Teja Watson - Editor
Oakland, CA, United States
A lifetime of reading, editing, and writing books—this work is my dream. It would be an honor to help you get your book ready for the world.
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Overview
I offer you and your book my 20 years of experience with all aspects of the editorial process: from manuscript review, copyediting, line editing, and developmental editing to querying agents and publishers, mentoring, and hand-holding after publication. As an author myself, I am careful and conscientious with feedback. As an editor I am thorough, thoughtful, and creative, with assured instincts for what makes good writing.
Languages
English (UK)
English (US)
Non-Fiction
Art
Biographies & Memoirs
Education & Reference
Entertainment
Health & wellbeing
LGBTQ (non fiction)
Music
Nature
Parenting & Families
Psychology
Publishing
Religion & Spirituality
Self-help & Self-improvement
Sex & Relationships
Travel
Fiction
Children's Picture Books
Comics & Graphic Novels
Crime & Mystery
Fantasy
Historical Fiction
Inspirational
LGBTQ
Literature
Poetry
Science Fiction
Short Story
Thriller
Women's Fiction
Young Adult & Teen
Work experience
Freelance Book Editor
Two Birds Editing
August, 2010
–
Present
(about 8 years)
Editing and rewriting of books for City Lights Publishers, Seal Press, Stone Bridge Books, Kodansha International, The Haworth Press, Ulysses Press, North Atlantic Books, and Peter Lang Publishing Group—as well as many books by private individuals—in genres such as literary fiction, children’s, young adult, memoir, historical, short stories, erotica, health and spirituality, and academic.
Editor
Avalon Travel
February, 2007
–
August, 2010
(over 3 years)
For the award-winning Moon travel guide series: worked with authors to guide and shape books upon signing of contract; set and stuck to budgets and schedules; hired freelance copy editors/indexers and reviewed their work; coordinated with production, cartography, and other editors to ensure consistency and efficiency; and developmentally edited, line edited, and proofread all assigned titles (approximately 10 per year).
Associate Book Editor
Alyson Books
February, 2001
–
March, 2004
(about 3 years)
Reviewed, selected, and acquired manuscripts for the oldest and largest publisher of gay and lesbian fiction and nonfiction. On an average of 20 titles a year, worked closely with writers on manuscript development and revisions; line edited, copyedited, and proofread all manuscripts; presented launch titles; and wrote cover copy and introductions. As one of a three-member editorial team, researched, brainstormed, and actively enacted new book ideas; as part of the ten-person Alyson democracy, worked closely with marketing, production, art director, designers, and editorial director to create a successful package for every book.
Copy Editor
George magazine
January, 2000
–
April, 2001
(about 1 year)
Copyedited, proofread, and trafficked copy for politics/culture magazine.
Copy/Fiction Editor
Jane magazine
January, 1999
–
January, 2000
(about 1 year)
Edited and trafficked all copy for women’s magazine. Selected and edited monthly fiction. Wrote features, reviews, and display copy.
Associate Copy Editor
Spin magazine
September, 1998
–
January, 2000
(over 1 year)
Copyedited and line-edited international music magazine. Entered all editors’ changes and originated proofs in Quark Xpress. Managed workload/freelance staff.
