Every summer, my whole family would load up and spend a weekend or two at the lake. We’d find a spot, pop up our tents, rig up our tarps, and fish and swim the weekend away. I was very young during these times and I loved doing this.
One summer day, I remember riding up to the island where we were going to camp. It was a hot day and the breeze felt nice; the water splashing up in our faces as the boat sailed across the water was even better. As we came up to the island, I noticed a dead fish floating on top of the water.

That was weird, I thought to myself but quickly shook it off. We were here! Little did I know that fish was an omen.

We spent the day splashing in the lake and when nightfall came, we popped our tents up. There were three of them. We also tied our tarps up in the trees to keep the rain from ruining our stuff overnight. I know now rain was the least of our worries.  I remember glancing across the lake, right before the sun completely disappeared. There, floating in the water across from me, was that same fish.

Again, I shrugged it off and crawled inside my tent. Everyone settled in for the night; the campfire was still going but it wasn’t blazing by any means. I had laid there about ten minutes when everyone in the second tent started screaming.

There was a commotion and the adults in my tent jumped up to see what was happening.

Apparently, the others had built their tent on an ant hill; and the ants had found their way inside to deliver swift retribution. I remember hearing them scooting their tent across the sand as they knocked ants off them. Once they relocated, everyone settled in again.

Maybe about twenty minutes later, there was more yelling, and people were scurrying out of their tents in a hurry. I remember looking outside the tent door to see our campfire engulf something in the flames. Turns out one of the tarps we had rigged fell into the fire. So, everyone was rushing down to the shore to get water. One of the younger kids there had run to a steep part of the bank. When she bent down to get water in her can, she toppled over into the lake, prompting one of the adults to jump in after her.

I promise you; we aren’t as ignorant as we seem.

After the fire was out and the kid was in dry clothes, we again laid down for the night. I had drifted off at some point. The sound of the waves crashing onto the shore has always been peaceful to me. The boats in the distance traveling across the lake also lulled me to sleep. We had tied our boat to the large tree that had fallen into the water right up again the island. I remember hearing our boat rocking back and forth as the waves moved it. Usually, there weren’t a lot of boats that traveled through the water at night. But tonight, there seemed to be a few. It was one of those boats that woke me up. Its distant motor quickly got louder as it rushed by our island, stopping only when it CRASHED into the tree our boat was tied to. How no one heard it but me is something I haven’t been able to figure out to this day.

I laid there and listened as two men FELL off their boat. They stumbled onto the island. In their drunken state they tried to whisper but it wasn’t working. At least they tried to be respectful.

“Don’t tell my mom I dropped my phone.” One of them said.

He stumbled by our tent and relieved himself close by. He fumbled back towards the shore, and I listened as the two of them tried to figure out how to get their boat away from the tree trunk. I heard phrases such as, “Not that way,” “Help I’m stuck,” “The waters cold!” There was a lot of splashes as they fumbled around. Finally, their boat started up again, and they were gone.

The next morning, I pulled myself out of the tent, amazed at what I had heard the night before. Everyone was up and moving around; my mom and some of the others had started fixing breakfast. I looked out over the water just as that fish made another circle around our island. At that time, I didn’t know what an omen was, but I was pretty sure that fish had a lot to do with everything that had happened so far. The last straw for that particular camping trip, however, was when my brother’s girlfriend passed out while cooking our breakfast. She was standing there with a carton full of eggs when she fainted dead away, dropping and cracking all of them on the ground.

We loaded up then and road back to the dock. Message received. 

A few years ago, I learned a very valuable lesson —basically, I can’t take drugs.

Now before you get all bent out of shape, let me explain. I was going about my business that faithful day when I started to feel rough. My sinuses were killing me and to make matters worse, this sinus infection that I suddenly developed, made my teeth hurt. All of them.

I took some allergy medicine and went about my business. The pain got worse with each passing hour; not so much the sinuses but my teeth were killing me. Around 4pm that day, I couldn’t take it. Something was wrong. So, we went to the closest walk in clinic we could find. Being in the pharmacy field for a while I knew that something was wrong, and I needed an antibiotic. I told the doctor there what was going on and explained the pain I was in, I told her I needed some type of antibiotic.

She apparently didn’t believe me, and I walked out without an antibiotic. I went home and told my husband I was going to try to sleep it off. I couldn’t. It hurt so bad I wanted to cry but I knew if I did, it would make it hurt more. Around 1am I woke my husband up.

Nudging him in the dark I whispered, “Hey, I can’t take this. I think we need to go to the ER. The pain is getting worse.”

He roused quickly, “Okay.”

I sat on the edge of the bed in the dark while he got dressed, wishing the pain would go away. To be honest, I was beginning to get very worried. What in the world could be wrong with me? It was then my husband flipped the light on. As his eyes adjusted and he took me in, he froze. The look on his face was terrifying.

“Oh my—”

Well, that helps. Now I’m panicked.

“What? What is it?” I asked startled.

“Nothing,” He’s a terrible liar, “You’re fine.”

I didn’t like where this was going, at all. He started motioning me to get up and get dressed. He was rushing around grabbing my stuff.

“What’s wrong?” I asked again, this time more urgently.

“Nothing,” he said turning on the lights to the rest of the house, “We’re just going to get you to the ER.”

“Why?”

I was passing by the mirror in confusion, when I caught a glimpse of myself. The left side of my face was so swollen it looked like I had a baseball inside my cheek.

I don’t do well under pressure or emergency situations. I’ll just leave that right here.

I screamed and cried all the way to the car. Then I got in the car and screamed and cried all the way to the hospital. I was crying when I went inside; I was crying when I filled out paperwork. It also didn’t help that EVERY person I met had the same alarmed expression on their face, which they quickly hid away with a fake smile. Not appreciated.

When they got me into the back they discovered through x-rays and MRI’s that I had an abscessed tooth. It was so swollen
(the worst they had seen, what can I say, I’m an over achiever) that it was now cutting off my airways.

