Kendall Davis - Editor
Colorado Springs, United States
Writer at Nerdist, HelloGiggles, and Geek & Sundry. Editor at Penguin Random House for 5 1/2 years working in fiction and non-fiction.
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Overview
I'm an editor who worked for Penguin Random House from 2012 to 2018 editing fiction and non-fiction as well as creating original gift products. I love partnering with a writer and helping them strengthen their writing skills. I create a tailor-made editing process for each project, and I view our time together as a partnership as we collaborate to help shape your words. Whether you're looking for a partner on your manuscript or support with creating a proposal, I am skilled at helping a writer shape their tone to best fit their intended audience.
My own writing has been published on outlets like Nerdist, HelloGiggles, Hypable, Geek & Sundry, Amy Poehler's Smart Girls, MyWedding, The Mary Sue, and more. Because of this, I'm familiar with a wide range of audiences and readers, and bring that reader expertise into my editing work. I am very familiar with both CMS and AP style, and am ready to help integrate that knowledge into your writer's voice.
Languages
English (US)
Non-Fiction
Antiques & Collectibles
Biographies & Memoirs
Christian (Non-Fiction)
Religion & Spirituality
Self-help & Self-improvement
Fiction
Christian
Fantasy
Historical Fiction
Science Fiction
Women's Fiction
Work experience
Associate Editor
Penguin Random House
July, 2017
–
January, 2018
(6 months)
I acquire and develop authors and content, as well as line edit manuscripts. I also have ghost-written a few books for higher profile authors. Additionally, I keep an eye on the market for areas that are currently underserved or overserved in our imprints and pursue authors and topics according to what I find. I also work on a team that develops unique products created in-house like adult coloring books and journals.
Editor-in-Chief
Petful
December, 2016
–
August, 2017
(8 months)
I plan out the editorial vision for the site, and I partner with my writers to help them both hone their skills while also writing to the voice and vision of Petful. I also do basic editing and formatting on posts, while managing the editorial calendar. I'm also partnering with a colleague to help grow the site's social media presence, and have helped them launch an Instagram.
Writer
Legendary LLC (Nerdist, Geek & Sundry, Amy Poehler's Smart Girls)
February, 2015
–
Present
(about 4 years)
I articles that skew towards entertainment, feminism, "geek culture" (sci-fi, fantasy, comic-con, etc), pop culture, science, and technology. All articles are written in a voice that matches the individual outlet's brand, and represents the company culture and identity.
Assistant Editor
Penguin Random House
January, 2015
–
July, 2017
(over 2 years)
I acquire and develop authors and content, as well as line edit manuscripts. I also have ghost-written a few books for higher profile authors. Additionally, I keep an eye on the market for areas that are currently underserved or overserved in our imprints and pursue authors and topics according to what I find. I also work on a team that develops unique products created in-house like adult coloring books and journals.
Editorial Assistant
Penguin Random House
July, 2012
–
December, 2014
(over 2 years)
In addition to administrative duties, I helped manage the blog and social media platform of our new imprint, Convergent. I edited blogs published on the Convergent blog, and sought out new voices for the imprint and the imprint's blog. I worked with new voices to craft an idea and a proposal, I performed content edits on some of our books, and I reviewed book proposals from both agented and un-agented authors.
Editor
Self-employed
July, 2012
–
Present
(over 6 years)
I have helped writers craft proposals, line edit, content edit, as well as completely re-work books. I've worked on fantasy novels, romance novels, inspirational fiction, middle grade fiction, and memoir.
