to make ends meet when his wife's brother Josh offers them a first-class seat on a fl... read more
Flies in the Punch Bowl
Erika Simms
In this entertaining story rich with tongue-in-cheek humor and clever twists, a witty art lover battling a tarnished past races to solve a string of high-profile art thefts in the Pacific Northwest.Seattle’s elite are reeling from a spree of unsolved art thefts, and Annabel Riley, an adventurous art aficionado eager to rebuild her career after a wily art forger derailed it, has just entered th... read more
Ebola Island
Pratt, Gregor
Flight Of The Feathered Serpent: Volume 3 (The Three Keys)
Dana Alexander
An old and deadly enemy.A danger reaching beyond life's boundaries.A love destined for all eternity... A silent killer sweeps humanity, consuming its life force, threatening an eternal reign of darkness. After narrowly escaping this shadowy force in the highlands of Scotland, New York psychiatrist Sara Forrester is tasked with finding the second key of life—by unlocking the riddles of Mayan my... read more
Her Midnight Sin (Shadows and Silk Book 3)
Sofie Darling
Like a vengeful Norse God, Captain John Nylander has come from the sea to steal the only home that Callie has ever known. And that might not be all he's after. Can a Viking . . . Orphaned as a child, Nylander has never known a real home. Now he is ready to leave the dangers of his past behind and put down the roots he has always longed for. The only thing standing in his way is a lanky aristoc... read more
Déjà vu All Over Again
Brill, Larry
Love at the Electric
Jenn Hughes
Walking wildfire Sam Owens gets Lillian hot in all the right ways, but there's more to the software CEO than just a pretty face. And a great body. And . . . Oh, right. He’s the enemy, according to the contract she signed with his rival. So when they secretly meet up for movies at The Electric, Lillian can't get too involved with Sam. She could lose her job. Her reputation. And her heart.Sam is... read more
Lord of the Wilderness: Duke of Rutland Series IV
St. Michel, Elizabeth
Blueprint for Love (A Port Bristol Novel)
Hughes, Jenn
Unallocated Space: A Thriller (Sam Flatt Book 1)
Jerry Hatchett
*** WARNING: READERS FREQUENTLY REPORT A LOSS OF SLEEP DUE TO THE "CAN'T PUT IT DOWN" NATURE OF THIS BOOK *** The StorySPACE. It's not just the glitziest casino ever built. It's the largest man-made structure in history.This futuristic wonderland has captivated Las Vegas and the world, but beneath the shine and tech, something old lurks and festers.Someone has hacked the casino's high-tech gam... read more
The Afterliving (His Blood & Silver Series Book 1)
Fernando Rivera
A dutiful son to his single mother, Manny Stockton has spent the last twenty years harboring a grudge against his absentee father, Isidore. But after Isidore’s sudden passing, an obligatory homecoming to Devil’s Dyke reveals the truth behind their estrangement.Manny’s father was not the man he thought he was. In fact, Isidore was no man at all. He was a Disciple, a divine being created from th... read more
Book of Life: You Are Your Online History
Curtis, Ken
Journey to Justice: A Linda and Scott Tale of Intrigue
Shimkets, Lawrence
One Night His Lady: Shadows and Silk, Book 6
Darling, Sofie
The Christians
Casey, Thea
Ancilla: A Time-Travel Novel (The Tethered Book 1)
Makris, S.K.