I spent the night there, with my husband by my side. I had an IV of high-powered antibiotics and an IV of morphine. It was 4mg’s of morphine, diluted. Remember that part please. To give you an idea of how painful this abscess was, I still hurt after the morphine was in my system. I just didn’t care. Then came dawn and they took the IV’s out and started the paperwork to release me. I was told that once the infection was gone, I would have to have the tooth pulled. Yay me.

Oh, but boys and girls, the fun was just beginning. I hadn’t peed all night. So, when I got off the bed I told my husband that before we left, I HAD to use the bathroom.

He walked me to the ER bathroom there by the nurse’s station and waited for me outside the door. Once inside, I sat down to do what nature intended. Thank goodness I had finished my business before I started shaking. I’m not talking about shaking because I was cold or nervous, it was the type of shaking everyone avoids. I was about to pass out. I could feel it. No matter how hard I tried, I was headed for the tile floor-face first if I didn’t do something quickly. It was then, I noticed a chain on the wall beside me and was labeled emergency. Welp, this was it.

I yanked on it with everything I had in me while still holding myself on the toilet. My husband peeked in the door confused.

“Are you okay?”

“No, come here.” I managed.

He shut the door behind him and pulled me up quickly. Annnnd—I passed out. Standing there in all my glory, in this small-cold ER bathroom, limp and lifeless, I dangled there in my husband’s arms.  It wasn’t until my husband spoke that I came out of it. (All you newlyweds, here’s a glimpse into your future.)

“What are we doing?” He asked confused. He told me later he thought I just wanted a hug, so he hugged me.

When he helped me walk back to the gurney, the nurse caught sight of me and I heard her say, “Oh no, get her back down.”

As I was laying there trying to suck down a small carton of apple juice, the nurse checked my vitals.

“Sometimes,” the nurse explained, “Morphine can make you pass out.”

​No kidding.

The phone had rung off the hook, which is basically a normal day in the pharmacy. This time when the phone rang, I answered on the first ring.

“_____ pharmacy, this is Laura, how can I help you?”

A phrase I utter a hundred times a day. A normal answer to this would be one of the following.

I need to fill my prescription.

What time do you close?

I need to speak with the pharmacist.

And the occasional, do you have XL condoms? And before you ask, no. No, we don’t.

This time however, I was met with something very unexpected. A woman whispered into the phone seductively, “Do you
want shrimp with white sauce?”

I went from your friendly neighborhood technician to I don’t think so, real quick.

“I’m sorry?” I uttered.

To be honest, I wasn’t really sure I had heard it right. And if I did, was I being propositioned?

The woman on the other end wasn’t so hushed and seductive anymore, “Is this Laura?” She asked, flabbergasted.

“Yes—”

Where was this conversation headed, I wondered? And who is this and how did they find me?

“Laura T?” She asked, sounding a little nervous now.

“No, I’m new here,” I explained, “I’m Laura M.”

“Oh my gosh! Can I talk to the other Laura please?” The woman asked.

“Sure, hold on.”

I put her on hold and turned to the other Laura, “I think the phone is for you.”

She answered and immediately started laughing. When she ended the call, she explained that it was her mother on the other line, asking if she wanted shrimp and white sauce for lunch.

Well, at least I heard it right.

1. Tell us a little about yourself. What are your favorite hobbies, favorite movie star, tell us one crazy thing about you, etc.
Originally from New England, I’ve been living in the Asheville, NC, area for five years. I’m a single dad to a precocious daughter who currently loves anything to do with NASA and Mars and the Apollo missions. Which warms my heart because I loved space stuff and watched Star Trek and Red Dwarf when I was a teenager (OK, even now) and I never pushed that on her. Apart from that, perhaps the most interesting and surprising thing I do is dance Argentine tango. I was obsessed with it more than ten years ago, took a break from it, and am getting back into it whenever I can.

2. Why did you decide to start your writing/editing career?
I’d wanted to be a writer since fifth grade, when I wrote a story called “The Burglar and the Bear.” In high school, I wrote its sequels and a prequel. I became a journalism major so I could write and make money at the same time. (I was in for a rude awakening.) After a detour through web development, I was called back to writing. I heard about Gateless Writing retreats, led by Suzanne Kingsbury, and that changed how I thought about writing in general—I realized its power—and about the value that my voice has in the world.

3. How did you get into photography?
Even though I took a photojournalism course in college, I didn’t really “get into” it until I saw how my ex responded to my photos. She encouraged me to do more, and we bought a DSLR. 

I brought the camera, a Nikon D90, to a Literary Death Match event in Cambridge, mostly as an introvert’s shield because I was really shy then. One of the organizers saw my camera and asked if I’d send them photos. I said sure, and they paid me. I ended up being their go-to photog at future events. 

I got enough confidence to offer to photograph GrubStreet’s Muse & the Marketplace writers conference in Boston. I’ve since photographed a few Gateless Writing retreats, the North Carolina Writers’ Network spring conference, the first two Greensboro Bound literary festivals, and a recent Flatiron Writers Room event in Asheville. 

I like how my event photography work overlaps with my literary life, but I sometimes get to photograph portraits of fashion models and tango dancers. I also offer author headshots for local writers.

4. When did you publish your first work?
I have two answers for this. 

My first published work, outside of high school or college newspapers, was in Echoes magazine back in 1993, when I was 16. The magazine had a county-wide contest for high school-age writers to interview an elder of their community. I didn’t win the contest, but the magazine editor said with further revision, I could be published in a subsequent issue. It did get published, and a few years later, as luck would have it, she ended up being my college advisor. 

My first published fiction, in 2015, was a flash piece called “Hands” in Literary Orphans, an online journal. That story was born at my first Gateless Writing retreat, in fall 2014, at Gray Bear Lodge in Tennessee. We had been given a prompt and encouraged to read our work after writing stream-of-conscious for half an hour. I hated what I wrote, so I passed. I did not read it. I was filled with dread and self-doubt the whole weekend. Finally, with the encouragement of another writer there, at the last possible chance to read before leaving, I read it. Everyone’s jaw dropped, and the immediate feedback I got from Suzanne Kingsbury (the Gateless Writing retreat leader) was incredible. With subsequent editing, it was published less than a year later.

