Overview
I am a versatile and creative professional with nearly twenty years' experience in the publishing industry, working both in-house with small and medium-sized publishers and as a freelancer for a wide variety of organisations.
I specialise in working directly with self-publishing authors and can help with the entire self-publishing process, from copy-editing/proofreading and layout through to the technical aspects of getting a book on sale. I particularly love working on romance (including dark romance), YA, fantasy and thrillers.
Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs
Fiction
Contemporary Fiction
Contemporary Romance
Dark Romance
Fantasy
Thriller & Suspense
Women's Fiction
Young Adult
Languages
English (AUS)
English (CAN)
English (NZ)
English (UK)
English (US)
Certifications
- BA Publishing Media degree
- Chartered Institute for Editors and Proofreaders Professional Member
Work experience
Self-employed
Feb, 2012 —
Present
Established in 2007, my company provides copy-editing, proofreading, typesetting and ebook creation for a variety of UK publishers, authors and other organisations, with the majority of work coming from repeat clients or through word-of-mouth recommendations.
I have worked both as an editor and in print and digital production for over a decade, as a freelancer and in-house with publishers, and this varied range of skills and experience perfectly positions me to guide authors through the whole self-publishing process.
Clients include: BackPage, Barrington Stoke, Black & White, Bookouture, Canongate, Edinburgh University, Historic Environment Scotland, Scottish Book Trust, Severn House and Zuleika. I have also worked with many self-publishing authors, including Peter Ritchie, Valerie Adolph, Anna Velfman, Eliza Langland, Simon Christmas, Alison Chandler, Tom Wood and David Videcette.
Barrington Stoke
Jun, 2017 —
Oct, 2019
(over 2 years)
This role involved proofreading, typesetting, ebook creation, print costing and sending children's books to print to UK, European and Far East printers.
Canongate Books
Oct, 2008 —
Jun, 2017
(over 8 years)
This was a many-layered and versatile role at one of the UK's leading independent publishing houses. On top of managing ebook and print production, I was also tasked with proofreading, typesetting, ebook creation (including enhanced ebooks), cover artworking and organising reprints.
Athena Press
Apr, 2007 —
Feb, 2011
(almost 4 years)
Portfolio
I never expected to be doubted, but if I can't make them believe me, what then? I sit here beside her stroking her tiny hands as she sleeps and she looks so perfect. It never crossed my mind that something would be wrong with my sweet girl and I’d be powerless... read more
Beth and Cath are leaving their husbands. This is a story about two very different women. One is wealthy and having an affair with a man who gives her the kind of love that her cold, detached husband does not. One is living hand to mouth, suffering at the hand... read more
When the Bennett family arrive at the shore house to spend the summer together, they bring more baggage than just suitcases…When Kaye Bennett, matriarch of the Bennett family, summons her adult children to the shore house, she anticipates a vacation full of no... read more
The thrilling new #1 bestseller from the 'Queen of twisted suspense.'We were all there that day. Now one of us is dead...The first time Jemma and Matt were invited to Polskirrin - Lucas Jarrett's imposing ocean-view home - it was for an intimate wedding that e... read more
It had seemed so simple. Get in, get the information, get out. But now they were getting inside her mind and she didn’t know how to stop them… When Detective Kim Stone is called to the home of Samantha Brown, she finds the young woman lying in bed with her thr... read more
‘Amazing, wonderful and the best yet!!!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads Reviewer‘Loved, loved, loved it!!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads Reviewer‘Phew! I can breathe again!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads Reviewer‘Wonderful!… devoured it in one sitting!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads ReviewerRachel Ryder doesn’t ... read more
‘Just WOW! Totally unputdownable.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads reviewer‘THE best book I've read this year.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads reviewer‘Amazing book, her best yet!!!!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads reviewer‘Gave me shivers – gripping, heart-wrenching, consuming.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads revie... read more
Kate Palmer is more than ready for the quiet life in Lower Tinworthy, Cornwall. But within weeks of her arrival, a woman is found dead in the village hall, stabbed to death with her own kitchen knife…The victim is Fenella Barker Jones: chairwoman of the Women’... read more
‘SIMPLY BRILLIANT… I finished the book at 3:40 am and I was so happy that I lost my hours of sleep over this book. One of my great midnight reads.’ Book Reviews by Shalini, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐He was perfect. Denim-blue eyes, a dazzling smile. And he hadn’t sent me a picture... read more
