More editing spaces available!
I have some news! I have been able to open up some more editing spaces so I now have some more availability to take on more authors. This is very exciting for me as there have been some months when I’ve been so busy I have had to turn some authors away or give them very long turnaround times. Now I have some more time to dedicate to edits, I hope I’ll not have to turn people away. So if you’ve been hoping to work with me or know someone who is looking for an editor, then do feel free to contact me. My email address is calicoeditingservices@gmail.com
In the meantime, here are some of the achievements I’ve been celebrating with my authors, as well as some of the books which have been published that I have worked on lately. I can’t include everyone, but you will see more on my social media pages! Facebook Instagram
Nearing 500 reviews in just 4 months for author Ben Okon!
Unicorns Love Ice Cream is a fun, wacky story which I loved working on, and, better still, my own children loved reading about too! Ben Okon first came to me a year ago to work on his science-based children’s picture book project. With my own background in research and science, I was excited to work with him on them. Since then, Ben has created even more books, this time with funny, silly, witty stories at the heart but always with a bit of a challenge, task, or gentle lesson involved too. His stories are imaginative, engaging and fun. Unicorns Love Ice Cream is no different, as the incredible 5-star reviews on Amazon are showing. One review says: “The story itself is heartwarming and creative. It teaches gentle lessons about friendship, sharing, and celebrating differences, all wrapped up in a magical, sugary adventure that kept my child smiling from start to finish.” We couldn’t agree more! If you’d like to check out Ben’s fun, friendship story, then it certainly comes highly recommended! You can grab your copy here.
Gina Gallois celebrates 5 years of self-publishing
In February, author Gina Gallois celebrated having been a self-publishing author for five years. During that time, Gina has created many children’s book series, several of which have been translated into other languages too. Gina is a fantastic author to work with as her stories are fun and educational, and all have something in common – the love for what some may often dismiss – beetles, opossums, creepy-crawlies. Her latest publication is Quantum Possum, a fun, life-affirming graphic novel with neurodiverse characters at its heart. With characters such as Opal, who has challenges with light and crowds, and Albin, who is easily distracted, this new direction Gina is taking enables children who may previously have felt unrepresented in children’s books to see characters who are like them. Having neurodiverse children myself, it is a joy to see Quantum Possum now available for children to enjoy. Being a self-published author has its challenges, but Gina has made quite a following!
One For The Book Lovers!
Do you love reading books? Do you sometimes forget which books you’ve actually read? Do you like to look back on them and discuss them with friends? Have you ever taken part in a reading challenge where you’ve had prompts to inspire you to choose specific books and read out of your ‘comfort zone’? Well, this fantastic book journal from Authologie is perfect for you! The journal consists of various prompts, or ideas, to help you choose a book. These include things relating to the cover such as ‘with a feather on the front’, but it also includes prompts concerning the subject matter or a fact about the author. The beautiful pages encourage you to share your thoughts by answering thought-provoking questions, every single set of questions different for each prompt! You can consider what you would do differently if you were the author, whether the cover represented what was inside, how well you related to a specific character… the questions are varied and designed to have you really take some time to consider the book you’ve read. The quality of this journal is fantastic; there has been no expense spared on the printing costs. The pages are beautifully designed, the colours stunning, it just makes you want to get journaling away! Inspired? Order yours today here!
A Debut Chapter Book for Author A. G. Wheeler
One of my favourite genres to edit is a chapter book. I love getting to work on longer manuscripts where stories are designed to pull in readers who are at that age where they’re reading for themselves and so the importance of creating an engaging, immersive plot is so important. When Andrew Wheeler came to me with his manuscript for a spooky story, I couldn’t wait to get on board! I have worked with Andrew Wheeler for many years on a whole host of projects. I’ve always been impressed with his writing and his imagination, and when I read the first draft of The Shadows of Brynmoor Cottage, I was excited to see how it would develop. With a creepy, tense plot and a mystery to solve all within a historic setting, this book will have children on the edge of their seats. I read this book with my son who said: “It’s well creepy, keep reading so I know what will happen!” These words are just what any author or editor wants to hear! The illustrations add to the atmosphere too, making it an ideal read for a child moving on from picture books who wants to be a little spooked! If you’re interested, you can order it here.
Anna Smithers Does it Again!
The Star Catcher is a beautiful children’s book which is another fantastic read from author Anna Smithers. This story tells the tale of a little bunny looking for happiness. It’s told using catchy rhyme and repetition, and the illustrations are soft and gentle, making this very engaging for young readers. Anna’s gentle tone is simply beautiful and comes across so well. The positivity which shines through this book is a testament to Anna’s hard work and creativity. Having published many picture books, Anna and I have worked together on the majority of her projects. What I have learned from working with her is that she cares deeply about the happiness of children and this comes through in all of her books, despite them being very different. One of my favourite books Anna has written is Tree Full of Wonder, which celebrates the importance of trees and has almost 800 reviews. If you’d like to check out any of this incredible author’s books, you will find them here.
These are just a handful of the projects I’ve been working on and celebrating. I feel very lucky that I get to work with so many talented authors and illustrators on such special projects. I’m excited to see what other projects I’ll be involved in over the next few months too. I don’t update this blog as much as I’d like to, but if you’d like to keep up with the books I’m working on, you’ll find more details on my social media pages. Facebook Instagram
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