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Editing writing news

Back online…Well Kind Of

In case you didn’t notice, my website has been offline for a few months. HostGator and my domain provider finally helped me figure it out, but my website no longer looks as cute as it once did. Hopefully, I can find a way to get some of it back to normal as I play around with it.

Not a ton of writing going on lately, but I’ve been editing several great manuscripts, and am in the middle of formatting a book series for another author.

I am also eagerly anticipating the release of Clever Tom by 4RV Publishing.

Until next time, hope you have a blessed day!

Categories
Author Events Editing writing events

Cheryl C. Malandrinos Named Best Book Editor

 

So excited to learn I was named Best Book Editor in the Critters Writers Annual Readers Poll.

Categories
Author Events children's books Editing

Voting Ends January 14 in the Critters Writers Annual Readers Poll

You still have time to vote, but polls close on January 14. Thank you for your support!

Vote for A Christmas Kindness here!

 

Vote for my editing services here!

Categories
children's books Editing

Published Book I Edited in 2020

Kay, a reporter for the Barber Gazette, stood outside in the blistering heat, her nose scorched red by the blazing sun. Rivulets of perspiration trickled down her cheeks, but nothing could keep her from witnessing Skeeter’s old bulldozer crush the tar out of the abandoned county jail, not even the burning assault of a sultry Arkansas afternoon. She needed the story for the local paper.

Once the building became a pile of rubble, she discovered words on a block of plaster, a haunting poem, written by a young man who died in his cell. His cry from the grave led her on a journey to find the truth about his family and rumored Confederate treasure. The quest, which led her from Arkansas to Texas and back through history, lay covered by the Dust of Lies.

Purchase from 4RV Publishing and other online retailers.

 

 

In the third instalment in the charming Honeycake Book Series, Nala brings her outgrown toys and clothes to Rainbow Hall, and spends the day with her Grandma and Uncle JD discovering a special magical power we all have, called ✨KINDNESS✨

“Kindness is a “Special Magical Power” we all have inside of us. When we show kindness, it’s like spreading sunshine everywhere we go — no matter what the weather is like outside.
Could you imagine how much nicer the world would be if everyone smiled at each other or did a random act of kindness every day? We are kind when we use our manners by saying please and thank you, or by opening a door, or by giving our seat on a bus or train to a stranger in need.

Kindness is a gift we can all afford to give. Though it doesn’t cost a thing, your kindness can mean everything to another person.”

Use your “Special Magical Powers” and spread kindness everywhere you go!

Purchase from the Honeycake Books website or other online retailers.

 

In the fourth installment of the delightful Honeycake series, Nala goes into her papa’s office without permission and breaks his favourite mug. Nala panics and hides in her bedroom.

With the help of her parents, Nala learns a valuable lesson of trust and how to have an open and honest communication in a safe space.

Nala also learns that trust takes a long to build and can easily be destroyed in a split second!

With A Circle of Trust there is no beginning and no end, which signifies that your love for one another is endless and will last forever.

Purchase from the Honeycake Books website or other online retailers.

 

 

In the fifth installment of the delightful Honeycake book series, Nala’s mama and papa are celebrating the birth of their newborn son. But, when baby Luka receives so many presents and all the attention, Nala becomes angry and green with envy.

This book teaches children the importance of gratitude and how to focus on what matters most in life. Showing gratitude is a great way to find balance in the materialistic culture we live in today.

With the help of her grandfather, Nala learns the importance of gratitude and how being thankful for all the wonderful things she has in her life equips her with a powerful tool to make those icky feelings of jealousy from the “Green-Eyed Monster” disappear.

Purchase from the Honeycake Books website or other online retailers.

 

 

 

 

Categories
Editing

Dust of Lies Now Available!

This is the first full length novel I acquired and edited for 4RV Publishing.

Kay, a reporter for the Barber Gazette, stood outside in the blistering heat, her nose scorched red by the blazing sun. Rivulets of perspiration trickled down her cheeks, but nothing could keep her from witnessing Skeeter’s old bulldozer crush the tar out of the abandoned county jail, not even the burning assault of a sultry Arkansas afternoon. She needed the story for the local paper.

Once the building became a pile of rubble, she discovered words on a block of plaster, a haunting poem, written by a young man who died in his cell. His cry from the grave led her on a journey to find the truth about his family and rumored Confederate treasure. The quest, which led her from Arkansas to Texas and back through history, lay covered by the Dust of Lies.

EXCERPT

Chapter One

I stood in the blistering heat, my nose torched red by the blazing sun. The air hung heavy with stifling humidity. Rivulets of perspiration trickled down my cheeks and the back of my neck, collecting in a sweat-slick between my shoulders. But, nothing could keep me from witnessing Skeeter’s old bulldozer crush the tar out of the abandoned county jail, not even the burning assault of a sultry Arkansas afternoon.

As the only reporter for the Barber Gazette, I felt a duty to record the demolition of one of the few remaining relics of a bygone era. I needed take a few pictures, write my column, and give Thursday’s weekly paper a headline to commemorate its historic passing.

A small band of locals milled around as Skeeter aligned his ancient machine head-on with the crumbling edifice. He revved the engine twice, sending soot clouds billowing out of the exhaust and, with great deliberation, inched the lumbering dozer toward its target. The blade grabbed the base of the rickety structure, lifting the stucco and timber off its foundation. The jail resisted the onslaught with the stamina of a primal warrior. Again and again, Skeeter retreated and took aim. Gears groaned as the iron beast waged battle against walls of ancient brick and mortar, sending rotten timbers crashing to the ground in a tangled mass of metal roofing. Broken slabs of plaster teetered on heaps of debris, encased in a powdery fog of dust. Slowly, the dust settled, signaling the end of the primitive house of incarceration.

The sun had passed its prime, sinking low in the west. The fiery ball now rested on the shoulders of Sugar Loaf Mountain, allowing evening shadows to stalk the little valley town of Barber. I panicked. The demolition consumed most of the afternoon, and I still had work to do. I snapped pictures and interviewed a few spectators. As I turned to leave, a string of words scrawled on a busted block of plaster caught my eye. The broken block reminded me of a weathered grave marker, like the ones found in long-forgotten cemeteries. Bending, I traced the letters with my finger, revealing the words of a poem:

Here I hang

With my face to the wall

Ora Price was the cause

Of it all!

I stopped and stared at the poem; the words resonating in my head. What happened here?

Here is an article I wrote about this story prior to its publication.

Series: Dust Chronicles (Book 1)
Paperback: 236 pages
Publisher: 4rv Fiction (February 3, 2020)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1950074072
ISBN-13: 978-1950074075

Available now at:

4RV Publishing

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Books-A-Million

Book Depository