‘Absolutely brilliant!… After months of struggling to find another author I love as much as I love Sophie Kinsella I have found her!… I devoured this book in a few hours because it was impossible to put down… Packed full of laughs… Had me laughing all the way ... read more
A door slammed and the unmistakable sound of boots came crashing up the hall. Liese held her little daughter’s hand so tightly, the tiny fingers had turned purple.The SS officer’s hand was at Liese’s throat before she saw him move. ‘I can kill you easily, then... read more
A story to break your heart – if you read only one book this year, make it The Fortunate Ones. Germany, 1941. When Inge – all blonde curls and good manners – first locks eyes with Felix, she knows instinctively that he’s off limits. Her staunchly proper parent... read more
As the cold winter nights draw in, escape to the sleepy town of Wrenwick, where the streets sparkle with snow and a lonely young widow is about to find that true love really can strike twice… As Christmas cheer fills Sparrow Street with excitement, grieving wi... read more
What happens when Mr Right goes rogue? Lara doesn’t have a back-up plan. So when her safe-bet boyfriend Lucien dumps her for her best friend, Lara’s world implodes. Life after the break up stretches bleakly ahead, lonely evenings on the sofa with only a bottle... read more
Run away to Sea Salt Bay, where the sand is warm and soft, the sea is a perfect blue, and a candy-coloured waffle house is about to change Sadie’s life…For as long as she can remember, Sadie’s grandparents have run the waffle house on the pier at Sea Salt Bay.... read more
‘Literally couldn’t put it down!… makes you laugh and tugs at the heartstrings, all in one go!... absolutely perfect!... breath-taking… made me cry and it made me laugh… filled me with festive warm feelings… Love love LOVED it!!.’ Stardust Book Reviews, 5 star... read more
The perfect wife. A fairytale family. Don’t believe your eyes… Jeanie and Matthew are a happily married couple who both have teenage children from previous relationships.No one said it would be easy to raise a blended family under one roof but Jeanie and Matth... read more
The dead don't tell secrets... unless you listen. The girl's smashed-in face stared unseeing up to the blue sky, soil spilling out of her mouth. A hundred flies hovered above the bloodied mess. Westerley research facility is not for the faint-hearted. A 'body ... read more
‘Wow. What a book … a roller coaster ride of emotions ...’ Goodreads Reviewer Two childhoods destroyed. One story they will never tell. Until now. Beth ran away from her family when she was a teenager. She left behind a terrible evil that took her innocence. S... read more
One warm spring evening, five teenagers meet in a local park. Only four will come out alive.Six months after the stabbing of sixteen-year-old Deanna Barker, someone is coming after the teenagers of Stockleigh, as a spate of vicious assaults rocks this small co... read more
‘I laughed, I laughed a lot … you will be guaranteed to remember it … my feel good book of 2016 so far!’ The Writing GarnetShe wanted a new life and true love. But the grass isn’t always greener on the other side…All Polly has to her name is a string of failed... read more
Heart-warming and hilarious, a story that will make you laugh, cry and bring a smile to your face. Get ready for another deliciously amazing Christmas treat from Sue Watson…. As the Prosecco chills and Bing Crosby croons, Jen Barker just knows that her long-te... read more
A gorgeous country house hotel, a liberal dusting of snow, a cosy weekend away…what more could Lizzie ask for at Christmas? Every Christmas Lizzie promises herself that things will change and she will leap into the new year a new woman. And yet here she is aga... read more
‘An utterly gorgeous story, with an utterly gorgeous plot that kept me turning the pages ... left me feeling full of happiness and hope.’ Becca’s BooksNew home. New life. New beginning. Love affairs can blossom in the most unlikely places . . .When Kitty inher... read more
It’s Evie’s birthday and the start of a year she’ll never forget. An emotional story of love, friendship and grabbing life by the horns.Evie’s job has always been her safe haven. As a librarian in the little town of Becton she loses herself in books - after al... read more
She got into bed but sleep didn’t come easily. Every creak in the house made her alert. She was waiting for him to come and get her.The small city of Stockleigh is in shock as three women are brutally attacked within days of each other. Are they random acts of... read more
What if you discovered that everything you knew about yourself was a lie?When pregnant Jaya loses her mother, then her baby son Arun in a tragic cot death, her world crashes down. Overcome by grief and guilt, she begins to search for answers – to the enigma of... read more
