Jaimee Garbacik

Jaimee Garbacik - Editor

New York, NY, USA

Editor with an agency background and fifteen years' experience, specializing in literary and commercial fiction, essay collections, and YA.

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Overview

Over a fifteen-year career in publishing, I have been privileged to edit for New York Times bestselling authors, Caldecott Honor and Emmy Award recipients, and some of the world’s foremost scientists. Before freelancing, I handled editorial development for a major New York literary agency, serving more than 200 clients worldwide. I enjoy working on literary and commercial fiction, young adult (YA) fiction, essay collections, long-form journalism, and LGBTQ and gender studies. I'm also the author of a widely taught book about the evolution of gender roles, and the curator/editor of the Ghosts of Seattle Past anthology. As a published author with broad agency and editorial expertise, I can deliver both the empathy writers want and the critical eye they need. My mission is to enhance authors’ innate voices while never pummeling sentences for sport.

Endorsements:

“Jaimee has impressed me with the depth and precision of her insights. She knows what publishers want, and knows how to communicate those expectations to writers. If you’re looking for an excellent editor, look no further.”
--Damon DiMarco, New York Times bestselling author of Heart of War: Soldiers’ Voices From the Front Lines in Iraq (Citadel); coauthor of My Two Chinas: The Memoir of a Chinese Counter-Revolutionary with Baiquiao Tang (Prometheus)

“Working with Jaimee has been inspirational. More than just an editor, she has become a treasured confidant who made me rethink both my storytelling skills and writing style. Her criticisms are always insightful, constructive, and right on the money. She’s helped me sharpen my characters and plotline and rework the core meaning of my first novel to better reflect my true inner voice. Her style is strong, straightforward, and clearly conveyed in both her written notes and telephone conversations. I value her suggestions and know her editing skills will make any book oh so much better!”
--Jeffrey L. Diamond, six-time Emmy Award-winning television writer and producer, journalist and creator of Dateline NBC, author of Live to Air (Greenleaf Book Group)

“In the years that Jaimee served as an editor for The Literary Group International, I was continually impressed by her dedication to cultivating authors’ voices, her consistent work ethic, and her attention to detail. She has helped many of my clients to develop bare concepts into polished manuscripts and book proposals that sold to major publishers. Jaimee has the unique ability to identify potential in a very rough draft, and articulate exactly what it will need to bring an author’s work to a publishable level. Balancing professionalism with her enthusiasm about the written word, Jaimee was a tremendous asset to our agency.”
--Frank Weimann, Director of Operations and Senior VP, Folio Literary Management; Founder and Former President, The Literary Group International

Languages
English (US)
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs
Humanities & Social Sciences
LGBTQ Non-Fiction
Political Science & Current Affairs
Fiction
Literary Fiction
Short Story
Thriller & Suspense
Young Adult

Certifications

  • Certificate in Editing, University of Washington

Work experience

Owner, Editor

Self-employed
November, 2009 – Present (over 13 years)

I offer developmental editing, manuscript evaluations, and consult on fiction and nonfiction book manuscripts for writers, agents, and publishers. I also evaluate, develop, line edit, and consult on book proposals and collateral, including query letters. From positioning book concepts for the current publishing market, to lending creative support for professionals who wish to establish themselves as subject-matter experts, I wear many hats to help authors reach their intended audience. My favorite editorial role is assisting fiction writers with world building and character development.

Editor

The Literary Group International
August, 2006 – November, 2009 (over 3 years)

At LGI (now merged with Folio Literary Management), I provided developmental and substantive editing for fiction, YA, and children’s manuscripts. I developed commercial nonfiction proposals with leading scientists and journalists, including researching and writing, line editing, proofreading, and general project management. I also scouted talent and pitched book concepts to authors, academics, celebrities, and publishers.

