Jessica Powers - Editor

Hi! I love books and I love a killer essay or short story or poem. To me, story is one of the best ways to connect people together and engage hearts, minds, and spirits.

I have been an editor and publicist in the publishing industry for seventeen years. Both as a full-time employee for an independent publisher focused on multicultural and bilingual (Spanish-English) titles for children and adults, and as owner of my own independent publishing company that publishes literary novels, short story collections, memoir, crime fiction, and children's and young adult titles, I bring to the table a deep and wide experience in both editing and marketing. All in all, I have edited and marketed well over a hundred books in all genres and for all ages. I have been a part of almost all aspects of the book and magazine publishing business and love to help authors and potential authors bring their work to the next level. I can offer not only developmental and assessment editorial services, copyediting and proofreading, but also marketing and publicity services, self-publishing and publishing consulting advice, and editorial/marketing assessments that include a comparative analysis of your book based on a great source of marketing and book sales data. I was one of six Publishers Weekly's Most Valuable Players (MVPs) in the publishing industry for 2019.

I'm an award-winning author of nine published books for children, young adults, and adults. These include A Bark In the Park: The 55 Best Places To Hike With Your Dog in the El Paso/Las Cruces Region; The Confessional (Knopf, 2007); Labor Pains and Birth Stories: Essays on Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Becoming a Parent (Catalyst Book Press, 2009); This Thing Called the Future (Cinco Puntos Press, 2011); That Mad Game: Growing Up in a Warzone (Cinco Puntos Press, 2012); Amina: Through My Eyes (Allen & Unwin, 2013); Colors of the Wind: The Story of Blind Artist and Champion Runner George Mendoza (Purple House Press, 2014); Broken Circle (Akashic Books, 2017); and Under Water (Cinco Puntos Press, 2019). I have also written and published hundreds of articles, essays, short stories, poems, and book reviews as a freelance writer.

No matter where writers begin, or what level of accomplishment they have already achieved or wish to achieve, I love the mentoring process. I would love to work with you.

Quotes From Writers

“Jessica has edited four of my book-length manuscripts over the past decade, and I couldn't be happier or more appreciate of her input and guidance. She has a sharp and intuitive editorial eye that she applies at both the global and line-editing levels. Jessica perceptively critiques and agilely advises, addressing the full gamut of story arc, character development, setting, pacing, tension, and clarity. Each time I work with her, I become a better writer, and my manuscripts reflect that. Run, don't walk, to her editorial services!” Shirley Vernick, author of The Blood Lie, Remember Dippy, The Black Butterfly, and the forthcoming Falling Stars

“Notes from Jessica Powers are a precious, aha moment-filled gift from a wise mentor. Her discerning eye and pointed yet encouraging comments cut to the chase about what works and what doesn’t—from big picture themes, character development, and plot progression to all the fine point details. I'm grateful for her critiques that've been integral in refining my three published novels and fourth in progress. I highly recommend her services.” Sonia Patel, author of Rani Patel In Full Effect; Jaya and Rasa; and Bloody Seoul.

“Jessica Powers has worked as an editor of my fantasy novels for the past ten years. She is very thorough, commenting at both the sentence level (if needed) as well as offering big picture suggestions for revisions. I completely trust her intuition and guidance and love working with her.” George Mendoza, author of the Spirit Man trilogy