Brighton 1969: Dottie Perks steps off the train and breathes in the sea air, the smell of fish and chips, and the precious childhood memories of a friend and place she’ll never forget. Dottie Perks has forged a new life for herself in London, a new job and swe... read more
‘This series just went through the roof. Ms. Pryor has kept her Blackthorn series dark, gritty and romantic, only now it’s also an action packed thriller. Big Little Sister Blog ‘I think what is inside of you triggers the worst of me’ Sophia McKay has always h... read more
Love can be heaven. Or it can hurt like hell. For exiled angel Jessie, falling for Eden Reece has been her salvation. When she discovers that her angel tears, used to heal Eden, are actually poisoning him the burden of guilt is crushing. Jessie is determined t... read more
Two dismembered bodies discarded in the borderlands of Scotland, hideously mutilated to avoid identification. Forty-three pieces of rotten flesh and bone wrapped in rags and newspaper. A jigsaw puzzle of decomposing human remains.A glamorous young wife and her... read more
In 2014 Hibernian were in a wretched state; weighed down by a 112-year curse in the Scottish Cup and relegated for only the fourth time in their long history. Never had glory seemed further away.Yet against all odds and expectations, Hibernian turned disaster ... read more
"I can't tell you the truth, but I can tell you a story..." ®How much is real and how much is fiction, only YOU can decide!A cold, dead body stares skyward from a rose garden in the grounds of a luxury London apartment. What secrets does the dead man hold? Is ... read more
"I can't tell you the truth, but I can tell you a story..."How much is real and how much is fiction, only YOU can decide! July 2005: in the midst of Operation Theseus, the largest police investigation that the UK has ever known, Detective Inspector Jake Flanna... read more
‘Started this morning and didn’t stop until I finished! A beauty of a book!… Made me tear up on many occasions yet the book still had this amazing uplifting presence about it. Heart-warming and beautiful! Fabulous story and definitely worthy of more than 5 sta... read more
‘Laugh-out-loud funny, emotional and festive… This is THE Christmas read of the year without a doubt. Absolutely loved it from beginning to end.’ Mum Reinvented A dream family Christmas or a total nightmare? Katy and Ben are about to find out...Katy’s been stu... read more
‘Wow, just wow.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads reviewer‘Blew me away and I'm still gasping for air.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads reviewer‘Totally jaw-dropping.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads reviewer‘Had me on the edge of my seat.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, Goodreads reviewer‘One of the must-read books of the year.... read more
‘Seriously I can not recommend it enough… From the end of the very first sentence I was entranced… will certainly make my top ten… I was gripped, I endured, I didn't have a clue and I survived it all. This book is something else.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars W... read more
‘Best book of 2018!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘I was totally blown away’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘Couldn't turn the pages quick enough’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘Omg!... my heart was pounding’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘All the stars! Every single ... read more
You made a promise to your sister. It could destroy your daughter. The Daughter 15-year-old Rosie lies in hospital fighting for her life. She’s trying to tell her mother what happened to her, but she can’t speak the words out loud. The Mother Toni is a doting ... read more
‘I am struggling to put into words exactly how good this book is… downright chilling… I truly can't wait for her next one!! I have no doubt that this will be in my top reads of 2017! 5 MASSIVE stars.’ Goodreads reviewer‘Gave me goosebumps, made my heart race a... read more
The fairy lights are up and shoppers are flooding the snowy seaside promenade. It’s going to be a busy month at Forget-Me-Not Vintage, a magical shop with a warm heart where every item has a story to be told.With bright red hair and an infectious smile, Dodie ... read more
All singleton Isla wants for Christmas is to be left in peace, but a surprise trip to the Alps means there’s a chance for romance in every snowflake that falls…It’s the week before Christmas and Isla McCoy has just received an unexpected gift: a letter announc... read more
‘I just want to say how fantastic this book is … If you’ve not read any books by this author, why the heck not?! Do it now… you won’t regret it! I just love love loved it.’ StefLoz Book Reviews, 5 starsCan new love grow when you dig up old secrets? Fall in lov... read more
‘Literally couldn’t put it down!… makes you laugh and tugs at the heartstrings, all in one go!... absolutely perfect!... breath-taking… made me cry and it made me laugh… filled me with festive warm feelings… Love love LOVED it!!.’ Stardust Book Reviews, 5 star... read more
