Karli Jackson

Karli Jackson – Editor

Editor who specializes in developing manuscripts and is passionate about helping authors craft their best stories!

Overview

Hello! My focus as an editor is to take your story to the next level by evaluating character development, structure and pacing, overall tone, and consistency throughout the manuscript. It’s always my goal to maintain the integrity of what an author has created and elevate the existing strengths of a story while fine-tuning what hasn’t quite come across on the page!

I began my career with the rights department at HarperCollins Christian Publishing and transitioned to the editorial team where I found my passion nurturing relationships with authors and helping them shape and create their stories.

My editing credits include New York Times and USA Today bestsellers and award-winning authors such as Rachel Hauck, Lauren Denton, and Denise Hunter. During my time as an acquisitions editor, I worked closely with authors from the development of a story idea through its substantive edit and onward to titling, packaging, and jacket copy.

It’s become my first priority to build trust and understanding with an author, and the process that follows is not only productive but fun! Every author and their manuscript is different, and it’s an honor to get to come alongside such a personal and creative process.
Services
Fiction
Literary Fiction Romance Women's Fiction Young Adult
Languages
English (US)
Certifications
  • Chicago Manual of Style

Work experience

HarperCollins Christian Publishing

Aug, 2016 — Nov, 2017 (over 1 year)

During my time as an acquisitions editor, I worked closely with authors from the development of a story idea through its substantive edit and onward to titling, packagaing, and jacket copy. My editing credits include New York Times and USA Today bestsellers and award-winning authors such as Rachel Hauck, Lauren Denton, and Denise Hunter. I worked with authors writing in a broad range of genres, including but not limited to romance, women’s fiction, Southern fiction, split-time, and Amish.

HarperCollins Christian Publishing

Jan, 2014 — Aug, 2016 (over 2 years)

As an associate editor, I managed the proofreading and production stage of the editorial process for half of the HCCP Fiction list, including both Thomas Nelson and Zondervan titles.

HarperCollins Christian Publishing

Jul, 2012 — Jan, 2014 (over 1 year)

Managed accounts and created pitch sheets for film and TV opportunities for all of HarperCollins Christian Publishing’s catalog, to include both fiction and nonfiction titles.

Portfolio

Risky Restoration

Dodd, E F

Earning It

Dodd, E.F.

The London House

Katherine Reay

The Lambda Factor

Patel Desai, Dimple

Matched and Married (An Amish Mail-Order Bride Novel)

Fuller, Kathleen

So Much More than My Ostomy: Loving My Perfectly Imperfect Body

Mantell, Ellyn

Hooked on You (A Maple Falls Romance)

Fuller, Kathleen

The Beekeeper's Wife

Hinton, Lynne

Eddie's Boy

Schwab, Robert

Scouting for Love

McCormick, CJ

Minivan Mogul: A Crash Course in Confidence for Women

Perry, Alex

Fragments of Light

Phoenix, Michele

Our Shared Story: Can Best Friends fall in Love?

McCormick, CJ

The Church's Orphans: How the Church Can Protect Couples Longing for Parenthood

Ribble, Krystal

WITNESS: BethEl Book Two (Anointed)

Hutzel, H.R.

ANOINTED: BethEl Book One

Hutzel, H.R.

Weight-Loss Hero: Transform Your Mind and Your Body with a Healthy Keto Lifestyle

Carter, Christine

Things We Keep: A Lowcountry Novel

Hostetter, Heidi

Going Home: Snow Globe Café Book One

Calton, Kelly J

Cooking Up Christmas

Jane, CS

Out of Pocket (Bucklin Family Reunion Book 3)

Mayne, Deb

The Secrets of Paper and Ink

Harrel, Lindsay

Reason to Breathe (A Chandler Sisters Novel Book 1)

Raney, Deborah

Amish Midwives: Three Stories

Clipston, Amy

Existence: The Lives of Annika Venn

Vitale, Maria

String of Treason: A Novella (Naupaka Book 2)

