Julia Richardson

Julia Richardson – Editor

Experienced editor of MG and YA fiction and non-fiction. Formerly with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Simon & Schuster, and HarperCollins.

Overview

Over my career, I have had the honor of working with some of the greatest writers to put pen to paper—or fingers to keyboard, for that matter. Ursula K. Le Guin, Ellen Hopkins, R.L. Stine, Roland Smith, Terri Farley, and G. Neri are just some of the esteemed authors I have teamed up with. Together, we have published books for houses such as Simon & Schuster, Disney/Hyperion, HarperCollins, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt that have gone on to receive critical and commercial success.

My favorite part of the editorial process is batting ideas back-and-forth with the author and then seeing what he or she comes up with. My goal is always to inspire both creatively and intellectually. Whether you’re looking for someone to help work out a difficult plot point, edit your nearly-there manuscript, or advise you on the publishing process, I can help you take your writing to the next level.

“Simply put, Julia Richardson is a fantastic editor. She will treat your book as if it were her own.”—Roland Smith, author of Peak
Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs Children’s Non-Fiction
Fiction
Comics & Graphic Novels Fantasy Middle Grade Young Adult
Languages
English (US)

Work experience

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Dec, 2006 — Apr, 2017 (over 10 years)

Oversaw the paperbacks group of HMH Books for Young Readers. Edited books for early readers, middle grade, and YA audiences. Authors published include Ursula K. LeGuin, Roland Smith, G. Neri, Terri Farley and Hannah Moderow. I also published the memoirs of Eric Greitens, governor of Missouri, and Carli Lloyd, captain of the US national women's soccer team.

Simon & Schuster

Aug, 2001 — Dec, 2006 (over 5 years)

Oversaw Ready to Read leveled reader program, generating book ideas and hiring authors. Edited YA and middle grade titles, including books by Ellen Hopkins, D.J. MacHale, Margaret McNamara, Marion Dane Bauer, Jane Kurtz, and Jennifer Armstrong.

HarperCollins Childrens Books

Nov, 1999 — Aug, 2001 (over 1 year)

Managed the mass market paperback books group that published series and other commercial fiction. Edited the Phantom Stallion series by Terri Farley, acquired Warriors by Erin Hunter, and Crank by Ellen Hopkins.

Disney Press/Hyperion Publishing

Oct, 1997 — Nov, 1999 (about 2 years)

Acquired and edited books for middle grade and teens. Coordinated and edited licensed books.

Simon & Schuster

Apr, 1991 — Oct, 1997 (over 6 years)

Edited novelty books and original paperbacks, including Saved by the Bell television tie-ins.

Portfolio

In a high-tech, high-security world where bioterrorism threatens to cripple the ecosystem, magic is the last thing on anyone’s mind.Something bad is happening to the world. Trees are dying. Cancer is on the rise and becoming more aggressive. When Kelsa’s fathe... read more
THE RETURN OF SORAHB? Legend has it that when Farsala most needs a warrior to lead it, Sorahb will be restored by the god Azura. That time has come. After a devastating loss to the army of the Hrum, Farsala has all but fallen. Only the walled city of Mazad and... read more
THE SPIRIT OF THE ANCIENT CHAMPION, SORAHB, WAS REBORN INTO THE BODY OF A DEGHAN YOUTH. There is not much time left on the Hrum's self-imposed limit -- only a few months. If in that time they don't take all of Farsala, then the Farsalans will regain their inde... read more
Who was Sorahb? Stories are told of a hero who will come to Farsala's aid when the need is greatest. But for thousands of years the prosperous land of Farsala has felt no such need, as it has enjoyed the peace that comes from being both feared and respected. N... read more
Burned

Ellen Hopkins

Pattyn Von Stratten is searching for the love she isn’t getting from God or her family in this novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Ellen Hopkins.It all started with a dream. Just a typical fantasy, but for a girl raised in a religious—and abusive—f... read more
Impulse

Ellen Hopkins

Sometimes you don't wake up. But if you happen to, you know things will never be the same. Three lives, three different paths to the same destination: Aspen Springs, a psychiatric hospital for those who have attempted the ultimate act -- suicide. Vanessa is be... read more
Lily's Mountain

Hannah Moderow

Lily refuses to believe what everyone else accepts to be true: that her father has died while climbing Denali, the highest mountain in North America. Lily has grown up hiking in the Alaskan wilderness with her dad. He's an expert climber. There's no way he wou... read more
Valerie's life is pretty good. While she's not the most popular girl in school, she does have decent grades, great friends, and a potential boyfriend. All a girl could want. Then her mother announces that (1) she's gay, and (2) she's leaving Valerie's dad for ... read more
Game Slaves

Gard Skinner

Phoenix and his gang—York, Mi, and Reno—rule the worlds of video games. For them, life in the grinder is great. Until Dakota joins the team. Dakota's convinced she's more than just artificial intelligence. She thinks she's real, and she wants out of this progr... read more
Beckon the sea, I'll come to thee.... Shed seven tears, perchance seven years.... At the age of ten, Gwen Cooke had a strange encounter with a boy with dark, slightly tilted eyes. He came to her on the beach, whispered strange words in her ear, and then disapp... read more
First Comes Love

Katie Kacvinsky

"The perfect love story to kick-start your summer reading."--Seventeen.comLike his name, Gray is dark and stormy. Dylan, a girl who is seemingly unable to settle down, is the exact opposite: full of light and life. On the outside, they seem like an unlikely co... read more
Middle Ground

