George Newman - Editor
Experienced copy editor and proofreader of trade books in a wide variety of genres, for readers of all ages.
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Overview
I'm a retired newspaper copy editor. As a freelancer I've copyedited and proofread books in a variety of genres for adults, young adults, and middle graders, and indexed middle grade history and biography titles.
My personal interests and experience include architecture and building construction, natural history and the environment, agriculture, gardening, forestry, beekeeping . . .
The Portfolio shows some titles I’ve worked on recently, as well as some of my favorites from years past. They're a mixture of books I copyedited and ones I proofread, along with a few I indexed.
Most of my experience has been with traditional book publishers, but I enjoy working directly with authors.
My personal interests and experience include architecture and building construction, natural history and the environment, agriculture, gardening, forestry, beekeeping . . .
The Portfolio shows some titles I’ve worked on recently, as well as some of my favorites from years past. They're a mixture of books I copyedited and ones I proofread, along with a few I indexed.
Most of my experience has been with traditional book publishers, but I enjoy working directly with authors.
Services
Languages
English (US)
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs
Children’s Non-Fiction
History
Fiction
Fantasy
Historical Fiction
Middle Grade
Young Adult
Work experience
Copy editor, proofreader, indexer
freelance
January, 2005
–
Present
(about 18 years)
Copy editor and proofreader of fiction and nonfiction books for adults, young adults, and middle graders; indexing since 2016
Copy editor
The Free Lance-Star
September, 1999
–
December, 2012
(about 13 years)
Copy editor/proofreader for daily newspaper in Fredericksburg, Virginia
Translator, French to English
freelance
January, 1993
–
December, 2000
(almost 8 years)
Translator of nonfiction books for adults and children, patents, regulations, corporate and personal documents. I no longer accept translation jobs, but you’d be surprised how often the experience comes in handy.
Carpenter/contractor
self-employed and for various companies
January, 1976
–
December, 1993
(almost 18 years)
Restoration and preservation of historic buildings, commercial and residential construction and remodeling, custom architectural millwork and cabinetry
Environmentalist
volunteer
January, 1967
–
Present
(about 56 years)
Active with local environmental organizations, especially those involved in river conservation; served on Stafford County (Virginia) Wetlands Board and on Rappahannock State Scenic River Advisory Board
Portfolio (55 selected works)
Polar Bear
Fleming, Candace, Rohmann, Eric
Taking Off: Airborne with Mary Wilkins Ellis
McCully, Emily Arnold
The History of Western Art in Comics Part Two: From the Renaissance to Modern Art
Augustin, Marion, Heitz, Bruno
The History of Western Art in Comics Part One: Prehistory to the Renaissance
Augustin, Marion, Heitz, Bruno
The History of the World in Comics
dePanafieu, Jean-Baptiste, Barman, Adrienne
Viva, Rose!
