Helping authors to make their stories shine … Editing Services for fiction and memoir
In 2025, Mirror World Publishing released Against All Odds, an anthology featuring seven short stories about love against the odds. My story, The Value of a Sapphire, is one of them. Check out this interview I did with Mirror World Publishing talking about my inspiration for the story and more. The original blog is no longer available. Continue reading Interview about my short story, The Value of a Sapphire
In our last interview, Sarah and I discussed her writing genre change from her first book, psychological thriller, A Voice in the Night, to her second book, historical fiction, The Dilemma. And she’s done it again! Her third novel, Love. Camera. Action is a romantic comedy.
Today, we discuss her ability to shift genres, and the details of her latest release. Continue reading Sarah Hawthorn on Love. Camera. Action.
After growing up in the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina, getting married young, having kids, and generally checking all the boxes, at 50, Elizabeth rescripted her life: moved to Panama, bought a coffee farm, came out as gay, and became an author. She’s entertaining, forthright, and an all-round delight. Join me in chatting with Elizabeth about turning her life upside-down and her dramatic debut novel Chasing Tropical Ice. Continue reading Elizabeth Worley on life in Panama and Chasing Tropical Ice
Bella’s latest novel, The Swimming Group (April, 2025, Joffe Books), is a gripping, twisty mystery/psychological thriller that keeps you guessing until the very last page. Today, we chat about swimming, writing ensemble stories, plotting great twists, Cape Cod and more. Continue reading Bella Ellwood-Clayton on The Swimming Group
Lee Kofman is an author, writing coach and speaker. Her latest work is a writing and reading guide, The Writer Laid Bare, which I’ve found incredibly valuable in my writing journey. Today, we discuss the challenges and benefits of its key principle: how to write honestly. Continue reading Lee Kofman on The Writer Laid Bare
This is a specialized post for Australian authors wanting to place their books in Australian libraries. If you have an Australian publisher, they will likely manage this for you, but if you’re self-published or have an offshore publisher, you’ll need to do it yourself. Continue reading How to Get Your Book into an Australian Library
I recently had the honour of chatting with Lisa Hope Tilstra on the Make Life Less Difficult podcast. To quote her purpose, “This podcast explores what it means to make life less difficult for each other and for ourselves. We share stories of struggles and successes because we believe sharing our stories eases the difficulty of life.” This really spoke to me because as an editor and writing coach, my role is all about helping people tell their stories. I tried to articulate for Lisa how I help authors and subsequently wrote this post to capture those ideas.
When a client approaches me for help with their book, I need to understand their motivation and goals. The why, what and how of their story:
Why do they want to tell the story?
What do they want to say?
How might they say it?
This may sound obvious, but it’s easy to dive into what is already on the page without considering these parameters. If I’m working with authors who are clear about their goals, I don’t spend much time on this, but for new authors who are feeling their way, a more extensive discussion may be useful. Continue reading The Why, What and How of Storytelling
My publisher (it’s such a thrill to be able to type those words) for The Godfather of Dance, Wings ePress, is in the US, so I needed to update my novel from Australian English to US English. The differences were even greater than I’d realised (realized). I’ve noted these changes to help other authors and to show the differences to my non-US friends, so they don’t think I’ve published a book full of errors! Continue reading How to convert from Australian English to US English
Sarah is a counsellor, yoga teacher and prolific writer. In the past couple of years, she’s published five novels. The common thread is their focus on specific social issues, such as dealing with grief and trauma. With a career in mental health, her writing is peppered with insight into the human condition. Join us as we discuss the genesis of each of her stories. Continue reading Sarah Bourne on writing about social issues
Timo has worked for years on the frontline of machine learning, so he’s uniquely qualified to write about the IT world. His thriller, The Scaevola Conspiracy, follows a couple of new graduates who join one of the biggest IT companies on the planet. Join me with Timo as we discuss the dangers of AI, and question how realistic his book scenario is in real life. Continue reading Timo on his IT Thriller, The Scaevola Conspiracy
Brightside Story Studio 