5. How many works have you published?
Apart from the magazine profile mentioned above and journalism, I have three short stories and two essays published. All five are online. I’ve compiled them all here:
https://www.stanleydankoski.com/my-writing

6. Are you working on anything new?
I have taken a break from writing for a bit while I build the editing business, although some ideas are simmering. I’ve been encouraged to write stories from my life growing up in Maine. I’ve struggled with that. However, my published short stories are inspired by real life events, even “Graveyard Shift.” I feel more comfortable fictionalizing my life.

7. Tell us about your services, in as much detail as possible.
a.       What is a Gateless Writing Instructor?
Gateless Writing is a methodology of writing based on brain science created by award-winning author Suzanne Kingsbury. Encouragement, rather than criticism, during the writing process is the foundation for works of genius. The inner critic and the external critic exist to protect us and keep us safe in our world—but being creative is the act of breaking down those walls and finding a new way to be in the world. That is scary and too risky to the critic. 

So, a certified Gateless Writing instructor helps writers to befriend the critic, provide craft tools to make the writing match the writer’s vision, and encourage the writing process with positive feedback. The feedback is not about stroking the ego. The feedback shows what is working and why. Soon what is not working will be obvious and will naturally fall away and be replaced with what does work.

b.      What is developmental editing?
Writers sometimes live with their ideas for so long that they are too close to the material to see if it’s actually all on the page. A developmental editor takes the bird’s eye (macro-level) view of a book and helps to address those big-picture issues such as structure. Sometimes the main character’s arc from beginning to end is incomplete. A scene needs more detail in order to be more fully realized and powerful. A whole chapter may be unnecessary. Or there is no plot. 

Developmental editing is synonymous with the term substantial editing, and the amount of editing can run the spectrum of small or large, but the purpose of this kind of editing is to get at the heart of the story and to ensure that what is written down matches the vision of the writer. 

Importantly, at least when working with me, writers should know that developmental editing is not about “fixing” anything. It’s not about identifying anything that is “wrong.” It’s about identifying what the writer’s vision is for the book and supporting the writer in achieving that on the page.

Also, if a writer has the manuscript copy edited, I highly recommend a developmental edit be done first. Otherwise, the quality will suffer without a dev edit, or a dev edit would require a copy edit afterward.

c.       What is copy editing?
Copy editing is what most people probably think of when they think of editing. If developmental editing is the macro view of a book, copy editing is the micro view, on the sentence level. A copy editor goes through the manuscript correcting spelling and grammar mistakes, tightening up sentences, noting inconsistencies. Not all copy editors do this, but I sometimes flag anything that might be a larger concern that a developmental editor would have (or should have) caught. 

d.      Do you offer line editing?
I have yet to have a writer ask me for this specifically, but I do offer line editing, which is when an editor makes significant rewrites on a sentence level. Depending on the level of work needed in a copy edit, I might just include this in my copy editing service and call it a “heavy copy edit,” which would cost more than a light or typical copy edit.

e.      What can writers expect when they sign up with you?
I offer writers not just editing services but a path to publishing. Whether it’s with fiction or nonfiction, writers can expect me to ask a lot of questions to get a big-picture view of their project. Writers can expect me to ask about their vision for the book and the end goal—their definition of success. The end goal plays an important role in my editing process, especially in a developmental edit. 

Different editors offer varying degrees of services and use different terms for each, and sometimes they overlap. It’s best to know which stage you’re at with your manuscript to determine what kind of editing you might need. If you’re not sure, a good editor can help you figure it out. 

The best way to do this is through a manuscript assessment or review. In a review, the editor doesn’t edit the manuscript but does read it and provide the writer with a multi-page document filled with notes and suggestions, and it can include a recommendation on next steps. In an ideal world, the manuscript would be perfect, but usually there is quite a bit of editing to do.

As I mentioned earlier, my approach is all about identifying the vision the writer has for the work and determining whether the writer has achieved that. If the writer isn’t there yet, I am there to help guide them by offering craft tools along the way.

f.        What do you expect from the writer during the editing process?
My ideal writer client is someone who wants to inspire or affect change in the world. That is my reason for being, and I love working with writers who are on that same wavelength.

I expect writers to know what the goals are for their book. Do they want to publish traditionally or self-publish? Do they just want a few copies for friends and family or do they want to bust out and change the world? 

Writers ought to have a vision for what success looks like to them. If we are to work together, what must happen in order for me to succeed as the editor, or coach, or advocate?

I expect writers to trust my judgment.

I expect writers to trust their own judgment, too.

Because the story chose them to exist in this world. Writers are the conduits that allow stories to exist. Writers must be guardians of their work and go with their gut, so to speak, when choosing who best to help them create their work of art. In so doing, I expect writers to ask as many questions as they feel necessary to determine if we’re a good match.

g.       Can you give us pricing?
The more projects I work on, the more I tend to adjust the rates, so let these numbers be a ballpark. I typically create custom packages that pick from these options depending on the writer’s goals. Writers may contact me to learn more about how I can help them with their particular project. 

A sample edit of the middle section of the book is $150. An outline review is the same.

Two-hour craft workshops (see details below) are $250 each and can be in-person meetings, if you’re local, or via a Zoom call. 

A manuscript review/assessment is $750. Price may fluctuate depending on manuscript size. The review determines next steps, and the type of editing I recommend.

A developmental edit is $2,000/month as needed. Meaning, if the manuscript is pretty clean and it needs few edits, it might be only a month of work. If there’s a lot of work to be done, then my fee essentially puts me on retainer until everyone is happy with the result.

A copy edit is $1,500 minimum at 2¢ per word.

If a writer finds my price range out of their budget, they can let me know what their budget is, and I may be able to offer an alternative service that aligns with their needs.

I am considering to offer daylong or weekend writing retreats in the Asheville area in the near future.

h.      How long does it take to do each type of editing?
Copy editing turnaround time can be between two and four weeks, depending on manuscript size and scheduling.