Portfolio (24 selected works)

The Second Winter

Craig Larsen

**An Indie Excellence Award Winner**“A great historical novel, a touching family saga, and a noir wartime thriller all rolled into one terrific narrative.” —Lee Child, New York Times best-selling authorSet in Denmark in the darkest days of World War II, THE SECOND WINTER is a cinematic novel that, in its vivid portrayal of a family struggling to survive the German occupation, both captures a s... read more

**An Indie Excellence Award Winner**“A great historical novel, a touching family saga, and a noir wartime thriller all rolled into one terrific narrative.” —Lee Child, New York Times best-selling authorSet in Denmark in the darkest days of World War II, THE SECOND WINTER is a cinematic novel that, in its vivid portrayal of a family struggling to survive the German occupation, both captures a s... read more

Raising the Perfect Child Through Guilt and Manipulation

Elizabeth Beckwith

Popular actress and stand-up comedienne Elizabeth Beckwith gives us the parenting guide to end all parenting guides: Raising the Perfect Child through Guilt and Manipulation. A frequent guest on The Late, Late Show and one of seven comics featured in the Time magazine article, “Funny: The Next Generation,” Beckwith now puts forth a hilarious new parenting philosophy that would shock Dr. Spock ... read more

Popular actress and stand-up comedienne Elizabeth Beckwith gives us the parenting guide to end all parenting guides: Raising the Perfect Child through Guilt and Manipulation. A frequent guest on The Late, Late Show and one of seven comics featured in the Time magazine article, “Funny: The Next Generation,” Beckwith now puts forth a hilarious new parenting philosophy that would shock Dr. Spock ... read more

The Hollow Gods

A. J. Vrana

Rich with folklore and paranormal intrigue, The Hollow Gods is an atmospheric supernatural thriller that will satisfy lovers of Maggie Stiefvater's THE RAVEN BOYS, especially those craving a fable with a darker touch. hr Black Hollow is a town with a dark secret. For centuries, residents have foretold the return of the Dreamwalker—an ominous figure from local folklore said to lure young women ... read more

Rich with folklore and paranormal intrigue, The Hollow Gods is an atmospheric supernatural thriller that will satisfy lovers of Maggie Stiefvater's THE RAVEN BOYS, especially those craving a fable with a darker touch. hr Black Hollow is a town with a dark secret. For centuries, residents have foretold the return of the Dreamwalker—an ominous figure from local folklore said to lure young women ... read more

Feeding Fascism

Diana Garvin

Feeding Fascism explores how women negotiated the politics of Italy’s Fascist regime in their daily lives and how they fed their families through agricultural and industrial labour. The book looks at women’s experiences of Fascism by examining the material world in which they lived in relation to their thoughts, feelings, and actions. Over the past decade, Diana Garvin has conducted extensive ... read more

Feeding Fascism explores how women negotiated the politics of Italy’s Fascist regime in their daily lives and how they fed their families through agricultural and industrial labour. The book looks at women’s experiences of Fascism by examining the material world in which they lived in relation to their thoughts, feelings, and actions. Over the past decade, Diana Garvin has conducted extensive ... read more

My Dream of Stars: From Daughter of Iran to Space Pioneer

Anousheh Ansari, Homer Hickam

In her heartwarming and empowering memoir, space pioneer Anousheh Ansari tells the story of her childhood in Iran and her family's exodus to America after the Islamic Revolution. After settling down in Texas, Anousheh built a computer technology firm from the ground up, which eventually realized a net worth of $750 million and ultimately allowed her to achieve her childhood dream of spacefligh... read more

In her heartwarming and empowering memoir, space pioneer Anousheh Ansari tells the story of her childhood in Iran and her family's exodus to America after the Islamic Revolution. After settling down in Texas, Anousheh built a computer technology firm from the ground up, which eventually realized a net worth of $750 million and ultimately allowed her to achieve her childhood dream of spacefligh... read more

My Body Is a Book of Rules

Elissa Washuta

As Elissa Washuta makes the transition from college kid to independent adult, she finds herself overwhelmed by the calamities piling up in her brain. When her mood-stabilizing medications aren’t threatening her life, they’re shoving her from depression to mania and back in the space of an hour. Her crisis of American Indian identity bleeds into other areas of self-doubt; mental illness, sexual... read more

As Elissa Washuta makes the transition from college kid to independent adult, she finds herself overwhelmed by the calamities piling up in her brain. When her mood-stabilizing medications aren’t threatening her life, they’re shoving her from depression to mania and back in the space of an hour. Her crisis of American Indian identity bleeds into other areas of self-doubt; mental illness, sexual... read more

