Overview
Specializing in copy editing and developmental editing, I've worked in a wide variety of genres but especially historical/period fiction, where my history interests and fact-checking journalism background particularly shine. I also welcome sci-fi, travel, nature books and YA novels. I have more than 30 years' experience in editing, as a book editor and, in a previous life, at newspapers in the US and Canada, as well as degrees in English lit and journalism and university-level credentials in publishing, with an emphasis on line and copy editing. My goal is to be your most honest but encouraging critic. I truly enjoy the collaborative process of helping writers make their work the very best it can be. By the way, I don't use AI, ever; literature is a human art and robotic editing, in my experience, renders it lifeless. Small quirks and imperfections bring life to an author's work, like those ancient weavers who intentionally left a mistake in their rugs to humbly acknowledge their humanity. That said, I can ensure meticulous copy editing that truly helps your writing sing. Let's chat about your project!
Services
Fiction
Coming of Age
Fantasy
Historical Fiction
Historical Romance
Science Fiction
Non-Fiction
Nature
Travel
Languages
English (CAN)
English (US)
Work experience
Self-employed
Nov, 2016 —
Present
Since returning to my first love, books, full time, I've created my own company to provide copy editing, proofing, and developmental editing for selected projects, including a variety of novel and nonfiction genres. I've worked with several small publishers and am a regular nonfiction editor for Hancock House, a Vancouver publisher. I work with novelists almost exclusively via Reedsy.
Toronto Star
Jul, 1999 —
Sep, 2016
(about 17 years)
Supervised writers from interns to pros, worked with them on developing story ideas and refining their writing, ensured stories were free of mechanical errors and legal issues.
Orange County Register
Oct, 1990 —
Jul, 1999
(over 8 years)
Portfolio
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
When John's mother let her nine-year-old boy leave her home in Salem, Massachusetts and board a merchant ship bound for Mocha in Yemen, she had no idea that it would be a one-way journey for h... read more
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
She’s been raised to be a slave, sold to the highest bidder. He’s been raised to be a soldier in a military experiment. Now a world unknown to them awaits, but can this new world handle them?G... read more
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
A religious cult, militia conspirators, and an FBI standoff. Can a nine-year-old girl survive them all? Sophia's mom has been promised Zion after meeting and marrying a fanatic religious cult ... read more
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Heritage Churches of the Indigenous Peoples of British Columbia - chronicles existing church structures that dot the Indigenous landscape across what was once, a wild frontier and a thriving f... read more
Copy Editing
If you dream of packing up your four-wheeler, your snow boots and camera, and setting off to explore the wilderness, A Lap Around Alaska will give you a rare glimpse into the Land of the Midni... read more
Copy Editing
Have you ever wanted to quit your job, jump in the car with the person you love the most, and see what's around the next bend in the road? I did. My wife and I were crazy enough to quit good j... read more
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
In this hilarious sequel to A Graves Undertaking, Londoner Benjamin “Bennie” Graves, having adjusted to the unique ways of Vaca Seca, the tiny northern New Mexico town where he now runs the Do... read more
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
On the verge of 18, Mika is preparing, with the help of her kindly uncle Sam, to run away from the circus where she toils as a member of the despised, magic-less class known as the Filth. Then... read more
Copy Editing
What's your blood worth? In a world with skyrocketing inflation and unemployment, blood has become a new commodity and the rarer your blood type, the more it's worth. After losing her job at W... read more
Copy Editing
