Episode #291: Chop Suey! Freelance Editing with Sangeeta Mehta and Julia Scheina!
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Grace and Alvina continue their publishing curriculum series and welcome special guests Sangeeta Mehta and Julie Scheina to the podcast. Both of them are former editorial colleagues of Alvina's who now run their own freelance editorial companies. Julie also does some coaching. They discuss how they got started in publishing and when they started freelance editing. They discuss how they structure their days, how they market their services, and advice for authors on how to both improve their work on their own and also work with freelance editors. For the Fortune Cookie segment, they each share what they've been reading lately. And, of course, they end with what they're grateful for.
Info about Grace's new book "The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon": https://linktr.ee/gracelinauthor
THE GATE, THE GIRL AND THE DRAGON, pre-order now:
Grace has a new middle grade novel! THE GATE, THE GIRL AND THE DRAGON comes out in May 2025. The first printing (and only the first printing) of this book will have sprayed edges (see a video preview HERE). So pre-order now! You can pre-order from any bookstore, but Grace is working with her three local indies to offer autographed books and gifts! If you pre-order from one of them you can have your choice of gifts of an enamel pin, a free virtual visit (order by April 11) or exclusive stickers (while supplies last)!
Enamel pin (from Porter Square Books)
Free virtual school visit (from the Eric Carle Museum)
Exclusive stickers (from High Five Books
How have you been?
Grace has been involved with Hazel’s school and trying to focus on local things that she can make a difference in. Her 2nd shingles vaccine really knocked her out! The other day, Hazel’s book club has also become a “puberty” book club where they discuss their period etc…and the book club took a field trip to go try on bras! Alvina was supposed to go to a dance party on Saturday but she was sick. Stephen and Alvina got to watch the Oscars! It was the sales conference week at work. Sangeeta had a great time at Alvina’s party! She went to the New York Public Library for “The Library Afterhours” event. Julie lives just outside of D.C. and is trying to connect with her community more. Selling Girl Scout cookies with her daughter has been restoring some of her faith in humanity! Her daughter has been writing books!
Publishing and Freelance Editing
Julie and Sangeeta talk about how they broke into editing and publishing. They walk us through a typical day in the life.
“What have you been reading?”
Julie: Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All by Chanel Miller and Drive Your Plow over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczu.
Sangeeta: The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden
Grace: “Healing Fiction” genre with Japanese translation. The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen by Yuta Takahashi
Alvina: Brownstone by Samuel Teer and Mar Julia
Gratefuls
Alvina is grateful that she can work from home when she’s under the weather. Grace is grateful that Hazel’s Girl Scout troop extended their cooking selling season due to all the bad weather this season. Sangeeta is grateful for staying in touch with everyone in the editing and publishing industry. Julie is also so grateful for all of the friends in the industry and staying connected.
THANK YOU!
Thank you to Hachette Audio, Little Brown Books for Young Readers, and Alex at Pacyworks Studio for producing and editing this podcast. Be sure to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and tell a friend about us. (Use the hashtag #bookfriendsforever.)
You can find Alvina @Planetalvina on Twitter and TikTok and @Alvinaling on Instagram and Threads, @alvinaling on BlueSky
You can find Grace @Pacylin on Instagram and Threads, @authorgracelin on Facebook, @gracelinauthor on TikTok.
You can find Sangeeta: editorsangeeta@blueskysocial, on Twitter (X) @sangeeta_editor, on Faecbook @MehtaBookEditing and https://www.mehtabookeditingnewyork.com
You can find Juliescheina.com @juliescheina on Tik Tok, Instagram, Bluesky, and Threads.
Please keep tagging and messaging us on social media using the hashtag #bookfriendsforever! OR message us on Instagram @bookfriendsforever_podcast or email us at bookfriendsforever@gmail.com! Please let us know if you have any topic ideas!
Please JOIN OUR PATREON! We would love and appreciate your support for just $1.00 a month!