Devil in the Wire
Clark, MT
Three Lessons in Seduction (A Shadows and Silk Novel)
Sofie Darling
Paris, September 1824 Lord Nicholas Asquith needs his wife. Too bad he broke her heart ten years ago. Can he resist a second chance at the love he lost? When Mariana catches the eye of the man at the center of an assassination plot, Nick puts aside their painful past and enlists her to obtain information by any means necessary, even if it means seducing the enemy agent. Even if the thought mak... read more
The only thing standing between a new vampire and eternal darkness is the mortal woman who claims his heart. Youngling vampire Dominic Marchant struggles to master his deadly instincts as he hunts the urban jungles of South Florida. He keeps his hunger confined to the blood of the guilty with help from Cassidy Chandler, a human woman who can literally touch his soul. Their love is his last rem... read more
The Big Disrupter
Paul Markun
Idealistic entrepreneur Lionel Lane is struggling with his San Francisco-based company Double Vision Beverages. His only hope is winning the biggest social entrepreneur award ever, the one billion dollar Big Disrupter. Desperate, he partners with his brilliant ex-girlfriend Maxine Gold. Lionel and Maxine expand Double Vision into energy drinks in the mountains of Telluride, Colorado, with the ... read more
Cold Sweat
Faith O'Shea
Letitia “Tish” Jones was one of the most talented classical pianists of her time but it had come at a cost. The price she paid stripped her of her passion for music and she’d do anything to get it back. Almost anything. Going on hiatus with the band Raging Thunder as their keyboardist, isn’t what she had in mind. Taking on a new identity, she finds a new passion-a man willing to help her but u... read more
Resurrection River: Men of Mercy, Book 2
Lindsay Cross
Ranger James accepted his best friend’s death like a good soldier. With guilt. Regret. Vengeance. But a forbidden desire keeps pulling him from his mission…Desire for his best friend’s widow.Killed in Action. That’s why Amy Carter’s husband wasn’t coming home. A war widow, alone and broke, Amy struggles to revive her family’s crop dusting service to survive. Now she takes to the skies to find ... read more
Beyond Love (The Beyond Series)
D.D. Marx
After trusting in her beloved friend Dan’s guidance from above, Olivia is finally on the path to realizing her destiny. Staring at a blank canvas after ditching her raucous corporate life and meeting the love of her life, Finn McDaniels, a hot, widowed, celebrity chef, she is ready to begin anew. When she arrives back home to tie up the loose ends in Chicago, she receives more frightening news... read more
BLACK DAWN (Davenport)
Brett Diffley
Black Dawn is a continuation of the Davenport series, and picks up where Black Tide left off. In a race against time, Tom Spears is tracking his wife’s kidnapper from Washington State, to New York. Six days later, he finally catches up with them. A battle to save her ensues, and it’s there Tom begins to understand who’s responsible when he confronts a professional killer from Tom’s dark and om... read more
Married in the Nick of Nine (Cass & Nick Series Book 1)
Alretha Thomas
Cassandra Whitmore is facing yet another Valentine’s Day alone. Her love life is as dry as the Sharpie pen she uses to mark an even more dreadful day on her calendar—her upcoming 30th birthday. Driven by the maddening ticking of her biological clock, Cassandra is determined to meet, fall in love with, and marry “The One” within nine months. When Cassandra accompanies her cousin to a night club... read more
Nakamura Reality
Alex Austin
To understand Japanese culture requires reading between the lines. This is Hugh Mcpherson's challenge in Nakamura Reality, a beguiling blend of mystery, odyssey, inconsolable loss and obsession.Absenting himself for a brief intimacy with a former girlfriend, Hugh leaves his surfing-obsessed sons on an isolated California beach. When he returns, the eleven-year-old twins have vanished. A feroci... read more
Beyond A Darkened Sky (Three Keys Series Book 1)
Dana Alexander
Prequel to the Three Keys Series...What if the life you live were a facade, your dreams a reflection of your true identity, and what if those worlds collided?The balance between good and evil has just been shattered, opening a path for a dark lord’s demons and shadows to consume the energy found in humanity. To New York psychiatrist Dr. Sara Forrester, these nightmares become more than figment... read more
Karma Girl (The Bigtime series Book 1)
Jennifer Estep
Investigative reporter Carmen Cole gets the surprise of her life on her wedding day when she discovers that her fiancé and best friend are sleeping together—and that the two of them are her town's resident superhero and ubervillain. Shocked and hurt, Carmen reveals their secret identities and then decides to devote her life to unmasking every superhero and ubervillain who crosses her path. A s... read more
Passions out of Time (An Era Apart Book 3)
Chris Lange
Now that Lord Garrett Burnes has proposed, Tracy can finally be happy. But some people have decided otherwise. They’re all against her, even an old enemy she believed out of her world. He’s back, and he wants something from her. Thrown back into a different universe, hunted by an immortal, betrayed by her father and by the man she loves, she’ll need all her courage to confront them all.
