Hello, my name is Mandi…
…and I’d love to be your editor!
I specialize in romance, sci-fi/fantasy, and mystery fiction manuscripts, but I’m happy to discuss other genres as well!
I am the owner and editor at Red Quill Co LLC, but I’m also much more than that. If you’d like to get to know me on a more personal level, you’re in the right place! Watch this video for a brief introduction or scroll down to view pictures and read more about My Family, My Hobbies, My Creative Writing Background, and The Birth of Red Quill.
My Family
I am married to my best friend. Cliche, I know, but it’s so true! My husband Lane and I have been through some crazy things, such as essentially growing up together, living apart while he went back to school, becoming parents, surviving the 2017 California wildfire, losing a loved one to suicide, and a big out-of-county move. With all of life’s ups and downs, we have come out stronger and more united than ever. I don’t know what I would do without him.
I am also a mom to two beautiful daughters, Ember and Karissa. For four years I was lucky enough to solely be a stay-at-home mom and loved every minute of it. Of course, they have their arguments from time to time like all siblings do, but they also have these beautiful moments where they giggle and cuddle and play pretend together, and those moments make it all worth it. While they share some similarities such as their love of camping, riding their bikes, and sugar, they also have many distinct interests and passions as well. Emmy is a girly girl who loves purple, glitter, and ballet. Karissa is a daring tomboy who loves playing baseball, jumping off tall things, and horseback riding.
My Hobbies
I enjoy exploring the trails on horseback, building sandcastles at the beach, camping among the redwoods, the colors and smell of the autumn air, Christmas traditions, game and movie nights with my family (complete with homemade popcorn!), snuggling up on a rainy day under the homemade quilt my mom made for me, staring up at the stars on our country property, advocating for pet adoption, continually becoming an even better parent to my daughters, and drinking a steaming hot cup of coffee or a London fog tea.
I also love everything about the written word, from writing to reading to editing! Some of my favorite reads include Shakespeare’s collection (especially his comedies), all of Sophie Kinsella’s novels, Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish’s parenting books, and many other written works. But my all-time favorite book is A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain––I love his witty sense of humor!
My Creative Writing Background
I have written creatively for as long as I can remember. When I was younger, I wrote many short stories and poems. Around eleven years old, I had a poem published in a collection entitled An Eternity of Bliss. As I got older, I worked on some novels in my spare time. I’ve completed the rough draft for a couple of them, but of course, editing for others always comes first, so it’s a slow-going process on my own books. I did manage to publish my first book, a children’s chapter book called Horse Cents, in February 2023!
As much as I enjoy writing, I love editing even more! I received a BA in English with a concentration in creative writing. For years, my friends and coworkers constantly requested that I edit their work. This ignited my desire to get into the editing field, so I started searching for trainings and programs to hone my editing skills. I received a certificate from an intense proofreading course and became a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA). Through the EFA, I took several webinars and online courses, and regularly search their catalogue for more. (View my Qualifications to learn more.)
The Birth of Red Quill
At long last, I launched Red Quill Co LLC in 2020, and I’ve been living the dream ever since. Yes, it’s still work like any other job, but unlike “any other job,” I wake up excited to get started on another book. I love when people ask me what I do; that’s when I get to announce, “I’m a book editor!”
That’s right, I get paid to read books. Well, that’s not all I do, but semantics, am I right? 😉
P.S.––If you’d like to dive even deeper into who I am, check out my blog (by subscribing to the newsletter, you will be notified of new blog posts and other great content every month)!
Striking fear in the hearts of grammatical errors, filling in plot holes, and ensuring strength of character, the Red Quill will mark up manuscripts one at a time, enhancing the writing craft of authors throughout the Milky Way galaxy.
To save us all from disappointing endings and lengthy DNF lists, call upon the Red Quill!