Susan Krawitz
When thirteen-year-old Rose Solomon's brother, Abe, left El Paso, he told the family he was heading to Brooklyn. But Rose discovers the truth the day she picks up the newspaper at Pickens General Store and spies a group photograph captioned The Southwestern Scourge of 1915! There stands Abe alongside none other than Pancho Villa and his army! Rose is furious about Abe's lie; fearful for his sa... read more
It all begins when Alexander H. Gory Jr. passes around a notebook in which he reveals a tantalizing secret: he has proof that their teacher, Mrs. Penrose, is a vampire. Soon the entire class is speculating and adding their opinions to the notebook until . . . it lands in Mrs. Penrose’s hands. It turns out that Mrs. Penrose has been keeping a secret: she is expecting a baby. But since the noteb... read more
A hilarious and moving memoir of growing up Iranian in America, and the quest to make it in Hollywood without having to wear a turban, tote a bomb, or get kicked in the face by Chuck Norris.When he first started out in show business, Maz Jobrani endured suggestions that he spice up his stand-up act by wearing “the outfit,” fielded questions about rising gas prices, and got called an F’in Eye-r... read more
Promise Land: My Journey through America’s Self-Help Culture
Jessica Lamb-Shapiro
“A funny yet surprisingly nuanced look at the legends and ideas of the self-help industry” (People, 3.5 stars), Promise Land explores the American devotion to self-improvement—even as the author attempts some deeply personal improvements of her own.Raised by a child psychologist who was himself the author of numerous self-help books, as an adult Jessica Lamb-Shapiro found herself both repelled... read more
Unremarried Widow: A Memoir
Artis Henderson
In the tradition of The Year of Magical Thinking and What Remains, this breathtaking memoir by a young Army widow shares her heartbreaking, candid story about recovering from her husband's death.In this powerful memoir, a young woman loses her husband twenty years after her own mother was widowed, and overcomes two generations of tragedy to discover that both hope and love endure. Artis Hender... read more
Big River's Daughter
Bobbi Miller
Raised by her pirate father on a Mississippi keeler, River is a half-feral river rat and proud of it. When her powerful father disappears in the great earthquake of 1811, she is on the run from buccaneers, including Jean Laffite, who hope to claim her father's territory and his buried treasure. But the ruthless rivals do not count on getting a run for their money from a plucky slip of a girl d... read more
Captain Phil Harris: The Legendary Crab Fisherman, Our Hero, Our Dad
Josh Harris, Jake Harris, Blake Chavez, Steve Springer
The exclusive, authorized biography of the late Deadliest Catch star, written by his two sons: “outrageous tales of a man who lived without restraint, like a modern-day mythical figure” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).The electrifying behind-the-scenes story of the Deadliest Catch star, from his own two sons Prior to his untimely death in 2010, Captain Phil Harris was the larger-than-life ... read more
Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad
David A. Adler
Born a slave, Harriet Tubman was determined not toremain one. She escaped from her owners in Maryland onthe Underground Railroad in 1849 and then fearlesslyreturned thirteen times to help guide family membersand others to freedom as the most famous conductor ofthe Underground Railroad. As she proudly claimed, she“never lost a passenger.” Her bravery served her well inthe Union army, where she ... read more
Shadow and Bone (The Grisha Trilogy)
Leigh Bardugo
Enter the Grishaverse with Book One of the Shadow and Bone Trilogy by the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom.Soldier. Summoner. Saint. Orphaned and expendable, Alina Starkov is a soldier who knows she may not survive her first trek across the Shadow Fold―a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters. But when her regiment is attacked, Alina unleashe... read more
Lafayette and the American Revolution
Russell Freedman
When the Marquis de Lafayette ran off to join the American Revolution against the explicit orders of the king of France, he was a strong-willed nineteen-year-old who had never set foot on a battlefield. Although the U.S. Congress granted him an honorary commission only out of respect for his title and wealth, Lafayette quickly earned the respect of his fellow officers with his bravery, devotio... read more
Island War
Giff, Patricia Reilly
I Heard a Sound
Ward, David J., Comstock, Eric
Your Place in the Universe
Chin, Jason
The Ups and Downs of Gravity
Adler, David A., Raff, Anna
The Cruelty
Scott Bergstrom