Portfolio (50 selected works)
Clay's Way
Blair Mastbaum
For Sam, coming of age in Hawaii, the most isolated landmass on earth, is almost impossible. He is 15, sensitive, cool, cute, blue-haired, a skateboarder, precocious, funny, horny, honest, and gay. He’s not interested in surfing, but he’s passionate about punk rock music and haiku poetry.Sam’s object of affection is Clay. He is an 18-year-old surfer who’s handsome, enigmatic, complicated, pass... read more
Moon Glacier National Park (Moon Handbooks)
Becky Lomax
Writer, editor, and avid outdoorswoman Becky Lomax offers an insider’s perspective on Glacier National Park, where she once worked shredding lettuce in the kitchen so she could hike the park's nearly 300 miles of park trails during her free time. From hiking through multi-color meadows filled with wildflowers to observing the Sperry Glacier, a victim of global warming that will vanish in less ... read more
![Moon Montana & Wyoming: Including Yellowstone & Glacier National Parks (Moon Handbooks) [Paperback] [2011] (Author) Carter G. Walker](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51c3P6GI-VL._SL160_.jpg)
Entheogens and the Development of Culture makes the radical proposition that mind-altering substances have played a major part not only in cultural development but also in human brain development. Researchers suggest that we have purposely enhanced receptor sites in the brain, especially those for dopamine and serotonin, through the use of plants and fungi over a long period of time. The trade... read more
Follow the fantastic odyssey of one woman as she explores shamanic realms, encountering spirit animals and other teachers who answer her deepest questions and provide her with life-changing guidance and healing. Widowed, childless, and alone, 60-year-old Ema bravely decides to expand her self-knowledge by embarking on a spiritual adventure. She meets with author Sandra Harner, who leads her th... read more
Signs Point to Yes (Mason Braithwaite Paranormal Mysteries) (Volume 1)
Christopher Church
After quitting his dead-end job to work freelance as a psychic investigator, Los Angeles-based Mason faces skepticism from his boyfriend, his friends, and even his first client. But using his psychic tools of lucid dreaming and psychometry, along with raids on the public library, he manages to solve his first case--and gets tangled up in the pursuit of a missing woman with a shady past and som... read more
The Ayahuasca Test Pilots Handbook provides a practical guide to ayahuasca use, aiding seekers in making right—and safe—decisions about where to go, who to drink with, and what to expect. Ayahuasca, the Amazonian psychoactive plant brew, has become vastly popular. Once the sole purview of shamans and indigenous native people in the great Amazon rainforest, ayahuasca is now becoming well known—... read more
Throwing light on the mysterious phenomenon of crop circles within the context of modern psychological reality, Crop Circles, Jung, and the Reemergence of the Archetypal Feminine in an engaging look at the science, history, and symbolic nature of the mystery of these annually occurring giant-scale works of art. Gary S. Bobroff offers a framework for the reader's own deeper consideration of cro... read more
Full is the true, poignant story of one woman’s spiritual journey as she recovers from anorexia, eases the emotional pain of her hunger through yoga and Buddhism, and finally becomes full. In this inspiring and captivating memoir, Kimber Simpkins captures vividlywith piercing insight, raw emotion, and often humorthe all-consuming hunger she felt on a daily basis as a result of an eating diso... read more
Written in a smart, funny, and friendly tone, The Approximate Parent: Discovering the Strategies That Work with Your Teenager helps you translate what your teen thinks, feels, and does to give you practical ways of supporting your teen, from adolescence into adulthood. Learn to strategize wisely, taking into account both the current American culture of adolescents and your particular teen's bi... read more
The Strong, Sensitive Boy
Ted Zeff
Does your son tend to be disturbed by loud noises, violence, and crowds, fearful of new situations, easily hurt by criticism, or hesitant about playing aggressive games? Your son may be one of the 20 percent of all boys with a finely tuned nervous system. Our sensitive boys tend to be creative, kind, and gentle, appreciating beauty and feeling love deeply. Therefore, it's particularly challeng... read more
From the director of the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN) comes a new collection of accounts by openly gay and lesbian teachers who tell about their struggles and victories as they have put their own careers on the line to fight for justice.Kevin Jennings is the founder and executive director of GLSEN. He lives in New York City.
