Lindsay Guzzardo - Editor
Collaborative and supportive dev. editor with numerous bestsellers in women's fiction & romance at Amazon, Guideposts, and Penguin.
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Overview
Through tenures at Amazon, Guideposts Books, and Penguin, I have edited numerous bestselling titles to fantastic customer and trade reviews, particularly in women's fiction and romance.
Some of my proudest career achievements include acquiring debut romantic suspense author Kendra Elliot, whose titles have now sold 8+ million copies, editing Guideposts Books’ first New York Times-bestseller "A Sweethaven Summer," and acquiring The Vineyard Series by Marina Adair which was turned into a hit movie trilogy by the Hallmark Channel.
I adore fruitful collaboration with authors and delighting readers. One of my greatest joys is working with an author to "crack the case" - meaning, if there's an element that isn't quite working, we'll brainstorm together until we figure out the one idea that causes everything else to align.
I am enthusiastic, professional, and very detail- and deadline-oriented, and I foster excellent client communications. I'll offer any suggestions that I think could help strengthen the story, as well as bring my industry and market expertise to the table, but at the end of the day, I will always respect that it's your baby and your vision.
Some of my proudest career achievements include acquiring debut romantic suspense author Kendra Elliot, whose titles have now sold 8+ million copies, editing Guideposts Books’ first New York Times-bestseller "A Sweethaven Summer," and acquiring The Vineyard Series by Marina Adair which was turned into a hit movie trilogy by the Hallmark Channel.
I adore fruitful collaboration with authors and delighting readers. One of my greatest joys is working with an author to "crack the case" - meaning, if there's an element that isn't quite working, we'll brainstorm together until we figure out the one idea that causes everything else to align.
I am enthusiastic, professional, and very detail- and deadline-oriented, and I foster excellent client communications. I'll offer any suggestions that I think could help strengthen the story, as well as bring my industry and market expertise to the table, but at the end of the day, I will always respect that it's your baby and your vision.
Languages
English (US)
Fiction
Chick Lit
Christian Fiction
Contemporary Romance
Cozy Mysteries
Historical Fiction
Psychological Thriller
Romantic Comedy
Young Adult Fantasy
Awards
- National Readers' Choice Winner
- Golden Leaf Award winner for YA Fiction
- 3x RITA Award finalist
- Carol Award finalist
- HOLT Medallion Award winner
Work experience
Developmental Editor
Freelance
January, 2013
–
Present
(about 10 years)
• Work directly with Amazon Publishing authors under tight deadlines to shape stories, complete structural and line edits, and ensure manuscripts are of publishable quality (60+ titles across genres), including:
o “A Year of Extraordinary Moments” (Oct. 2018) by USA Today-bestseller Bette Crosby.
* “[B]eautifully explores the theme of letting go...[A] sweet novel.”—Kirkus
o “Somebody’s Daughter” (April 2018) by USA Today-bestseller Rochelle B. Weinstein.
* “[D]ebuts at precisely the perfect cultural moment…it has an understanding eye for what being a teenager is like.”—Entertainment Weekly
o “The Memory of Butterflies” (Sept. 2017) by USA Today-bestseller Grace Greene.
* 100K+ copies sold.
• Write sales, promotional, and cover copy for Amazon Publishing titles (samples available upon request).
• Associate Editor for The Editorial Department, offering detailed feedback on authors’ query letters, writing samples, book proposals, and full manuscripts.
Acquisitions Editor
Amazon
August, 2011
–
January, 2013
(over 1 year)
• An original editor for Amazon Publishing’s romance imprint, Montlake
• Acquired 75+ titles for Montlake Romance and Lake Union Publishing, both self-published and agented, and managed books through to publication.
• Acquired debut romantic suspense author Kendra Elliot, now one of APub’s marquee authors and top three bestsellers, whose titles have sold 7 million+ copies.
• Acquired and edited the “Vineyard Series” by Marina Adair which became a hit movie trilogy for the Hallmark Channel.
• I was interviewed by the Aspen Times about the journey and success of “The Bloodletter’s Daughter” (250K+ copies sold).
• Additional titles of note that I acquired:
o “Chasing Rainbows” and “Meant to Be” hit #1 in the US Kindle Store.
o “The Second Chance Café” was nominated for a 2014 RITA Award.
o “Forged in Fire” was nominated for two 2013 RITA Awards.
* The follow-up “Forged in Ash” was nominated for a 2015 RITA Award.
o “Buried” was an International Thriller Writers finalist and nominated by RT Reviews for the Best Romantic Suspense of 2013.
o “Storm Warrior” was selected as #5 in PW’s Top 10 Romance, Fall 2013.