When Gwendolyn Bloom’s father vanishes, she sets off on a journey she never bargained for. Traveling under a new identity in a world of assassins, spies, and criminal masterminds, she uncovers a disturbing truth. To bring her father back alive, she must become every bit as cruel as the men holding him captive.Taken meets The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Bourne Identity in this action-pa... read more
Autumn 1944. World War II is nearly over in Europe, but in the Pacific, American soldiers face an enemy who will not surrender, despite a massive and mounting death toll. Meanwhile, in Los Alamos, New Mexico, Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer and his team of scientists are preparing to test the deadliest weapon known to mankind. Newly inaugurated president Harry Truman faces the most important politic... read more
A behind-the-scenes exploration of a LEGO master's body of work―for LEGO enthusiasts of all ages.Kids love building with LEGO bricks, and so do "professional kids" like Sean Kenney. After twelve years writing code and designing websites for major corporations, Sean pursued his dream of making LEGO art. The New York Times calls his work the "artistic elite" of LEGO building. Today, Sean has fou... read more
Flashtide: The sequel to Flashfall
Jenny Moyer
Orion has survived the tunnels of Outpost Five, filled with mutant creatures and dangers around every bend. She has traversed the cordons, exposed to the radiation of the flash curtain and hunted by forces that want her stopped, dead or alive. Now, with Dram by her side, she has made it to the safety of the mountain provinces, where free Conjurors live and practice their craft of manipulating ... read more
Bobby Lee Claremont and the Criminal Element
Jeannie Mobley
All aboard for a fast-paced, Jazz Age–era murder mystery set aboard a Chicago-bound train!It’s 1923, and thirteen-year-old Bobby Lee Claremont is leaving the Sisters of Charitable Mercyorphanage in New Orleans, certain a better life awaits in Chicago’s glamorous-sounding mob scene. Buthis plans unravel when he boards his train and meets the recently widowed Nanette O’Halloran, her twotraveling... read more
The Littlest Voyageur
Preus, Margi, Pilgrim, Cheryl
Splintered (Spliced)
Jon McGoran
In the second installment of the SPLICED series, sixteen-year-old Jimi Corcoran risks her life to clear a friend's name--and uncovers the horrific truth about one of the most powerful men in the world.All Jimi wants is pick up the pieces of her life and move on. She never intended to uncover a conspiracy, or become a hero for chimera rights-- she just wanted to protect her best friend, Del. Bu... read more
Hilarious and heartwarming dog stories from nine renowned authors: • Ann M. Martin • Jon Muth • Mark Teague • Margarita Engle • Thacher Hurd • Valerie Hobbs • Matt de la Peña • Pam Muñoz Ryan • Wendy OrrFor young readers who have ever wanted, known or loved a dog, the short stories in this anthology evoke the full spectrum of endearing doggy traits! With stories ordered from easiest to most di... read more
Hide-And-Seek Science: Animal Camouflage
Emma Stevenson
This stunning book looks at how animals use camouflage in seven distinct ecosystems spanning the globe: swamp (Florida Everglades), desert (Africa's Sahara), rain forest (South America's Amazon), savanna (East Africa), deciduous forest (Europe), arctic (North America), and coral reef (Australia's Great Barrier Reef). For each habitat, a lush full-page spread is followed by the key that explain... read more
Lords of Trillium: Book III of the Nightshade Chronicles
Hilary Wagner
When the albino rat Billycan left Trillium at the end of The White Assassin, he fled to the island of Tosca. There, here learns that a former ally, working undercover in Nightshade City, is plotting to free Killdeer's imprisoned evil generals and seize power. He races back to Trillium to join in the coup -- but on which side? So begins the gripping conclusion to Hilary Wagner's Nightshade Chro... read more
The Secret Chicken Society
Judy Cox
When Daniel's class hatches chicks as a science project, he adopts them. When he finds out that his favorite bird, Peepers, isn't a hen but a rooster, and therefore illegal to keep in the city of Portland, the Secret Chicken Society is quickly formed to save Peepers. This warmhearted chapter book about an environmentally-conscious family will provide plenty of clucks and lots of chuckles for y... read more
I'll Meet You There
Heather Demetrios
If Skylar Evans were a typical Creek View girl, her future would involve a double-wide trailer, a baby, and the graveyard shift at Taco Bell. But after graduation, the only thing separating straightedge Skylar from art school is three months of summer… until Skylar's mother loses her job, and Skylar realizes her dreams may be slipping out of reach.Josh had a different escape route: the Marines... read more
