Get to know owner & editor Rachel Daven Skinner
First and foremost, I love to read fiction. Love to. We're talking reading while cooking, while waiting to checkout in a store, and even under the covers when I should be sleeping. (So the reading light doesn't wake up hubby, you understand. Not because books scare me. Usually.) I love all genres, but I love them even more with a dash (or a dollop) of romance in the mix. This means I'll enjoy reading your work, I respect your genre, and I have vast knowledge of your publishing market—qualities I believe are essential in the editor you hire.
I'm also a perfectionist with a penchant for logic and detail.
Put 'em together and what have you got? (You're welcome for the earworm.) I'm the wordsmith who enjoys reading blogs about semicolons. I'm the analytical reader who loves to question everything about a plot and its characters so that good writing can become great. I'm the fan who thinks the romance community is full of some of the most supportive people on earth and who feels proud to be counted among them.
Simply put, I love helping romance authors refine their stories.
I edit all genres of romantic fiction, but I'm especially fond of romantic suspense, historical romance heavy on the historical aspect, light fantasy and sci-fi, and adventure. I have an affinity for comedy, strong atmospheric settings around the world, spies, heists, military, married or divorced couples, and all things French and British. I'm less interested in editing paranormal of the vampire, shifter, or witchcraft variety, but feel free to run anything past me. I don't edit strictly erotica stories; however, erotic sexy times that support the story and character development are most definitely okay! I prefer to edit m/f couples in the primary hero/heroine roles, but I will work with alternate pairings for authors who are part of the LGBTQ+ community or who promise to seek sensitivity readers if writing outside of their own experience. Check out my bookshelves at Goodreads to learn more about my reading tastes.
I'm a travel addict. I grew up on the Central Coast of California, and my very own love story with a military man has meant I've been traveling the world for more than a decade so far. I spent a few years in Colorado as a flight attendant before moving to England for four glorious years, where I did loads of traveling around Europe and began my editing career freelancing for British publisher Choc Lit. Then it was on to Hawaii for a few years (I know, I know, talk about one hardship after another), some time in Delaware, and now settling in Colorado Springs.
All that traveling means my acquired global idioms are not only entertaining to friends and family, but they give me a terrific editing advantage. I can help authors tweak Britishisms and Americanisms and ensure characters and settings sound authentic. I also regularly edit to both American and British spelling and style guides.
When it's time to share your book baby with the world, I'll be celebrating right along with you. I enjoy praising my authors on social media and featuring them here on my home page.
I conduct my business in a friendly and fairly casual manner while maintaining professional integrity at all times by upholding the Romance Writers of America Code of Ethics for Industry Professionals.
And because I like to keep things real, you should know upfront that I'm dealing with some ongoing health issues that can occasionally interfere with my work productivity, so I'm very appreciative of clients who are willing to graciously be a little flexible at times.
And I love cats. Cats are important. :-)
Want to know even more about me? (Why, thank you!) Check out my interview at Morgen Bailey's blog and watch the short clip below from an interview at the 2015 Editors Association of Canada conference.
I hope to hear from you!
― Rachel
I'm also a perfectionist with a penchant for logic and detail.
Put 'em together and what have you got? (You're welcome for the earworm.) I'm the wordsmith who enjoys reading blogs about semicolons. I'm the analytical reader who loves to question everything about a plot and its characters so that good writing can become great. I'm the fan who thinks the romance community is full of some of the most supportive people on earth and who feels proud to be counted among them.
Simply put, I love helping romance authors refine their stories.
I edit all genres of romantic fiction, but I'm especially fond of romantic suspense, historical romance heavy on the historical aspect, light fantasy and sci-fi, and adventure. I have an affinity for comedy, strong atmospheric settings around the world, spies, heists, military, married or divorced couples, and all things French and British. I'm less interested in editing paranormal of the vampire, shifter, or witchcraft variety, but feel free to run anything past me. I don't edit strictly erotica stories; however, erotic sexy times that support the story and character development are most definitely okay! I prefer to edit m/f couples in the primary hero/heroine roles, but I will work with alternate pairings for authors who are part of the LGBTQ+ community or who promise to seek sensitivity readers if writing outside of their own experience. Check out my bookshelves at Goodreads to learn more about my reading tastes.
I'm a travel addict. I grew up on the Central Coast of California, and my very own love story with a military man has meant I've been traveling the world for more than a decade so far. I spent a few years in Colorado as a flight attendant before moving to England for four glorious years, where I did loads of traveling around Europe and began my editing career freelancing for British publisher Choc Lit. Then it was on to Hawaii for a few years (I know, I know, talk about one hardship after another), some time in Delaware, and now settling in Colorado Springs.
All that traveling means my acquired global idioms are not only entertaining to friends and family, but they give me a terrific editing advantage. I can help authors tweak Britishisms and Americanisms and ensure characters and settings sound authentic. I also regularly edit to both American and British spelling and style guides.
When it's time to share your book baby with the world, I'll be celebrating right along with you. I enjoy praising my authors on social media and featuring them here on my home page.
I conduct my business in a friendly and fairly casual manner while maintaining professional integrity at all times by upholding the Romance Writers of America Code of Ethics for Industry Professionals.
And because I like to keep things real, you should know upfront that I'm dealing with some ongoing health issues that can occasionally interfere with my work productivity, so I'm very appreciative of clients who are willing to graciously be a little flexible at times.
And I love cats. Cats are important. :-)
Want to know even more about me? (Why, thank you!) Check out my interview at Morgen Bailey's blog and watch the short clip below from an interview at the 2015 Editors Association of Canada conference.
I hope to hear from you!
― Rachel
Associate Member
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'The editor is always right.' The corollary is that no writer will take all of his or her editor's advice; for all have sinned and fallen short of editorial perfection. Put another way, to write is human, to edit is divine."
― Stephen King in his book On Writing