If you’re a highly sensitive person (HSP), you’re in good company. HSP’s make up some 20 percent of the population, individuals like you who both enjoy and wrestle with a finely tuned nervous system. You often sense things that others ignore such as strong smells, bright lights, and the crush of crowds. Even the presence of strangers in your immediate vicinity can cause you considerable distra... read more
Are you concerned that your son is constantly bombarded with false information that real boys must always be strong, aggressive, tough, and repress their feelings? What can parents do when their son is exposed to graphic, violent images of what a man is supposed to be like? How can parents help their son grow into an emotionally healthy, compassionate man when he is continually saturated with ... read more
Essence of Mind: An Approach to Dzogchen
Jes Bertelsen
This handbook to spirituality gathers together Danish meditation teacher Jes Bertelsen's advice on training the mind through wordless prayer and meditation to realize the essence of consciousness. Bertelsen has been teaching philosophy and meditation since the early 1970s; in 1989, he met the Tibetan lama Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, who authorized Jes Bertelsen to teach Dzogchen, and to do so using... read more
Evolving Dharma is the definitive guide to the meditation revolution. Fearless, unorthodox, and irreverent scholar and activist Jay Michaelson shows how meditation and mindfulness have moved from ashrams and self-help groups to classrooms and hospitals, and offers unusually straight talk about the “Big E”— enlightenment. Michaelson introduces us to maverick brainhackers, postmodern Buddhist mo... read more
Green Smoothies for Beginners: Essentials to Get Started
Rockridge Press
Learn how to improve your immunity and boost your health with the power of green smoothie recipes!Green Smoothies for Beginners provides a complete introduction to the amazing health benefits of nutritious green smoothie recipes, with easy tips for creating your own green smoothie recipes from scratch.Whether you are looking to lose weight, cleanse your system, or are seeking a daily health su... read more
The Heart of Zen: Enlightenment, Emotional Maturity, and What It Really Takes for Spiritual Liberation
Jun Po Denis Kelly Roshi, Keith Martin-Smith
While we are more and more familiar with popular ideas of enlightenment and spiritual awakening, life still comes at us full force, and hope can turn to frustration as the gulf between our spiritual belief and our everyday life seems to loom ever larger. Through spirited Q&A sessions with Zen master Jun Po Denis Kelly Roshi, The Heart of Zen takes a gradual, step-by-step approach to what has b... read more
Designed for beginning as well as experienced tarot readers, Holistic Tarot offers a fresh and easy-to-follow approach to the use of the tarot deck for tapping into subconscious knowledge and creativity. The tarot deck has been used as a divination tool for more than two centuries; while the tarot is still most commonly thought of as "fortune telling," the true power of the tarot lies in its a... read more
Journey to the Heart of Aikido presents the teachings of Motomichi Anno Sensei, one of the few remaining direct students of Morihei Ueshiba, the legendary founder of Aikido. After a lifetime of practice and teaching in Japan, the United States, and Europe, Anno Sensei conveys through his teachings Aikido's essential spirit of love, harmony, gratitude, and purification with simple authenticity ... read more
Listening to the Heart: A Contemplative Journey to Engaged Buddhism
Kittisaro, Thanissara
Husband and wife Kittisaro and Thanissara take turns coauthoring chapters in this deeply personal dharma book exploring the inner practice of meditation in support of awakening. Within the context of the lives of the authors, both monastics in their youth, awakening unfolds as a multifaceted process following the archetypal journey of the hero(ine). Traveling from innocence to disillusionment ... read more
Lose weight, boost your immunity, cleanse your blood and organs, and live longer and happier with this comprehensive five-part approach created by leading nutrition and raw food authority David Wolfe. In Longevity Now, Wolfe exposes the number-one cause of all degenerative illness and aging: calcification. Caused by an excess of calcium and the presence of nanobacteria, calcification can be fo... read more
