Need An Editor? Meet S.A. Joo

I've been working with S.A. Joo since 2011 and she's seen my evolution from amateur writer on the cusp of 'getting it' through to self-published author who has finally managed to satisfy her own perfectionism enough to actually put some work out in the public arena.

What I value most is the way she helps me to polish my prose until it shines. It's been a year since I published Confronting the Demon and I’m still happy with the way the prose reads - maybe happier, given the luxury of a little distance which allows me to appreciate it even more. Ms Joo is significantly responsible for helping me to make that happen.

If you’re a perfectionist, this is the editor for you. The phrase ‘close enough is good enough’ does not exist in her lexicon, and she’s always looking for the best combination of words and sentences to convey the intent and maximum impact of the moment.

She’s a fiend for making sure there is sufficient diversity in your prose by ensuring you don’t repeat sentence structure, sentence openings, paragraph openings, words, themes and concepts too close together. She also makes regular sticklers for grammar seem relaxed.

S.A. Joo is an excellent editor in all respects, and will spot pacing issues, plot holes, inconsistencies, continuity problems, repetition and redundancies, but she truly excels at making your words shine. She won’t pull any punches to spare your feelings at the expense of your manuscript – the quality of the writing is paramount! 

Warning: Not for the faint of heart. But if you’re looking for someone who will push the quality of your writing and always encourage you to excel and perfect, you’ve just found yourself an editor.

S.A. Joo's Services

Full (Substantive) Edit

The full edit is a combination of substantive editing and copy editing. It's a two-step process that focuses on spotting structural issues within the story such as plot, pacing, voice, character development, and fact-checking. The first step provides in-depth, line-by-line markups and comments, which will guide you through your revision. After the necessary revisions are made, resubmit the final draft of the manuscript for a copy edit.


Copy Edits

Copy editing is also known as proofreading. It's a one-step editing, which corrects technical issues of writing such as typos, spelling, grammar, and formatting. 

Query Letter Package

The Query Letter Package includes critique and edit for a query letter, 1-page synopsis, 2-3-page synopsis (some agencies require different lengths).


S.A. Joo's rates are: 

• Full Edit. Four U.S. dollars ($4) per double-spaced page. Please use size 12 font, Times or Times New Roman, and 1-inch margin according to the standard manuscript format. Also, a critique of your query letter and synopsis is included in the Full Edit package of an average length novel (60k+).
• Proofreading/copy edit. Two U.S. dollar ($2) per double-spaced page.
• Query Letter Package. Fifty U.S. dollars($50). 

You can find S.A. Joo at http://sirraedits.com/

Monday Morsel: Quake - An Excerpt from 'Stalking the Demon'

Stalking the Demon is now with beta readers! When I get it back, it will be final revisions and then off to my editor.

 * * *

On the dresser, the tiny jars and bottles of cosmetics rattled together as though someone with a heavy tread had walked past. 

Alloran paused, squinting. The row of glass jars tinkled again. ‘That’s strange.’

The entire room rattled this time, shaking side to side, and Alloran sprawled forward, sweeping Gisayne off her feet and knocking her onto the bed. He fell atop her, pinning her down. Dek staggered left, and then right, and caught himself against a wall. The tapestry hanging against it undulated as if the stones rippled. Another jolt threw Alloran headfirst into the mattress, the bedclothes smothering him as he gasped a breath. The scent of sulphur filled the air.

The shaking subsided as quickly as it started. A hand pulled at him, helping him right himself, and he pushed against the bed until he found his feet again. Gisayne clutched his hand as if she might never let go. Beside the bed, Dek leaned shaking against the wall, his eyes wide and rolling in a face gone pale.

‘Earthquake?’ Dek's voice was hoarse. ‘Ehsan don’t get earthquakes.’ 

Thanks for dropping by! Don't forget, this is the fourth draft, and as such won't be perfect. If you like what you read, and are so inclined, show your support by leaving a comment. Stalking the Demon is expected to be released in August. If you'd like to sample more of my writing, check out the free short stories available on this site.