Strudel's Forever Home
Martha Freeman
Strudel, a homeless dachshund, loves listening to Jake read from Chief, Dog of the Old West at the animal shelter. When Jake decides to adopt him, Strudel vows to be as brave and loyal as Chief. Only trying to fend off danger in his new home leads to trouble when Strudel makes mistakes such as shredding a "rattlesnake" that is actually a garden hose. But despite Strudel’s humorous miscalculati... read more
Freedom Summer: The 1964 Struggle for Civil Rights in Mississippi
Rubin, Susan Goldman
The Safest Lie
Angela Cerrito
In 1940, nine-year-old Anna Bauman and her parents are among 300,000 Polish Jews struggling to survive the wretched conditions in the Warsaw ghetto. Anna draws the attention of Jolanta (the code name for the real-life Resistance spy Irena Sendler, who smuggled hundreds of children out of the ghetto.) Jolanta wants to help Anna escape. Anna’s mother drills her day and night, teaching her a new ... read more
Two Brothers, Four Hands
Jan Greenberg, Sandra Jordan
The inspiring true story of the Giacometti brothers, one an artist, the other a daredevil, both devoted to their craft . . . but even more devoted to each other.Everyone who knew them agreed. Alberto was the genius of the family. His younger brother Diego was his opposite--he didn't care much for books or schoolwork, and he had no idea what he would be when he grew up. But despite their differ... read more
Buried Lives: The Enslaved People of George Washington's Mount Vernon
Carla Killough McClafferty
An illuminating look at the complex relationships between George Washington and the enslaved people of Mount Vernon, and the history still being uncovered there.When he was eleven years old, George Washington inherited ten human beings. His own life has been well chronicled, but the lives of the people he owned--the people who supported his plantation and were buried in unmarked graves there--... read more
It's 1941 and ten-year-old Norman Mineta is a carefree fourth grader in San Jose, California, who loves baseball, hot dogs, and Cub Scouts. But when Japanese forces attack Pearl Harbor, Norm's world is turned upside down.One by one, things that he and his Japanese American family took for granted are taken away. In a matter of months they, along with everyone else of Japanese ancestry living o... read more
Above and Beyond: NASA's Journey to Tomorrow
Discovery, Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
Since NASA was established in 1958, it has landed rovers on distant planets and launched telescopes deep into space―all so that we can look back to the beginning of time.Through stunning images provided by NASA and fascinating profiles and sidebars of lesser known contributors to the NASA program, young space fans will learn how NASA started, how it faced challenges along the way, how much it ... read more
Bringing Down A President: The Watergate Scandal
Andrea Balis, Elizabeth Levy
A middle-grade retelling of Richard Nixon's downfall, Bringing Down A President: The Watergate Scandal is an inventive and timely look at one of the biggest scandals to ever rock our nation by Andrea Balis and Elizabeth Levy, featuring graphic novel style illustrations by Tim Foley.Comprised almost completely of primary source quotes (good thing Nixon's recorder was on) and interspersed with c... read more
The Hand That Takes: Fall of the Coward, Book One
Taylor O'Connell
A Magical Artifact. A Violent Crime Syndicate. A Thief, in over his head…Salvatori Lorenzo seeks to make his place in the world, but first he must survive the mean streets of Dijvois. In a city run by gangsters, a life of crime is nothing short of ordinary, especially to a young thief living in Low Town.Opportunity comes knocking after Sal is tasked with the theft of a magical locket. When the... read more
Resist!: Peaceful Acts That Changed Our World
Stanley, Diane
Give Us the Vote!: Over Two Hundred Years of Fighting for the Ballot
Rubin, Susan Goldman
Peter's War: A Boy's True Story of Survival in World War II Europe
Ruelle, Karen Gray, Durland DeSaix, Deborah
Surprising Spies: Unexpected Heroes of World War II
Ruelle, Karen Gray
A young reader’s adaptation of The New York Times bestsellerFollow researcher Carl Safina as he treks with a herd of elephants across the Kenyan landscape, then travel with him to the Pacific Northwest to track and monitor whales in their ocean home. Along the way, find out more about the interior lives of these giants of land and sea―how they play, how they fight, and how they communicate wit... read more
The true story of the all-black high school basketball team that broke the color barrier in segregated 1950s Indiana, masterfully told by National Book Award winner Phil Hoose.By winning the state high school basketball championship in 1955, ten teens from an Indianapolis school meant to be the centerpiece of racially segregated education in the state shattered the myth of their inferiority. T... read more