Developmental editing can take a month, or it can be monthly until everyone is satisfied.

i.         Would you like to share anything else about the editing?
Editors are your advocate. If they are aligned with your vision and your goals, you can trust their judgment, as I said earlier. You’ve hired them to help you present to the world the best book possible. So trust them. But go with your gut, too.

j.        Are there any other services you offer?
Yes. More on that path to publishing:

I offer sample edits and outline reviews. I also offer two-hour workshops that can be done in-person for Asheville writers or via Zoom. The workshops are one-on-one sessions on craft (if you’re stuck on a certain aspect of the manuscript) or on reviewing query letters, pitches, etc.

If a writer is ready to pitch agents, I can help with crafting the query letter and even help with finding agents. 

I can help a nonfiction writer who wants to publish traditionally by helping to craft the book proposal, which is essentially the business plan for the writer’s book idea. It’s the document that a literary agent would use to sell the manuscript, to convince traditional publishers why the proposed book is needed in the marketplace and how it can succeed. It can be anywhere from fifty to seventy pages long with distinct, important sections that make the case for the book. Typically this is written and submitted before the manuscript is complete.

If a writer decides to self-publish and needs a book cover or the interior designed, I know a few book designers with whom we can choose to collaborate, both locally and from afar.

I don’t offer ghostwriting per se but know ghostwriters local and afar.

I know people in the industry and have a pulse on what’s happening. And if I don’t know the answer, I can find it.

8. Would you say photography plays an important part in a writing career?
I would not say that. However, both creative outlets help you see the world in different ways, for both the creator and the viewer.

9. What advice would you give upcoming authors?
Society and the publishing world are set up to be stacked against you. The paradigm is built on criticism. The critical eye, the pointing finger, the red ink. I continually hear writers who say they want the harshest criticism, that they can “take it.” However, the harshest criticism can knock a well-meaning writer down and cause them to believe they’re not a good enough writer and they shouldn’t even try.

It’s your mission as a writer to believe in yourself and your story. If the story is nagging at you, it’s waiting for you to take action. And the action it’s waiting for is to have you write its message on its behalf.

10. Is there anything else you’d like to share or want the readers to know?
It’s my birthday month! In celebration: For the first person who pays for a developmental edit, I will throw in a free two-hour craft workshop where we can talk about any issues that are coming up.

Websites:
Editing: http://stanleydankoski.com 
Photography: http://stanleydankoski.photography
Social:
Editing FB: http://fb.me/stanleydankoskiedits
Photo FB: http://fb.me/stanley.dankoski.photography
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/stanleydankoski
IG: http://www.instagram.com/stanleydankoski
Twitter: @stango or http://www.twitter.com/stango 

If you go back about fifteen years, there were these snazzy little stores you could go to and rent a movie. Yes kids—that’s right, a whole store full of nothing but DVD’s and dare I say it—VHS!! They lined the shelves from the front to the back, in little hard cover cases. When my husband and I started dating, we would go there often to rent a new movie or an old one that we had seen a thousand times. My friends did this too. EVERYONE did this.

But that’s not the scary part of the story.

One night my husband and I decided to stop by the movie store to see what they had. When we pulled up in the parking lot, the lights were on inside the store and there was a woman at the desk scanning movies back into stock. When I got out of the car I looked over at my husband and smiled, I said something smart (can’t remember what) and that prompted him to chase me. Now we all know, in my case, running is a bad idea. But I did it anyway. I took off through the empty-dark parking lot with him right on my heels. I was already hyperventilating because I knew he was in arms reach of me. I just don’t do well with being chased.

I made it up onto the curve and threw my hand out to grab the door handle. It was at that moment, I had a whisper of hope that I might actually make it inside before he could reach me. I screamed with excitement. Literally. I jerked on the door as hard as I could to make it swing open so I could rush in. However, for whatever reason, it didn’t open.  It stayed securely shut causing me to lose my grip on the handle while simultaneously stumbling forward and falling in front of the door. My husband, who was just inches away from me, almost tripped over me before he could stop.

We both stood up laughing and it was at that point I caught a glimpse of the clerks face. The sheer amount of terror on her face was dumbfounding. I was kind of shocked at her expression as she stared at both me and my husband. I smiled at her as I struggled to catch my breath from the sudden sprint and tugged at the door again. I then realized the door was locked. I glanced down at the sign on the door which read 'closed'. My husband was still laughing behind me as it dawned on him that the store was closed.

When I looked back up, the clerks face was no longer full of fear but rather rage. RAGE. I stared back at her confused for a second before the reality of the situation hit me.

Imagine you’re a female clerk. You’re there by yourself closing out the store after dark, when suddenly two figures dash out of the darkness towards your door. You only have a few seconds to take in the scene before they crash into your front door. All you see is a female being chased by a male, she’s screaming and trying to get inside. You’re door being locked caused her to stumble and fall, allowing the male to corner her.

In other words my friends, she thought I had been killed right there. Just like in the movies. Fitting being where we were. 

Then to have both people pop up laughing at each other after something like that could be upsetting. Especially if you thought you were watching a murder take place. I’d be upset too.

I sheepishly grinned at her before I turned back around to leave. I felt her glaring at us the entire walk back to the car.

​We didn’t get a movie that night but we did get a memory! Unfortunately, so did the clerk. Eh well. 

1. Tell us a little about yourself. What are your favorite hobbies, favorite movie star, tell us one crazy thing about you, etc.
 
CONTACT INFORMATION:
 
Frank W. Kresen
proof positive
frankkresen@hotmail.com
5901 Grand Ave.
Kansas City, MO 64113
816 523-6482
 
Kimberly Walsh
Artisan Graphic Design
artisangraphic@sbcglobal.net
5901 Grand Ave.
Kansas City, MO 64113
816 444-0476
 
My wife and my 12-year-old granddaughter are the most important things in the world to me. 
 
Music and creative writing have always played a very important role in my life (see below). I have written and recorded about 20 songs. I also have a special place in my heart for basketball — both playing and watching.
 
I edit, proofread, write, sing, play rhythm guitar and harmonica, and write songs.
 
