What I do

• Assessment of manuscripts for children and young adults.
• Editing of fiction and non-fiction manuscripts, for adults, children and young adults.
• Proofreading of manuscripts of all kinds (poetry, non-fiction and fiction, for adults, children and young adults).

Why I get out of bed

I genuinely love working with authors and supporting them to make their work as brilliant as it can be. I will justify my feedback and will follow your lead on how blunt you would like that feedback to be. I believe that your manuscript contains a little part of you and that you are understandably protective of that. We both want your work to be great and I will work with you to achieve that.

Where I come from & how I got here

Since 2014 I’ve worked as a freelance editor, proofreader and manuscript assessor in Wellington, New Zealand. Prior to this, I was a corporate PA, and before that, I worked for Booksellers New Zealand where, as part of a team of two, we executed two New Zealand Book Awards campaigns annually (one for children, one for adults). I was involved in all areas of executing these campaigns and was privileged to be invited to sit around the judges’ table for the children’s awards. This allowed me a good deal of insight into what judges are looking for (for example, the importance of professional presentation), and how a book’s merits and failings might be debated.

I have a diploma in publishing from Whitireia and a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in English Literature from Victoria University of Wellington. I wrote my honours thesis on Maurice Sendak and how his work reflects fairy tale theory.

I’m passionate about children’s books in particular and always have been. I have a vast collection (my pride and joy), which began long before having my own son justified me in buying more. You will often find me sitting on the floor beside the children’s shelves of a bookshop or library, immersed in a book that I couldn’t wait to open.

Published work

Children & Young Adult Fiction

The Discombobulated Life of Summer Rain, by Julie Lamb (co-editor), (Makaro Press 2016)
Winner of the Best First Book Award 2017, NZ Book Awards for Children & Young Adults

Lonesome When You Go, by Saradha Koirala, (Makaro Press 2016)
Notable Book at the Storylines Book Awards 2017

Snails, Spells and Snazzlepops, by Robyn Cooper, (Makaro Press 2016)

Moon Boy, by Kathy Sutcliffe, (Makaro Press 2017)

Time Twins, by Sally Astridge and Arne Norlin, (Makaro Press 2018)

Slice of Heaven, by Des O’Leary (co-editor), (Makaro Press 2018)
Finalist for the Best First Book Award 2019, NZ Book Awards for Children & Young Adults

Ringlet and the Day the Oceans Stopped, by Felicity Williams (co-editor), (Ahoy 2019)
Finalist for the Sir Julius Vogel Award 2020

Harriet and the Eye of the Bird, by Julie Lamb (co-editor), (Ahoy 2019)

Super Spare Parts and the Nemerons from the Twelfth Quadrant, by C.J. Parker (co-editor), (Ahoy 2019)

Avis and the Promise of Dragons, by Heather McQuillan, (Ahoy 2019)
Notable Book at the Storylines Book Awards 2020 

SS Penguin SOS, by Adrienne Frater (OneTree House 2020)

Neands, by Dan Salmon (OneTree House 2020)

Neands 2, by Dan Salmon (OneTree House 2022)

Cricket Crazy, by Vivienne Bailey (Ahoy 2021)

Under the Radar, by Des O’Leary (Ahoy 2021)

Thanks for Coming, by Rodney Strong (Amazon Digital Services LLC 2021)

Learning to love Blue, by Saradha Koirala (Record Press 2021)

Adult Fiction

The Ash, The Well & The Bluebell, by Sandra Arnold (co-editor) (Makaro Press 2019)

Hitchhiker Mystery: Murder in Mud, by Rodney Strong (Amazon Digital Services LLC 2018)

Hitchhiker Mystery: Murder in Doubt, by Rodney Strong (Amazon Digital Services LLC 2019)

Hitchhiker Mystery: Murder in Pink, by Rodney Strong (Amazon Digital Services LLC 2020)

Hitchhiker Mystery: Murder in Disguise, by Rodney Strong (Amazon Digital Services LLC 2021)

Silvermoon Mystery: Poker Chips and Poison, by Rodney Strong (Amazon Digital Services LLC 2019)

Silvermoon Mystery: Hip Flask and Hanging, by Rodney Strong (Amazon Digital Services LLC 2020)

Silvermoon Mystery: Knitting Needles and Knives, by Rodney Strong (Amazon Digital Services LLC 2021)

Sliverlake Mystery: Murder Most Confusing, by Rodney Strong (Amazon Digital Services LLC 2021)

Non-Fiction

Glam Italia: How to Travel Italy, by Corinna Cooke (Glam World Publishing LLC 2018)

Glam Italia: 101 Fabulous Things to Do in Rome, by Corinna Cooke (Glam World Publishing LLC 2019)

A Mother’s Guide to Working from Home, by Julia Wall (Real NZ Books 2020)

Take Your Space, by Jo Cribb & Rachel Petero (OneTree House 2020)

Glam Italia: 101 Fabulous Things to Do in Florence, by Corinna Cooke (Glam World Publishing LLC 2020)

Protest! Shaping Aotearoa, by Mandy Hager (OneTree House 2021)

Cook Strait Explorers: Activity Book, by Fifi Colston and Adele Jackson (Interislander/Kiwirail 2021)