Dorrie Obrien. Book Consultant. Copy Editor. Proofreader.
Dorrie O'Brien focuses on mysteries, science fiction, fantasy, thrillers, adventure, and horror titles. She has considerable experience with trade non-fiction. As Editorial Director of her own publishing house, Dorrie published almost 100 titles, garnering several awards in "Best Of" categories. Almost half of the titles were bought for paperback reprints, and two were optioned for TV/movies. She has invaluable knowledge about the industry, the type of people who run it, how to work within it, and tips for getting your foot in the door. She's reviewed, evaluated, and edited thousands of manuscripts through the years, and uses that knowledge to help her clients produce results-driven manuscripts, query letters, and synopses. She works particularly hard at staying in the author's "voice," making sure the facts and dialogue match the time period in which the book is set, and "losing" excess verbiage. She's a good mentor, hard worker, and in many cases, has ultimately become a good friend.
Frost, Thomas (California). ONE TRUE FRIEND (espionage/romance). "Let me say, Dorrie, that after a full read I really truly appreciate what you did, not just to correct and edit, but to help arrange and refine the material that I gave you. I was especially appreciative of your strategic choice, that I never would have made or known to make, of putting the 'hook' of the three pieces of evidence on page 49, leaving the reader wanting to know more, and inviting a full read of the full 350 pages. Notwithstanding the fact that all three pieces intersect and tie up rather neatly in the final 50 pages of the book, as it stands, they are very well presented bait to the audience I am now trying to reach, the people you call 'agents and pubbers.' If you come up with any other pointers or ideas I should consider . . . I [would] of course [be] tremendously grateful. Thanks, Dorrie . . . your work is first class."
Johnson, Arne (Vermont). RAINBOW ISLE (YA adventure fantasy). At 06:37 PM 8/11/2007, Arne wrote: "You are unbelievable!!! How you catch some of these detail flaws is absolutely incredible!" At 6:13 PM, 8/19/2007, Arne wrote: "It's official, Myron is now Myriam! It wasn't all that difficult, either. I love the change, it fits perfectly! I love it! I wish I could find the words to fully express how much I appreciate everything you have done but none I come up with are words enough. You are the best!" [I have apparently not yet broken Arne of the overuse of exclamation points .]
deSouza, Sabrina (Canberra, Australia). THE CATARBIE CONSPIRACY. Book One of the HouKura Series (Sci-Fi Fantasy/Adventure/Mystery). "Dorrie, when I first looked around for an editor and put in a sample for you to edit, I was so overcome with your enthusiasm first and impressed with the sample edit that I practically ignored all the other samples and picked you straightaway. I really appreciated how you paid close attention to the detail and helped me make my ideas flow easier on the paper. Although I added some more chapters after we left off, I tried to make sure that they were consistent with what you'd shown me how to do already. It was a real pleasure working with you on my first-ever book and hope to continue it for the remaining series. Thanks, Dorrie."
Selbie, Joe, (Industry study); Best Team Practices for Designing User Strategy, User Experience, and User Interface for Web-delivered Applications. I highly recommend Dorrie O'Brien's editing services. Not only did she catch all the minute details of grammar and punctuation, but I particularly valued the back and forth discussions we had about certain elements of style. She was very clear about her recommendations, but equally able to go with my stylistic preferences when I wished. Although the content of my white paper was very focused on experience design for web-delivered applications, Dorrie was perfectly able to follow the content. She did, however, object to my exclamation points!!!??? Imagine."
Alex, Paul (California). CHASERS (sci-fi). "Special things need special direction and Dorrie has helped my special novel move in that special direction. I will be eternally grateful . . ."
Horning, John (California). RED FLOW (horror). "Thanks for making my dreams come true. If is wasn't for your incredible work I'd still be one of those people who never did what they were meant to do. I have four other books in the hopper and one is seventy percent finished. If you don't mind would you be so kind as to edit these for me? Thanks again for the great talent you have."
Debow, Susan (Colorado). CLEANING CLOSETS (contemporary women's literature). Published by Dialogue Publishing (Colorado), 2007.