Portfolio (32 selected works)
30 Days to Joy: A One-Month Creative Journal
WaterBrook
Choose Joy!Joy is more than happiness. It is something you feel deep in your soul that stays with you even when circumstances get tough. With quotes and artistic prompts, this daily creative journal offers the deep, life-giving drink of joy that you need. Whether you are sketching a picture of a favorite activity, jotting down words that make you laugh, or spending time meditating on a Bible v... read more
Prodigal Daughter: A Family’s Brave Journey through Addiction and Recovery
Rob Koke, Danielle Koke
A gripping true story, Prodigal Daughter narrates a family's darkest time through addiction and their journey toward healing. Father and daughter team, Rob Koke - founder and Senior Pastor of Shoreline Church - and Danielle pull back the curtain on the mind-numbing power of addiction and offer hope and real strategies for those longing for freedom.Unashamed and heartwarming, Danielle shares in... read more
Color your way to peace and worship.We live in a busy, hectic world—but what waits for you inside this coloring book for adults is a way to quiet the noise, express creativity, and spend some sweet time with God. Each page features an original design from one of a dozen different artists, beautifully illustrating a contemplative quote from an inspirational writer, a beloved hymn, or Scripture.... read more
A Creative Journey to PeaceIn our loud and busy lives, it’s easy to miss the life-giving breeze of peace. That’s what this interactive journal is for. It’s about slowing down and taking time to pursue and embrace peace. It’s about welcoming the call to be a peacemaker. It’s about finding a peace rooted in faith rather than circumstances and living out that miracle every day. This is an invitat... read more
With a biting, satirical style reminiscent of The Onion, How to Be a Perfect Christian takes a humorous look at the quirks of cultural Christianity while subtly challenging the reader to search for more than a cultural faith.Written in the trademark style of The Babylon Bee, this book humorously satirizes cultural Christianity while peppering in subtle challenges to the reader. Through humor a... read more
A Simple Way to Reflect on Life and FaithThis keepsake daily journal prompts you to record what is happening in your heart and spirit. The short questions at the top of each page are quick to answer—but their impact could be life changing! You’ll go back and answer the same question a year later for five years in a row, creating a time capsule of soul transformation. With questions about… · yo... read more
A fun, thought-provoking 365-question guided journal and keepsake that sparks daily interaction with your child to create a memory book capturing your child's life, personality, and faith journey.This interactive prompted journal allows a parent to create a keepsake of three years of their child's life. By answering each of the 365 questions together on the same date each year, readers will ge... read more
Rediscover the beauty around you.Open this coloring book and be reminded of splendor everywhere. Beauty abounds in the extraordinary and the ordinary…and even in the mundane. Whatever your circumstances, beauty is there, waiting to be noticed and cherished.Allow yourself the time to stop and see the beauty our God has fashioned in creation, in one another, and in His grace.Each perforated colo... read more
Known: Finding Deep Friendships in a Shallow World
Dick Foth, Ruth Foth
In an often shallow and fast-paced world, how can we really know and be known by another person? How do we make true friends? The Digital Age is all about change, but the need for true friendship never changes. You are designed for real engagement with others---for affirmation that goes beyond a simple “like” on social media, for connection over meals, for hope and excitement about the future.... read more
Want to make a move but scared to leave your comfort zone? Go anyway. “Jessica's perspective of global sisterhood and the power of lifting each other up in the midst of fear and scarcity is exactly what we need today. This book is both an invitation and a challenge to bravely show up for ourselves, for the people we love, and for the strangers that we will one day call family. I say, Amen!” —B... read more
SOMEWHERE IN TIME A MAN HAS HIS FINGER ON THE BUTTON TO DESTROY EXISTENCE. IN AMERICA, 2075, KAYLAN SMITH PREPARES TO FACE HIM ONE FINAL TIME.In the present, Kaylan barely has time to take a breath after her and her team of Minutemen faced her grandson, Kyle, before an old friend turned traitor returns to warn them about Kyle’s ultimate plan—destroy the universe using a Multiverse Bomb.In the ... read more
Ignition (Luminescent Calling Book 1)
Andrew Smith, Brooke Estrada
Bret Pine sees something in the woods that leaves him very troubled. He’s not sure he can even talk about it without being labeled as crazy. When the disappearance of a family of four from Europe draws national media attention, some people in town want to point fingers.Then, on the last day before summer break begins, Bret and his friend Ashley, blow the school’s electric grid with a single to... read more
