Overview

A professional commissioning, structural, line and copyeditor, specialising in children's & YA/crossover. I've worked on editorial teams at large houses such as Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster and Egmont, across a range of ages and genres, with authors such as Rick Riordan, Darren Shan, Michael Morpurgo, Becca Fitzpatrick and Gayle Forman.

I now work full-time as the global publishing director for the Roald Dahl Story Company, and get back to freelance editing at weekends and in my free time. I am thus selective about what I take on, but happy to help wherever I can. I'm particularly interested in marginalised voices and innovative forms.

Services

Languages

Fiction

Co-running department strategy; commissioning, editing and project-managing authors such as Michael Morpurgo, Jenny Nimmo, Robert Beatty, Laura Ellen Anderson and Katy Birchall, as well as a number of debut authors and project publications. I also ran editorial and brand strategy on Egmont's Enid Blyton list.

Commissioning, editing and project-managing authors such as Darren Shan, Becca Fitzpatrick, Gayle Forman, Amy Alward, Adam Silvera, Steve Cole, Michelle Harrison and C. J. Flood, as well as a number of debut authors and project publications.

Editing and project-managing authors such as Michael Morpurgo, Steve Cole, Chris Ryan, Richard Hammond, Bear Grylls and Ellie Simmonds.

Co-editing work by authors such as Rick Riordan, Melvin Burgess and Steven Butler.

Winter Magic

Abi Elphinstone

A beautiful and classic anthology of frosty, magical short stories from acclaimed children’s writers such as Michelle Magorian, Berlie Doherty, Lauren St John and Katherine Woodfine, and edited by author Abi Elphinstone.Dreamsnatcher’s Abi Elphinstone heads up this gorgeous collection of wintery stories, featuring snow queens, frost fairs, snow dragons and pied pipers . . . from classic childr... read more

A beautiful and classic anthology of frosty, magical short stories from acclaimed children’s writers such as Michelle Magorian, Berlie Doherty, Lauren St John and Katherine Woodfine, and edited by author Abi Elphinstone.Dreamsnatcher’s Abi Elphinstone heads up this gorgeous collection of wintery stories, featuring snow queens, frost fairs, snow dragons and pied pipers . . . from classic childr... read more

I Knew You Were Trouble

Paige Toon

Sunshine, rock gods and Hollywood hearthrobs! Jessie Jefferson is back in the next instalment from bestselling author Paige Toon. Perfect for fans of Geek Girl, Jessica Cole and Girl Online. Life as the undercover daughter of a rock god isn't going to be easy. How will Jessie adjust to her old boring life again after spending her summer living it up with her dad in LA? With tough decisions ahe... read more

Sunshine, rock gods and Hollywood hearthrobs! Jessie Jefferson is back in the next instalment from bestselling author Paige Toon. Perfect for fans of Geek Girl, Jessica Cole and Girl Online. Life as the undercover daughter of a rock god isn't going to be easy. How will Jessie adjust to her old boring life again after spending her summer living it up with her dad in LA? With tough decisions ahe... read more

Stop Those Monsters!

Steve Cole

'He's very good...my daughter monster-munched her way through it - and so did I.'The TimesThe Wizard of Ozmeets Monsters Incin this MONSTROUSLY funny stand-alone story from bestselling author phenomenon, Steve Cole.I'm Bob, a human boy stuck in a land of MONSTERS. I'm trying to get out with the help of three - count them, three - incredible creatures. There's Verity, who looks like a giant ham... read more

'He's very good...my daughter monster-munched her way through it - and so did I.'The TimesThe Wizard of Ozmeets Monsters Incin this MONSTROUSLY funny stand-alone story from bestselling author phenomenon, Steve Cole.I'm Bob, a human boy stuck in a land of MONSTERS. I'm trying to get out with the help of three - count them, three - incredible creatures. There's Verity, who looks like a giant ham... read more

Only Remembered

Michael Morpurgo

Published to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, this beautiful anthology collects favourite extracts, poems and images from some of the UK’s leading cultural, political and literary figures.Poems, short stories, personal letters, newspaper articles, scripts, photographs and paintings are just some of the elements of this astonishing collection, with cover and artwork by... read more