Hazard, Mike (Nevada). THE SEA'S FURY (Coast Guard adventure). "In our lives, we have all met someone who inspired us to be better than our own expectations were for ourselves. I completed [my first] manuscript in 2004 and sent it to multiple publishers across the country. Just as quickly sizzling rejection letters came whizzing back. I launched an intensive search for an editor. In a few weeks I'd located one in a small town called Grand Prairie, Texas. The manuscript contained over 67,000 words when I sent it to her. When she returned it after her first review she had deleted over 11,000 of those valued and highly prized words I had labored over. Ouch! As I thumbed through the manuscript, I found she'd left me notes in the margins. She wanted me to tell her more, to tell her the rest of the story, to write down those experiences I'd had in the Coast Guard to make the story come alive so the reader could experience what I had experienced. She was an intense drill instructor [who took] me on 20-mile forced literary marches. She put me through literary calisthenics that made boot camp seem easy. I soon replaced the 11,000 words and wrote an additional 15,000 and I wrote four new chapters and generated a word count of over 84,000 words before it was done."
Batchelder, Dennis (Indonesia). SOUL IDENTITY (thriller). Published by NetLeaves, 2007. "I realized that Dorrie had pointed out so many basic errors in the plot, I had to take the whole thing back to the drawing board, or trash it. I went back to the drawing board. Thanks."
Easson, Shayne (Canada). WRATH OF ZAR, Part One of the Demons of Destiny series (fantasy). To be published by WestBank Publishers, November, 2007. "I am absolutely sure I wouldn't have gotten the publishing contract if it hadn't been for Dorrie's evaluation and editing. What an enormous find she was for me!"
Karp, Larry (Washington). THE MIDNIGHT SPECIAL, second in the Music Box (mystery) series. His latest: FIRST, DO NO HARM came out from Poisoned Pen Press, 2004. "For Dorrie O'Brien, the kind of editor all authors dream about, but all too seldom get. I can't recommend a better editor than Dorrie to help you through the tough times. I've had books and articles published for 25 years and have never had a better editor. She has an uncanny eye for both what's missing and what shouldn't be in there."
Bolick, Clint (Nevada), NICKI'S GIRL, (psychological/mainstream novel). "I asked Dorrie O'Brien to edit and cut a 180,000-word manuscript by close to 50%! Dorrie was extremely responsive, sensitive to retaining the story line, and thorough. Her enthusiasm and professionalism were exceptional. I recommend her highly! She definitely got the job done and left the story intact. Thanks!"
Dicke, John (Colorado). PROOF EVIDENT (suspense) and FATAL DILEMMAS (mystery) "If you want to write a good book, work with Dorrie. If you want someone to spare your feelings and give you lip service, call someone else. Incisive, thoughtful, to the point—this lady knows the business. She demands that you work as hard as she does to get the most out of your novel." John Dicke, Psy.D. J.D.
Serena, Anthony (Massachusetts). THE ACCIDENTAL ASSASSIN (FBI suspense). "I can very highly recommend Dorrie O'Brien's editorial skills and am happy to do so. Dorrie is straightforward and frank but, above all, she is absolutely committed to making your book the very best book it can be. She found time and plot errors in my book I never would have noticed myself. Couple her ability to note the problems with her enthusiasm and Texas twang and you get a dynamite editor." (Anthony is the self-pubbed author of Foreword magazine's award-nominated title, The FBI Murders. Accidental Assassin will be ready for sale in 2005. I not only edited the book, but typeset it as well.)
Duigou, Dennis (Ohio). GIFT OF THE TRAGI (an anthology of short horror stories). "I am a first-time author, and while I may not be savvy in the publishing game, I do feel that in these times, no one goes it alone. I suspected that hiring an editor was a crucial first step and, after reading Dorrie's sample edit, my suspicions were confirmed. Following that, we had several phone conversations and she made me feel much better about the task of getting one's work in order. The next step was the actual editing process, and when I got the finished product, I was more than pleased. Dorrie was a second set of skilled, critical, and yet sympathetic eyes. She knew what I wanted to express, and she brought it out with crystal clarity. Thanks to Dorrie, my sick and twisted little characters show just how nasty they are now, and when deviance and evil show up, Dorrie makes sure they're wearing their Sunday-best."
Smith, Clint (New York). Self-pubbed author, INFUSION (sci-fi). "I picked Dorrie O'Brien to assist in the editing of my sci-fi novel. I am more than pleased with the outcome. Not only was Dorrie a pleasure to work with, but she also helped fix structural problems with my story. In the process, she took on the role of mentor and teacher, providing needed guidance to a new sci-fi writer. In short, I would gladly recommend her to anyone who desires a professional editor."