“The True Hero’s Journey in Fairy Tales and Stone Circles” is a story of discovery. Hidden within fairy tales lies ancient instruction on how to lead a happier and more balanced life. More than 5,000 years old, fairy tales contain voices from a distant past—timeless matriarchal and astronomical messages that are as relevant today as they were five millennia ago. As a whole, fairy tales tell of... read more
“Practical, powerful, and a delight to read. A book like Brian’s can change everything for someone who cares.”-Seth Godin, Author, This is MarketingConnect with anyone. Strengthen your relationships. Build a sustainable career.Three New People is a manifesto on the beauty and power of human connection in a world where loneliness has reached epidemic levels. We’re rushed, frazzled, distracted, ... read more
Rooted: The Hidden Places Where God Develops You
Banning Liebscher
You were born to make an impact in this world and you know it. You feel it deep down in your bones. Apathy is your nemesis and your hunger to change the world keeps you up at night. But no matter how deep this hunger growls, we can only make a meaningful impact if we are rooted in Jesus. And here’s the thing: God is not interested in developing your vision first. He is interested in developing... read more
The Heist: How Grace Robs Us of Our Shame
Chris Durso
Some say there were two thieves crucified on Golgotha, but I believe there were Three In the ultimate act of sacrifice, Jesus robbed the Enemy of every claim he ever had on our lives. He stole all our shame and guilt, and gave us back our lives so that we could live in true freedom. The real scandal of Jesus’ work on the cross is found not only in what it gives but also in what it steals. The ... read more
Night Driving: A Story of Faith in the Dark
Addie Zierman
How do you know God is real? In the emotionally-charged, fire-filled faith in which Addie Zierman grew up, the answer to this question was simple: Because you’ve FELT him. Now, at age 30, she feels nothing. Just the darkness pressing in. Just the winter cold. Just a buzzing silence where God’s voice used to be. So she loads her two small children into the minivan one February afternoon and hea... read more
In the strange, us-versus-them Christian subculture of the 1990s, a person’s faith was measured by how many WWJD bracelets she wore and whether he had kissed dating goodbye. Evangelical poster child Addie Zierman wore three bracelets asking what Jesus would do. She also led two Bible studies and listened exclusively to Christian music. She was on fire for God and unaware that the flame was dwi... read more
It’s easy to get high on God in America. But is this good religion? In a compelling follow-up to her memoir, Girl at the End of the World, Elizabeth Esther explores how religious fervor can become religious addiction. The evidence is everywhere. In families who inexplicably choose to harm their children in order to abide by cultic church doctrine. But in ordinary believers too who use God the ... read more
Dare to Believe the One whose Opinions Truly Matter. We all face seasons of doubt and disappointment—when it seems as if failure has sidelined our dreams. Heisman trophy winner Tim Tebow knows firsthand that when life doesn’t go as planned and the voices of criticism abound, we have a choice to make… We can succumb to defeat or stand firm in who we are in Christ. Be inspired through powerful i... read more
My Hope Is Found: The Cadence of Grace, Book 3
Joanne Bischof
Gideon O’Riley has been given another chance at a life with Lonnie. But will the fight for her heart risk it all over again? After finally finding love with his sweet bride Lonnie, Gideon’s heart was torn when a woman from his past claimed to be his true and rightful wife, forcing him away from his family. God’s merciful hand saw Gideon through the heartache, and with Cassie’s blessing, he is ... read more
Forever Friday: A Novel
Timothy Lewis
Every Friday, a postcard.Every Friday, a love poem.Every Friday for sixty years. Adam Colby is just doing his job, sorting through the unsold Alexander belongings after the estate sale. He is unprepared for what he finds in an old photo album, overlooked by the bargain hounds and treasure hunters—six decades of postcards and poems from Gabe Alexander to his wife, Pearl. The mystery of the Alex... read more
Reservations for Two: A Novel of Fresh Flavors and New Horizons (Two Blue Doors)
Hillary Manton Lodge
A culinary concoction of taking chances and finding love in the most delectable places Food writer-turned-restaurateur Juliette D’Alisa has more than enough on her plate. While her trip to Provence might have unlocked new answers to her grandmother’s past, it’s also provided new complications in the form of Neil McLaren, the man she can’t give up. Juliette and Neil find romance simple as they ... read more
Return to simple pleasures and simpler times.Enter the pages of this coloring book for adults, and you will find a peaceful way to reflect on what makes America a truly amazing country: our values of equality, opportunity, faith,family, character, generosity, justice, and perseverance. Each coloring page features an original design from one of nine different artists, illustrating an inspiratio... read more
Holy Doubt: Finding Hope When Faith is a Struggle
Erica Barthalow