• Represented Montlake at BEA and RWA and sat on the Montlake panel at RWA’s Publisher Spotlight.
Associate Editor
Guideposts Books
June, 2009
–
May, 2011
(almost 2 years)
• Edited Guideposts Books’ first New York Times-bestseller “A Sweethaven Summer.”
* nominated for the CBA's highest honor, the Carol Award.
• Developed, launched, and generated storylines for original sweet and cozy fiction and mystery series, including “Secrets of Mary’s Bookshop,” “Miracles of Marble Cove,” and “Postcards from Misty Harbor Inn.”
Editorial Assistant
Penguin
April, 2006
–
May, 2009
(about 3 years)
• Edited New York Times-bestsellers, including Jen Lancaster’s “Pretty in Plaid,” Lynn Viehl’s “Shadowlight,” and Bertrice Small’s “The Border Lord and the Lady.”
• Conceived of and acquired “Twelve Wicked Nights” which was nominated for an RT Reviewers’ Award.
Portfolio (39 selected works)
Hidden (A Bone Secrets Novel Book 1)
Kendra Elliot
Hidden is the first book in Bone Secrets, the multimillion-copy bestselling series.Eleven years ago, the Co-ed Slayer murdered nine female students on the Oregon State University campus. Lacey Campbell barely escaped his attack, but lost her best friend whose remains were never found. As the sole surviving victim, Lacey helped send the sadistic serial killer to prison for life.Now a forensic o... read more
The Bloodletter's Daughter (A Novel of Old Bohemia)
Linda Lafferty
Within the glittering Hapsburg court in Prague lurks a darkness of which no one dares speak…In 1606, the city of Prague shines as a golden mecca of art and culture carefully cultivated by Emperor Rudolf II. But the emperor hides an ugly secret: His bastard son, Don Julius, is afflicted with a madness that pushes the young prince to unspeakable depravity. Desperate to stem his son’s growing num... read more
Autumn in the Vineyard (A St. Helena Vineyard Novel)
Marina Adair
Now a Hallmark channel original movie.Frankie Baudouin has a hundred reasons not to trust Nate DeLuca. First, he's a DeLuca. Second, he kissed her—in front of the entire town—and then never called. Oh, and he's after her land. Sorrento Ranch is Frankie's last chance to prove to her family—and to herself—that she has what it takes to be an award-winning winemaker. And she will stop at nothing t... read more
Forged in Fire (A Red-Hot SEALs Novel Book 1)
Trish McCallan
2013 RITA® Finalist for Best Romantic Suspense AND Best First BookBeth Brown doesn’t believe in premonitions. But her recent dream feels too real to ignore: a commercial airliner is hijacked, and a handsome passenger is shot dead. Beth hasn’t met the mystery man in her dream; she would never forget a gorgeous face like his. But she can’t deny the bizarre connection she feels. Now awake, and un... read more
The Memory of Butterflies: A Novel
Grace Greene
To keep devastating family secrets from being revealed, a young mother lies, but her secrets could end up destroying everything, and everyone, she loves. The Memory of Butterflies is a poignant story of family and forgiveness--of knowing when to let go and when to hold each other close.Hannah Cooper's daughter is leaving for college soon. The change is bittersweet. A single mother since the ag... read more
The Second Chance Café (A Hope Springs Novel)
Alison Kent
Growing up, Kaylie Flynn was shuffled from foster home to foster home before being welcomed into Winton and May Wise’s family. It was May who taught Kaylie the comfort of home, and the healing power of baking the perfect brownie. Years later, May leaves Kaylie the money she needs to open her own café in the charming Victorian house they once shared. Now back in Hope Springs, Kaylie’s determine... read more
Relative Fortunes (A Julia Kydd Novel Book 1)
Marlowe Benn
In 1920s New York, the price of a woman’s independence can be exorbitant—even fatal.In 1924 Manhattan, women’s suffrage is old news. For sophisticated booklover Julia Kydd, life’s too short for politics. With her cropped hair and penchant for independent living, Julia wants only to launch her own new private press. But as a woman, Julia must fight for what’s hers—including the inheritance her ... read more
Buried (A Bone Secrets Novel Book 3)
Kendra Elliot
A Daphne du Maurier Award WinnerBuried is the third book in Bone Secrets, the multimillion-copy bestselling series.Reporter Michael Brody is used to getting answers. The one that’s eluded him, though, for twenty long years is learning what happened to his brother Daniel the day his school bus disappeared. When the remains of the other children are discovered—and Daniel’s aren’t among them—a de... read more
Die For Me: A Novel of the Valentine Killer
Cynthia Eden
She thought her fiancé was the perfect man—until he turned out to be the perfect killer… Katherine Cole is running for her life, desperate to escape the Valentine Killer—so-called because he stabs his victims through the heart and leaves them holding a telltale single red rose. Still he tracks her to New Orleans and begins carving a bloody path to her door. But this time, Katherine refuses to ... read more