Katie Kacvinsky

In this provocative cautionary tale for teens, the sequel to Awaken, seventeen-year-old Maddie’s rebellion against the digital-only life grows dangerous. Maddie is in Los Angeles, trying to stay out of trouble. But one night, a seemingly small act of defiance ... read more
Young Truman Capote thought life in New York City was going to be perfect, but things didn’t work out as planned. In fact, Tru is downright miserable. So he decides to run away to Monroeville, Alabama, and the only friend he’s ever had, Nelle Harper Lee. But t... read more
In the summer of 2015, the U.S. women’s national soccer team won the World Cup behind an epic performance by Carli Lloyd. Carli, a midfielder, scored three goals in the first sixteen minutes—the greatest goal-scoring effort in the history of World Cup finals. ... read more
Nothing but Blue

Lisa Clough

All dead. No one survived. All dead. This morbid chant haunts seventeen-year-old Blue as she trudges through the countryside with just the clothes on her back, heading to her childhood home on the ocean. Something absolutely awful has happened, she knows it, b... read more
Ichiro

Ryan Inzana

Ichiro lives in New York City with his Japanese mother. His father, an American soldier, was killed in Iraq. Now, Ichi’s mom has decided they should move back to Japan to live with Ichi’s grandfather. Grandfather becomes Ichi’s tour guide, taking him to temple... read more
In Petal and Poppy, young readers are introduced to these charming characters. Petal gets very nervous when Poppy decides to go scuba diving. What if she's eaten by a sea monster? Poppy thinks Petal is just being a worrywart. Perhaps. But maybe that's a good t... read more
Level 1: Starting to Read • Simple stories • Increased vocabulary • Longer sentences Mrs. Connor's first-grade class is going on a field trip! They're headed to the pumpkin patch to pick out pumpkins. Katie dreams of finding the perfect pumpkin. But the one sh... read more
Mustangs have thrived for thousands of generations. But now they are under attack from people who see them as pests. The lucky ones are adopted. Some are sent to long-term holding pens; more and more are sold for slaughter. But courageous young people are tryi... read more
The International Peace Ascent is the brainchild of billionaire Sebastian Plank: Recruit a global team of young climbers and film an inspiring, world-uniting documentary. The adventure begins when fifteen-year-old Peak Marcello and his mountaineer mother are h... read more
Long before they became famous writers, Truman Capote (In Cold Blood) and Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird) were childhood friends in Monroeville, Alabama. This fictionalized account of their time together opens at the beginning of the Great Depression, when ... read more
Mathew B. Brady was already a famous photographer by the time the Civil War began. But the war gave Brady something else: The chance to make a RECORD OF A WAR -- this war -- in a way that had never been done before: WITH TRUE-TO-LIFE PICTURES INSTEAD OF JUST W... read more
In this adaptation of his best-selling book, The Heart and the Fist, Eric speaks directly to teens, interweaving memoir and intimate second-person narratives that ask readers to put themselves in the shoes of himself and others. Readers will share in Eric’s ev... read more
When 13-year-old Samantha returns home to her family′s cattle ranch in Nevada, she′s worried. She moved away two years ago to recover from a bad fall off her beloved mustang, Blackie, and she′s still not sure she can get back in the saddle. Her new colt doesn′... read more
THE BATTLE CONTINUES. The struggle of good versus evil continues as Bobby Pendragon follows Saint Dane to the territory of Zadaa. Saint Dane's influence has fueled the fire of discontent between two warring tribes: the Rokador and the Batu. This is also the te... read more
For fourteen years, Weed, as she is called, the daughter of Lord Garnet, has brought offerings to the standing stone. Alone in a shallow valley, she implores the stone not to forget her. To remember who he is and the life he led. To wait until the day he will ... read more
Awaken

Katie Kacvinsky

Maddie lives in a world where everything is done on the computer. Whether it’s to go to school or on a date, people don’t venture out of their home. There’s really no need. For the most part, Maddie’s okay with the solitary, digital life—until she meets Justin... read more
Crank

Ellen Hopkins

The #1 New York Times bestselling tale of addiction—the first in the Crank trilogy—from master poet Ellen Hopkins.Life was good before I met the monster. After, life was great, At least for a little while. Kristina Snow is the perfect daughter: gifted high sch... read more

Julia has 7 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

richard B.

richard B.

Apr, 2020

Julia consulted to a YA nonfiction project. She provided me with extremely insightful and useful input that exceeded my expectations. I plan to use her again as this project goes forward as well as for my fiction writing for young readers. I feel fortunate to have her expertise as a resource!
Lori G.

Lori G.

Sep, 2018

Julia gave me excellent feedback on my verse memoir for young adults. Her careful reading and her knowledge of the form will hopefully help me take my work to the next level. Thank you, Julia!
Alice S.

Alice S.

Apr, 2018

Many years ago, I knew Julia. She was an editor at Simon and Schuster and had considered for publication a children's novel I wrote. She was intelligent, knowledgeable, insightful, and nice. Over the years, she has only grown in those qualities. She is professional and efficient. I would highly recommend her.
Leah C.

Leah C.

Mar, 2018

Julia was amazing to work with. From our first contact, she was completely up front and honest in telling me that I didn't need the (more expensive) service I was trying to contract for my manuscript. And from there, she took the time to read my work with care and provide in-depth notes that truly will help me to take it to the next level. I would absolutely recommend her services to anyone see...
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Brenda C.

Brenda C.

Feb, 2018

Julia was very detailed in her editing and even extended advice on how to proceed with my manuscript. I feel confident that her information will help in acquiring a literary agent. So, thank you for making it possible. I'll let you know what happens. Brenda Clark

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