If this is your first visit to Monday Morsels, find others in the series by clicking on the ‘Monday morsel’ tag, or go to the first installment for Stalking the Demon.

More about Stalking the Demon:

Alloran did everything within his power; he banished the demon and sealed the portal. But the world is still careening into hell.

Six months after Ladanyon's defeat, Gisayne is fading away from a baffling illness. Alloran is desperate for a cure, but he has a secret - the fabric of reality is collapsing, threatening to spill unrestrained demons into the world of Verusia. Is Ladanyon striking back at Alloran from the hell to which he was condemned, or is there a traitor among them?

The only people he can turn to for help deciphering the linked mysteries of Gisayne's affliction and the collapse of the world are the two research assistants set to spy on him for the council of wizards - but he knows he can't trust them.

Everything Alloran loves races toward destruction - and all the answers are locked away in hell.

If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to check out my previous posts if you haven't already. If you're finding yourself here often, you might like to join as a member, sign up to the blog through RSS or email, or sign-up to my newsletter. Check out my July Newsletter if you missed it.

Don't forget to share the love and spread the word on Twitter, Facebook or StumbleUpon (or other social networking site of your choice) if you know other people who might also enjoy this.

Thanks for stopping by and visiting!

The Flail - Distinguishing Your Bludgeoning Weapons: Medieval Weaponry and Accoutrements

Probably a two-handed flail, judging by the
length of haft and chain. The head is of the
spiked variety.

Flail. Mace. Morningstar. I’ve been asked what’s the difference?

Quite simply, they are all crushing weapons. The flail features one or more striking heads attached to a handle by a rope, strap or chain. Both the mace and the morningstar have the head affixed directly to the handle, and so are the two most similar of these three weapons. A mace may or may not have flanges or knobs but does not have spikes. A morningstar always has a spiked head, and most particularly, has a spike extending straight up from the top of the head. A flail may have spikes, but of course is differentiated from the morningstar by the head not being affixed to the shaft.

And now we've come full circle.

Each weapon is worth examining separately, so today we have the flail. In later posts we'll look at the mace and the morningstar.

The Flail

The bottom weapon appears to be a single-handed flail
with a knobbed head.

The flail comes in two main varieties – one- and two-handed, the latter of which originated from the agricultural tool used to thresh grain. It was mainly an offensive weapon, having virtually no defensive capabilities. The key benefit of the two-handed version was that it could overcome your opponent’s shield – cool! On the downside, it lacked precision, and in close combat or close formations you were just as likely to brain the bloke next to you – OK, not so good.

The one-handed flail is most often depicted as one or more metal heads, which may or may not be spiked, attached to a short handle by a long metal chain. Multiple striking heads! More power! I'm almost having a Tim the Tool Man moment, and I will totally include a multiple-headed flail in the next book I write - this is just too cool to ignore. In the majority of cases, the chain on the one-handed flail is long enough that you need to be careful not to hit your own hand. Yeah all right - that's not so good, especially if your flail does have multiple heads.
 

Top Right - Multiple-headed flail. Middle Right -  Mace. Bottom Right - Morningstar with knobbed head and typical central spike. Top Middle - Morningstar. with typical central spike and smaller spikes. Middle - Mace with knobbed/ridged head. 

It's a Flail! A Mace! No, it's a Morningstar! Simple Chart To Work Out the Difference

If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to check out my previous posts if you haven't already. If you're finding yourself here often, you might like to join as a member, sign up to the blog through RSS or email, or sign-up to my newsletter. Check out my July Newsletter if you missed it.


Don't forget to share the love and spread the word on Twitter, Facebook or StumbleUpon (or other social networking site of your choice) if you know other people who might also enjoy this.


Thanks for stopping by and visiting!

Monday Morsel: No More Hell-Gates - An Excerpt from 'Stalking the Demon'

Gisayne settled back on the bed with a sigh. Her trust in her father was beyond reproach, but the council could veto him, and she had no more reason than Alloran to have any faith in them. ‘I’ll hold my silence. But you promise me, Alloran al Kahliln, you promise me that you won’t under any circumstance open another hell-gate!’