Sunshine, crisp white wine, and a sizzling Italian. Nothing could go wrong with some holiday fun… could it?When thirty-year-old Kate’s childhood sweetheart dumps her without a goodbye, she almost hits rock bottom. But she’s determined to have a fresh start, an... read more
Escape to the daisy-strewn windswept Dorset cliffs, to the donkey sanctuary at Sweet Briar Farm, where Hattie Rose is about to find, that in this world, the most unlikely opposites can sometimes attract …Hattie was once thrilled to call the beautiful city of P... read more
Sun, spaghetti and sparkling prosecco. When it comes to finding love, there’s no place like Rome… Kate is living the dream with her gorgeous boyfriend Alessandro in his native city, but the reality is sometimes a little less romantic than she’d hoped. Every da... read more
Ashley Moon is all set for a dream holiday with her daughter in the glittering French Riviera. But nothing can prepare her for the shock of discovering who’s staying in the villa next door… Ashley got much more than a suntan on her first ever foreign holiday; ... read more
The sky is cornflower blue, the air is scented with the smell of fresh apple blossom and Lizzie Lovell can’t wait to start her new life in the mill on Magnolia Lane. But is she just about to fall in love with someone she shouldn’t? When Lizzie loses her larger... read more
If you love Martina Cole, Kimberley Chambers, Casey Kelleher and Jessie Keane, you’ll be gripped by Dangerous Girl.Sometimes your enemies are closer than you thinkAnna is finally happy. She’s rid of her abusive ex and she’s co-owner of London’s hottest new clu... read more
If you love Martina Cole, Kimberley Chambers, Casey Kelleher and Jessie Keane, you’ll love Boss Girl.You’ll do anything to save your family, even kill for them…Anna Davis is under pressure. With her West End nightclub packed full every night and the opening of... read more
Fans of Martina Cole, Kimberley Chambers and Jessie Keane will be hooked by Fierce Girl.When loyalty is everything, betrayal hits harder.Anna Davis has grown up. She’s not the naive runaway who escaped her vicious gangland boyfriend anymore. She’s tougher than... read more
You have to fight for the ones you love. ‘An ideal book for fans of Martina Cole, Kimberley Chambers, Mandasue Heller, Jessie Keane and Casey Kelleher.’ Ginger Book Geek, 5 stars Anna Davis has spent years terrified of her sadistic gangster boyfriend. Right up... read more
Up in the Alps, Cara's old life feels a million miles away. Nobody at Hope Hall knows her past. With secrets to keep, can Cara allow herself this chance to live again? New Year's Eve, San Francisco.The most promising party of the year ends in tragedy.Georgina ... read more
Expose the truth or let the dead lie still?Grace Macallan's life is on an even keel – at last. But a 9-to-5 career away from the frontline isn't all it's cracked up to be.So when she's sent to investigate a suicide at Glasgow's notorious Barlinnie prison, Grac... read more
Grace Macallan is at breaking point. All around her, events threaten to run out of control – and a new investigation is testing her to the limit. An undercover officer is missing and a woman is washed up, traumatised and barely alive, on the shores of Berwicks... read more
Billy Nelson is back home in battle-scarred Belfast. But the Troubles have cut this ex-Army Loyalist hard man deep – and now that his city’s allegiances have shifted, nothing is quite the same.An outbreak of gang violence forces Billy to move on. This time to ... read more
DCI Grace Macallan’s career has hit a serious roadblock. When a covert police operation in Northern Ireland goes badly wrong, she’s faced with a painful decision – lie to save a young officer's career or tell the truth and ruin her own reputation. For Grace, t... read more
At a dark place in Edinburgh's heart, secrets refues to lie dormant.At Police Scotland HQ, Grace Macallan has pitched up in Counter Corruption. But the demons of her past are never far behind.Meanwhile, Edinburgh's gangland is in turmoil. As a new breed of ups... read more
"I wasn't sure I liked the sound of it. Even my vivid imagination could hardly fathom a place as tight, or dense, or narrow as Shanghai." It's April 1939 and, with their lives in Berlin and Vienna under threat, Esther and Kitty – two very different women – are... read more
TYLER’S STORY FROM THE SENSATIONAL DIMILY SERIES "And all that’s left is me. The Tyler who doesn’t know who he really is." At seventeen, Tyler Bruce is hot – a hot mess. His girlfriend is a knockout, his reputation untouchable, parties are nothing without him.... read more
Could Joy have been a different kind of girl, another woman, if her mother hadn't given her up? "From the arid desert of eighties Arizona to swinging sixties London, Noëlle Harrison connects her beautifully drawn characters and weaves them into a story that en... read more
Imagine waking up in the dead of night to find your hot new neighbour dangling out of your window. What’s more, he's clutching your tattiest bra in his hand. What. The. Actual. Fudge. When bad boy Alec Wilde moves in next door to Riley, sparks fly. After their... read more
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