Mary-Theresa Hussey

Mary-Theresa Hussey – Editor

Award winning editor with 25+ years in traditional publishing. Specializing in genre fiction. Looking to help make good stories well told.

Overview

I'm an award-winning editor (the RWA Vivian Stephens Industry Professional award for 2015, the OCC Helping Hands Industry Award, Editor of the Year Award from the NYC RWA and multiple RITA and National Readers Choice Award nominees and winners among others). I love a good story and want to make sure it's well told.

I offer a wide range of editorial services, though my strengths are in developmental/concept editing and line-editing. Over my years at Harlequin, I acquired over 25 debut authors, including those who went on to hit the NYT list (Maria V. Snyder and Rachel Vincent), as well as acquiring titles that hit high marks for authors for the NYT (Mercedes Lackey and Michelle Sagara) and USA TODAY lists (including Stella Bagwell, Day Leclaire, and many more!).

I know romance, fantasy, urban fantasy, mystery, romantic suspense, YA and look forward to sharing my expertise with you..

Here's to seeing your good stories!
Services
Fiction
Action & Adventure Fantasy Historical Fiction Mystery & Crime Paranormal Romance Romance Science Fiction Thriller & Suspense Urban Fantasy Young Adult
Languages
English (CAN) English (UK) English (US)
Awards
  • RWA 2015 Industry Professional of the Year
Certifications
  • New York University Publishing Program

Work experience

Harlequin

Sep, 1989 — Nov, 2014 (about 25 years)

After starting out as an editorial assistant for Silhouette Romance, I began working with most of the lines out of the NY office. Over the years I acquired titles for Silhouette Romance, Silhouette/Harlequin Desire, Silhouette/Harlequin Special Edition, Silhouette Intimate Moments, Harlequin Duets, Harlequin Flipside, Harlequin Romantic Suspense, Love Inspired, LUNA, MIRA, Harlequin Teen, HQN and many special projects.

I was senior editor for Silhouette Romance and LUNA, and executive editor for Kimani, Flipside, Medicals, Harlequin Romance, Harlequin Special Edition, Harlequin Desire, Harlequin Intrigue and Harlequin Romantic Suspense over the years.

In addition to working with, developing and mentoring authors and editors, I represented Harlequin at conferences and contests, and helped develop and launch the SO YOU THINK YOU CAN WRITE contest, including handling the contest side of things. I've written back cover copy, story concept bibles, marketing plans, articles, workshops and more. I was part of numerous reissue programs and contributed to the development of processes within the company. I also attended and led workshops for authors and editors.

I've edited close to a thousand titles (some of the more recent are below) and reviewed three times as many in my capacity as senior or executive editor over the years.

I taught writing classes years ago at Marymount university's continuing education, and continue to take workshops myself in order to increase my knowledge and keep on top of this fascinating, changing world of publishing.

Portfolio

Foretold

Rinda Elliott

Sisters of Fate Book OneIt is written that three Sisters of Fate have the power to change the world's destiny. But only if they survive...The Lockwood triplets have had the prophecy drummed into their heads since birth. Still, Raven, the eldest of the sisters,... read more
Eve Larrison has a rare gift: as a hyper-polyglot she speaks over sixty languages. She's uniquely qualified to assist in an attempted kidnapping case that has international overtones. But this assignment is exceptional. The target of the abduction is Royce Rai... read more
The things you find under the mistletoe! While running her own ranch, Noelle Barnes had encountered all sorts of surprises. But an unconscious cowboy? That was a first! Yet Evan Calhoun was no ordinary rancher. He was a lawman on the hunt for some rustlers. An... read more
"I didn't hire you to be my bodyguard."It was obviously an inside job—and security expert Campbell Steele figured he'd have to get very close to his new client, CEO Abigail McBane, to uncover the traitor. But when an electronic blip led to a bullet, he had to ... read more
From their top-secret headquarters... Three women with brains, brawn, beauty--and guns--are ready for anything...but love.Three new, connected stories by authors Doranna Durgin, Virginia Kantra and Meredith FletcherFramed for murder and running from the CIA, s... read more
HER UNDERCOVER LOVER The little house by the lake was the perfect summer hideaway. At least that was what Faye Harper thought—until a dark, mysterious stranger appeared at her door and turned her peaceful world upside down. Detective Aleksy Denko was compellin... read more
Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan absorbs their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Fifteen Realms, lea... read more
The world of Inside is simple. Do your job, stay out of the way and don't dream of anything better. Because as every Scrub knows, there are no other options.Until Trella—the Queen of the Pipes, as some call her—gets involved with a revolution that will rock he... read more
Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan absorbs their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Fifteen Realms, lea... read more
The Tower Syndicate will fall…The secret daughter of the head of an infamous Skilled crime family, Sera Brandt has hidden her past, her potential and especially her powers. But when a tragedy strikes her other family, Sera needs justice. And the only way to ge... read more
It starts with a scream….New York Times bestselling author Rachel Vincent's compelling Soul Screamers series keeps getting better—here, for the first time, the original stories are compiled into one special volume….My Soul to Lose—The prequel: never before in ... read more
I look like an all-American grad student. But I am a werecat, a shape-shifter, and I live in two worlds.Despite reservations from my family and my Pride, I escaped the pressure to continue my species and carved out a normal life for myself. Until the night a S... read more
To: Julia, Maggie, Jen, Sharon From: Lauren Date: 12/01RE: I'm not a pregnant virgin!You'll never believe what Rafe did today! He asked me if I was pregnant! Just because he suspected my flu was morning sickness. The worst of it is, as soon as I denied it, he ... read more
Taken