‘No hell-gates. I promise.’ He took her hand in his and forced a smile. ‘What possible reason could I have to want to open one?’

Her brows pinched, and a smile didn’t even tug at the corners of her downturned lips. ‘I don’t know. I just have a very bad feeling.'

* * *

Thanks for dropping by! Don't forget, this is the second draft, and as such won't be perfect. If you like what you read, and are so inclined, show your support by leaving a comment. Stalking the Demon is expected to be released in August. If you'd like to sample more of my writing, check out the free short stories available on this site.

If this is your first visit to Monday Morsels, find others in the series by clicking on the ‘Monday morsel’ tag, or go to the first installment for Stalking the Demon.

More about Stalking the Demon:

Alloran did everything within his power; he banished the demon and sealed the portal. But the world is still careening into hell.

Six months after Ladanyon's defeat, Gisayne is fading away from a baffling illness. Alloran is desperate for a cure, but he has a secret - the fabric of reality is collapsing, threatening to spill unrestrained demons into the world of Verusia. Is Ladanyon striking back at Alloran from the hell to which he was condemned, or is there a traitor among them?

The only people he can turn to for help deciphering the linked mysteries of Gisayne's affliction and the collapse of the world are the two research assistants set to spy on him for the council of wizards - but he knows he can't trust them.

Everything Alloran loves races toward destruction - and all the answers are locked away in hell.

If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to check out my previous posts if you haven't already. If you're finding yourself here often, you might like to join as a member, sign up to the blog through RSS or email, or sign-up to my newsletter. Check out my May Newsletter if you missed it.

Don't forget to share the love and spread the word on Twitter, Facebook or StumbleUpon (or other social networking site of your choice) if you know other people who might also enjoy this.

Thanks for stopping by and visiting!

To York By Train: Enroute to Scotland with Ciara Ballintyne

It’s time – we’re boarding a train for York on our second day in London. The decision to travel by train was prompted by the fact I’m told that:

• Traffic getting out of London is hellish; and
• The immediate scenery is bloody boring anyway.

Or so I’m told.

We could get the train all the way to Edinburgh, but we want to drive up through the Scottish Borders, so instead we’ll get off at York, do a little sightseeing, stay overnight, and drive on tomorrow.

While we’re in York, I absolutely want to see Jorvik, but other activities will probably depend on time and how we feel. In my experience, optional activities are great to fill in time when you feel like it and to skip when you don’t.

Jorvik

Viking woodturner at Jorvik

Apparently this is a must-see – or again, so I’m told. Or at least so the website says. It could be biased.

This is a reconstruction of 1000 year old Viking streets, I think based on actual excavation at Coppergate, and including finds from the dig. You can travel around the Viking-age city to see its houses and backyards and experience a bit of their everyday life, including blacksmithing and cooking. I imagine it’s a little like visiting Pompeii but with additional experiences. I could be wrong. In any case, it seems worth a look.

York City Sightseeing Bus

This seems like a good optional experience for if we’re tired but have some time to burn. No walking, just a drive on an open-top bus for an hour checking out the city sights. Great for tired kids who don't want to walk anymore.

Castle Museum 

Recreation of Victorian Street

I would really like to see this, but it will be dependent on time and the goodwill of my children. If I haven’t previously mentioned, we’ll be travelling with our (then) 6 and 3 year old daughters, as well as my parents.

The museum includes recreated Jacobean dining rooms, information about famous Victorian criminals and exhibits all the way through to the swinging Sixties - which, truth be told, interests me less.

The museum has a particular exhibit designed to 'take you back in time' with recreated Victorian street 'Kirkgate' which allows you to experience victorian shops and their goods, including luxurious fabrics, traditional sweets, and children's toys. Luxurious fabrics. Mmm. The flip-side shows you Victorian life in the poverty-stricken back streets.