Do you feel rejected or abandoned by God? Do you sometimes wonder if God hates you? Are you tempted to give up and walk away? You’re not alone. In Holy Doubt, author and former missionary, Erica Barthalow weaves a story of faith unraveled and stitched back together by an honest journey through doubt and questions about God. Questions like: Is God Good? Can He Be Trusted? Does God Cause Bad Thi... read more
Across the Blue: A Novel
Carrie Turansky
Set in Edwardian England and ideal for readers who enjoy Julie Klassen novels, this romance about an English aviation pioneer and the girl who falls in love with him is filled with adventure and faith.Isabella Grayson, the eldest daughter of a wealthy, English newspaper magnate, longs to become a journalist, but her parents don't approve. They want her to marry well and help them gain a higher... read more
Rooted in Purpose will walk you through a step-by-step program that shows you how to connect with your true self and create the life you were born to live.This book is intended for any woman:Who is experiencing a life transition – the loss of an identity due to a change in employment, career, relationship, or healthWho knows there must be more to life and feels a pull towards something but jus... read more
The key to effective church leadership is the ability to be a non-anxious presence.This is not a technique. It is a way of being. It is deceptively simple, but tremendously difficult. Yet, if you are willing to take the journey, you can lead change in even the most challenging contexts. Read this book and you will understand:•The process that keeps churches anxious and stuck.•How leadership th... read more
Are you about to start spiritual direction?Are you wondering just what you are getting into?Would you like to know how to get the most out of your sessions?In spiritual direction, two or more seekers enter sacred space to dream, explore, and discern a path toward personal wholeness and deeper intimacy with the Divine. Along the way, they talk about just about everything that happens in life—wo... read more
Could God change the world through seemingly average, ordinary people like you and me? One Thousand Risks is proof that Jesus can set you up to discover adventure in abundance. With an all-out-fight against comfort, fear, and living half-heartedly present, One Thousand Risks will help you know how to experience a super-powered life of spiritual significance.Your problem is fear--mostly the fea... read more
Traumatic experiences occur on a daily basis in our world. These moments can leave either physical or emotional scars on the life of the individual involved. Scars are permanent, and these marks have the potential to affect our lives in many ways. The process of recovering from a scar occurs in our minds; not having the right mindset can prevent us from moving forward. Cody Byrns shares his st... read more
Choose: An Invitation to the Best Day Ever Adventure
Carrie Wisehart
Choose: An Invitation to the Best Day Ever Adventure is full of stories, laughter, inspiration, and tough love truth that will dare you to defy the ordinary and live an extraordinary life for Jesus. This is a dangerous book. A book that offers you an opportunity. A book that will challenge you. A book that will take you on the adventure of a lifetime. Cancer. Loss. Abandonment. Conflict. Insec... read more
Kendall has 21 reviews
Professionalism
Quality
Value
Communication
Kendall did an assessment on my historical novel. She was tremendously helpful in ironing out some of the rough spots in my narrative and pointing out the weaknesses in my plot. She was highly professional and provided feedback quickly and efficiently. I would definitely recommend her and would work with her again.
Read moreCatherine DePasquale, February 2019
Thanks, Catherine! You were wonderful to work with!
Reply from Kendall Davis
Kendall has far exceeded my expectations as an editor. The communication and quality of the work was there and evident. She is an outstanding and consummate professional and I would highly recommend her. I will be working with Kendall again on future epic fantasy sequels!
Read moreJohn Sanchez, January 2019
Thanks, John! It was a pleasure working with you.
Reply from Kendall Davis
As a new author, I wanted to work with someone experienced but also someone who wouldn't mind giving me more general guidance as a budding writer. Kendall was skilled, specific and clear in her editing work. In addition, she was kind, patient, approachable, and available to guide me as a young author and answer my many questions. She improved both my story and my craft. Thank you, Kendall!
Read moreAyla Landry, November 2018
Kendall is a pro! She is professional writer who assisted me with editing for my book to be published in 2019. Her edits were spot on and made the flow and tone work throughout the manuscript. She has great communication and did what she said she would, when she said she would. Five stars!
Read moreGary Vien, November 2018
Thanks, Gary! It was a pleasure working with you!
Reply from Kendall Davis
Kendall was great! I had a request to edit a manuscript that bordered on unrealistic (I needed it done in a little over one week!) and not only was Kendall able to do it, but her edits were very detailed and right on the mark! I would definitely use Kendall for my editing needs again.
Read moreDavid Danforth, September 2018
Thanks, David! I enjoyed working with you!
Reply from Kendall Davis
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