Spend less on what you don’t care about and more on what you do.Ready to make peace with your budget? You can save and still enjoy your best life! This quick read is packed with simple ways to... read more
Copy Editing
What happens when the world's most beloved holiday falls into the hands of communists? Life in the North Pole isn’t quite what it’s cracked up to be. Ever since Santa and his toy sweatshop mov... read more
Copy Editing
A candid memoir of an introvert's international search for his faith, family, and belongingBeing given away for adoption just days after being born left a mystery around Scott Sullivan's life ... read more
Copy Editing
Henry was the first Newfoundland dog I adopted from rescue. Then there was Georgie, Charlie, Kiki and now Buddy.With Henry’s passing, Kiki and Buddy are a new generation of adopted Newfoundlan... read more
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Kiera breaks the law every time she uses her power to heal. She’s a human, ruled by the corrupt and powerful fae, and they allow the right to wield magic only for themselves. But the power wit... read more
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Developmental Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
“Therefore I did obey the voice of the Spirit, and took Laban by the hair of the head, and I smote off his head with his own sword.” (1 Nephi 4: 18)A murder without a suspect...... a country o... read more
Copy Editing
How far must a man go to outrun the sins of war?The year is 2062. Somewhere between Earth and Mars, the deep-space freighter Odysseus travels toward the asteroid belt on a routine cargo haul. Paul Owens—formerly one of the military’s most elite augmented soldi... read more
EDEN QUEST, Before the Beginning:Lucifer’s rebellion has cast the entire universe into chaos.Millions of innocent lives have been subjected to futility, corruption, and slavery. Lucifer's fail... read more
Copy Editing
★★★★★ 'An OMG, Freaking-Fantastic, Unputdownable, Unmissable, Unforgettable, Running-Out-Of-Superlatives, One-Click Thriller'★★★★★ 'Hands down, the best thriller of the year'What if the lone-w... read more
Copy Editing
Are you living your dream life? CBAR is a handbook for people looking to imagine and fulfill their life dreams. Learn and understand... ▪️Your life purpose ▪️The power of your mind, paradigms ... read more
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
The Indigenous peoples who once inhabited New England as long as 10,000 years ago left behind many artifacts that are of particular interest to the archaeologist studying early Indigenous cult... read more
Copy Editing
Why would a Colorado rancher sell the home place—the ranch his family had owned and operated for four generations—and move the entire operation to a remote 300,000-acre spread in British Colum... read more
Copy Editing
Being part of the Midwest Pack isn’t easy—especially now.Sky’s life has never been simple—and it only gets more complicated. The Alphas, Ethan, and several key players in the otherworld go mis... read more
Proofreading
BETH AND MEGHAN PETERSEN HAVE NEVER LOST A CASE. THERE'S ALWAYS A FIRST TIME, THOUGHIt starts off with the twins protecting Angie Konstantin and investigating who's behind the attempts on the ... read more
Copy Editing
Through simple words and illustrations, this book presents a powerful, practical and visionary model for community healing. It outlines a healing process for individuals and communities that i... read more
Copy Editing
The Cooper's Hawk presents the general reader and professional biologists interested in birds and nature, with an authoritative account of the breeding biology of the what is perhaps the most ... read more
Copy Editing
A TERRORIST INTENT ON DESTRUCTION. HIS TARGET, NEW YORK'S G20 SUMMIT. HIS WEAPON, FIREWhen an assassin burns innocents in New York, Zeb Carter knows they aren't the acts of a random killer.Tha... read more
Copy Editing
The thrilling conclusion to the Advent Trilogy from Terry Schott!It began in the Ward and continued in the Source. Now see how it all ends in the Exception.Will Alex and Gudrun succeed, or has centuries of planning, scheming and manipulation been for nothing?
From the author of the Game is Life series, comes a brand new Trilogy that begins in the Wardand continues here, in the Source...Visit the Source world and see how the story began ...