After finding out Heath (the Lukos leader ) was his uncle, Alejandro couldn't imagine anything worst than that. Until the love of his life (Francesca) is kidnapped by the lunatic. Now, Alejandro has no other choice but to face his father's past demons as he comes face to face with the man behind the Lukos army. Its the moment Alejandro has been dreading and the moment the Cerna Kochas (Black C... read more
Shang Yun-Xiang Style Xingyiquan: The Foundations and Subtleties of Xingyiquan Training
Li Wen-Bin, Shang Zhi-Rong, Li Hong
A modern classic, Shang Yun-Xiang Style Xingyiquan is essential for Xingyiquan practitioners and a useful guide for any practitioner of the Chinese martial arts. While focusing on Shang-style Xingyiquan (derived from author Li Wen-Bin's training under Grandmaster Shang Yun-Xiang), this book clearly breaks down the fundamentals of those movements and forms found in all of Xingyiquan (and other ... read more
On a zoo sleepover, Ivan Zelinka gets mixed up with a couple of semi-mad scientists who inject his leg with top-secret gorilla serum. Soon the muscles on his right leg are bulging and his skin is covered with thick black hair. Most high school students would be horrified by such a transformation. But did I tell you that he's the place kicker on his high school football team? Horror gives way t... read more
Revised and updated edition of the book to accompany the major motion picture directed by Thomas Carter and starring Jim Caviezel, Alexander Ludwig, Laura Dern, and Clancy Brown.This insider’s account of the greatest winning streak in sports history brings to life the tragedies, triumphs, and unforgettable characters that inspired the major motion picture. Neil Hayes takes readers behind the s... read more
Crashing America
Katia Noyes
Katia Noyes’ award-nominated debut, now published as eBook, is about the search for connection in a fractured nation. For 17-year-old runaway Girl, the streets of San Francisco are home. After her best friend dies, she escapes the city for the heartland, in search of a place where she can breathe again. Torn between her restlessness, a longing for home, and a desperate fear of impending death,... read more
This Wild Silence: A Novel
Lucy Jane Bledsoe
"I like to tell Liz that I'm her dark side," says Christine, the narrator of critically acclaimed author Lucy Jane Bledsoe's newest novel. And Christine and her sister, Liz, are indeed opposites. Liz, married to her high school sweetheart Mark, has an outwardly perfect life, but her fierce control is beginning to falter. Christine, a doctor in San Francisco's Tenderloin district who is buried ... read more
The Appalachian Trail stretches from Georgia to Maine, a grueling 2,000-mile journey marked by white blazes that doggedly lead to the summit of every mountain in its path. For hikers, it represents a pilgrimage to the very heart of outdoor culture. For Kelly Winters, it was that and more. "I felt there was a place I needed to get to," she writes, "not a physical place, but an emotional, psycho... read more
A Serious Person: A Novel
Orland Outland
Becoming America's top singer on a nationally televised contest takes more than talent, drive and really good cheekbones when the stakes include true love.Songwriter Adam Holt is in trouble. First, his star client, teen pop sensation Christie Squires dumps him, deciding she is tired of singing songs like "Can I Have a Taste of Your Ice Cream," one of the many hits Adam penned for her, and want... read more
Dykes to Watch Out for
Alison Bechdel
Grin, giggle, and guffaw your way through this celebrated cartoonist's graphic commentary of contemporary lesbian life.
World-renowned authorities on lesbian sexuality explain it all for you. This remarkable volume showcases the best writing on lesbian sex and desire in the 20-year history of On Our Backs magazine. Illustrated with stunning photographs by Phyllis Christopher, Michele Serchuk, Christine Kessler, and Rebecca McBride, The On Our Backs Guide to Lesbian Sex provides expert advice on virtually all to... read more
Vampire Vow (Vampires Book 1)
Michael Schiefelbein
