Meet Our Editors

Working with The Editorial Department means having access to a wide range of tastes, backgrounds, and areas of expertise. We have editors specializing in many genres of fiction, including mystery/suspense, thrillers, crime novels, romance, science fiction, fantasy, literary, mainstream, historical, short stories, and more. We have specialists in a wide range of nonfiction categories, including memoir, travel, religion, self-help, health, history, nature, ecology, wellness, and others.

Many of our editors have experience as literary agents or in-house acquisitions editors and bring an insider’s perspective on the standards and demands of the traditional publishing marketplace. Several are experienced writing teachers who specialize in helping writers develop a better command of basic and advanced writing techniques. Some of our editors are also professional authors or screenwriters and are available for ghostwriting, collaboration, or screenplay adaptation projects.

Full bios are available below, and if you have questions about which editor might be best for you, contact Ross Browne in the Tucson office. You’re welcome to request a specific editor or have us recommend one for you after a no-cost, no-obligation preliminary review of your materials. Our editor recommendations are typically based on your genre or subject matter, what kind of editing is needed, and whatever specific knowledge or skillset may be required. But there are other factors as well, and we take great care with editor assignments.

Jocelyn Bailey
Editor

Editor, writing coach, and publishing consultant specializing in developmental editingline editing, and revision planning for fiction and nonfiction.

Favorite genres include:

historical fiction
women's fiction
literary fiction
memoir & topical nonfiction
 
Amanda Bauch
Editor

Editor, author, and writing coach specializing in developmental editingline editing, and copy editing for fiction and nonfiction.

Favorite genres include:

historical fiction
women's fiction
science, medicine, self-help
memoir, autobiography 
 
Whitney Bak
Editor

Editor, collaborative writer, and copy writer specializing in developmental editingline editing, and copy editing for fiction and nonfiction.

Favorite genres include:

women's fiction
romance
YA/MG fiction
narrative nonfiction
 
Renni Browne
Founder

Coauthor of Self Editing for Fiction Writers with over 50 years’ experience editing books.  Specializes in manuscript critiquedevelopmental editing, and line editing for fiction and nonfiction.

Favorite genres include:

southern fiction
mystery/suspense
literary fiction
books about music
 
Ross Browne
President/Director of Author Services

Editor, blogger, and author coaching specialist.  Manages our editorial staff and client-services operations. Main point of contact for new clients for information, quotes, and editor assignments.

Favorite genres include:

mystery/suspense
psychological thrillers
urban fiction
humor/satire
 
Julian Delfino
Editor

Editor and manuscript consultant specializing in manuscript critiquedevelopmental editing, copy editing, and proofreading for fiction, nonfiction, short stories, academic texts, and scholarly works.

Favorite genres include:

fantasy
science fiction
YA fiction
literary & mainstream fiction
Sean Fletcher
Editor

Editor and manuscript consultant specializing in manuscript critiquedevelopmental editing for fiction and traditional publishing support and self publishing support for all genres.

Favorite genres include:

fantasy
science fiction
YA fiction
MG fiction
 
Marcia Ford
Editor and Ghostwriter

Author, editor, and ghostwriter whose specialties include manuscript critiquedevelopmental editing, and line editing for CBA books, memoirs, and some genres of secular fiction.

Favorite genres include:

theology/religion
spirituality
literary fiction
multicultural fiction
 
Karinya Funsett-Topping
Editor and Publishing Consultant

Editor specializing in manuscript critiquedevelopmental editing, and traditional publishing support for short stories and most categories of adult and YA fiction and narrative nonfiction.

Favorite genres include:

romance
contemporary women’s fiction
magic realism
creative nonfiction  
 
Peter Gelfan
Editor and Writing Coach

Author, editor, and story consultant specializing in manuscript critiquedevelopmental editing, line editing, and author coaching for most categories of fiction and narrative nonfiction.

Favorite genres include:

historical fiction
mystery/suspense
speculative fiction
literary fiction
 
John Robert Marlow
Editor and Adaptation Specialist

Author, editor, and screenwriter specializing in manuscript critique, query letters & synopsis writing, flap copywriting, developmental editingline editing, ghostwriting, screenplay adaptations, and independent publishing support.  

Favorite genres include:

science fiction & fantasy
YA & MG fiction 
mystery/suspense
thrillers
 
Lindsay Guzzardo
Editor

Editor with big-five acquisitions experience specializing in manuscript critique and developmental editing of romance, contemporary women’s fiction, and historical fiction.  

Other favorite genres include:

literary fiction
magic realism
memoir
romantic mystery/suspense
 
Julie Miller
Editor

Editor specializing in developmental editingline editingcopy editing, and proofreading for fiction, nonfiction, essays, academic texts, scholarly works, and books about the natural world.

Favorite genres include:

literary fiction
psychological thrillers
memoir
psychology
 
Brian Preston
Editor

UK bestselling author and editor specializing in manuscript critique and developmental editing for new age, humor, travel, and journalistic nonfiction on a wide range of topics.

Other favorite genres include:

biography/autobiography
sports/entertainment
current events
history
 
Shannon Roberts
Editor

Editor specializing in manuscript critiquedevelopmental editing, line editing, and ghostwriting for fiction (YA and adult), flash fiction, short stories for readers of all ages, and narrative nonfiction.  

Favorite genres include:

fantasy
science fiction
LGBTQ fiction
magic realism
 
Jacqueline Sinclair
Editor, Ghostwriter, and Adaptation Specialist

Editor, screenwriter, and script consultant specializing in manuscript critiquedevelopmental editingghostwriting, and  screenplay adaptations.

Favorite genres include:

YA Fiction
mystery/suspense
crime-related fiction & nonfiction
mainstream fiction
 
Diane Stockwell
Editor and Publishing Consultant

Editor and literary agent with big five acquisitions experience specializing in line editing and traditional publishing support for nonfiction and select genres of fiction.

Favorite genres include:

true crime
memoir
history
women’s issues
 
Doug Wagner
Editor and Ghostwriter

Author, editor, collaborator, and ghostwriter specializing in line editing,  copy editing, and proofreading for all genres and developmental editing for most nonfiction and some fiction.

Favorite genres include:

biographical fiction
mainstream fiction
cooking, food & wine
science
 
Robert Blake Whitehill
Screenplay Consultant
Action series author, television writer, screenplay editor, and adaptation consultant. Specializes in the adaptation of fiction and story-based nonfiction and working with screenwriters to improve the quality and salability of screenplays and treatments.
 
Favorite genres include:
 
mystery/suspense
action/adventure
memoir
literary fiction
 

“…coherence in the world [an author] creates is constituted of two concepts he holds, which may be in conflict: one is his world view, his sense of the way the world is; and the other is his sense of morality, the way the world ought to be.”

Rust Hills