Super Women: Six Scientists Who Changed the World
Laurie Lawlor
”Inspiring profiles of six 20th-century trailblazers.”―Kirkus Reviews Super Women celebrates the scientific as well as the social significance of six incredible women who broke new ground with their research, busted through glass ceilings with their careers, and advanced humanity's understanding of our world in the process. These amazing women defied prejudice to succeed in the sciences using ... read more
Finding Langston
Lesa Cline-Ransome
In a debut historical novel about the Great Migration a boy discovers Chicago's postwar South Side and the poetry of Langston Hughes. When 11-year-old Langston's mother dies in 1946, he and his father leave rural Alabama for Chicago's brown belt as a part of what came to be known as the Great Migration. It's lonely in the small apartment with just the two of them, and at school Langston is bul... read more
Song for Jimi: The Story of Guitar Legend Jimi Hendrix
Smith Jr., Charles R., Rodriguez, Edel
Daughter of the White Rose
Zahler, Diane
Brown v. Board of Education: A Fight for Simple Justice
Susan Goldman Rubin
In 1954, one of the most significant Supreme Court decisions of the twentieth Century aimed to end school segregation in the United States. Although known as Brown v. Board of Education, the ruling applied not just to the case of Linda Carol Brown, an African American third grader refused entry to an all-white Topeka, Kansas school, but to cases involving children in South Carolina, Delaware, ... read more
Vietnam: A History of the War
Russell Freedman
In an enthralling book, Newbery Medalist Russell Freedman provides a succinct account of perhaps the most puzzling and contentious of America’s wars. Describing how a superpower caught up in Cold War politics became increasingly enmeshed in a conflict over 8,000 miles away, he then explains why twenty years later an exit was so difficult. In words and photographs he chronicles the unfolding ev... read more
The Polliwog Fields
Jeremy Owen
A novel set in the seaside town of Astoria, Oregon, based on our true stories and the lies we told our mother to cover those stories up. Through our adventures we uncover a realm of real magic, magic that can be held in your hand as well as your hearts. A magic that takes us on a quest to save our little brother from a thing called autism and on a search for the power of the Pond Dragon King. ... read more
Little Papers Are Journalism Too
Kathleen Hoffman
There has been a world of change in journalism in the last fifty or so years. This is the story of a small-town reporter and editor’s journey through the changes, as papers switched from Linotype machines to a succession of computerized methods and went from family owned to conglomerate controlled. It’s also a close-up look at a small Virginia town and surrounding counties that had more than t... read more
George has 4 reviews
Professionalism
Professionalism
Quality
Quality
Value
Value
Communication & Punctuality
Communication & Punctuality
George was great to work with. He pointed out some discrepancies in my manuscript that I had overlooked. He made some good suggestions and I was very happy with the finished manuscript.
C. Jones, August 2020
Reply from George Newman
George took time to learn about every aspect of the material. His edit sugestions kept with the voice of the characters and he checked even the most obscure details. I would enjoy working with him again;
Jeremy Owen, November 2019
Reply from George Newman
George was excellent. He was professional, prompt, and willing to explain each step of the process with the gentle hand of an expert. He truly seemed to care about the end result of the project. I would recommend him to anyone that is willing to accept good advice.
Taylor O'Connell, June 2019
Reply from George Newman
George has been an excellent collaborator, fulfilling the contract but then going beyond by continuing to discuss the project and help me work through some of the more complicated changes. Since my book is about newspapers, and both George and I were newspaper people, we speak the same language and are in sync on journalistic issues. Some of his clarifications on theses issues have been invalua...
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Kathleen Hoffman, June 2018
Reply from George Newman
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Scott Sugarman
Editor with nine years' experience in college and trade nonfiction publishing, specializing in history and psychology.
New York, NY, USA
Fiona McLaren
Shaping novels into the best version of an author's vision. Former clients published by HarperTeen, Macmillan, and more. US and UK markets.
Limassol, Cyprus