Paper Boats
Dee Lestari
She’s a free-spirited dreamer. He’s a brilliant painter. But now their shared passion for art has turned into something deeper…For as long as she can remember, Kugy has loved to write. Whimsical stories are her passion, along with letters full of secret longings that she folds into paper boats and sets out to sea. Now that she’s older, she dreams of following her heart and becoming a true tell... read more
Remembering You
Tricia Goyer
Television producer Ava Ellington cannot refuse her grandfather's last wish--that she accompany him to Europe on a tour of World War II battle sites. Ava has little interest in historical battles, but this may be her last chance to break down the barriers that have grown up between them, and she sets off, camera in hand, ready to record and report on their journey. She and Grandpa Jack are gre... read more
Chasing Rainbows: A Novel
Kathleen Long
Includes Reader’s Guide for book club discussions.Chocolate. Tattered robe. Wedding video. Wine.Things aren’t looking so good for Bernadette Murphy.With the breakup of her marriage, the sudden death of her father, and the announcement of her best friend’s pregnancy, Bernadette finds herself careening toward rock bottom. So why stop short? She quits her job, gets herself banned—for life—from th... read more
Counting Stars
Kathleen Long
When Bernadette Murphy's brother, Mark, dies unexpectedly, her world is rocked. Jenny, the wife he left behind, skips grieving and goes straight into survival mode. That is, until she shows up at Bernie's door in tears, holding a battered canvas journal in which Mark--once obsessed with adventure--had listed larger-than-life travel destinations.Before losing her brother, life had been great fo... read more
The Winemaker's Secret (A Starlight Cove Novel)
Cynthia Ellingsen
Someone is out to destroy the family vineyard—and expose its secrets—in this atmospheric novel from Cynthia Ellingsen, Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Lighthouse Keeper.Abby Harrington’s family has dedicated their lives to cultivating the family vineyard and collecting vintage wines. But it takes only one night for the priceless collection to vanish, stolen during Abby’s grandparents’ ... read more
Husbands and Other Sharp Objects: A Novel
Marilyn Simon Rothstein
A heartwarming, hilarious novel for anyone who has ever had a family, from the author of Lift and Separate.After a lifetime of marriage, Marcy Hammer is ready to get herself unhitched—just as everyone else in her life is looking for a commitment. Her new boyfriend, Jon, wants to get serious, and her soon-to-be ex-husband, Harvey, is desperate to get back together. When her headstrong daughter ... read more
Somebody's Daughter
Rochelle B. Weinstein
From USA Today bestselling author Rochelle B. Weinstein comes an emotional novel for mothers, daughters, and anyone who has ever felt imperfect.Emma and Bobby Ross enjoy a charmed life on the shores of Miami Beach. They are a model family with a successful business, an uncomplicated marriage, and two blessedly typical twin daughters, Zoe and Lily. They are established members of a tight-knit c... read more
Meant to Be (An Anchor Island Novel)
Terri Osburn
Sometimes the next best thing is what you’ve been looking for all along…Beth Chandler has spent her whole life pleasing others. She went to law school to make her grandparents happy. She agreed to marry her workaholic boyfriend, Lucas, to make him happy. And, despite her fear of boats, she took a ferry to see Lucas’s parents just to make them happy.While suffering through a panic attack on the... read more
Far from Perfect (Perfect, Indiana Book 1)
Barbara Longley
2012 OKRWA's National Readers’ Choice Winner2013 HOLT Medallion Award WinnerSteal away on a journey to the heartland, where a wounded soldier meets the one woman who could be his new beginning…Noah Langford narrowly survived the roadside bombing in Iraq that cost him his leg and forever his peace of mind. When his stepbrother Matt dies in a car accident, the loss feels like the final blow to N... read more
True to the Highlander (The Novels of Loch Moigh Book 1)
Barbara Longley
Treachery rules the Highlands of 1423. With their king captured by the English, Scottish nobles plot to ransom James behind the back of the brutal regent holding their land in his iron grip. But not every clan wishes to see King James back on his throne…Sitting atop this powder keg of bloodthirsty rivalries, Malcolm of clan MacKintosh takes the mysterious, lone maiden he finds along his road a... read more
The Forgotten Sister: Mary Bennet's Pride and Prejudice
Jennifer Paynter
The third Bennet sister, Mary, steps into the spotlight in this graceful retelling of Pride and Prejudice.As a middle child flanked by two pairs of closely bonded sisters, marginalized by her mother, and ridiculed by her father, Mary Bennet feels isolated within her own family. She retreats to her room to read and play the pianoforte and, when obliged to mix in society, finds it safer to quote... read more
