Testimonials I

Steven Barnes

New York Times bestselling author

“A great editor is like having a third lobe of your brain, or a writing angel sitting on your shoulder. Marco is like that—a whisper when you want it, a thunderbolt when you need it.  You can trust him—I do!”

◊

Christopher L. Bennett

Bestselling author

“I owe my career as a novelist to Marco. He encouraged my creativity, letting me tell the stories I most wanted to tell and develop my own voice, but helped me do it better.  When my ideas needed improvement, he worked with me to help me find better options that were still my own.”

◊ 

Kirsten Beyer

Bestselling author

“One of the best descriptions of an editor’s job I’ve ever heard is that they make sure what is on the page is what I thought I was writing in my head when I did my draft.  This is what Marco Palmieri has always done for my work. I rarely find myself disagreeing with his notes, because they inevitably lead to a stronger product. He has a keen eye for my excesses, but always manages to suggest changes that remain true to my voice.  I trust him with my words, and as a writer, I can offer no higher praise.”

◊

Ilsa J. Bick

Award-winning, bestselling author

“Marco and I met, pretty much, on a roll of the dice.  Having won short story contests and published a handful of original stories, I had yet to publish a novel. That changed when Marco offered me a crack at one.  If asked—and I did—he’d say he saw something in my work and decided to gamble on an unknown.

“Boy, am I thankful he did.

“There are editors who want to get under the hood, figure out what makes that baby go, and work with you to get that book running just a little bit better. Others want to rip out the distributor cap, change out the valves and re-tool the entire engine. Our collaboration was a happy confluence: an oil change here, a little brake fluid there. As an editor, Marco was unfailingly available and, while definitely opinionated, able to step back and let my vision stand. The result was a book that cracked the Barnes and Noble bestseller list and effectively helped launch my career. That book proved I had the chops to work as a pro with a pro and see a novel through. Marco’s roll might’ve turned up snake eyes. But, for me, with five work-for-hire books under my belt, a debut young adult novel due out this year and five more original YAs sold and set to hit the shelves?

“Lucky seven.”

◊

Jon Binkowski

OE Client

“Marco Palmieri topped a list of editors provided to us by a literary agency.  He treated our manuscript as his own and worked hard to professionally and respectfully guide us, turning our ambitious story into a legitimate novel. 

“What a talent!  We look forward to working with Marco again.”

◊

Margaret Wander Bonanno

National bestselling author

“An intuitive editor is a rarity beyond metaphor. This is the guy who can match a writer to a project with nothing more than a phone call: ‘How would you like to write a novel about…?’  (How much thought went into that phone call is not for us to know.) This is the guy who can listen to a writer’s inarticulate garble (when we speak, we tend to garble; this is why we write) and hear what’s actually being said. ‘Sounds good,’ he’ll say, ‘can you think about adding this/moving that around/taking this other thing in a different direction?’ This is the guy who can see what’s struggling to emerge between the lines in a first-draft outline and coax it into the light. Then he tiptoes away and gives the writer free rein, with no intervention other than an occasional nudge if the deadline’s looming. And then he writes glowing jacket copy that lures the reader in by telling them just enough about what’s between the covers to make it irresistible. The writer gets the glowing reviews. The editor’s hand is invisible to all but the writer he’s been nurturing. By the time the book hits the stands, he’s off making magic on several other projects.

“If this is the guy you’re looking for, you’ve found him.”

◊

Corinne Erly Brown

OE Client

“Marco read my manuscript and gave me back truth… which was exactly what I was looking for. He offers honesty, passion and sensitivity and is generous with his time and communication. I’m currently doing a deep rewrite based on his feedback. I feel certain that my work will end up closer to my vision because of his insight.”

◊

Greg Cox

New York Times Bestselling Author

“As an editor, anthologist, or copyeditor, Marco brings expertise, enthusiasm, and a fierce commitment to quality to every project he tackles. He’s always been a pleasure to work with, and my books and stories have always been the better for his efforts.”

◊

Keith R.A. DeCandido

National bestselling author

“It’s not a coincidence that the novels that most of my readers (and I, for that matter) consider my strongest are the ones that were edited by Marco Palmieri. He consistently was able to bring out my best work, and is a master at shaping an idea into a strong story, and at turning a good story into a great one.”

◊

Britta Dennison

Bestselling author

“In addition to giving me my ‘big break’ into the land of the published, Marco Palmieri helped my writing both creatively and stylistically. He is a master at expounding on a glimmer of an idea to flesh it out into a workable plot device. He has a knack for making conference calls into lively conversations. Anyone would be fortunate to work with Marco.”

◊

Stephen DeWoody

OE Client

“I had to be dragged kicking and screaming to an editor. I’ve been writing stories, plays and screenplays for decades, and I’m an English teacher to boot. Why did I need an editor? For all the usual reasons, of course: pacing, consistency, clarity, character development, story logic. Marco Palmieri helped immensely with all those things, and more. He was supportive and encouraging, but pulled no punches on the need for improvement.  I look forward to our next collaboration.”

 

More Testimonials

Advertisement