The Dinosaur Hunter: A Novel

Homer Hickam

"A fascinating thriller, well crafted and relentless ... A cross between Tony Hillerman and Larry McMurtry, this is one hell of a good read."--Douglas Preston, author of Tyrannosaur Canyon and BlasphemyThe cowboys who work on the ranchlands of Montana expect more than their fair share of trouble. One of them is Mike Wire, a former homicide detective. Mike is about to learn murder and mayhem ca... read more

"A fascinating thriller, well crafted and relentless ... A cross between Tony Hillerman and Larry McMurtry, this is one hell of a good read."--Douglas Preston, author of Tyrannosaur Canyon and BlasphemyThe cowboys who work on the ranchlands of Montana expect more than their fair share of trouble. One of them is Mike Wire, a former homicide detective. Mike is about to learn murder and mayhem ca... read more

Blood Secrets: Chronicles of a Crime Scene Reconstructionist

Rod Englert, Kathy Passero

Blood Secrets reveals how forensic experts read the story of a murder told in the traces of blood left behind, providing crucial evidence that has helped convict criminals who might have otherwise walked free.When Rod Englert began his career in law enforcement, virtually no police force in the world knew how to correctly examine blood spatter. He spent years studying and testing how blood beh... read more

Blood Secrets reveals how forensic experts read the story of a murder told in the traces of blood left behind, providing crucial evidence that has helped convict criminals who might have otherwise walked free.When Rod Englert began his career in law enforcement, virtually no police force in the world knew how to correctly examine blood spatter. He spent years studying and testing how blood beh... read more

Churchill's Folly: How Winston Churchill Created Modern Iraq

Christopher Catherwood

As Britain's colonial secretary in the 1920s, Winston Churchill made a mistake with calamitous consequences and unseen repercussions extending into the twenty-first century. Christopher Catherwood, scholar and adviser to Tony Blair's government, examines Churchill's creation of the artificial monarchy of Iraq after World War One, forcing together unfriendly peoples—Sunni Muslim Kurds and Arabs... read more

As Britain's colonial secretary in the 1920s, Winston Churchill made a mistake with calamitous consequences and unseen repercussions extending into the twenty-first century. Christopher Catherwood, scholar and adviser to Tony Blair's government, examines Churchill's creation of the artificial monarchy of Iraq after World War One, forcing together unfriendly peoples—Sunni Muslim Kurds and Arabs... read more

All-Pro Diet

Tony Gonzalez, Mitzi Dulan

A perennial Pro-Bowler, NFL tight end Tony Gonzalez has been an unstoppable force for all of his 12 years in the NFL. But for a long time, he ate like an average American: red meat, pizza, fast food, whatever was plentiful and convenient. Concerned about his long-term, post-career health, Tony decided to change his diet. With the help of Mitzi Dulan, nutritionist for the Kansas City Chiefs and... read more

A perennial Pro-Bowler, NFL tight end Tony Gonzalez has been an unstoppable force for all of his 12 years in the NFL. But for a long time, he ate like an average American: red meat, pizza, fast food, whatever was plentiful and convenient. Concerned about his long-term, post-career health, Tony decided to change his diet. With the help of Mitzi Dulan, nutritionist for the Kansas City Chiefs and... read more

Red Helmet

Homer Hickam

Song Hawkins is a beautiful, tough, but lonely New York City businesswoman who thinks she's met the man of her dreams in Cable Jordan, the superintendent of a West Virginia coal mine. But soon after they impulsively marry, Song realizes they're in big trouble. She can't imagine life outside of New York, and Cable has no intention of leaving his beloved town of Highcoal. Song's visit to the lit... read more

Song Hawkins is a beautiful, tough, but lonely New York City businesswoman who thinks she's met the man of her dreams in Cable Jordan, the superintendent of a West Virginia coal mine. But soon after they impulsively marry, Song realizes they're in big trouble. She can't imagine life outside of New York, and Cable has no intention of leaving his beloved town of Highcoal. Song's visit to the lit... read more