Published to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, this beautiful anthology collects favourite extracts, poems and images from some of the UK’s leading cultural, political and literary figures.Poems, short stories, personal letters, newspaper articles, scripts, photographs and paintings are just some of the elements of this astonishing collection, with cover and artwork by... read more

ZOM-B Fugitive

Darren Shan

"Possibly the most mind-blowing [instalment] yet...it has what is hands down the biggest plot twist in the entire series, and that's really saying something. Darren Shan pulled out the big guns with this one."So Many Books, So Little Time "OH MAN!!!!!!! This has totally annihilated me! Cannot wait for Zom-B Goddess to come out!!! April 2016 is so far away!"Empire of Books via Goodreads WHERE D... read more

"Possibly the most mind-blowing [instalment] yet...it has what is hands down the biggest plot twist in the entire series, and that's really saying something. Darren Shan pulled out the big guns with this one."So Many Books, So Little Time "OH MAN!!!!!!! This has totally annihilated me! Cannot wait for Zom-B Goddess to come out!!! April 2016 is so far away!"Empire of Books via Goodreads WHERE D... read more

ZOM-B Goddess

Darren Shan

Double-crossed again, B is confused, enraged and broken. But the battle isn’t over. The end is nigh, but there are plenty of horrors to come. And who will survive? The zombies? The humans? Or worse . . .? The final, heartstopping installment from master of horror, Darren Shan. 'Zom-B Goddess doesn’t disappoint. We get another huge twist, another big moment for B to shine and a suitably mind-bl... read more

Double-crossed again, B is confused, enraged and broken. But the battle isn’t over. The end is nigh, but there are plenty of horrors to come. And who will survive? The zombies? The humans? Or worse . . .? The final, heartstopping installment from master of horror, Darren Shan. 'Zom-B Goddess doesn’t disappoint. We get another huge twist, another big moment for B to shine and a suitably mind-bl... read more

The Bubble Boy

Stewart Foster

Amir is mad. He’s crazy. But the hospital wouldn’t let a crazy person in. They must have interviewed him and checked his qualifications. But maybe he didn’t even meet them? Maybe he hasn’t even come from India. He might have arrived on an alien spaceship and snuck in here in the middle of the night. Eleven-year-old Joe can't remember a life outside of his hospital room, with its beeping machin... read more

Amir is mad. He’s crazy. But the hospital wouldn’t let a crazy person in. They must have interviewed him and checked his qualifications. But maybe he didn’t even meet them? Maybe he hasn’t even come from India. He might have arrived on an alien spaceship and snuck in here in the middle of the night. Eleven-year-old Joe can't remember a life outside of his hospital room, with its beeping machin... read more

Nightwanderers

C. J. Flood

A stunning, sad and darkly funny story about intense female friendship, from award-winning author, C. J. Flood.It all started with a poo in a flowerbed. Rosie and Titania are as close as sisters - closer, in fact. While Rosie is shy, red-faced and passive, Ti is big, tough and daring. They shouldn't be friends, but they are. Creeping out at night, the girls love to secretly wander through thei... read more

A stunning, sad and darkly funny story about intense female friendship, from award-winning author, C. J. Flood.It all started with a poo in a flowerbed. Rosie and Titania are as close as sisters - closer, in fact. While Rosie is shy, red-faced and passive, Ti is big, tough and daring. They shouldn't be friends, but they are. Creeping out at night, the girls love to secretly wander through thei... read more

All About the Hype

Paige Toon

The third super hot, super fun Jessie Jefferson novel from internationally bestselling author, Paige Toon. Is the life of a famous rockstar's daughter all it's cracked up to be? And what about dating your fellow band-member just as you hit the bigtime? Jessie is still getting used to being a celebrity, and the daughter of one of the world’s biggest rock stars. With her own music career on the ... read more