2. Why did you decide to start your editing career? 
 
In college, I studied to be a minister in The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1967, with a major in Theology and Classical Languages and a minor in English (Composition and Literature). The next step in that system would have been four years of post-graduate seminary training — a step that I decided I didn't want to take. It was the mid-1960s, and the whole country was changing — Civil Rights, Women's Rights, the Vietnam War, radical protests against the government — not to mention the assassinations of people I'd looked up to in politics. I became more than a little disillusioned about politics and life in general, and I decided that being a minister was more my mom's dream for me than my own.
 
But when I was no longer studying for the ministry, I lost my deferment from being drafted into the Army and faced the very real prospect of being sent to fight in Vietnam. So, I took a church-sponsored job teaching English as a Second Language in Japan for one year (1970).
 
I'd been a social worker in Chicago for Cook County, Illinois, before I left for Japan.
 
I re-entered the social-work field when I moved to Kansas City at the age of 27, working for the Division of Family Services in Jackson County, Missouri. 
 
My particular area was abused and neglected children. It was an extremely stressful way to make a living. I saw some terrible things, the caseloads were too heavy to keep up with, the state/county bureaucracy was as antagonistic as some of the abusive parents, the pay scale was embarrassingly low, and it was the type of job in which you never got any closure. Cases would drag on for years — sometimes even decades. A lot of the work entailed writing reports on abuse and neglect cases and testifying in Family Court, providing testimony so that the judge would have a basis for placing the child with relatives or in the foster-care system.
 
Another thing I did when I got back to the US from Japan was to resume trying to make a go of it as a professional musician — a pursuit that lasted 46 years (1963 to 2009).
 
But I never gave up my day job, as my musical talents were only good enough to allow that pursuit to be a semi-professional career. If that semi-professional career can be said to have had a "peak," it would have been in August 1992, when the acoustic trio I was in at the time [Hug Squad] opened for The Lovin' Spoonful at Crown Center in Kansas City, in front of 20,000 people.
 
The Vietnam War was over, so I didn't have to worry about being drafted. But I knew that I wanted to decrease the stress in my life that social work produced.
 
I had always been good with the English language — good enough to teach in Japan. 
 
Sometimes, people will ask me, "What qualifies you to be an editor/proofreader? You can't get a college degree in either of those subjects." 
 
So, I answer, "I paid attention in third grade." It's the truth. If my questioner presses the issue, I respond, "39 years in business."  
 
Also, during my social-worker years, I had self-published two books in the BC Era (Before Computers). In 1977, I published a collection of the best of my poetry to date, Vanishing Into the Haze. In 1979, I gathered up the best prose and poetry of five friends of mine and acted as editor/critic/annotator/anthologist for As They Were: A Small Circle of Friends. 
 
I did attend a formal, two-day "Proofamatics" proofreading seminar offered by the publisher McGraw-Hill. In 1980, while I was still a social worker during the day, at night I worked as a Tutor in Writing, at the University of Missouri at Kansas City Writing Laboratory. I tutored individual students in writing skills and taught a series of group workshops on grammar, spelling, punctuation, and syntax.
 
Feeling confident that I could make a living in copy editing and proofreading, I decided to make a drastic career change. So, from 1981 to 1985, I worked in-house for several different typesetting companies in Kansas City. In 1985, I established my own freelance/independent contractor/vendor/outsource-model copy-editing and proofreading business, which I called "Proof Positive."
 
The rest is history. I finally was able to enjoy what I did for a living, and I never looked back. I successfully made the transition from hard-copy to computers in the late 1990s — about the same time that the "self-publishing revolution" began to take hold. Today, my business is about 80% literary clients and 20% corporate.
 
3. How many authors have you worked with?
 
I average about 100 books per year. 
 
Many of those books come from a single source, 1106 Design in Phoenix, AZ. They are a company that fills the niche that was created by the fact that many self-published authors need help with the editing, proofreading, cover design, and interior layout/formatting of their books. The people at 1106 Design are extremely professional, and they're some of the nicest people you'll ever meet in the publishing industry. To be clear, they are not a publishing company, per se. They are what can be called a "self-publishing assistance" company, offering the services I mentioned above.
 
The rest of my literary work comes from individual authors — from coast to coast and from all around the globe — who find me on LinkedIn or by word of mouth and hire me for my copy-editing and proofreading services for their books. (I have no time to be active on any social-media platform except the one for professionals — LinkedIn. Please visit my LinkedIn Profile Page ["Frank Kresen"] for much more detail and a photo of me and my beautiful wife, Kim Walsh, who is a stone-cold professional graphic designer with 25 years of experience and a specialization in book covers and interior layout/formatting of books. From time to time, author clients of mine will choose Kim for the design aspects of their book, and Kim and I will find ourselves working together on a book project.)
 
4.       What has been your favorite project so far?
5.       Are you working on anything new?
 
My personal creative-writing projects take the form of poetry, songs, and non-fiction.
 
Works-in-Progress:
 
1. When It Rains, It Pours: Fifteen Chronologies From the Dawn of the Eighties
Essays/Experimental Non-Fiction based on autobiographical experiences.
 
2. Johnny, They Hardly Knew Ye…
Commentary on the Life and Career of the Late John Stewart, an American Musical Original

(I've been working on this off and on since 2008. It is an extraordinarily in-depth essay on John Stewart (1939-2008), simply one of the most gifted and talented singer/songwriters this country has ever produced — "The Best Singer/Songwriter You've Never Heard Of," as I like to say.
 
6. Tell us about your services, in as much detail as possible.
 
a. What do you expect from the author when you start a project with them?
 
I expect that they'll be honest and forthright. 
 
I expect them to be serious about their writing.
 
I expect that they will pay me on time. 
 
About 10 years ago, I went through about a one-year time period in which three separate authors failed to pay me after I'd sent their completed manuscript back to them.
 
That made me change my policy about that. Now, my terms state plainly that I will hold on to the manuscript until my invoice is paid in full.  
 
b. What should the author expect from you during the project?
 
This is a very important question, and I'm glad you asked it.
 
I always strive — right from the beginning — to make the author aware that I limit my services exclusively to line-by-line copy editing and character-by-character proofreading. 
 
