It takes a village…
We’ve all heard that statement before. Many times it’s in reference to raising a child, or battling an illness. For me, it’s sort of been both. If you’ve been following my blog, you know that I had a medical diagnosis that moved me toward fulfilling a lifelong dream of writing a book. That book turned into a series, which has, in a way, become like my child.
I knew that I needed a team to support me on this journey if I were to see my dreams come to fruition — and I knew that I wanted an all-female team. I’m a firm believer that if you have a million things to accomplish, ask a woman for help. Women get shit done. Period. So I set out looking, and I was surprised to find two of the most crucial puzzle pieces on the same freelancing site. It’s time for you to meet the characters who work on the pages of Pulling Threads, and behind the scenes.
Meet Andria
Andria Flores, Editor of Pulling Threads and author of Type A plans B
Let me introduce you to Andria Flores, editor extraordinaire. As a freelance writer and editor, Andria is committed to communicating every message accurately. Her strength is preserving the author’s voice without sacrificing excellence in language. An author herself, Andria understands firsthand the angst and elation that keep authors up at night. For that reason, she is perfectly suited to working with new authors, editing of course, and sometimes talking them down from the ledge. I was perched upon that ledge after a not so great experience with the editorial process. Then I found Andria, a master of grammar – who also accepts an author’s quirks; a respectful collaborator – who knows when to praise and to push; a wonderfully intuitive, humorous, and diligent editor — and now a cherished friend. Visit her site here.
Meet Jessica
Jessica Champion, Web Designer for Pulling Threads and Owner of Guidepost Creative
And then there is Jessica Champion, a confident, young professional, who reached out to me when she learned I was looking for a website designer. After a few emails, we spoke by phone — or more to the point, I talked, she listened. Then she referred me to her website where I found Jessica’s own words (which sealed the deal): “I bring clients’ dreams to life on the web with a compelling voice while delivering accuracy, precision, and linguistic integrity.” Jessica and Andria may not know one another, but they are like-minded professionals who let their clients’ words and work shine. Jessica listened to my ideas, promised to keep them central in her work, and brought so much more — more than I could ever have imagined. Most important to me is that Jessica encouraged me to be a part of her creative process, on behalf of my own.
I would be remiss not to mention the other wonderful souls who helped bring this project to life, including my publisher (who did not wish to be featured since she came out of retirement to help me achieve this goal), and my friends and supporters along the way whose investment in me and my work has meant more than they’ll ever know. I would like to thank each and every person who was involved in this project, from conception to completion, and again thank my readers for jumping in with me.