Jones, Chris. INFLUX (scifi). "I'm pleasantly
surprised at how much
work you've put into it
to make it more
factual."
Elicker, Tania. FLAMEWEAVER (fantasy). "Working with Dorrie O'Brien has been an incredibly rewarding experience in so many ways. More than a brilliant editor, she has been a teacher to me and a friend as well. After getting back my first edit from her, I was truly astounded at her attention to even the tiniest of details, and I was simply thrilled after seeing how much smoother the book read after the changes. As a first-time author, I admit I once feared the dreaded red slash of an editor's pen, but I quickly realized that I had nothing to fear while in Dorrie's able hands. Her comments were honest and fair, and her suggestions remained always true to the story. My book has been greatly and undeniably enriched by Dorrie's careful guidance, and I believe I am a better and more confident writer for having worked with her. For that I am forever grateful, and I hope I will have the opportunity to work with her on many future projects to come."
Burch, William P. (Texas), self-pubbed author, MERLIN THE SORCERER (historical sci-fi/time travel). From the Acknowledgments page of Merlin the Sorcerer, the first book in the "Battle of Dragons” series:
Barnes, Sebastian, COMPASS ROSE (allegory). "I found Dorrie O'Brien's literary experience invaluable. Her ability to refine my work prepared it for publication. She is the type of editor who is not satisfied with simply making grammatical revisions. If there was a plot question, she sought an answer, so that the final product is as polished as possible. By working with her I saw that she aligned her vision with mine, making suggestions that not only tied up potential gaps in my story, but strengthened it. I am thoroughly satisfied with my experience with Dorrie O'Brien, and plan on using her services again."
"Dorrie delivers on time and on budget. I found her skills to be excellent and her attitude to be even better. She is not always going to tell you what you want to hear. I found this extremely helpful." -- Tom Summerill, Managed
Murders
Walls, Madge (Colorado). (Originally, For the Sake of the Child) PAYING THE PRICE (suspense/women's contemporary novel). Published by Dialogue Publishing (Colorado), 2006. "Dorrie, my dream is really coming true, and you were the key to the whole thing—a great editing job. I was afraid to jinx it by being too grateful until now!!!”
Deb
(Vincent) Oakley
(non-fiction; memoir).
CLIMAX KIDS, 1956. "I was more than a
bit skittish about
turning my beloved
memoir over to a
stranger for copy
editing, but Dorrie
O'Brien took great pains
to gently smooth out
awkward phrasing, word
choice, and some
questionable facts. She
worked with me on a
comfort level that I
think I'd be
hard-pressed to find in
any other editor. And a
huge bonus was that she
and I were able to meet
and discuss my book
because we both live in
the Denver area."
Moschos, Marko (New York). WINSOME DESTINY (romantic fantasy) and THE MEDALLION (Christian fantasy). "When I started the writing of my first book, Winsome Destiny, then called Kismet, I realized I needed an editor who would have the patience and experience to deal with a first-time writer. Dorrie O’Brien, was definitely the person I was looking for, for not only did she masterfully edit the book, she also displayed the necessary patience with the ignorance that I displayed in the writing of tall tales. I have since had Winsome Destiny bought by a publisher, and I have sent her my second book, The Medallion, for editing, which is now in her hands for the second read/edit. And in short order I will be sending her my third novel, The Bedouin. Thank you, Dorrie!” [Note: The Medallion has been published, and The Bedouin is due out in December, 2007.)
Bogle, Brice (Oklahoma), 637 MILES TO WALL DRUG (contemporary mainstream). "Just how good is Dorrie O’Brien and just how much does she care? By the time I got through the editing process with her, I got the feeling she knew the characters better than I did. She is a stickler for proper syntax and grammar, but that is not, in and of itself, a reason to hire her instead of someone else—there are a lot of folks out there who can do that. The reason to use her is she will make the book better, tighter, and more readable. And she will respect your voice and story-telling style and work with them to make the book the best it can be. So use her, listen to her and, if you disagree with her, well, just remember she wants your book to be good and, in the end, she just might be right. I think with Dorrie, it is not simply about the money—but she ain’t the cheapest—it’s about making your writing do what you knew it needed to do, but you couldn’t figure out how to get there.”
Ni Chonaill, Órfhlaith (pronounced Oh-ur-lah, Ireland). THE MAN WITH NO SKIN (contemporary novel). Book published by Dialogue Publishing, Colorado Springs, CO; owner, Sue Hamilton.