The Slow Burn of Silence (A Snowy Creek Novel)
Loreth Anne White
Winner of the National Readers' Choice Award for Romantic SuspenseFrom award-winning romance author Loreth Anne White comes a story of justice, loyalty, and unbreakable bonds that is both a thrilling mystery and a moving love story. Newly exonerated ex-con Jeb Cullen is determined to prove his innocence to his former neighbors and win back the heart of Rachel Salonen, the only woman he’s ever ... read more
A Watershed Year
Susan Schoenberger
What it means to be a mother, what it takes to save a life.Lucy never confessed her love to her best friend, Harlan, before he passed away. Two months after his funeral, she is haunted by the power of things left unsaid. But then she receives the first of his e-mails arranged to be sent after his death. So begins the year that everything changes—Lucy’s watershed year. In an e-mail, Harlan says... read more
The Virtues of Oxygen
Susan Schoenberger
From the award-winning author of A Watershed Year comes a heartrending story of unlikely bonds made under dire straits. Holly is a young widow with two kids living in a ramshackle house in the same small town where she grew up wealthy. Now barely able to make ends meet editing the town’s struggling newspaper, she manages to stay afloat with help from her family. Then her mother suffers a strok... read more
My Unexpected Hope (The Fairfield)
Tammy L. Gray
After a year of grieving her divorce and living a life permanently stuck on pause, Laila Richardson is finally ready to have her own happy ending. Then a listing for a quaint cottage in another town answers her prayers for a fresh beginning—one that will bring her closer to her new boyfriend, Ben. Unfortunately, in her small town of Fairfield, Georgia, letting go of the past is virtually impos... read more
The Summer of New Beginnings: A Magnolia Grove Novel
Bette Lee Crosby
One family learns that love is the greatest miracle of all—from USA Today bestselling author Bette Lee Crosby.Aspiring journalist Meghan Briggs has always been the responsible one in the family. So when her father passes away unexpectedly, leaving behind his at-risk business, she steps up to save his legacy—even if that means putting her own dreams on hold.Tracy couldn’t be more different from... read more
A Year of Extraordinary Moments (A Magnolia Grove Novel)
Bette Lee Crosby
From USA Today bestselling author Bette Lee Crosby comes a heartwarming novel about letting go of the past to make way for a brighter future.Tracy Briggs has finally gotten her act together. She’s focusing on her own life and helping her hearing-impaired son learn to talk. With her sister married and exploring a new career, Tracy has begun to run the family’s magazine business and feels her li... read more
Joanie Bigbee, cupcake baker extraordinaire, likes to keep her options open—and she’s good at it. She's started and sold some 30 businesses in her postage stamp-sized Tennessee town, and at the moment she can be found in a short skirt and go-go boots, selling cupcakes out of the back of a converted Volkswagen van. What she moves on to next is anybody’s guess. She knows better than to be tied d... read more
Wethering the Storm
Samantha Towle
Music journalist Tru Bennett has done the impossible: capture the heart of rock-star bad boy Jake Wethers. Now they’re busy planning a wedding and navigating their new life together in the US. Of course Tru misses London and her best friend, Simone, but living happily ever after with Jake in LA is going to be great…right?Wrong. Even the bright California sun can’t whitewash the dark side of ce... read more
If You Can't Take the Heat
Melissa Brown
Whitney Bartolina gets what she wants. At just thirty-four, she’s worked her way up from mailroom coordinator to casting director at a major Los Angeles television network and had a string of steamy flings, most recently with movie star Nolan Rivera. But when two of the contestants she casts on a new reality cooking show turn out to be as talented in the bedroom as they are in the kitchen, Whi... read more
Only You (A Sweet Torment Novel)
Joya Ryan
Diligent, hardworking Paige Levine survived a traumatic childhood and went on to work her way through college, landing a coveted job in the Governor’s cabinet. But when a steamy scandal threatens to tarnish her innocent reputation, Paige finds herself unemployed, miserable, and alone. The spirited redhead seeks solace in tequila shots…and a smoldering, sensual attraction soon erupts between he... read more
Out of Sorts
Aurélie Valognes
Ferdinand Brun hasn’t always been a grumpy old man. Many years ago, he was a grumpy young man. Now he’d much rather spend time with his canine companion, Daisy, than any of his nosy neighbors. But as his behavior becomes increasingly peculiar, his daughter grows concerned and begins to consider moving him into a retirement home.In order to maintain his freedom, Ferdinand must submit to an apar... read more