Victor Decimus was once a ruthless officer in the Roman Legion—but all his power couldn’t make Jesus of Nazareth love him the way he wanted to be loved. Seeking solace and escape, he finds release with a seer who is something more than human. Turned into a vampire, Victor is filled with rage and a lust for revenge. In two thousand years, he has honed these emotions to a razor-sharp edge, his t... read more
Tweakers: How Crystal Meth Is Ravaging Gay America
Frank Sanello
Drawing upon conversations with addicts as well as experts in the gay community and at drug treatment centers, journalist Frank Sanello examines how crystal-meth abuse is reaching epidemic levels among gay men, and how almost one-third of the new cases of HIV are caused by the decreased mental capacity associated with crystal. Tweakers get a quick, cheap high, an exhilarating loss of inhibitio... read more
Blue Days, Black Nights: A Memoir
Ron Nyswaner
"Hilarious . . . uncompromising."-The New York Times "Searing."-Publishers Weekly "Nyswaner nails the memoir form . . . lush in content."-Entertainment Weekly In the years immediately following his Academy Award nomination for Philadelphia, screenwriter Ron Nyswaner fell through the rabbit hole. This gripping, intimate, and darkly comic memoir chronicles this period in his life, a -period wher... read more
What do two nice Jewish girls do when they want to start a family? They can marry two nice Jewish boys, or, if they happen to be lesbians, they can buy sperm online from California! Buying Dad is a hilarious, edgy, first--person chronicle of a year in the life of a woman engaged in a very alternative family-planning experience. Peeling back the layers of self-indulgence accumulated in 30-odd y... read more
Strapped for Cash: A History of American Hustler Culture
Mack Friedman
An inside view of American hustler culture from the 1600s to today. Male and transgendered hustlers have been a mostly -invisible part of American life for more than 400 years. Their invisibility leaves these men unprotected, victimized and at risk for sexually transmitted diseases, assault and murder. Strapped for Cash is a critical examination of sex work that serves as both a cultural analy... read more
The Deal: A Novel
Becky Cochrane, Timothy J. Lambert
The delightful new novel from the authors of He's The One and It Had to Be You. New Year's Eve, 1999. Millennium celebrations light up the sky from Sydney to Seattle. But in the Houston living room of Aaron Fisher, the fireworks have fizzled! A gathering with his closest friends has devolved into a depressing deconstruction of the sad state of all of their love lives. Fed up with the moaning, ... read more
Latter Days: A Novel
C. Jay Cox
“It’s an all-stops-out heart-tugger for sure . . . its emotional wallop is earned honestly and uncompromisingly.”—Kevin Thomas, L.A. TimesWinner of the Outstanding First Narrative Feature Award at OUTFest (the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Film Festival), and the Best Gay Male Feature Film Award at the Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.Combine a hunky, repressed Mormon mission... read more
Saving Valencia: A Novel
Steven Cooper
Valencia Brandywine, heiress to a hotel empire, has been kidnapped, and the ransom is $7 million and her brother Rico's denouncement of his homosexuality. Valencia has been kidnapped by a group of zealots determined to convert the world's homosexuals to a life of heterosexuality. Rico, with friend D'vora Wasserman at his side, trots the globe in search of Valencia . . . a search that turns out... read more
The Daddy Machine
Johnny Valentine
Two children with lesbian mothers wonder what it would be like to have a father, so they make themselves a daddy machine, turn it on, and a dad pops out. Then comes another, and another, and another ...
One Dad, Two Dads, Brown Dad, Blue Dad
Johnny Valentine
Two children—one with blue dads, one from a more traditional family—compare notes in this light hearted book about parents who are different. In the end, of course, they discover that blue dads aren’t really that different from other dads. Except for one thing.
The Duke Who Outlawed Jelly Beans and Other Stories
Johnny Valentine
This story is one of five original and enchanting fairy tales that make up this collection, beautifully illustrated with paintings and drawings, which Horn Book called “One of the outstanding children’s books of the season.”