Munoz, Carmen (Texas). CHARACTER OF THE SOUL. True story, eyewitness account of the 9/11 tragedy. Published in September, 2005.
Published by Write Way Publishing
Culver, Christopher. SPEAK, LORD (religious). "I found Dorrie to be a pleasure to work with. This was my first book and Dorrie was very patient with me and my time on the "learning curve” in relation to the editing process. We went through multiple iterations in working through my manuscript and she was always helpful and professional. In addition to her valuable editing recommendations, Dorrie did a great job with the book layout. When we submitted the final PDF file to the printer he commented on how clean and well-done it was. Dorrie is a true professional who takes a sincere interest in her clients and what they are trying to accomplish and seeks to make their work the best it can be.”
Abresch, Peter (Maryland). PAINTED LADY (mystery), latest in the James P. Dandy Elderholstel mystery series. "I have had Dorrie edit three books of mine, for which I paid out hard currency, and I think she is worth every penny. She comes back with suggestions—most of which I take, but not all—and questions that help me realize things I haven't fully explained." (Peter has 5 books published; 4 JPDs, and one called Easy Reading Writing.)
Reisig, Michael. BROTHERS OF THE SWORD/CHILDREN OF TIME, NEW MADRID RUN, HAWKS OF KAMALON (action/adventure). "When it comes to being a successful author, there is nothing, absolutely nothing, more important than a good editor. Dorrie O'Brien can quite aptly be considered the key to that success. She not only has a broad understanding of grammar, movement, and structure, but she possesses a vibrant sense of what a book needs. She doesn't just correct and improve what is there, she offers fresh insight from several different angles, and assists you in taking your book to the next level—where success is within your grasp.”
Meyer, Miranda (Oregon). TINNA'S PROMISE (fantasy). "Having my work edited professionally for the first time was a daunting notion; I foresaw much red-lining and style-bashing . . . I was fortunate enough to choose Dorrie O'Brien to edit my book, and she was a dream to work with. Dorrie respects an author's style and voice, and her input is objective and insightful. Her prior experience running a publishing house also helped me to trust her judgment. She knows what she's doing. I opted not to go with the editor who charged the lowest cost per word, but with the editor who meshed with my character and understood where I am coming from as an author. I would recommend Dorrie O'Brien to anyone, and am grateful for everything she contributed to my work. Thanks, Dorrie!"
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Dorrie O'Brien focuses on mysteries, science fiction, fantasy, thrillers, adventure, and horror titles. She has considerable experience with trade non-fiction. As Editorial Director of her own publishing house, Dorrie published almost 100 titles, garnering several awards in "Best Of" categories. Almost half of the titles were bought for paperback reprints, and two were optioned for TV/movies. She has invaluable knowledge about the industry, the type of people who run it, how to work within it, and tips for getting your foot in the door. She's reviewed, evaluated, and edited thousands of manuscripts through the years, and uses that knowledge to help her clients produce results-driven manuscripts, query letters, and synopses. She works particularly hard at staying in the author's "voice," making sure the facts and dialogue match the time period in which the book is set, and "losing" excess verbiage. She's a good mentor, hard worker, and in many cases, has ultimately become a good friend.
.]
Selbie, Joe, (Industry study); Best Team Practices for Designing User Strategy, User Experience, and User Interface for Web-delivered Applications. I highly recommend Dorrie O'Brien's editing services. Not only did she catch all the minute details of grammar and punctuation, but I particularly valued the back and forth discussions we had about certain elements of style. She was very clear about her recommendations, but equally able to go with my stylistic preferences when I wished. Although the content of my white paper was very focused on experience design for web-delivered applications, Dorrie was perfectly able to follow the content. She did, however, object to my exclamation points!!!??? Imagine."
Alex, Paul (California). CHASERS (sci-fi). "Special things need special direction and Dorrie has helped my special novel move in that special direction. I will be eternally grateful . . ."
Horning, John (California). RED FLOW (horror). "Thanks for making my dreams come true. If is wasn't for your incredible work I'd still be one of those people who never did what they were meant to do. I have four other books in the hopper and one is seventy percent finished. If you don't mind would you be so kind as to edit these for me? Thanks again for the great talent you have."
Debow, Susan (Colorado). CLEANING CLOSETS (contemporary women's literature). Published by Dialogue Publishing (Colorado), 2007.