The third super hot, super fun Jessie Jefferson novel from internationally bestselling author, Paige Toon. Is the life of a famous rockstar's daughter all it's cracked up to be? And what about dating your fellow band-member just as you hit the bigtime? Jessie is still getting used to being a celebrity, and the daughter of one of the world’s biggest rock stars. With her own music career on the ... read more

Circus of Thieves and the Comeback Caper

William Sutcliffe

Shank's Impossible Circus rolls back into town for this hilarious brand new adventure from Will Sutcliffe brought to life by wonderful illustrations from David Tazzyman! And there's about to be double the trouble as dastardly ringmaster Armitage Shank comes face to face with his long lost twin! Urgh, how will the world cope with two Shanks?

Shank's Impossible Circus rolls back into town for this hilarious brand new adventure from Will Sutcliffe brought to life by wonderful illustrations from David Tazzyman! And there's about to be double the trouble as dastardly ringmaster Armitage Shank comes face to face with his long lost twin! Urgh, how will the world cope with two Shanks?

The Potion Diaries: Royal Tour

Amy Alward

Since winning the Hunt and saving her new BFF, Princess Evelyn, Sam Kemi has been royally busy.. What with TV interviews, working in her family’s potion store and preparing to join Evelyn on her world tour, Sam STILL hasn’t had time for a real date with Zain, her new-boyfriend-slash-former-rival. And that’s not happening anytime soon. Someone has tampered with Sam’s grandad’s mind and she is t... read more

Since winning the Hunt and saving her new BFF, Princess Evelyn, Sam Kemi has been royally busy.. What with TV interviews, working in her family’s potion store and preparing to join Evelyn on her world tour, Sam STILL hasn’t had time for a real date with Zain, her new-boyfriend-slash-former-rival. And that’s not happening anytime soon. Someone has tampered with Sam’s grandad’s mind and she is t... read more

The Other Alice

Michelle Harrison

What happens when a tale with real magic, that was supposed to be finished, never was? This is a story about one of those stories . . . Midge loves riddles, his cat, Twitch, and – most of all – stories. Especially because he's grown up being read to by his sister Alice, a brilliant writer. When Alice goes missing and a talking cat turns up in her bedroom, Midge searches Alice’s stories for a c... read more

What happens when a tale with real magic, that was supposed to be finished, never was? This is a story about one of those stories . . . Midge loves riddles, his cat, Twitch, and – most of all – stories. Especially because he's grown up being read to by his sister Alice, a brilliant writer. When Alice goes missing and a talking cat turns up in her bedroom, Midge searches Alice’s stories for a c... read more

Flight of a Starling

Lisa Heathfield

The stunning new novel from award-shortlisted Lisa Heathfield, author of Seed and Paper Butterflies. Perfect for fans of Jennifer Niven's All the Bright Places, Lisa Williamson, Sarah Crossan and Sara Barnard. Rita and Lo, sisters and best friends, have spent their lives on the wing - flying through the air in their trapeze act, never staying in one place for long. Behind the greasepaint and t... read more

The stunning new novel from award-shortlisted Lisa Heathfield, author of Seed and Paper Butterflies. Perfect for fans of Jennifer Niven's All the Bright Places, Lisa Williamson, Sarah Crossan and Sara Barnard. Rita and Lo, sisters and best friends, have spent their lives on the wing - flying through the air in their trapeze act, never staying in one place for long. Behind the greasepaint and t... read more

The Girl in Between

Sarah Carroll

I know the mill has a story cos there’s something strange going on. I heard something. I’ve decided that I’m going to find out what it is later today when Ma leaves. Cos even if it is scary, we live here and we’re never leaving. So if there’s something going on, I need to know. In an old, abandoned mill, a girl and her ma take shelter from their memories of life on the streets. To the girl it’... read more

I know the mill has a story cos there’s something strange going on. I heard something. I’ve decided that I’m going to find out what it is later today when Ma leaves. Cos even if it is scary, we live here and we’re never leaving. So if there’s something going on, I need to know. In an old, abandoned mill, a girl and her ma take shelter from their memories of life on the streets. To the girl it’... read more

