Hillary Sames

Hillary Sames – Editor

Freelance editor specializing in fantasy, sci-fi, YA/NA, and romance. 5+ years editorial experience at a Big 5 publisher in NYC.

Overview

I am a former acquiring editor from Orbit Books at Hachette Book Group, where I specialized in fantasy, sci-fi, and speculative fiction. I adore all subgenres of fantasy, but my favorites include epic fantasy, adventure fantasy, romantic fantasy, fairytale retellings, and dark fantasy. In the science fiction space, I love space opera, adventure stories, and any book that explores topics relating to AI and aliens. I'm also well read in and interested to work on novels in the Young Adult, New Adult, and romance space with similar themes.

I know you have a story that you want to tell, and I'm here to help you translate that vision onto the page so that your voice and your characters shine. It's always been my belief that an editor should be an author's first and biggest fan, and together we can work to bring your story to life!


TESTIMONIALS

“[Hillary] occupies that rarest of nexuses in the industry — genre savvy, commercially astute, and a genuine pleasure to work with. I would recommend her without hesitation.”

— Richard Swan, author of THE JUSTICE OF KINGS


“Hillary was a pleasure to work with but what I really treasured was her insight on my manuscript. She truly immersed herself in the world I created; honing in on everything from worldbuilding inconsistencies to story-spanning character arcs and plot payoffs. Her editing allowed me to realize my story's strengths and shore up its weaknesses. In the end, her work brought my book to the next level.”

— Alexander Darwin, author of THE COMBAT CODES


“Hillary's notes really helped improve my books, especially THE DRAGON OF JIN-SAYENG. I absolutely recommend working with her!”

— K. S. Villoso, author of THE WOLF OF OREN-YARO




Services
Fiction
Fantasy New Adult Paranormal Romance Science Fiction Young Adult Fantasy
Languages
English (AUS) English (CAN) English (UK) English (US)

Work experience

Self-employed

Mar, 2022 — Present

Orbit Books at Hachette Book Group

Aug, 2019 — Mar, 2022 (over 2 years)

Orbit Books at Hachette Book Group

Nov, 2017 — Jul, 2019 (over 1 year)

BookPeople

Aug, 2016 — Nov, 2017 (over 1 year)

Hillary has 20 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Jordan D.

Jordan D.

Apr, 2023

This is my second time working with Hillary, and I will never stop singing her praises. She worked on my first novel around six months ago and still remembered my characters and the key points of the story I wanted to tell for this series. She was incredibly thorough and I know my novel couldn't have been in better hands. I will continue to recommend her to anyone looking for an amazing editor!
S. A. C.

S. A. C.

Apr, 2023

Hillary...our sherpa on the mountain that is authoring a novel. A compass guiding us through the murky waters of writing. Our GPS with the voice of an angel, if you will. Had it not been for her tender words of encouragement gently critiquing our book baby, our fragile writer egos would have coiled away like the legs of the Wicked Witch of the East. Hillary was professional in spite of our (c...
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Amelia D.

Amelia D.

Jan, 2023

Hillary was amazing at editing my first novel. She was prompt, professional, and gave me incredibly detailed to make my book the best it could be!
Laura B.

Laura B.

Nov, 2022

I am so glad I chose Hillary to complete the editorial assessment of my book. Her summary was very in depth and thorough and her suggestions spot on. I can tell she really gave some thought into my novel regarding it's strengths and weaknesses and what I can do to improve my writing and the storyline. I can say with total confidence that Hillary's recommendations made my novel better and I will...
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Jordan D.

Jordan D.

Nov, 2022

It was absolutely fantastic working with Hillary. As a first-time author, she made me feel very at ease with the process. Her editorial assessment was thorough, and I felt she genuinely understood my characters and the story I wanted to tell. I highly recommend her and can not say enough wonderful things about our collaboration.

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