Madeline Smoot – Editor

I am not someone who grew up wanting to be a writer. My great love was reading. I read it all: Agatha Christie, Dianna Wynne Jones, Robin McKinley, Bunnicula, Sweet Valley Twins (not Sweet Valley High), Nancy Drew, and later Harry Potter, Asimov, Heinlein, Tolkein, and series like the Hunger Games and Percy Jackson. All this reading led to writing and then to editing and eventually to publishing others at my small press. My passion has always been bringing the best out of my author's work. I provide my authors with a comprehensive (and I do mean comprehensive) analysis of each book that looks not just at the whole, but all the moving parts that go into great writing. After the analysis, I either provide a written report, or I do a one hour phone (or video) call with each author to discuss in detail the analysis I've created. The report or phone call is absolutely key. The report synthesizes all that I've found during the analysis. The call does the same, but it can also provide a give and take discussion where epiphanies can occur. When one of my author's has an awe-inspiring insight into their work, that's when the magic happens.

As the publisher of a small, traditional royalty based press (CBAY Books), I have edited, designed, and published high quality fantasy and science fiction middle grade and young adult books for 13 years including:

HOMER'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE— "An origin story for the ages takes readers on an epically hilarious adventure … snappy, anachronistic humor make this an entertaining laugh-out-loud adventure … Recommend to fans of Percy Jackson, epic stories, and mythology looking for new fodder with a twist." —School Library Journal (Middle Grade Fantasy/Mythology)

SHORTCUTS— "The story feels like a blend of Willo Davis Roberts' nerdy-psychic classic The Girl with the Silver Eyes (1980) and the Stephen King novel Carrie (1980)." — Kirkus Reviews (Middle Grade Science Fiction)

UNCERTAIN SUMMER— "Kids on the cusp fumble toward coming-of-age with the odd cryptid and charging boar for thrills." — Kirkus Reviews (Middle Grade Adventure)

I have been privileged to work with a wide range of authors—from those completing their first novel to authors with decades of experience. Here are some of their comments:

"I had the great privilege and even greater learning experience working with Madeline on my first two novels. When my newest project was ready to submit, I was smart enough to first go to Madeline. As always, she didn't simply find the errors in grammar, logic, pacing ... the usual suspects, but after we talked, no, while we talked, she fired up my muse with much deeper considerations.”— Kath Boyd Marsh

"Madeline's editorial advice was encouraging, specific, and helped take my novel to the next level. Her background in publishing is extensive, and I particularly appreciated her expertise in children's literature in particular." — Jessica Lee Anderson

I cannot wait to work with you on your project.