Hazard, Mike (Nevada). THE SEA'S FURY (Coast Guard adventure). "In our lives, we have all met someone who inspired us to be better than our own expectations were for ourselves. I completed [my first] manuscript in 2004 and sent it to multiple publishers across the country. Just as quickly sizzling rejection letters came whizzing back. I launched an intensive search for an editor. In a few weeks I'd located one in a small town called Grand Prairie, Texas. The manuscript contained over 67,000 words when I sent it to her. When she returned it after her first review she had deleted over 11,000 of those valued and highly prized words I had labored over. Ouch! As I thumbed through the manuscript, I found she'd left me notes in the margins. She wanted me to tell her more, to tell her the rest of the story, to write down those experiences I'd had in the Coast Guard to make the story come alive so the reader could experience what I had experienced. She was an intense drill instructor [who took] me on 20-mile forced literary marches. She put me through literary calisthenics that made boot camp seem easy. I soon replaced the 11,000 words and wrote an additional 15,000 and I wrote four new chapters and generated a word count of over 84,000 words before it was done." 
Batchelder, Dennis (Indonesia). SOUL IDENTITY (thriller). Published by NetLeaves, 2007. "I realized that Dorrie had pointed out so many basic errors in the plot, I had to take the whole thing back to the drawing board, or trash it. I went back to the drawing board. Thanks."
Easson, Shayne (Canada). WRATH OF ZAR, Part One of the Demons of Destiny series (fantasy). To be published by WestBank Publishers, November, 2007. "I am absolutely sure I wouldn't have gotten the publishing contract if it hadn't been for Dorrie's evaluation and editing. What an enormous find she was for me!"
Bolick, Clint (Nevada), NICKI'S GIRL, (psychological/mainstream novel). "I asked Dorrie O'Brien to edit and cut a 180,000-word manuscript by close to 50%! Dorrie was extremely responsive, sensitive to retaining the story line, and thorough. Her enthusiasm and professionalism were exceptional. I recommend her highly! She definitely got the job done and left the story intact. Thanks!"
Dicke, John (Colorado). PROOF EVIDENT (suspense) and FATAL DILEMMAS (mystery) "If you want to write a good book, work with Dorrie. If you want someone to spare your feelings and give you lip service, call someone else. Incisive, thoughtful, to the point—this lady knows the business. She demands that you work as hard as she does to get the most out of your novel." John Dicke, Psy.D. J.D.
Serena, Anthony (Massachusetts). THE ACCIDENTAL ASSASSIN (FBI suspense). "I can very highly recommend Dorrie O'Brien's editorial skills and am happy to do so. Dorrie is straightforward and frank but, above all, she is absolutely committed to making your book the very best book it can be. She found time and plot errors in my book I never would have noticed myself. Couple her ability to note the problems with her enthusiasm and Texas twang and you get a dynamite editor." (Anthony is the self-pubbed author of Foreword magazine's award-nominated title, The FBI Murders. Accidental Assassin will be ready for sale in 2005. I not only edited the book, but typeset it as well.) 
Moschos, Marko (New York). WINSOME DESTINY (romantic fantasy) and THE MEDALLION (Christian fantasy). "When I started the writing of my first book, Winsome Destiny, then called Kismet, I realized I needed an editor who would have the patience and experience to deal with a first-time writer. Dorrie O’Brien, was definitely the person I was looking for, for not only did she masterfully edit the book, she also displayed the necessary patience with the ignorance that I displayed in the writing of tall tales. I have since had Winsome Destiny bought by a publisher, and I have sent her my second book, The Medallion, for editing, which is now in her hands for the second read/edit. And in short order I will be sending her my third novel, The Bedouin. Thank you, Dorrie!” [Note: The Medallion has been published, and The Bedouin is due out in December, 2007.)
Meyer, Miranda (Oregon). TINNA'S PROMISE (fantasy). "Having my work edited professionally for the first time was a daunting notion; I foresaw much red-lining and style-bashing . . . I was fortunate enough to choose Dorrie O'Brien to edit my book, and she was a dream to work with. Dorrie respects an author's style and voice, and her input is objective and insightful. Her prior experience running a publishing house also helped me to trust her judgment. She knows what she's doing. I opted not to go with the editor who charged the lowest cost per word, but with the editor who meshed with my character and understood where I am coming from as an author. I would recommend Dorrie O'Brien to anyone, and am grateful for everything she contributed to my work. Thanks, Dorrie!"