In Your Light

A. J. Grainger

Are you still a sister if one of you is gone? Sixteen-year-old Lil's heart was broken when her big sister, Mella, went missing. One especially dark and rainy afternoon, Lil finds a strange girl, 'Seven', collapsed on the road outside her house. Tiny, gentle, terrified Seven was born into the Sisterhood of the Light, a seemingly peaceful community that believes in the healing power of the sun. ... read more

Are you still a sister if one of you is gone? Sixteen-year-old Lil's heart was broken when her big sister, Mella, went missing. One especially dark and rainy afternoon, Lil finds a strange girl, 'Seven', collapsed on the road outside her house. Tiny, gentle, terrified Seven was born into the Sisterhood of the Light, a seemingly peaceful community that believes in the healing power of the sun. ... read more

All The Things That Could Go Wrong

Stewart Foster

'A moving, humane, funny portrait of two very different boys discovering what connects us all' Kiran Milwood Hargrave, author of The Girl of Ink and Stars ‘It’s amazing! Such a bold idea to have a character like Dan… you pulled it off brilliantly.’ Ross Welford, author of Time Travelling with a Hamster 'I loved it' Lisa Thompson, author of The Goldfish BoyThere are two sides to every story Dan... read more

'A moving, humane, funny portrait of two very different boys discovering what connects us all' Kiran Milwood Hargrave, author of The Girl of Ink and Stars ‘It’s amazing! Such a bold idea to have a character like Dan… you pulled it off brilliantly.’ Ross Welford, author of Time Travelling with a Hamster 'I loved it' Lisa Thompson, author of The Goldfish BoyThere are two sides to every story Dan... read more

Me Being Me Is Exactly as Insane as You Being You

Todd Hasak-Lowy

John Greenmeets 500 Days of SummermeetsNick Hornby.Darren hasn't had an easy year. His parents divorced, his brother left for college, and his best friend moved state. Also, he still doesn't have a girlfriend. Then his dad shows up at 6am with a glazed chocolate donut and a pretty world-shaking revelation. In full freak-out mode, Darren ditches school and jumps on a bus to visit his brother, N... read more

John Greenmeets 500 Days of SummermeetsNick Hornby.Darren hasn't had an easy year. His parents divorced, his brother left for college, and his best friend moved state. Also, he still doesn't have a girlfriend. Then his dad shows up at 6am with a glazed chocolate donut and a pretty world-shaking revelation. In full freak-out mode, Darren ditches school and jumps on a bus to visit his brother, N... read more

Daughters unto Devils

Amy Lukavics

Sometimes I believe the baby will never stop crying. Sixteen-year-old Amanda Verner fears she is losing her mind. When her family move from their small mountain cabin to the vast prairie, Amanda hopes she can leave her haunting memories behind: of her sickly Ma giving birth to a terribly afflicted baby; of the cabin fever that claimed Amanda's sanity; of the boy who she has been meeting in sec... read more

Sometimes I believe the baby will never stop crying. Sixteen-year-old Amanda Verner fears she is losing her mind. When her family move from their small mountain cabin to the vast prairie, Amanda hopes she can leave her haunting memories behind: of her sickly Ma giving birth to a terribly afflicted baby; of the cabin fever that claimed Amanda's sanity; of the boy who she has been meeting in sec... read more

Lyttle Lies: The Pudding Problem

Joe Berger

To Sam Lyttle, the truth is like an elephant. It’s heavy, worrying and wrinkly. And when it’s sitting in your way, you can’t go under it or over it. But you CAN skirt round it… So Sam does, every now and then, tell the odd porky-pie, much to the annoyance of his family. But is there more to Sam’s occasional streeeetching of the truth than meets the eye? The first book in this laugh-out-loud se... read more

To Sam Lyttle, the truth is like an elephant. It’s heavy, worrying and wrinkly. And when it’s sitting in your way, you can’t go under it or over it. But you CAN skirt round it… So Sam does, every now and then, tell the odd porky-pie, much to the annoyance of his family. But is there more to Sam’s occasional streeeetching of the truth than meets the eye? The first book in this laugh-out-loud se... read more