I am not what people would call a "Developmental Editor," which is a term that describes an editor who will work with the author on sharpening the development of characters and plots. 
 
I don't do that. 
 
If that's what an author is seeking, I have a list of Developmental Editors to whom I can refer them.
 
I concentrate solely on guaranteeing that the author will be able, following my work on the book, to take their manuscript to anyone, anywhere, confident that it displays the highest standards of commonly accepted norms for correct English-language usage. Even with limiting my services to this narrow range, I have always had almost more work than I can handle.
 
c. How long does it usually take to finish a project?
 
My average copy-editing and/or proofreading speed is 10 pages per hour. 
 
But that factor doesn't come into play very often, for two reasons:
 
1) I charge by the word.
 
2) I always allow the author to set the deadline date. I have found that it simply works out better that way: Expectations — on both sides — are clear. It's my responsibility to schedule the amount of work I have intelligently and to allot a certain number of pages to complete per day in order to meet the author-established deadline. I have become a very savvy scheduler — and I have never missed a deadline. 
 
d. Do you offer different types of editing services? If so, what are they?
 
See above.
 
e. What is the best advice you can give to make the project go smoothly?
 
It's helpful to me if the author submits a "Style Preferences" list — that is, a list of how they prefer how to handle different "Matters of Style."
 
"Matters of Style" cover the entire range of non-critical ("soft") compositional issues: Use of the serial comma; capitalization of certain terms; periods in acronyms; American English vs. British English; how to express dates, etc.
 
f. Can you give us pricing?
 
My basic rate is two cents per word. Using the multiplier "$0.02/word," authors can do the math themselves, if they want to.
 
But most authors will ask me for a quote, based on the word count.
 
The advantage of a pricing structure based on word count is that it is a "fixed-rate" approach. 
 
Charging by the hour, by the page, or by the project are all "variable-rate" approaches:
 
VARIABLE-RATE APPROACH:
 
BY THE HOUR: Different editors and proofreaders have different editing and proofreading speeds.
 
BY THE PAGE: Not all pages are equal when it come to the number of words on them.
 
BY THE PROJECT: There is simply too much diversity among projects to be able to quote an accurate price in advance.
 
The advantage of a pricing structure based on word count is that it is a "fixed-rate" approach.
 
FIXED-RATE APPROACH:
 
Once a quote is given based on word count, it will never change (unless the word count changes). There are no "surprises" at invoice time. The price will be exactly as quoted.
 
This is important, because some unscrupulous editors/proofreaders will "pad" their invoices, claiming it took much more time than it actually did or that the project, in general, was more complicated than the author made it out to be at the beginning. The result is much like "Sticker Shock" when buying a car.
 
That will never happen with my business.
 
DISCOUNTS:
 
One of the things — beyond expertise and experience — that attracts authors to use my services is my unique system of discounts. I offer four categories of discounts:
 

1. Introductory — 25% 

          This is available to any first-time user of my services, on a one-time-only basis.
     
     2.  Volume — Simply put, the higher the word count, the higher the additional discount.
 
          1 – 32,499 words, regular rates; 32,500 – 64,999 words, 5% off; 65,000 – 97,999 words, 10% off;    
          98,000 – 129,999 words, 15% off; 130,000 – 162,499 words, 20% off; 162,500 words or more, 25%   
          off.
 
     3.  Non-Profit: proof positive is happy to discount its services by 10% for clients who can substantiate  
          their status as a registered non-profit entity.
 
     4.  Multiple-book Discount
 
          Last but not least, if the author will sign a written agreement to give me at least one other book to  
          work on in the near future, I will offer them the highest discount available under my pricing 
          structure: 50% (!!!) Both the first and second books will enjoy the 50% discount.
 
     g. Would you like to share anything else about the editing process?
 
7. What advice would you give upcoming authors?
 
Be patient. Writing and publishing a book is a marathon, not a sprint.
 
Read the classics and other great works of literature. See what great writing looks like.
 
Write about things you love or are highly important to you. Your readers will be able to tell if your heart is not in it.
 
Trust your editor — and give him/her the tools he/she needs to work with, such as the "Style Preferences" list, described above.
 
Write, write, write — and then re-write, re-write, re-write. 

I was filling a prescription in the back of the pharmacy when an older gentleman walked in. T greeted him at the counter with a smile; this is the conversation that followed.

T- “Yes, we have that ready for you.”

Customer- “I thought you guys would call me when it’s ready?”

“Let me pull up your information and see if we have your correct phone number.”

“Sure, sound’s good.”

“Is your phone number 867-5309?”

I jerked my head around so fast, I almost gave myself whiplash. I couldn’t believe she had actually said that with a straight face. I was already signing the lyrics. It then dawned on me she didn’t catch it. I leaned back further to see if this guy would roast her or at least laugh.

“No, that’s not my number at all. That's not even close. I don’t know where you got that one.”

Seriously? He didn’t have a clue either.

“Oh okay, I’ll erase this and put your new one in.”

She added the new number, rang him up, and he left. The whole thing had gone completely over their heads, I was the only one that had caught it. I was standing there with my arms folded when she walked back into the back.

T- “What?”

Me- “Really?”

“What!”

“You have no idea what just happened do you?”

“No, what?”

I repeated the number.

“What about it?”

“Sing it.”

“What, the number?”

“Yes.”

She looked at me like I was crazy so I began to sing.

“867—”

​"Oh!"

I shook my head as it all came together for her, she began laughing hysterically.

“How are you still alive?” I asked walking back to my station.

Props to whoever put that phone number in.

Tell us a little about yourself. What are your favorite hobbies, favorite movie star, tell us one crazy thing about you, etc.
I’m Gabriela Kochanowski, a freelance illustrator based in Los Angeles, California! I have a degree in Illustration with an emphasis in Entertainment from Laguna College of Art and Design. 
A favorite hobby of mine would have to be going to music concerts or festivals. Music has been and always will be a big part of my life. Favorite movie star will always be Leonardo DiCaprio. One crazy thing about me... well I was born in
Poland! I came to California when I was 2.5 years old, so I don’t remember much, but I’m still proud to say I’m Polish! 
 
