Overview
I'm an editor with a decade of professional experience. I specialize in editing romance and YA novels. My first job in publishing was as an editor for Harlequin where I was lucky enough to acquire three writers from the slush pile. I've worked with NY Times Best Selling authors like Linda Lael Miller, Diana Palmer, and Sheryl Woods. I've also written over 40 children's non-fiction books under the pen name Rita Santos. I specialize in writing middle grade biographies. In my free time, I like learning to sew with my Abuela and hanging out with my cats Aaron Purr and Margaret Catwood.
Services
Fiction
Cultural & Ethnic
Dystopian
Paranormal Romance
Romance
Women's Fiction
Young Adult
Non-Fiction
True Crime
Languages
English (US)
Work experience
Scholastic
Nov, 2017 —
Present
• Copyedit content for Scholastic Book Clubs.
• Wrote content for video games teaching over 2,500 vocabulary words.
• Gathered and organized information on over 250 children’s books for possible use in 210 educational lessons for grades K-6.
• Edited Teachers Guides for educational accuracy and clarity.
• Edited in WoodWing content management system in InCopy using XML.
• Developed intra-office slack channel, leading to faster response time.
Dot Dash
Oct, 2016 —
Nov, 2017
(about 1 year)
• Revised and rewrote existing home and lifestyle articles to include new research.
• Edited blog posts with an eye towards Search Engine Optimization.
RT Book Reviews Magazine
May, 2014 —
May, 2016
(about 2 years)
• Wrote monthly features on industry trends, including researching trends and deciding on topics.
• Managed team of 60 remote freelance reviewers and 4 in-house editors to produce 250+ book reviews and feature editorials monthly.
• Established internal and external processes for tracking, quality assurance, and efficient, workflow resulting in high volume of output.
Harlequin
Sep, 2007 —
Mar, 2012
(over 4 years)
• Line edited manuscripts and wrote back cover copy.
• Oversaw more than 500 books to production in various stages.
Portfolio
It's said that honesty is the best policy, but what does that mean? In this book students will learn the value of honesty in our communities. Young readers will be taught to consider their role as an honest citizen. They will learn the importance of honesty in... read more
Young readers will be introduced to the concept of respecting property. Through the use of real-life examples, they will learn the difference between public and private property and why respecting both is important. Students will learn why caring for public pr... read more
Most children aren't fans of rules, but this essential book will reinforce why it is important to respect rules. Young readers are taught to consider the role of rules in our society. They will learn how following the rules makes our communities safer and happ... read more
Infrastructure is an essential part of any modern community. In this informative book, readers will explore the water supply, taking a detailed look at how water is gathered and filtered for safe consumption. Full-color photographs, fast facts, and accessible ... read more
In a time of divisive headlines, it's vital for students to learn the many ways diversity makes the world a better place. With this volume, students will be encouraged to celebrate the many different cultures of the globe. They will learn to understand concept... read more
As more people are becoming politically engaged, the concept of social justice is rapidly becoming a hot topic. Help students learn about the concept of justice and how it relates to their lives. This book highlights not only the importance of justice but also... read more
As inequality and social justice become larger parts of the daily news cycle, it's more important than ever for students to learn about inequality. With this book, students will learn how to spot inequality in their communities and discover what exactly to do ... read more
As diversity in the American population continues to grow, it's critical for students to understand the significance of ethnic and racial identity. Help students start to grasp how people's identities shape their interactions with the world around them. Young ... read more
It takes a special animal to survive the subzero temperatures found at the South Pole. Emperor penguins are the largest living penguins. They use their size to help them survive in Antarctica, one of the coldest place on Earth. With the help of vibrant photogr... read more
The solitary leopard seal is a fierce hunter and a graceful swimmer. It spends most of its time swimming in the frigid waters of Antarctica. How does it survive in this extreme environment? With the help of color photographs and fun facts, this accessible text... read more
Polar bears are one of the Arctic's most fearsome predators and one of its most endangered animals. Their huge size, blubber, and thick fur allow them to survive in their cold environment, while their sharp sense of smell means they can sniff out their dinner ... read more
The nomadic snowy owl is among the Arctic's most graceful predators. It makes its home in the frigid north, relying on its heavy feathers and snowy white appearance for survival in the subzero temperatures. With full-color photographs and accessible text, this... read more
Sometimes problems are too big to be resolved by the people involved. In these cases, someone asks a court to decide what is fair. The person who asks the court to hear a case is called a petitioner. People do not always agree with the court. A petitioner can ... read more
Presents the issue of threats to the freedom of the press around the world from both pro and con perspectives.