Kanehl, Mira

Her Majesty's Quill: Naupaka Novella 1

Kanehl, Mira

Fit to Be Tied (Bucklin Family Reunion Book 2)

Mayne, Debby

Department Thirteen: An Aleksandr Talanov thriller

Turner, James Houston

Greco's Game: An Aleksandr Talanov thriller

Turner, James Houston

They Took My Wife's Breast

Olive, Ken

An Amish Heirloom: A Legacy of Love, The Cedar Chest, The Treasured Book, A Midwife's Dream

Amy Clipston

A Legacy of Love by Amy ClipstonLocal volunteer fire fighter Leon King agrees to repair his ex-girlfriend Susie Bontrager’s grandparents’ antique rocking chairs for her future home with her fiance and is forced to acknowledge that his feelings for her have not... read more
An Amish Summer: Four Novellas

Shelley Shepard Gray

A new novella collection of sweet, summer romances from some of our favorite Amish authors!A Reunion in Pinecraft by Shelley Shepard GrayWhen sisters Sharon and Sherilyn Kramer attend a wedding in Shipshewana, one of them returns with a new penpal while the ot... read more
An Uncommon Protector (A Lone Star Hero’s Love Story)

Shelley Shepard Gray

Overwhelmed by the responsibilities of running a ranch on her own, Laurel Tracey decides to hire a convict—a man who’s just scary enough to take care of squatters and just desperate enough to agree to a one year post.The years following the war have been hard ... read more
Love Held Captive (A Lone Star Hero’s Love Story)

Shelley Shepard Gray

After the War Between the States, a Confederate officer longs to heal the heart of a beautiful woman—but first he’ll have to right the wrongs that were done to her.Major Ethan Kelly has never been able to absolve himself of the guilt he feels for raiding a wom... read more
The Heart Between Us: Two Sisters, One Heart Transplant, and a Bucket List

Lindsay Harrel

Lindsay Harrel presents a powerful story of healing, adventure, and learning how to live life to the fullest.Megan Jacobs always wished for a different heart. Her entire childhood was spent in and out of hospitals, sitting on the sidelines while her twin siste... read more
The Love Letter: A Novel

Rachel Hauck

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Dress comes a story of long-lost love and its redemption in future generations.With the colonies at war and his country divided, Hamilton Lightfoot must choose sides: Fight for the British Crown or for ... read more
Honeysuckle Dreams (A Blue Ridge Romance)

Denise Hunter

After Brady Collins’ ex-wife dies, he receives devastating news—his nine-month-old son Sam isn’t his son at all. And Sam’s wealthy maternal grandparents want custody of the child. Brady knows he’s in for the fight of his life. But regardless of what any blood ... read more
The Goodbye Bride (A Summer Harbor Novel)

Denise Hunter

She only remembers loving him. But he can’t forget the way she left. Lucy Lovett can’t remember the last seven months of her life. She doesn’t remember leaving her fiancé Zac Callahan weeks before their wedding or moving to Portland, Maine. And she sure doesn’... read more
Just a Kiss (A Summer Harbor Novel)

Denise Hunter

Riley Callahan’s plans to reveal his secret feelings for his best friend are derailed when his life is drastically altered in Afghanistan.Watching the love of his life fall for his brother was enough to send Riley straight to boot camp. But over a year later, ... read more
Sweetbriar Cottage

Denise Hunter

“Sweetbriar Cottage is a story to fall in love with. True-to-life characters, high stakes, and powerful chemistry blend to tell an emotional story of reconciliation.” —Brenda Novak, New York Times bestselling authorWhen Noah and Josephine discover their divorc... read more
Blue Ridge Sunrise (A Blue Ridge Romance)

Denise Hunter

"This must-read romance stirs a touch of heat into a sweet story of self-acceptance and rekindled love. Recommended!" USATodayFormer free spirit Zoe Collins swore she'd never again set foot in Copper Creek or speak to the man who broke her heart. But return sh... read more
What Blooms from Dust: A Novel