Copy Editing
Copy Editing
Alex WolfsonLegendary titan of business and industry around the globe.Said to possess a net worth greater than the twenty wealthiest countries in the world.It is rumoured that his control over world leaders and governments is absolute.An icon of his age, a nam... read more
ASSASSINATING THE PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATORS WAS THE BEGINNING. NOTHING WOULD BE THE SAME AGAIN'You know what's happened?' Avichai Levin, Director of Mossad, was grim.Zeb Carter nodded. Mossad was accused of assassinating Palestinian negotiators.'You've seen the ... read more
A humorous and pithy guide to the craft of writing a screenplay and the business of being a screenwriter.Seeing your name on the silver screen beneath the words "Written By" is a moment most writers only dream of. But for those daring and talented few, brave e... read more
HUMANITY NEEDS A HERO. IT GETS A THIEFYear 5050.Earth is a radioactive wasteland. The few million humans who survived, escaped to Calara, a planet in the Icarus Galaxy.Life on the new planet hasn't turned out the way they hoped.Their President, a sentient AI, ... read more
THERE'S NO MANUAL TO SAVING THE UNIVERSEWhen the Dracons show up, the Neathans have no choice but to fight back. There's is a losing war however. The invaders are the most advanced species in the universe, their weapons systems and technology is ahead of that ... read more
THE WILDERNESS ISN'T READY FOR ZEB CARTERThe remote wilderness of Idaho has become home to Namir, the most wanted terrorist in the world, who is planning a vicious attack on America.Zeb Carter is in the same jungle. He has to protect an innocent, stop Namir, a... read more
Beta Testing Continues...With Fen as his guide, Isaac enters Blades VR, hoping to find Sebastian and fix the game before it crashes.Seabastian and his friends discover that NPCs are suddenly driven to kill every player they meet.And a godling stands in front o... read more
Why do only a small percentage of people rise to the very top of their fields while the majority barely cope with their stress? Why do some entrepreneurs remain optimistic and filled with boundless energy, while most become exhausted, overwhelmed, and burned o... read more
The players gather...They crave adventure, but what kind?The game's creator continues to search for his missing partner who may be the only person capable of stopping the digital world from crumbling around those immersed in it.And what about the Scouts?Who ar... read more
Mоѕt ѕuссеѕѕful еntrерrеnеurѕ ѕееm tо hаvе paved their wау to ѕuссеѕѕ bу unlосking ѕоmе special secret. Oftеn, it iѕ a wоndеr hоw these еntrерrеnеurѕ were able to visualize new соnсерts and consistently climb thе ladder to ѕuссеѕѕ. The key lies in recognizing ... read more
This guide provides insights for how business managers measure and monitor the financial health of their businesses. Managers will understand that neglecting to take control of their business’ revenue, risks and returns are sure recipes for mediocre performanc... read more
All Michael Hollister wanted was death.What he got was time travel.Convicted of murder, and with nothing left to live for, Michael commits suicide in his jail cell in 1977, then opens his eyes in 1966, in his eight year old body, all memories of his previous l... read more
Betrayed by Akem and ambushed by his army of monsters in the deadly jungle, I allow the vampire horde to capture me so my mate can escape. The consequences are direr than I thought. Determined to make me hers, the vampire princess pumps half of her black blood... read more
A story of homesickness, surprise friendships, and learning that your place in this world is often more important than you thought.Eleven-year-old Ardith is forced to leave her homeland of Sweden when her father is stationed as king over conquered Estonia. At ... read more
Scott Massey shares his story in the hopes that others who have experienced bullying and addiction may benefit.
A cursed daughter. A stolen son. Time is running out. When her brother is kidnapped, Cassie Goodlight is determined to save him--even if it means learning the magic that nearly destroyed her mother. But how can she beat a shape-shifting sea goblin that taunts ... read more
Doreen has 86 reviews
Professionalism
Quality
Value
Responsiveness
Joseph V.
Nov, 2025
Tracy R.
Nov, 2025
Annette O.
Nov, 2025
Terence D.
Aug, 2025
Cliff L.
Jun, 2025
Sign up to read more reviews
Create a free Reedsy account to connect with Doreen and thousands of other publishing professionals on Reedsy.
Most recent contributions
What are the most overused character clichés writers should avoid?
Green eyes. And eyes that glow, that swirl, that change color, have flecks that dance, and can be seen from absurd distances. Fantasy books are full of this stuff. It gets tiresome. And while we're at it, does every feisty female have to have red hair?
Beyond word count, what factors influence editing quotes and pricing?
For me, word count and quality of the manuscript are equally important in setting pricing for a copy editing assignment. I like to introduce myself to a potential author client with a sample edit of about 1000 words of their sample manuscript. I time how long it takes me to do a decent line edit ...
Read more