Dancing with the Devil: Confessions of an Undercover Agent

Louis Diaz, Neal Hirschfeld

IN AMERICAN GANGSTER, THE FEDS TOOK DOWN INFAMOUS HEROIN DEALER FRANK LUCAS. BUT THE KINGPIN BEHIND LUCAS’S CRIMINAL REIGN, LEROY “NICKY” BARNES, REMAINED “MR. UNTOUCHABLE.” UNTIL ONE UNDERCOVER AGENT PROVED TOUGH ENOUGH—OR CRAZY ENOUGH—TO INFILTRATE HIS DOMAIN AND NAIL THE MOST DANGEROUS DRUG CZAR IN AMERICAN HISTORY. Growing up in Red Hook, Brooklyn, where physical violence was a daily reali... read more

IN AMERICAN GANGSTER, THE FEDS TOOK DOWN INFAMOUS HEROIN DEALER FRANK LUCAS. BUT THE KINGPIN BEHIND LUCAS’S CRIMINAL REIGN, LEROY “NICKY” BARNES, REMAINED “MR. UNTOUCHABLE.” UNTIL ONE UNDERCOVER AGENT PROVED TOUGH ENOUGH—OR CRAZY ENOUGH—TO INFILTRATE HIS DOMAIN AND NAIL THE MOST DANGEROUS DRUG CZAR IN AMERICAN HISTORY. Growing up in Red Hook, Brooklyn, where physical violence was a daily reali... read more

My Two Chinas: The Memoir of a Chinese Counterrevolutionary

Baiqiao Tang, Damon DiMarco

Baiqiao Tang is one of China’s most influential modern dissidents. Tang’s name became legendary during the time of the Tiananmen Square massacre. Over the past 21 years, he has remained on the front lines of the Chinese pro-democracy movement, where he has vowed to keep fighting until the dream of a free China is realized. In 1989, Tang was a student leader organizing pro-democracy demonstrati... read more

Baiqiao Tang is one of China’s most influential modern dissidents. Tang’s name became legendary during the time of the Tiananmen Square massacre. Over the past 21 years, he has remained on the front lines of the Chinese pro-democracy movement, where he has vowed to keep fighting until the dream of a free China is realized. In 1989, Tang was a student leader organizing pro-democracy demonstrati... read more

Family Affair: Greed, Treachery, and Betrayal in the Chicago Mafia

Sam Giancana, Scott M. Burnstein

The true story of the vicious Chicago underworld from a New York Times bestselling author. With a contract out on his life, Nicholas "Nicky Breeze" Calabrese turned government witness and revealed the truth about the murders of a notorious Mob enforcer and his brother-culminating in a criminal case that would challenge the Mob from the street to the highest seats of power.

The true story of the vicious Chicago underworld from a New York Times bestselling author. With a contract out on his life, Nicholas "Nicky Breeze" Calabrese turned government witness and revealed the truth about the murders of a notorious Mob enforcer and his brother-culminating in a criminal case that would challenge the Mob from the street to the highest seats of power.

Murder in Baker Company: How Four American Soldiers Killed One of Their Own

Cilla McCain

“Fascinating . . . vividly recounts one of the most tragic true stories to emerge from the Iraq War . . . eloquent, disturbing, and haunting.” —Mark Boal, journalist and screenwriter of The Hurt Locker and In the Valley of Elah Army Specialist Richard T. Davis seemed to be a survivor. He had been in Bosnia, reenlisted in time for the invasion of Iraq, and made it through the bloody, savage bat... read more

“Fascinating . . . vividly recounts one of the most tragic true stories to emerge from the Iraq War . . . eloquent, disturbing, and haunting.” —Mark Boal, journalist and screenwriter of The Hurt Locker and In the Valley of Elah Army Specialist Richard T. Davis seemed to be a survivor. He had been in Bosnia, reenlisted in time for the invasion of Iraq, and made it through the bloody, savage bat... read more