Raised just a few blocks from Broadway, Alicia Keys began playing classical piano when she was seven years old. At twenty-two, she became famous for combining the music of her city and her classical training into a sound all her own. In this compelling biograp... read more
As consumers become more comfortable with buying smart devices and corporations and governments are accused of spying through such artificial intelligence, the question of privacy is often invoked. Should you know if data from your wearable device is being sol... read more
It used to be that deep state was a shadowy term used to describe developing nations whose governments operated outside of democratically elected leaders. The term has evolved and has been applied to transparent countries such as the United States. What is the... read more
As a child, Chadwick Boseman excelled at many things. From basketball to painting to writing, he did everything well. Which dream would he choose to follow? A chance acting class made the answer clear. This engaging biography traces Boseman's path from a multi... read more
From the business world to the television screen, Donald John Trump leaves a big impression wherever he goes. After making his family's New York real estate business a household name and hosting a successful TV series, he became the Republican candidate for pr... read more
Labor unions have helped shape American history, but are they still relevant today? In this volume of critical perspectives, readers will hear from experts in the field about the history of labor unions and their lasting, and controversial, effects on American... read more
The prejudice of the U.S. government and medical community allowed a disease that could have been contained to spread into a global pandemic. Readers will follow this devastating disease from its recently refuted origins in gay communities all the way to the c... read more
As a radio host and later a politician, Mike Pence has always put his Christian faith first. In this revealing biography, readers will learn about the man as well as the forty-eighth Vice President of the United States. They will follow his rise to America's s... read more
Children will learn why respecting authority is an important civic virtue through the use of easy-to-follow terms and real-life examples. Young readers will learn what authority means in different situations. They will learn how authority is granted and when i... read more
Young readers will learn how making decisions as a group is an important part of our roles as citizens. The book explores how group decisions, like voting, affect students and their communities. It will show how the government uses group decisions every day to... read more
LeBron James is unquestionably one of the biggest names in basketball history, but it's his actions off the court that make him a true superstar. In this captivating biography, readers learn how James uses his position as a respected athlete to encourage and u... read more
Hailee Steinfeld was just thirteen years old when she was cast as the tough as nails Mattie Ross in the movie True Grit. Her breakout performance was so impressive that she became one of the youngest actresses to be nominated for an Academy Award. Conquering H... read more
The international weapons trade is a vast and lucrative machine, estimated at generating 70 billion dollars annually. In 2014, The Arms Trade Treaty, which regulates the international trade in conventional arms, was entered into force. But compliance is compli... read more
While transgender people have been called many different things by different cultures, they have always existed. This book traces the history of how transgender, third gender, and other varieties of gender-nonconforming individuals have functioned in various s... read more
As a young girl, Camila Cabello would cry if anyone asked her to sing. At age fifteen, she conquered her fear of singing by auditioning for The X-Factor in front of thousands of people. It took just three minutes of bravery to launch the young singer-songwrite... read more
Broadway star turned R&B singer, Ariana Grande was just eight years old when she set her sights on the stage. More than just a talented singer, Ariana is an astute businesswoman who knew what she had to do to make her creative dreams come true. What really mak... read more
Geoengineering is the deliberate manipulation of the environment in an attempt to counteract the harmful effects of human-influenced climate change. It's intended as a solution, but it also can create unintended consequences. When scientists and political lead... read more
Gerrymandering, the manipulation of boundaries in order to benefit one group or political party, is not new, but thanks to technology it is more widespread. Questions about the constitutionality of gerrymandering have gone all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court... read more
At fourteen years old, Dwayne Johnson began training for the day when he would become the first third-generation wrestler in the World Wrestling Federation. But the wrestling ring wasn't enough for him. In this revealing biography, readers learn how Johnson us... read more
