Last weekend was, for me, finally, a lazy weekend. The kids were off doing the stuff my kids do and I had time and space to sleep in, lay around, breathe, and read.

And then I woke up Sunday morning to find this: Great Editors for SFF Novelists.

Author Traci Loudin has listed her top five picks for editors. And while she gets my turnaround time wrong (I strive to get your manuscript done in no more than one business week), the rest is pretty darn good.

Just goes to show what a lot of hard work will get you, right? First India Drummond, who has been an incredible client and a valued friend, too. And now Traci Loudin, who I haven’t yet had the chance to work in-depth with, but I’m hopeful we’ll get to. Both of these writers have recognized me for being among the best at what I do.

When you’re vetting your editor, remember this, especially because the other thing I had going on over the weekend was someone vetting editors strictly on price. Sometimes, you have to pay more for the editor who winds up on top lists. Every time (well, at least when it’s me you’re paying more for), it’ll be worth the extra cost.

As I said to that potential client, “I can fix errors in your book after it’s published. But I can’t fix the bad reviews that led you to ask me to fix someone else’s bad job.”

Even if it’s a stretch, hire the best you can afford. That means samples, sure. It means time spent doing research. But your book will benefit for it, and at the end of the day, isn’t that what you’re here for?

By now, I think most of India Drummond’s fans know how she and I came to work together, me as her editor.

I don’t do this for all my clients, since some of them prefer to stay incognito, but with Enemy of the Fae being released, I wanted to give India some extra time over here at West of Mars. I truly loved working on Enemy of the Fae, and I’d love to see this turn into a best-seller. It’s THAT good.

Which means, of course, that I asked India my famous question: What song makes you think of your book?

I challenged India, which isn’t easy. But I did it.

Here’s what she had to say:

I find it really difficult to relate real-world music to a fantasy world! But I think I’d have to say Jump Up Behind Me by James Taylor. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekUFyTdeb3s if you don’t know it.) It has a lovely feel to it, but it also reminds me of the way Eilidh swept into Munro’s life and carried him away. Although he left behind everything he knew, his career, his family, he couldn’t turn away the chance at real love and the all the promise that came with his own personal transformation.

Here’s the blurb:

Book 3 of the Caledonia Fae urban fantasy series

With a young, inexperienced monarch on the Caledonian throne and traitorous plots implicating those nearest Queen Eilidh, unrest is rife in the kingdom. She must sift through the intrigues and lies to survive, all while trying to discover which of her trusted companions hates her enough to commit mass murder.

Pressures threaten to overcome the young ruler, and to protect Quinton Munro, her bonded druid, she must send him away. His journey becomes a mission when he stumbles on an ancient truth that will shake the foundations of the entire faerie realm. Confronted by infinite danger and the promise of limitless power, Munro faces the most difficult choices of his life. Will he hide the truth to preserve stability in the faerie kingdoms or embrace the promise of his true druid heritage?

One friend will die because of that truth, one friend’s betrayal will cause irreparable scars, and the once tightly-knit band of druids will learn that not all magic is benevolent.

Caledonia Fae:

Book 1: Blood Faerie
Book 2: Azuri Fae
Book 3: Enemy of the Fae
Book 4: Druid Lords (Dec 2012)

And, last, the buy link!

Yes, only one. Maybe, if you’re not a Kindle user, you can ask India nicely? She’s really quite wonderful.