Why did you decide to start your illustrating career?
Starting my illustrating career wasn’t really a choice I kind of just fell into it. I always loved drawing and creating things from a very young age. When I grew older I fell in love with cartoons and animated films, so my goal has always been to get into the animation industry to help create characters. Right now I’m finding myself illustrating for children’s books and loving it, but I do want to end up at an animation studio at some point. (My dream is actually Walt Disney Animation Studio)
 
Have you worked with authors before?
Yes, I have illustrated for one other author last year and released a book with her. I am currently still working with the same author to create more non-fiction children’s stories based on her real life experiences. 
 
How many of your illustrations have been published?
I have illustrated for one book that has officially been published. It is called “The Baby Has Down Syndrome.” I’ve also had two sticker designs released on a website called “The Feminist Sticker Club” and its sister website “The Cat Sticker Club.” 
 
Are you working on anything new?
I am always working on new projects! Being stuck on one thing is not fun. I love to immerse myself in multiple projects, ideas, or personal sketches. 
 
Tell us about your services, in as much detail as possible.
 
a. What do you expect from the author when you start a project with them?
I expect the author to know exactly what they’re looking for in the illustrations. Having them explain what they envision for each page is very helpful for me as the illustrator. Makes my job a lot easier! As much explanation and detail from the author as possible will allow me to work quicker and come up with better ideas. Also, having a signed contract detailing the project/book does help. I’ve had authors email me and message me on Facebook interested in my services only to end up being ghosted or having them change their mind and go with another illustrator. This is very unprofessional to me. 
 
b. What should the author expect from you during the project?
The author should expect me to communicate well and ask questions when I’m unsure about something. I always try to update weekly or biweekly if possible. The process includes sending sketches first, color samples, final line-work, and final illustration. I always let the author have the final decision on which illustration they prefer for their book. 
 
c. How long does it usually take to finish a project?
Completion of projects depends on author timeline and/or illustrator timeline. I’ve completed a book within a month and I’m currently working on books that have taken longer than a year! I think I actually do prefer taking my time on books and making sure they come out perfect. Rushing a book is not fun, it’s stressful and I get so uninspired by it. 
 
d. Can you explain how the illustration project will work once started?
The illustration project works however the author and illustrator set it up. Like I mentioned earlier in section B- The process includes sending rough sketches first for the author to choose from. Next is usually color samples for the author to choose as well. Once the important details are chosen I create the line-work and color in the final illustration. I always let the author have the final decision on which illustration they prefer for their book. I’m sure this process is different for other illustrators, but I found that this works best for the authors I work with. 
 
e. Can you give us pricing?
For me, pricing can range anywhere from $50-$175 per page and totaling from $1,500-$5,000 for the entire book. It depends on how detailed the pages are and if it includes a background or not. To be completely honest, authors are getting a great bargain at this price. I have seen other long time professional illustrators and big time publishers quoting anywhere from $4,000-$10,000 per book for illustrations. The average children’s book has about 32 pages. 
 
f. Do you work across the US?
Yes! I live in California and work with clients all over the US. I communicate through email and it works very well for me. 

g. Would you like to share anything else about the illustration process?
No.
 
What has been your favorite project so far?
Not to be an author’s pet or anything, but truly my favorite project has been Laura’s Halloween book. I absolutely LOVE Halloween season. It has to be my favorite “holiday.” The colors, the candy, the costumes. I LOVE IT ALL!!! This has really been a dream book for me to work on. Definitely some of my best illustrations work is in this book. It’s going to be a beautiful and colorful book once published. I really can’t wait for it to be done, but I will also be sad that it’s over because it’s been so fun to illustrate these pages. 
 
What advice would you give upcoming authors?
Upcoming authors, if you are very serious about becoming published and getting your book noticed, please save up some money for your illustrator! It’s definitely not cheap and I know money doesn’t grow on trees, but this is a serious career. Illustrators probably need to pay their own bills, student loans, buy food, pay rent, buy materials, etc. Illustrating is how we make a living and it’s a serious job. I’m sure there are some illustrators that will do the job for cheap, but I guarantee you your illustrations will not turn out how you may have imagined. I always put in 110% for my authors and I try to go above and beyond to create great relationships with them. Illustrating is everything to me, but I do find myself struggling to make ends meet. I will be completely honest, it is HARD to make a living off of freelance illustrating. So treat us well please!
 
Personally, I have come to realize that I’d rather illustrate fiction than non-fiction! I love drawing fantasy and creatures that are out of this world. Drawing realistic stories can sometimes come to be uninspiring. (This is just a personal preference, but I will always illustrate for both!)
 
You can find my portfolio at www.gkillustration.carbonmade.com
On Twitter and Instagram I am @gkillustration
Thank you! If anyone is interested in working with me you may email me at gabrielakochanowski@gmail.com

Tell us a little about yourself. What are your favorite hobbies, favorite movie star, tell us one crazy thing about you, etc.

My name is George Lunsford. I am 52 years old. I severed in the U.S. Navy for 4 years where I was a Gunnersmate 3rd class. I severed aboard the U.S.S. Taylor FFG-50 with some of the best men, I have ever had the honor to know. I’ve worked numerous jobs in my lifetime and have been doing the same type of work for almost 20 years now. I am married to a wonderful lovely lady named Susan and together we have 4 kids and 3 grand kids. I am a very driven person. If I decide to do something, I work till I do it. I don’t really have hobbies I stay to busy. My favorite movie star is “John Wayne”.   One crazy thing about me? Well I am a kind of a nerd. I collect comics and action figures.

Why did you decide to become an author?

Well I have always saw things very different than most people. I see stories in everything, and I dream in color and in sequence. (meaning I dream in story form from the beginning to a conclusion). I have died in my dreams. I enjoy writing and one day while talking to my friend and publisher I decided to write a book and did.

How did you get into acting, producing, and directing?