The Knockout Workout: 3 Winning Steps to Improve Your Body and Your Life

Mia St. John

The workout book that really packs a punchWho needs to be in better shape than a professional boxer? Who better to help a woman of any age get into her finest possible physical condition and stay there than WBC Welterweight Champion Mia St. John? In The Knockout Workout, Mia helps you master the exercises and workouts that keep boxers and martial arts experts fit and trim. With clear, step-by-... read more

The workout book that really packs a punchWho needs to be in better shape than a professional boxer? Who better to help a woman of any age get into her finest possible physical condition and stay there than WBC Welterweight Champion Mia St. John? In The Knockout Workout, Mia helps you master the exercises and workouts that keep boxers and martial arts experts fit and trim. With clear, step-by-... read more

Wide as the Wind

Edward Stanton

The lyrical tale of a boy, a girl, their island, and how they saved it. Wide as the Wind is the first novel to deal with the stunning, tragic history of Easter Island (Vaitéa). It could be described as quest fiction for all ages in the line of Tolkien's The Hobbit, but it is set in the real world, not Middle-earth. Wide as the Wind portrays Polynesian voyages across the Pacific Ocean in canoes... read more

The lyrical tale of a boy, a girl, their island, and how they saved it. Wide as the Wind is the first novel to deal with the stunning, tragic history of Easter Island (Vaitéa). It could be described as quest fiction for all ages in the line of Tolkien's The Hobbit, but it is set in the real world, not Middle-earth. Wide as the Wind portrays Polynesian voyages across the Pacific Ocean in canoes... read more

The Ward

Jordana Frankel

Readers who love speculative fiction and crave action-packed stories similar to Veronica Roth's Divergent will find The Ward absolutely unputdownable.Jordana Frankel's thrilling and imaginative YA dystopian novel The Ward is set in a near-future New York City. A catastrophic flood has washed out Manhattan, leaving the rivers polluted and entire neighborhoods underwater. Some areas are quaranti... read more

Readers who love speculative fiction and crave action-packed stories similar to Veronica Roth's Divergent will find The Ward absolutely unputdownable.Jordana Frankel's thrilling and imaginative YA dystopian novel The Ward is set in a near-future New York City. A catastrophic flood has washed out Manhattan, leaving the rivers polluted and entire neighborhoods underwater. Some areas are quaranti... read more

Live to Air: An Ethan Benson Thriller

Jeffrey L. Diamond

Television, politics, and the Russian mob: Live to Air is a riveting crime thriller, jam-packed with intrigue and unforgettable charactersEthan Benson is a charming and principled—if sometimes difficult—television producer in New York City who detests doing crime stories. But that’s of no significance to his high-powered boss at the network, and Benson finds himself assigned to investigating a... read more

Television, politics, and the Russian mob: Live to Air is a riveting crime thriller, jam-packed with intrigue and unforgettable charactersEthan Benson is a charming and principled—if sometimes difficult—television producer in New York City who detests doing crime stories. But that’s of no significance to his high-powered boss at the network, and Benson finds himself assigned to investigating a... read more

Mania

Craig Larsen

On the foggy streets of Seattle, a serial killer known as the Street Butcher is terrorising the city. Newspaper photographer Nick Wilder is accustomed to seeing gruesome homicide scenes. But when the Street Butcher claims Nick's brother his latest casualty, the case suddenly becomes very personal. Determined to find his brother's killer, Nick stumbles into a dizzying labyrinth of deceit and da... read more

On the foggy streets of Seattle, a serial killer known as the Street Butcher is terrorising the city. Newspaper photographer Nick Wilder is accustomed to seeing gruesome homicide scenes. But when the Street Butcher claims Nick's brother his latest casualty, the case suddenly becomes very personal. Determined to find his brother's killer, Nick stumbles into a dizzying labyrinth of deceit and da... read more

Gentleman Practice

Buddy Wakefield

Buddy Wakefield's third book, Gentleman Practice, documents the figurative contents of a man's body attempting to stand firm in the presence of all that is. It's a poetry book, from the perspective of a journal entry in the National Archives. The National Archives live in a building in Seattle behind barbed wire, directly next door to the Center for Spiritual Living. This is no accident. Gentl... read more