Moon Beijing and Shanghai (Moon Handbooks)
Helena Iveson
Journalist and TV reporter Helen Iveson offers her unique perspective on Beijing and Shanghai, from experiencing the grandeur of the Forbidden City and slurping noodles at the open-air night market in Wangfujing to sipping a cocktail while enjoying the Pudong skyline. Iveson includes many unique travel strategies, including Gourmet getaways, which covers all of the varieties of Chinese food, a... read more
Outdoors writer-photographer Becky Lomax uses her experience as a skier, hiker, kayaker, and bicycler to capture the adventures of camping in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho. Lomax provides insight on the picturesque Glacier National Park, the incredible wildlife of Northwest Montana, and the high winds that characterize the Rocky Mountain Front. Moon Montana, Wyoming, & Idaho Camping is packed wi... read more
Moon Coastal Oregon (Moon Handbooks)
W. C. McRae, Judy Jewell
Outdoor enthusiasts W. C. McRae and Judy Jewell share their extensive knowledge of coastal Oregon, from the best places to grab a seaside snack to the most scenic hikes along the Coastal Trail. McRae and Jewell also outline a variety of suggested travel strategies, including Riding the Pacific Waves, Foraging the Coast, and Coastal Road Trip—a 10-day itinerary for a tour of the entire coast. W... read more
Moon Northern California Wine Country (Moon Handbooks)
Philip Goldsmith
San Francisco resident Philip Goldsmith knows the best way to experience Northern California's wine country, from buying fresh produce at Rutherford Gardens to getting swirling and sniffing lessons at Goosecross Cellars to enjoying a hot-air balloon ride over southern Sonoma. Goldsmith provides great trip ideas such as One Week in Wine Country, A Romantic Weekend, and Outdoor Highlights. Packe... read more
Moon Cleveland (Moon Handbooks)
Douglas Trattner
Award-winning journalist and Cleveland native Douglas Trattner uncovers every nook and cranny of his favorite city, sharing his love of this often overlooked mecca, from the 20,000 acres of Cleveland's Metroparks to the famous Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Douglas provides unique trip strategies including the Three-Day Best of Cleveland, Foodie Fun in Ohio City, and Take the Kids: Baseball, Hot ... read more
Moon Living Abroad in Costa Rica
Erin Van Rheenen
Erin Van Rheenen, the expert on relocating to Costa Rica, has made the move herself and provides insight and first-hand advice to navigating the language and culture of this beautiful country. Van Rheenen outlines all the information needed in a smart, organized, and straightforward manner, making planning the move abroad manageable. Moon Living Abroad Costa Rica makes the moving and transitio... read more
Virginia resident Katie Githens shares the best her state has to offer, from the tumultuous Great Falls to Southwest Virginia's The Crooked Road. Githens provides unique travel strategies, including The Two-Week History Tour and Virginia Is For Foodies. Complete with tips on how to find the choicest swimming holes on sweltering summer days, as well as which u-pick farms and sustainable eaterie... read more
Teja has 10 reviews
Professionalism
Quality
Value
Communication
Teja was awesome. She turned my project around very quickly and was a pleasure to work with. Very pleased with the results!
Read moreDavid Alison, August 2018
waste of time and money
Read moreAnil C Rao, June 2018
This is unfortunate, especially considering the client changed the terms of the requested job/contract at least four times, and backed out of paying me a couple times as well. I was beyond flexible, to the point that Reedsy stepped in to protect me without my asking them to, since the client was acting so unstable, changing things around constantly - and this for a job that only paid a couple hundred dollars. By the time I finally got started working on the project, I had already used up all my hours for the project fee just on communication around all the scheduling, scope of project, file management, and payment changes! (Of course I did the work anyway, I just didn't get paid for it.) He had technical difficulties with his files and ultimately I wasn't able to see the text in a file that was editable, so I did my best with what I was given (about thirty PDFs). I was clear about the limitations of working in that file format, but that was all he was able to give me.
Reply from Teja Watson
A good professional but it ended up that I had to do most of the work and rewrite the script from scratch.
Read moresam z, March 2018
Sam appeared to have copied long swaths of text from the Internet into his book. I informed him that it’s my job to protect him (and the authors he copied) from plagiarism, but since I didn’t know what was his original work and what was copied, I did ask him to rewrite those sections, rather than doing it myself. I explained this clearly and warned him that the book would still need a lot of work on his end, after I was finished - which is sometimes the case with a developmental edit, especially an early draft like Sam’s was.
Reply from Teja Watson
Teja has a meticulous eye for consistency and detail that can help you sharpen your work. I'm so pleased with her feedback and very much look forward to working with her again in the future.
Read moreDru Bhattacharya, February 2018
I like to wait until a book has been in circulation for a while before leaving a review for the editor. So far so good, there have been no complaints on the writing quality, which is the ultimate goal! Teja was a pleasure to work with, quick at responding, and made it very clear with her vision for my work. I look forward to working with her on future projects!
Read moreAndre Gonzalez, January 2018
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