I blame an old friend that had a local comic book shop. He did a commercial for his shop and asked me to be in it. BOOM I was hooked. I look for parts not having any idea how to find acting jobs or how to act. I finally found my buddy Dave Boyer. Dave wanted to be a film maker and I wanted to act so; off we went. We made a bunch of short film with him and I both taking turns writing the scripts. Then as I built my resume, I got bigger jobs. I have done commercials, music video (Steep Canyon Rangers- Long Shot), public service announcements, book trailers, indie feature films, and lots of shorts. I have been very lucky to work with film makers like Dewayne Ethridge, Chad Taylor, Mike Garland, and many others.  

When did you publish your first book?

June 2018 Legends, Myths, Monsters, and Ghost Volume 1 The Southern USA Edition.

How many books have you published?

I have published 2 books

Would you ever write in another genre?

I plan on doing horror, Sci-Fi, and action books.

Out of all the scary stories you’ve written about, what’s your favorite?

I have loved researching all the stories for my books. My favorite stories so far are Robert the Doll and the true story behind Jaws.

Are you planning on publishing another? Tell us about it.

I am working on Volume 3 of my book series “Legends, Myths, Monsters, and Ghost.” I hope to release it in November.

Are you traditionally published or self published?

That’s a tricky question. I have a small publisher. I do most of my own marketing. I set up my signing events and interviews. My publisher handles the setup which includes formatting, cover, ISBN number, and handles the stuff with the distributor.

Tell us about your radio show!

My talk show is about all things creepy. The show covers cryptid creatures, curses, hauntings, UFO stuff, serial killers, and anything else I can come up with. I talk about this stuff from all over the world not just America. I have over 37000 listeners in 187 countries. My show comes on every Tuesday night at 8 PM EST on WBUZ95.com.

Tell us about your writing journey, in as much detail as possible. How did you find a publisher? When did you decide you were ready to publish? What was the hardest part in the publishing experience? Easiest? Did you edit your own work or did someone else? Did you do the cover design? How long (from start to finish) did it take you to publish your first book? If you could do anything different, what would it be? Would you like to share anything else from your publishing experience?

My friend Alfred Adams was publishing books of biographies of famous people. He wanted to have a script written on one of his books. He saw my page on production hub and called me up. I worked on the script and become friends with Al. I turned the script in and that was it. Later on, I decided to write my first book and Al said lets do it. The hardest thing was all the research. I found different story versions for every story. The easiest thing was the writing. I love the writing. I am a very lucky man My lovely wife does all my editing and let me tell you she can be tough. She is not a yes woman. After the first book she toughened up now she makes sure it is all right before it goes to print. My covers are done by the same guy that does the formatting. This series of books average 6 months to write and research then a month or two for set up and to distributor. So about 8 months total. If I could change anything it would be, that I should have started writing sooner. If I could give any advice it would be find a small publisher or self -publish. Watch these publishing companies that charge you thousands of dollars you don’t need them.

What advice would you give upcoming authors?

My advice to new authors is WRITE. You need to put your ideas on paper or on a computer. You can always go back and organize it and spell check it. Don’t let anyone discourage you, take classes, and never stop. Don’t get frustrated with lack of sales or interest in your book.  Just keep going and one day you will have a best seller.  If you do make it to be a professional, don’t let it go to your head. Get your book to reviewers.

Tell us about your first book signing.

My first signing was at the Bigfoot festival and I had 25 books. I sold all my books with in 10 minutes of the festival starting. My first book signing at Barnes and Noble I sold 9 books.

Is there anything else you’d like to share or want the readers to know?

I just want to thank you for this interview, and I hope everyone does well with their books. My God bless you all. 
 
Thank you George, it was a pleasure!

Years ago, when the third Jurassic Park movie came out in theaters, I accompanied my mother and her best friend. We had seen the previous movies and we were all excited to see the newest one. My mom’s friend, will call her Bee, loved movies. I do remember her making the comment that she didn’t do well with scary movies but I shrugged it off, this movie wasn’t that scary.

We seated ourselves to the right side of the movie theater, where there were only two seats per row. My mom and her friend sat behind me while I sat and watched on in amazement.

We were sitting there, not even twenty minutes into the movie, when things began to get good. They had landed on the island and sent a guy out to search the woods nearby (I already knew that probably wouldn’t end well).  Then you hear something big coming, they all begin running towards the plane to get away, leaving said guy in the woods to fend for himself. Well, low and behold when they take off down the run way, the guy comes running out of the woods, flagging them down for help and as the plane lifts off, a giant dinosaur comes exploding out of the woods after him. The dinosaur snatches the guy up in one bite while simultaneously crashing the plane. Fine. I can handle that, something like this would have to happen at the beginning; I was prepared for it.

What I wasn’t prepared for, was the blood curdling scream that erupted from behind me.

I did one of those vibrating jumps you do when something really scares you and almost came up out of my seat. I looked behind me, only to find my mom’s friend had launched herself backwards in her chair (trying to get away from the dino I suppose). At first I thought someone had grabbed her or something. I’m glad the chair was bolted to the floor or she would have landed in the lap of the person behind her. She looked like she was about to climb over the back of the chair and run anyway. She was still screaming, eyes wide-almost popping out, with her fingers clinched down on the arm rests.

For a split second, her reaction made me think she had seen something else in the theater. I jerked my head back around to scan the crowd for something terrifying enough to match her scream. Nothing.

Every time the dinosaur would roar, she’d scream. When the dinosaur would try to eat one of them, she jerk sideways like she was on a simulated ride.

About that time, another dinosaur appeared and I can’t remember what all happened but there was running and screaming and dinosaurs fighting. There wasn’t a break in the action for a bit. But I didn’t see much of the next scenes because I was too busy bouncing back and forth from the movie to her. She screamed like there was a dinosaur in the theater with us. At one point she jerked so hard she kicked my seat. My mom was laughing at her and I couldn’t help but giggle. She grabbed her chest like she could leave us at any moment. I thought we were going to have to take her out of the theater.

Finally, the people got to somewhere safe and I heard Bee gasp for air.

“Oh that scared me,” she whispered.

I settled down into my seat with a smirk. If that first part scared her, she was about to go on a wild ride. The next hour was filled with screams of terror and roaring dinosaurs, I enjoyed every moment of it.