Buddy Wakefield's third book, Gentleman Practice, documents the figurative contents of a man's body attempting to stand firm in the presence of all that is. It's a poetry book, from the perspective of a journal entry in the National Archives. The National Archives live in a building in Seattle behind barbed wire, directly next door to the Center for Spiritual Living. This is no accident. Gentl... read more

The Year of Four: A Phoebe Pope Novel (Book 1)

Nya Jade

Enter a magic spy academy unlike any other where alliances shift and nothing is as it seems. The Year of Four is captivating readers with mystery, edge-of-your-seat-suspense and Hollywood romance. "Fantastically imagined!" ★★★★★ - Evie @ Evie-bookish.blogspot "Spellbinding, fast paced, and romantic debut!" ★★★★★ -Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf "Most addicting read since Harry Potter." ★★★★★ - C. G... read more

Enter a magic spy academy unlike any other where alliances shift and nothing is as it seems. The Year of Four is captivating readers with mystery, edge-of-your-seat-suspense and Hollywood romance. "Fantastically imagined!" ★★★★★ - Evie @ Evie-bookish.blogspot "Spellbinding, fast paced, and romantic debut!" ★★★★★ -Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf "Most addicting read since Harry Potter." ★★★★★ - C. G... read more

Ghosts of Seattle Past

Jaimee Garbacik

Seattle is built on booms—logging, fishing, aerospace, and now tech. This anthology gathers essays, interviews, photography, and comix to reconstruct community hubs lost to growth. From the settlements of Native American tribes to the incubators of grunge, from a foxxxy cabaret to an Old Spaghetti Factory, Ghosts of Seattle Past provides an eyes-on-the-street view of a city in flux.The Ghosts ... read more

Seattle is built on booms—logging, fishing, aerospace, and now tech. This anthology gathers essays, interviews, photography, and comix to reconstruct community hubs lost to growth. From the settlements of Native American tribes to the incubators of grunge, from a foxxxy cabaret to an Old Spaghetti Factory, Ghosts of Seattle Past provides an eyes-on-the-street view of a city in flux.The Ghosts ... read more

Gender & Sexuality For Beginners

Jaimee Garbacik

What does sexual orientation mean if the very categories of gender are in question? How do we measure equality when our society’s definitions of “male” and “female” leave out much of the population? There is no consensus on what a “real” man or woman is, where one’s sex begins and ends, or what purpose the categories of masculine and feminine traits serve. While significant strides have been m... read more

What does sexual orientation mean if the very categories of gender are in question? How do we measure equality when our society’s definitions of “male” and “female” leave out much of the population? There is no consensus on what a “real” man or woman is, where one’s sex begins and ends, or what purpose the categories of masculine and feminine traits serve. While significant strides have been m... read more

Jaimee has 9 reviews

Professionalism
Professionalism
Quality
Quality
Value
Value
Communication & Punctuality
Communication & Punctuality

Michael French
Jaimee was great to work with! I hired Jaimee to help me with my query letter, and they gave some great support. Their feedback was direct and clear. They helped me rewire my hook, clarify the summary of the book, and develop my personal summary further. Jaimee used to work with agents clearing through the stack of queries before, and their experience certainly came through. Jaimee knew just ho...
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Michael French, March 2023


E.C. Power
Beyond satisfied with this collaboration. Jaimee was intensely thorough in her developmental edit of my literary fiction novel-in-progress. Jaimee made me feel confident in my own abilities and the draft so far, while also providing unsparing and direct critiques on areas in need of work. Without her input, so many issues would've gone unnoticed. I feel infinitely better about this project and...
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E.C. Power, June 2019


Rockford Yost
Jaimee is amazing to work with. Her feed guide will guide and inspire you to make your work better than you believed possible.

Rockford Yost, April 2019


Noel Senna
Jaimee was professional and easy to work with. Delivered a well written query letter as promised well within the time frame without comprising its integrity. Would definitely hire again!

Noel Senna, February 2019


Chenye Yu
Very helpful editor! Always keeping contact, with professional advice. I got new offer with the assist of her valuable idea. It's usually hard for a foreign writer to understand Western publication, but she opens the door for me. Appreciation is all my words.

Chenye Yu, January 2019

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