Black Ice

Becca Fitzpatrick

Britt Pfeiffer has never been that adventurous, but that's about to change. Wanting to impress her ex-boyfriend, Britt convinces best friend, Korbie, to take a trekking trip with her. But when a freak storm leaves the girls stranded they seek shelter in a cabin, where they find two knights in shining armour. Or so they think. Britt quickly realises that the girls need to get off the mountain, ... read more

Britt Pfeiffer has never been that adventurous, but that's about to change. Wanting to impress her ex-boyfriend, Britt convinces best friend, Korbie, to take a trekking trip with her. But when a freak storm leaves the girls stranded they seek shelter in a cabin, where they find two knights in shining armour. Or so they think. Britt quickly realises that the girls need to get off the mountain, ... read more

The Serpent's Shadow (The Kane Chronicles Book 3)

Rick Riordan

The Kane Chronicles: The Serpent's Shadow is the final thrilling instalment in award-winning author Rick Riordan's Kane Chronicles trilogy. Is their inherited magic enough to battle against the most powerful mythical forces that Egypt's gods have to throw at them? CARTER AND SADIE KANE, descendants of the magical House of Life, are in pretty big trouble. Despite their bravest efforts, Apophis,... read more

The Kane Chronicles: The Serpent's Shadow is the final thrilling instalment in award-winning author Rick Riordan's Kane Chronicles trilogy. Is their inherited magic enough to battle against the most powerful mythical forces that Egypt's gods have to throw at them? CARTER AND SADIE KANE, descendants of the magical House of Life, are in pretty big trouble. Despite their bravest efforts, Apophis,... read more

Kill All Enemies

Melvin Burgess

Everyone says fourteen-year-old BILLIE is nothing but trouble. A fighter. A danger to her family and friends.But her care worker sees someone different. Her classmate ROB is big, strong; he can take care of himself and his brother.But his violent stepdad sees someone to humiliate. And CHRIS is struggling at school; he just doesn't want to be there.But his dad sees a useless no-hoper. Billie, R... read more

Everyone says fourteen-year-old BILLIE is nothing but trouble. A fighter. A danger to her family and friends.But her care worker sees someone different. Her classmate ROB is big, strong; he can take care of himself and his brother.But his violent stepdad sees someone to humiliate. And CHRIS is struggling at school; he just doesn't want to be there.But his dad sees a useless no-hoper. Billie, R... read more

I Was Here

Gayle Forman

A brand-new, heart-wrenching novel from the bestselling author of If I Stay, Gayle Forman Cody and Meg were inseparable - best friends for life. They knew everything about each other. Or Cody thought they did. But how well do you ever really know your best friend? And what do you do whn they choose to leave you behind? As Cody numbly searches for answers as to why Meg took her own life, she be... read more

A brand-new, heart-wrenching novel from the bestselling author of If I Stay, Gayle Forman Cody and Meg were inseparable - best friends for life. They knew everything about each other. Or Cody thought they did. But how well do you ever really know your best friend? And what do you do whn they choose to leave you behind? As Cody numbly searches for answers as to why Meg took her own life, she be... read more

All The Things That Could Go Wrong

Stewart Foster

'A moving, humane, funny portrait of two very different boys discovering what connects us all' Kiran Milwood Hargrave, author of The Girl of Ink and Stars `It's amazing! Such a bold idea to have a character like Dan... you pulled it off brilliantly.' Ross Welford, author of Time Travelling with a Hamster 'I loved it' Lisa Thompson, author of The Goldfish Boy There are two sides to every story ... read more

'A moving, humane, funny portrait of two very different boys discovering what connects us all' Kiran Milwood Hargrave, author of The Girl of Ink and Stars `It's amazing! Such a bold idea to have a character like Dan... you pulled it off brilliantly.' Ross Welford, author of Time Travelling with a Hamster 'I loved it' Lisa Thompson, author of The Goldfish Boy There are two sides to every story ... read more