A nice bonus is that kids go free with a paying adult.

National Railway Museum

Possibly a good family outing, as we can take the kids to see trains through history, including 'the Mallard' the world's fastest steam train, the Japanese bullet train and Queen Victorian's luxury train.

For the kids it features an outdoor play area and a miniature railway ride. We recently did something similar here in Australia and the kids loved it.

Touring Scotland with Ciara Ballintyne

Ciara Ballintyne is visiting Scotland in 2016 - join her on a virtual tour of Scotland and other parts of Great Britain as she plans her trip. Somewhere you think she should go or stay? Please comment! 

If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to check out my previous posts if you haven't already. If you're finding yourself here often, you might like to join as a member, sign up to the blog through RSS or email, or sign-up to my newsletter in time for the July newsletter. Check out my May Newsletter if you missed it.

Don't forget to share the love and spread the word on Twitter, Facebook or StumbleUpon (or other social networking site of your choice) if you know other people who might also enjoy this. 

Thanks for stopping by and visiting!

Monday Morsel: The Case of the Disappearing Wall - An Excerpt from Stalking the Demon

A sombre expression settled on Dek’s blunt features. ‘This last is more rumour ‘an fact, but ‘tis spreading like wildfire in the city. They are saying as ‘ow the wall o’ a tavern o’er on Miessen Street in the poor quarter just disappeared.’

Alloran’s stomach dropped. ‘It did what?’

Dek shrugged. ‘Rumour, I said. I went down to ‘ave a look-see as it seems many o’ the city people did. Ain’t seen such a press o’ people since the festival for the king’s jub’lee two years past – but the wall as they was making such a fuss about was still there. The tavernkeeper insists as 'ow it was gone an’ then back again – raising all ‘ell about how the wall ‘adn’t come back square with the building.’

‘That’s preposterous!’ Gisyane’s face slowly turned red with each passing word, and she waved her hand to emphasise each point. The forgotten covers slipped to expose her lace-covered breasts. ‘Even supposing such a thing could be done, why? What possible reason could a wizard, anyone, have for making a wall vanish and come back?’

Dek’s frown deepened, and his fingers tapped along the chair back as he stared down at his knuckles. ‘Can’t say as I know, lass. But the wall, ‘twas as the tavernkeeper said. Wasn’t square. Might always ‘ave been that way, I suppose, although if so ‘tis the worst example I’ve ever seen.’

Alloran cleared his throat. ‘It, uh, might not be so preposterous at that.’

* * * 

Thanks for dropping by! Don't forget, this is the second draft, and as such won't be perfect. If you like what you read, and are so inclined, show your support by leaving a comment. Stalking the Demon is expected to be released in August. If you'd like to sample more of my writing, check out the free short stories available on this site. 

If this is your first visit to Monday Morsels, find others in the series by clicking on the ‘Monday morsel’ tag, or go to the first installment for Stalking the Demon.

More about Stalking the Demon:

Alloran did everything within his power; he banished the demon and sealed the portal. But the world is still careening into hell.

Six months after Ladanyon's defeat, Gisayne is fading away from a baffling illness. Alloran is desperate for a cure, but he has a secret - the fabric of reality is collapsing, threatening to spill unrestrained demons into the world of Verusia. Is Ladanyon striking back at Alloran from the hell to which he was condemned, or is there a traitor among them?

The only people he can turn to for help deciphering the linked mysteries of Gisayne's affliction and the collapse of the world are the two research assistants set to spy on him for the council of wizards - but he knows he can't trust them.

Everything Alloran loves races toward destruction - and all the answers are locked away in hell.

If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to check out my previous posts if you haven't already. If you're finding yourself here often, you might like to join as a member, sign up to the blog through RSS or email, or sign-up to my newsletter. Check out my May Newsletter if you missed it.

Don't forget to share the love and spread the word on Twitter, Facebook or StumbleUpon (or other social networking site of your choice) if you know other people who might also enjoy this.

Thanks for stopping by and visiting!