Trace Murphy

Trace Murphy – Editor

Editor for spirituality, religion, and self-help with 25 years experience at Penguin Random House and Paulist Press.

Overview

Extensive experience in content development, publication, and marketing. My work in publishing has centered on working closely with authors to express themselves and their ideas effectively and on shaping that content to reach the largest possible readership. If you are in need of developmental editing, I can help guide you along the subsequent steps from whatever stage you are at with your project -- From the idea stage to a full book proposal and outline; from proposal/outline to complete first draft; from draft manuscript to final manuscript.


Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs Health & Wellbeing Humanities & Social Sciences Inspirational Religion & Spirituality Self-Help & Self-Improvement
Languages
English (US)
Awards
  • JIBF Editorial Fellowship
  • Advertising Age Marketing 100

Work experience

Paulist Press

Dec, 2011 — Sep, 2022 (almost 11 years)

Penguin Random House

Jun, 1993 — Nov, 2011 (over 18 years)

Portfolio

How can I get my life off hold? When will my life really begin? We all ask ourselves the same questions when we are struggling to move forward. As a rabbi, Naomi Levy frequently offered spiritual guidance to people seeking the answers. But when a doctor told h... read more
The establishment of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission was a pioneering international event. Never had any country sought to move forward from despotism to democracy both by exposing the atrocities committed in the past and achieving reconcili... read more
This historic work reveals the inner spiritual life of one of the most beloved and important religious figures in history--Mother Teresa.During her lifelong service to the poorest of the poor, Mother Teresa became an icon of compassion to people of all religio... read more
ECPA BESTSELLER—Over one million copies sold! • What Would Your Life be Like if Anything Were Possible? Born without arms or legs, Nick Vujicic overcame his disabilities to live an independent, rich, fulfilling, and “ridiculously good” life while serving as a ... read more
Spirit Junkie

Gabrielle Bernstein

“So long, Carrie Bradshaw—there’s a new role model for go-getting thirty-somethings. Gabrielle Bernstein is doling out inner peace and self-love for the postmodern spiritual set.”—ElleForeword by Marianne WilliamsonBefore she became a celebrated teacher and le... read more
Maternal Body

Frost, Carrie Frederick

Places Orthodox sources—icons, hymns, and prayers—on motherhood into conversation with each other. In so doing, this work brings an anchored vision of motherhood to the twenty-first century—especially the embodied experience of motherhood.
The Order of Days

David Stuart

The world's foremost expert on Maya culture looks at 2012 hysteria and explains the truth about what the Maya meant and what we want to believe.Apocalypse 2012: An Investigation into Civilizations End. The World Cataclysm in 2012. 2012: The return of Quetzalco... read more
Maimonides

Joel L. Kraemer

This authoritative biography of Moses Maimonides, one of the most influential minds in all of human history, illuminates his life as a philosopher, physician, and lawgiver. A biography on a grand scale, it brilliantly explicates one man’s life against the back... read more
Papal Sin

Garry Wills

Look out for a new book from Garry Wills, What The Qur'an Meant, coming fall 2017. "The truth, we are told, will make us free. It is time to free Catholics, lay as well as clerical, from the structures of deceit that are our subtle modern form of papal sin. Pa... read more
Mercy

Cardinal Walter Kasper

"This book has done me so much good." —Pope Francis From one the leading intellects in the church today—one whom Pope Francis has described as a "superb theologian"—comes perhaps his most important book yet. Available for the first time in English, Cardinal Ka... read more
‌No country, no culture, no person today is untouched by what happens in the rest of the world. Technological innovation, environmental degradation, economic gain & loss, nuclear weapons, instant communication have all created unprecedented familiarity among t... read more
Heartstorming

Wicks, Robert J.

Heartstorming encourages us to be more mindful of how the spiritual impregnates all of life’s joys, sorrows, and even unexciting times if we have the eyes to see.
The Inner Voice of Love

Henri J. M. Nouwen

This is Henri Nouwen's "secret journal." It was written during the most difficult period of his life, when he suddenly lost his self-esteem, his energy to live and work, his sense of being loved, even his hope in God. Although he experienced excruciating angui... read more
The Future Church

John L. Allen, Jr.

One of the world’s foremost religion journalists offers an unexpected and provocative look at where the Catholic Church is headed—and what the changes will mean for all of us.What will the Catholic Church be like in 100 years? Will there be a woman pope? Will ... read more
Replenishing the Earth

Wangari Maathai

An impassioned call to heal the wounds of our planet and ourselves through the tenets of our spiritual traditions, from a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize It is so easy, in our modern world, to feel disconnected from the physical earth. Despite dire warnings an... read more
We Plan, God Laughs

Sherre Hirsch

The old Yiddish proverb, “We plan, God laughs,” expresses a truth everyone can relate to. At every stage of life we make plans, setting out where we want to go and imagining what we will be like when we have “arrived.” But things have a way of turning out not ... read more

Trace has 8 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Mark P.

Mark P.

Jul, 2023

Thanks for all your help, even your comments! Mark
Cees B.

Cees B.

Jun, 2023

The work that I received from Trace is outstanding. Just a spot-on query-letter. I am very happy with the support I get from Trace and Reedsy.
Marcus R.

Marcus R.

May, 2023

Trace is an exceptional editor who consistently delivers quality work within the agreed-upon timelines. His expertise and self-motivated nature makes the editing process an absolute pleasure. Not only does Trace show dedication by conducting thorough research to grasp the essence of the book, but he also possess the skill to guide the manuscript towards its final polished form. Based on my expe...
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Louis M.

Louis M.

Mar, 2023

This editor should be removed from Reedsy. He received my manuscript and payment, missed every single deadline, and ultimately never delivered anything. He also stopped responding to my inquiries about the completed work (and inquiries about a refund). I had to file a report with Reedsy in order to get a refund. They were able to reach him, but I never was. This experience put me almost 2 m...
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Dillon T.

Dillon T.

Feb, 2023

Great job!

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