Storm Warrior (Grim Book 1)
Dani Harper
Enslaved for millennia by the masters of the Welsh faery realm, the fierce Celtic warrior Rhys is doomed to wander the earth forever. But when a brave beauty unwittingly breaks the enchantment, he is drawn into a strange new world…and an all-consuming desire.Sensible Morgan doesn’t believe in magic—until a mysterious being saves her from a fate worse than death, and life as she knows it change... read more
Where the Wind Blows (A Prairie Hearts Novel Book 1)
Caroline Fyffe
Where the Wind Blows, Book One of USA Today bestselling author Caroline Fyffe’s award-winning western historical romance Prairie Hearts series.In the free and untamed Wild West, love might blossom in the most unexpected place…When the man from the orphanage mistakes Chase Logan for Jessie Strong’s husband, the least Chase can do is help Jessie adopt the child she so desperately wants, the litt... read more
#1 Amazon Family Saga and Series Romance Best-sellerBook 1 in the Seasons of The Heart Series, with recurring characters in the #1 Amazon Short Story, Here in My Heart, the heartwarming beginning to the Echoes of the Heart series!Anna DeStefano presents a touching Christmas story about love, loss, and healing--and the joys of coming home.A childhood spent on the streets leaves Mallory Phillips... read more
Regan Martin stopped believing in Christmas miracles six years ago when she lost everything—her house, her job, and her impeccable reputation in the wine industry—after she fell in love with a man she had no idea was married. Then Regan gets a chance for a fresh start in the Napa Valley. With her dream job, dream home, and her daughter enrolled in a wonderful new school, she starts wondering i... read more
Summer in Napa (A St. Helena Vineyard Novel)
Marina Adair
Now a Hallmark Channel original movie.When Alexis “Lexi” Moreau caught her husband, Jeff, sampling the sous-chef’s more intimate wares in their New York restaurant, she ran—all the way back to her hometown of St. Helena, California. Six months later, Lexi has no husband and no restaurant. But she does have a three-step plan: First, convert her grandmother’s bakery into her dream bistro. Second... read more
A Sweethaven Summer (The Sweethaven Circle Book 1)
Courtney Walsh
A faded scrapbook reveals secrets that reconnect old friends in a place called Sweethaven.Campbell Carter has come to Sweethaven in search of answers about her mother's history. Just before losing a battle with cancer, Suzanne Carter sent letters to childhood friends from her hometown of Sweethaven, Michigan. Suzanne's three friends -- Lila, Jane, and Meghan -- haven't spoken in years, yet eac... read more
Deviants (The Dust Chronicles Book 1)
Maureen McGowan
In Glory's world, different means deviant—and dead. In a post-apocalyptic world, where the earth is buried by asteroid dust that’s mutated the DNA of some humans, an orphaned sixteen-year-old, Glory, must hide and protect her younger brother. If their Deviant abilities are discovered, they’ll be expunged—kicked out of the dome to be tortured and killed by the Shredders. Glory would give anythi... read more
Compliance (The Dust Chronicles Book 2)
Maureen McGowan
2013 Winner - NJRW Golden Leaf Award for Young Adult FictionFor Glory, life inside the domed city is anything but safe. After rescuing her brother, Glory returns to Haven as a double agent to locate and save fellow Deviants. Far from her family, Glory faces danger at every turn as she trains to be a Compliance Officer—to track down and subdue her own kind—while she works undercover to rescue a... read more
Lindsay has 4 reviews
Professionalism
Professionalism
Quality
Quality
Value
Value
Communication & Punctuality
Communication & Punctuality
Lindsay was great to work with. She was very professional, submitted the work ahead of schedule, and gave detailed feedback. I would definitely recommend her!
Lauren Thompson, September 2020
Lindsay was wonderful! She improved my query, showed me how less is more, and was very quick to answer all my questions about content. It was definitely money well spent.
Vicki Volden, June 2020
When you think about how a collaboration can and should be, one needs to consider a few things: someone of professionalism, compassion, and creativity. This is what Lindsay embodies and what she brings to the table.
To really leave a proper review I have to express how I came across Lindsay; I searched high and low for someone to copy edit my book THE INCREDIBLE EXISTENCE OF YOU and help me p...
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Drue Metz, June 2020
Extremely professional and punctual.
More character analysis would have been preferred. Which characters are likeable? Superfluous? Relateable? etc.
Clear explication of plot and story structure
Jason Gretencord, May 2020
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