Dead Women Tell No Lies
Nora LeDuc
Two months after her disappearance, a young woman's body turns up on a New Hampshire riverbank hundreds of miles from home. Now the murder victim’s identical twin, Rose Blue, tries to use her flawed psychic connection to her sister to solve the tragic case. Homicide Detective Luke Lennox is skeptical of her abilities and finds the mysterious newcomer a distraction. As the department’s latest h... read more
A Turn For The Worse
C. dos Santos
Traces of a blue powder, an audio CD, and the victim’s medical history are all that Nick Seneca has to work with as he races to solve the homicide investigation of a lifetime. As a car enthusiast and a county prosecutor in Atlanta, Nick could not be a better choice to investigate and prosecute the killer of an architect who was murdered during a spirited drive through the mountains of north Ge... read more
Hot Boyz
Marissa Monteilh
There are no siblings more charmed than the Wilson brothers of Ladera Heights, California. Fine and famous pro golfer Mason has money, respect, a beautiful, loving wife and two wonderful teenage children. Claude's the most successful realtor in the "Black Beverly Hills." And handsome, carefree, "baby boy" Torino, who runs big brother Mason's club, Foreplay, can pick and choose the honeys he wa... read more
Simon Low is a rake. His name travels across New York on whispers and titters. Owner of a luxury department store in Manhattan, it’s his job to create desire. He makes women want things. At least, that’s what Chloe Swann’s brothers tell her. But her brothers must have the wrong man. Simon is the most awkward man Chloe has ever met. When Simon visits his brother’s grave at the cemetery managed ... read more
Exit Signs
Patrice Locke
Tracy Price is a serious researcher. Then she meets minor rock star Jesse Elliot and the only question on her mind is, "May I sit on your lap?"He's trying to write a memoir that will bare his soul without invading his privacy and Tracy is trying to track a writer who vanished more than 70 years ago.It all takes place in New Mexico, where Tracy has been happy with her uncomplicated life until J... read more
With a Heart for Any Fate: Hazel’s Memoir
Sharon S. Atkins
Woman’s Suffrage. Influenza epidemic. War. See how those three things impact an ordinary American girl as she comes of age during the early decades of the 20th Century. Follow her journey to independence in this historical memoir based upon diaries written by Hazel Hungerford Howland from 1908-1920. With A Heart for Any Fate reveals the story of Hazel’s determination and perseverance to achiev... read more
And Jericho Burned: Toke Lobo & The Pack
MJ Compton
Lucy Callahan will do anything to rescue her sister from a cult, even marry a werewolf she’s just met. But the werewolves are working undercover for the government, and Lucy fears a confrontation between the agents and the cult could be deadly.Stoker Smith longs to be the best thing that ever happened to his human mate. He wants to take her home, start their family, and compose his music. And ... read more
The Winds of Fate
Elizabeth St. Michel
A woman’s desperate attempt to escape an arranged marriage leads to adventure she never could have imagined in Elizabeth St. Michel’s riveting new novel, The Winds of Fate.Claire Hamilton will do anything to avoid marrying the vile duke to whom her uncle has her betrothed—including marrying convicted felon Dr. Devon Blackmon, a prisoner in Newgate Prison.In retaliation, Claire is banished to t... read more
Missing Inheritance
Ken Herring
JT Lockie and Shawna have to solve the mystery before it's too late as they are swept up in a mystery going back several decades. It starts with the mysterious death of his father and a stranger who appears out to get Shawna. The story centers around stolen art, Colorado gold mines, Russian rubles, murders, and family secrets. JT and Shawna must travel to Italy in search of clues and solve the... read more
Paradise County
Karen Robards
The rolling fields of Shelby County are home to some of the finest horseflesh and bluest blood in Kentucky. With its rural beauty and tranquil lifestyle, it is easy to see why the locals call it Paradise County. But beneath the serene exterior lies a dark underside, and an evil that threatens everyone who touches it. Alexandra Haywood and her younger sister, Neely, have always loved Whistledow... read more
Run For Your Life
Andrea Kane
Bestselling author Andrea Kane delivers a pulsating blend of corruption, seduction, and bone-chilling suspense in one of the most sensational blockbuster thrillers of the year. From its opening scene to its shattering climax, the dark undercurrents of murder and love entwine in her most powerful and edgy novel yet. Manhattan attorney Victoria Kensington is deeply alarmed when she runs into her... read more
Brickhouse
Rita Ewing
Fitness superstar Nona Simms worked hard to make Brickhouse one of the hottest gyms in the city. Now corrupt city politics is coming uptown to Harlem, and Nona's dream is slated for the wrecking ball.Nona's a fighter, though, and she's gathering her friends around her for support against the special interests. However, her handsome business partner, Allen, is weighed down by a shattering secre... read more
Just Before Sunrise
Carla Neggers
Carla Neggers' sizzling novels are loved for their deliciously funny dialogue, electrifying suspense, and heart-stopping romance. Here, the New York Times bestselling author presents a fast-paced, scintillating tale of love, art, and danger.... JUST BEFORE SUNRISE Annie Payne realizes her dream when she moves to San Francisco and opens an art gallery. But when she accepts a secret commission t... read more
Homeplace (Coldwater Cove Book 1)
JoAnn Ross
Contemporary and compelling, the novels of JoAnn Ross draw their power from the laughter and tears that fill women's lives. Now, after her triumphant bestseller A Woman's Heart, she makes a dazzling Pocket Books debut with a richly emotional tale of a woman struggling with her unconventional family...and a deep longing for a love of her own. Fighting legal battles eighty hours a week has left ... read more
The Fortune Teller's Daughter
Susan Wilson
Stunning her free-spirited mother by settling down in a quiet New England community, Sabine, a possessor of psychic abilities, helps unravel a local mystery with the help of Dan Smith, who has returned to the town of his childhood to claim the family business.