James Markert

Just as Jeremiah Goodbye is set to meet his fate in the electric chair, a tornado tears down the prison walls, and he is given a second chance at life. With the flip of a coin, he decides to return to his home town of Nowhere, Oklahoma, to settle the score wit... read more
All Things Bright and Strange

James Markert

In the wake of World War I in the small, Southern town of Bellhaven, South Carolina, the town folk believe they’ve found a little slice of heaven in a mysterious chapel in the woods. But they soon realize that evil can come in the most beautiful of forms.The p... read more
The Angels' Share

James Markert

Some believed he was the second coming of Christ.William wasn’t so sure.But when that drifter was buried next to the family distillery, everything changed.Now that Prohibition has ended, what the townspeople of Twisted Tree, Kentucky, need most is the revival ... read more
Becoming the Talbot Sisters: A Novel of Two Sisters and the Courage that Unites Them

Rachel Linden

Sisters Waverly Ross and Charlie Talbot have spent all of their adult lives on separate continents pursuing their very different dreams and dealing with life’s hurdles independent of each other. But when the aunt who raised them passes away, they come together... read more
Ascension of Larks

Rachel Linden

“Winsome kids and family friends add depth and warmth to the well-developed cast of characters. Readers will eagerly await future offerings from this promising new author.”--Publishers Weekly, STARRED review“Linden’s debut novel is a bittersweet tale of enduri... read more
The Wedding Chapel

Rachel Hauck

From New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Dress comes The Wedding Chapel.A lonely wedding chapel built as a tribute to lost love just might hold the long-awaited secret to hope and reconciliation.For sixty years, the wedding chapel has stood silent... read more
The Wedding Shop

Rachel Hauck

From New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Dress comes The Wedding Shop.Two women separated by decades. Both set out to help others find their dreams when their own have crumbled.It's the early 1930s, but Cora Scott is walking in stride as a career ... read more
The Writing Desk

Rachel Hauck

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Dress comes a new captivating novel of secrets, romance, and two women bound together across time by a shared dream.Tenley Roth’s first book was a runaway bestseller. Now that her second book is due, sh... read more
Hurricane Season: A Southern Novel of Two Sisters and the Storms They Must Weather

Lauren K. Denton

From the author of the USA Today bestseller The Hideaway comes another story of families and mending the past.Betsy and Ty Franklin, owners of Franklin Dairy Farm in southern Alabama, have long since buried their desire for children of their own. While Ty mana... read more
The Hideaway

Lauren K. Denton

Now a USA Today and Amazon Charts Bestseller!“A story both powerful and enchanting: a don’t-miss novel in the greatest southern traditions of storytelling.” —Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling authorWhen her grandmother’s will wrenches Sara back ... read more

Karli has 13 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Sara W.

Sara W.

Sep, 2022

Karli is an experienced and professional editor. I hired her for a developmental edit; she did a great job honing in on the story I was trying to tell, and gave me pointers on improvements to tell that story better. I felt she understood my characters (and could even point at something and say, "this felt out of character for X! What would feel more believable is...") and her suggestions were t...
Read more
Timothy F.

Timothy F.

Mar, 2022

Karli did an excellent job of evaluating the big picture and helping me to decide on key structural adjustments to bring my manuscript to a professional level. More importantly she provided recommendations with tactful grace while inspiring me and my writing journey.
Mary P.

Mary P.

Jul, 2021

Karli J., gave me a glowing Developmental Edit report. As soon as I can make the basic changes she suggests, I’ll do a phone consult and finish up my “ready for agent” draft. I am more than satisfied with Karli’s assessment and the way she presented her thoughts to me. I look forward to our continued collaboration.
Larry W.

Larry W.

May, 2021

Karli is easy to work with. As a new author, I found her assistance with the basics helped me immensely. Her collaborative style explains the 'why' of each of her critiques. This enables you to improve your technique or decide if you want to use her suggestion or not.
Jennifer S.

Jennifer S.

Apr, 2020

Karli did a great job on my developmental edit. She had so many ideas that will help me shape the manuscript. I am a novice and feel like her contribution was substantial and worth every penny.

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