Lilith Saintcrow

Sophie never believed she was special. Avoiding a violent ex, she can't remember the last time she truly felt safe. Then vampires murder her best friend and Sophie is kidnapped by a dangerously sexy shape-shifter. Zach insists that Sophie is a Shaman—someone w... read more
AUTHOR'S PREFERRED EDITION!A humorous paranormal romance by USA Today bestselling author Mindy Klasky.Jane Madison has a problem. Or two. Or three. She’s working as a librarian, trapped in absurd period costumes and serving up expensive lattes in an effort to ... read more
As one of the last surviving Mistweavers, half-blood Jenni knows what it's like to be caught between two worlds: the faery and the human. But the time has come to choose. The Lightfolk require her unique talent for balancing the elements to fend off a dangerou... read more
With Their Magic Boundaries Falling and Terrible Monsters Invading, the Marshalls of Lladrana Must Follow Ancient Tradition and Summon a Savor from the Exotique Land…For Alexa Fitzwalter, the Marshall's call pulled the savvy lawyer into a realm where she barel... read more
Raintree: Oracle

Linda Winstead Jones

When prophecies turn deadly, all will be revealed in the final captivating book in the New York Times bestselling Raintree series! For years, Echo Raintree has battled against the uncontrollable visions of disaster that sweep over her. Now she's determined to ... read more
Best Man for the Job

Meredith Fletcher

The WarriorA soldier by profession, a lone wolf by choice, Callan Storm doesn't believe in coincidence. So when the groom—his baby sister's fiance—is snatchec at gunpoint he looks to the one other unexpected element at the bachelor party: the entertainment.The... read more
The Lost

Sarah Beth Durst

Brilliantly riveting. * Thought-provoking and stirring. ** Award-winning author Sarah Beth Durst has been praised for her captivating novels that merge the darkly imagined with very real themes of self-discovery and destiny. In The Lost, we'll discover just wh... read more
Two years ago I did a terrible thing. I accused my best friend of being a killer after seeing him kneeling over a girl's body. That moment and that outcast boy still haunt me.Now my mom is forcing me back to Oklahoma and I can't get White Bird out of my mind. ... read more
From condemned prisoner to food taster for the Commander of Ixia, from apprentice to a charismatic assassin to warrior with ever-evolving magical powers, Yelena is a remarkable heroine like none you've ever experienced. Follow her amazing journey through Maria... read more
Joanne Walker has three days to learn to use her shamanic powers and save the world from the unleashed Wild Hunt.No worries. No pressure. Never mind the lack of sleep, the perplexing new talent for healing herself from fatal wounds, or the cryptic, talking coy... read more
Jump into the fireSevero Dante and his brothers had always dismissed rumors of the Inferno—an explosive desire that overtakes Dante men when they first see their soul mates. Then Severo met jewelry designer Francesca Sommers and was astonished by their raw, ur... read more
From Book 1: NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Mercedes Lackey enters a world with fractured fairytales that lead to Happily Ever Afters—with some unique twists and turns along the way!THE FAIRY GODMOTHERWhen Elena realizes she's never going to find her prince... read more
Manhattan's night life just got weirder... It starts as a simple job — but simple jobs, when you're dealing with the magical world, often end up anything but. As a Retriever, Wren Valere specializes in finding things gone missing — and then bringing them back,... read more
From Book 1: The only excitement Shannon Parker expects while on summer vacation is a little shopping. But when an antique vase calls to her, she finds herself transported to Partholon, where she's treated like a goddess. A very temperamental goddess…Somehow S... read more
From Book 1: It's always been just Kate and her mom—and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.Then she ... read more
Seven years ago Kaylin fled the crime-riddled streets of Nightshade, knowing that something was after her. Children were being murdered — and all had the same odd markings that mysteriously appeared on her own skin. Since then, she's learned to read, she's lea... read more

Mary-Theresa has 80 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Richard J.

Richard J.

Aug, 2024

I truly enjoyed collaborating with Mary-Theresa about my writing project. Her ideas were very interesting and impressive. I will certainly consider using her talents again!
Sipora C.

Sipora C.

Jul, 2024

Mary-Theresa answered the questions I had about my query and first pages. She helped me decide on a direction with regard to publishing.
Mary-Theresa H.
Thanks, Sipora! I'm glad it was helpful! Balancing the commercial and artistic elements is always difficult! --Matrice
Jay S.

Jay S.

Nov, 2023

The quality of work seemed good to high, however the challenge was communication. I would send in work to be edited and then would not hear anything. And then when I asked for an update, there also was no response. When my edits were complete from her reviews, Mary-Theresa wanted another look to make sure. I gave her what I completed and after two weeks asked for an update and how much more tim...
Read more
Merry Lee B.

Merry Lee B.

Mar, 2023

Matrice provides a thorough and comprehensive editorial review which will certainly get you thinking about the choices you've made. She will walk you through her evaluation, offering possible solutions. If you are looking for a developmental editor, you cannot go wrong when working with Mary-Theresa.
Eric S.

Eric S.

Jan, 2023

Ms. Hussey knows her business!
Mary-Theresa H.
Thanks, Eric! I'm eager to see where you'll take the project from here. There's great potential!

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