So, I Read This Book Today . . .
Editing Fees and Guidelines
As my editing jobs have become more numerous, I have updated my Editing Fees and Guidelines. My editing and proofreading includes checking for grammar, sentence structure, misspellings, and pointing out plot inconsistencies, etc. At this time, my base charge is $0.008/word, with a minimum of $50, payable via PayPal. Editing jobs I am currently working on, received before May 1, 2014, will continue to be edited at the old rate.
If your manuscript is less than 5,000 words please let me know and we can work out pricing. I prefer to set up appointments for your manuscript, but please, send your manuscripts to me as early as possible. I can often work them in sooner than they are scheduled, but advance notice is much easier.
I use Microsoft Word 2013. I use the Track Changes application while I edit and leave the decision as to whether or not to accept those changes to you. I also tend to leave extensive notes outlining the reason for specific changes, noting uneven or awkward sentence or paragraph flow, or even if I noticed something that just doesn’t feel right.
Full editing is completed in one of two ways. The first choice is that I completely edit the book and provide you with a corrected copy, highlighting changes and corrections and making when appropriate extensive notes. Your second choice is full editing. I take the book in hand, do all corrections and changes and provide you with print ready copy. The charge for print ready copy is $0.010/word.
Please note: Books from authors who speak English as a second language, hence requiring a great deal more correction for grammar, or books with extensive re-write may be significantly more. You may send me your book for pricing if you feel there may be extensive work needed on the book. Pricing available upon request.
After I have edited a manuscript, I will send it back to you. Once you have made changes, you can always send it back to me for a second pass at no charge. Please note: If second-pass changes are truly extensive, I will reserve the right to bill a second payment for the second pass. I want to be fair to you, but I also want to be fair to myself. Just as writing is difficult, though rewarding, editing a book in a manner that will make you proud of your final product is a lot of work.
For available books on which I have worked, please see my “i-edited” shelf on Goodreads. You may contact any of the authors with whom I’ve worked for a reference. I am also very willing to provide you a sample of my work to see if we are a comfortable fit. I can be easily contacted through Goodreads or by e-mail at soireadthisbooktoday@centurylink.net
I look forward to working with you!
Of Wings and Wolves (Seasons of the Moon: Cain Chronicles, #6)
“Some have said that angels possess the innocence and heartlessness of childhood for eternity.”This quote from Sara Reine's Of Wings and Wolves” touched, exactly, on why I have never really gotten into the 'Angel' urban fantasy novels that are nearly as popular as vampire novels. Angels, by their very being, have never struck me as capable of being anything other than heartless. The preternatural creations of an omnipotent, uncaring god, all powerful, and yet removed from any sense of mortality or human “morality”.
I remember, from long ago, reading something to the effect that (and I won't get this perfectly – it is an old memory) “God no longer listens – “he” is too narcissistic, too enamored with his own reflection in the mirror, lost in the worship of his followers”. (And if anyone can help me with where that quote comes from, I would be forever grateful. It has driven me mad for years.)
As a result of these feelings, I was somewhat hesitant to accept Ms. Reine's request that I read her book and contribute a review. However, I decided that, no matter my problems with the concept of Angelic interaction, I would give it a shot. And I am not in any way unhappy that I did. I am always glad to be proven wrong in my prejudices, and Sara does a fairly good job of it.
This is an unusual novel. From the beginning, she pulls away your suppositions, leading you in directions both unexpected and curious. The main character and her twin are apparently normal young people, living in a 'fairy tale' cottage in the woods with their grandmother. But all is not what it seems. For one, Summer is, apparently, the sole were in the world. A world that becomes more strange and complex as times goes along. Enter a dark and mysterious stranger (yes, with buckets of money and looks to die for – well, would we love a urban fantasy male lead who wasn't the uber total of all our own most hidden and closely held fantasies? I certainly wouldn't be all that interested in a 5'6” pudgy, zitty geek with halitosis. I can get over it.)
With the entry of the stranger Nashriel, Summer's life begins to change and flow, turning into something she no longer comprehends. A world of bitter pain. The story moves smoothly, well written, with a tight storyline that, in urban fantasy terms, doesn't stretch the imagination. Rather, it flows into an area that is not often explored in UF in a way that is highly believable in many ways. The story is a good set-up for further novels, not overreaching in it's tone or leaving you with a cliff hanger that is ultimately dissatisfying.
As with many of the novels of the genre, the romance of the story is extremely rushed – but that is to be expected in many ways. With romances and UF, the main characters seem to have that whole 'love at first sight' thing going on, which I always have difficulty with. I much prefer the romantic elements of authors such as Ilona Andrews Kate Daniels series and Faith Hunter's Jane Yellowrock. The personal relationships take time to grow and develop, something that is missing in this book. In my opinion, the love at first sight thing was uncomfortable for me on several different level. That whole “innocence and heartlessness” thing, in my mind, precludes this type of 'immediate love connection'. In the words of another author, whom I immediately identified with, which referred to the thought processes of an Aspergers Syndrome victim (Carolyn McCray/Ben Hopkin “9th Circle') “She found a baby bird that fell out of the nest. You helped her put it back, while I kept walking.” In a way, Nashriel is very much an angel in this – the pain of others is not, when you are viewing those around you on the scale of an entity who has existed since the beginning of time, worth notice. And the situation of an entity such as Nashriel, especially in the situation he finds himself, makes me question, deeply, the underlying meaning of the connection. Meh. That's just me.
All in all, Summer is a strong new female lead, and takes the various body blows she is given, one after the other, picking herself up, dusting herself off, and going forward. She doesn't let herself fall into the whole “I'm a Victorian heroine who needs a big, strong man to rescue me, even though I have teeth and claws and can whip you deadly” sort of female lead that certain other, who shall not be named, authors fall into. One thing that I look forward to in the next books is watching Summer grow and develop into her strengths, learning about who she is and what she can do to succeed in her new life.
This novel pinged on some of my aggravations, but all in all, the story begins well, takes a new twist on its UF legacy, and has overall promise. Something happens at the end that I hope doesn't drag down into 'typicality' of the genre, but I am more than happy to preorder the next installment – and go searching for Sara's other works to learn more about her writing. All in all, I am quite pleased that Sara asked for my opinion, and hope to follow through with other reviews on my on dime.