The Journal of Callie Wade
Dawn Miller
Dawn Miller's marvelous debut novel is a grand adventure -- and a glorious love story -- experienced with all the passion and yearning of a heroine you'll never forget: eighteen-year-old Callie Wade, whose hopeful heart is as rich with promise as the frontier, which calls her family from their Missouri farm to a new life out West. The Journal Of Callie Wade invites us into a world long vanishe... read more
In this sizzling romantic suspense, the popular author of Into Danger brings together a woman with no past with a man who has given up on his future. Rick Harden, CIA's Task Force Operations Chief, made a mistake ten years ago and his wife paid the ultimate price. He is content to be out of field work and instead play the bureaucrat...until his superior is arrested for treason, and a woman res... read more
Wedding Bell Blues
Robyn Amos
He's everything a girl could want...And everything this girl wants to run from!Moni Lawrence can't believe her good fortune! Thanks to an unexpected inheritance, she's leaving her tiny Virginia hometown in the dust and heading west to spread her wings and fly free. But she makes more of a splash than she intended in San Diego, when she's so distracted by the sight of a naked man, she drives he... read more
What is Forgiven (The Anna Klein Trilogy Book 2)
C.F. Yetmen
2018 IPPY Historical Fiction of the Year, Silver Medalist2018 National Indie Excellence Awards, Finalist2017 Foreword Reviews Book of the Year, Finalist "What is Forgiven is danger, mystery and intrigue wrapped around a love story, but it's much more than that: it's an in-depth study of loyalty, justice and the moral aftermath of the war." Martha Louise Hunter, Author, Painting Juliana At the ... read more
Crossing Boundaries: How One Semester Abroad Changed Lives
Silke Monnie, Mari J Hahn
Silke Monnie and Mari J Hahn met in the kitchen of the German dorm in 1988. Even though they come from different countries, different cultures, and speak different languages, they became fast friends. By taking a chance, crossing a boundary, and being open to new adventures, they changed the course of their lives. A coming of age story for people who love travel, good food, family recipes, and... read more
Fool's Gold: Sam Harris, Book 1
PJ Skinner
A drunk historian, a dodgy entrepreneur, and a lost Inca treasure. Has newly-qualified geologist Sam Harris bitten off more than she can chew? Sam Harris is a woman in a man's world - overlooked and underpaid, but resilient and passionate. Desperate for her first contract, she accepts a job searching for gold deposits in the remote rain forests of Sierramar. When she uncovers a clue to a treas... read more
Heather's Chase: An International Mystery Romance
Odell, Terry
Remnants (A Golden Beach Novel)
Loraine, Kim
The Anna Klein Trilogy
Yetmen, C.F.
Chronicles of Forgiveness
Casey, Thea
Caroline has 38 reviews
Professionalism
Professionalism
Quality
Quality
Value
Value
Communication & Punctuality
Communication & Punctuality
I am having phone/internet problems. Hope to have both resolved soon
Then I’ll read her review & contact her.
Tks Jill Johnston
Jill Johnston, December 2022
I loved working with Caroline! I feel she went above and beyond my expectations. This was my first time working with her and hope to again. I learned a lot from her with even this small review. She came with open honesty and lots of great ideas. Now I'm working to put my learnings to use in the rest of my book. :)
Sue Dillon, November 2022
It was a pleasure to work with Caroline on my debut novel. She is insightful and concise and helped elevate my story to the next level. I hope to work with her again!
Jess Porto, September 2022
Caroline is enthusiastic, professional and determined to help your book become the best in can possibly be. I was excited about her insights into my characters, and her ideas definitely made my story much stronger. I was surprised that she doesn't provide an in-depth written report as part as her services. Instead, she makes little notes throughout the manuscript, then makes herself available t...
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Suzette Bruggeman, August 2022
Caroline helped me on two books, and every single thing she suggested seemed right on target.
Susan Inwood, August 2022
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