Stories About Stories

In 2024, I ran a series called Stories About Stories. This series aimed to shine a spotlight on the people who make books happen. No creative project is truly a solo project – everything is collaboration, always. But sometimes, that collaboration is hard to see, and that’s especially true in the world of publishing. So, I interviewed the teams that bring books into the world to find out more about the work that goes into the process of taking an idea and making it into a book. Here is a round-up of all those interviews. I hope you’ll read them and feel as amazed as I do at the beautiful mountain of work that goes into the things we read.

Unsanitary Work: The Woods All Black by Lee Mandelo 

I couldn't have made it down the long road from the first proposal in 2020 to the completed, ready-for-readers novella in 2024 without a supportive (and patient!) production team. While I work most closely with Carl and Matt through the editorial process and then Libby as my publicist once the book meets the world, I'm always aware of how many hands are on the project behind the scenes. The eye-catching (hah) cover design and the interior layouts, the marketing outreach, and social media posting, all of it is vital to the success of the project—and I'm so grateful! - Lee Mandelo

The Mess That the Editor Fixes: What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher

I write the mess that the editor fixes. I always say that my dream is to sit in a room and write and have people shove food and checks under the door, and Tor is like “Here is a sandwich and a check and we wrote a list of all the advertisements the book has appeared in on the napkin.” It’s basically the perfect relationship, so far as I’m concerned. Lindsey Hall, my editor, is an absolute champ! - T. Kingfisher

Do Better to Be Better: The Feast Makers by August Clarke

As I hit the ground running into edits for The Feast Makers, I was thrilled to have a role in shaping the final volume of these truly magical books. As a developmental editor, I help authors craft the strongest story possible and make sure the book reaches its ideal readership. Occasionally, I ask them to kill their darlings (only if they really, really have to). - Diana M. Pho, Executive Editor, Erewhon Books

Middle Finger To the Sky: The Worst Ronin by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Faith Schaffer

I'm really happy with the flow page-to-page and the expressions for the characters! It was fun to show their full range of emotions, from goofy to serious and everything in between. I also hadn't done much action drawing before so the fight scenes really pushed me out of my comfort zone, but I'm happy they did because I think they turned out nicely! - Faith Schaffer, Illustrator 

Secret Post-Death Rituals: And What Can We Offer You Tonight by Premee Mohamed

I had the beautiful experience of finding And What Can We Offer You Tonight in our second novella open submissions period. I realize now that this moment was one that happened towards the end of 2020, when my world felt at its smallest. Discovering [And What Can We Offer You Tonight] there felt like fishing something shiny from the bottom of a pool, even if the truer metaphor would require the pool to be in my yard and I should admit, I had asked people to throw shiny things into it. - dave ring, Publisher and Managing Editor at Neon Hemlock

The Beating Hearts of Stories: The White Guy Dies First edited by Terry J. Benton-Walker

I came up with the idea about seven years ago. It came from a bit I don’t remember. I think my friends and I were throwing out increasingly absurd titles that would never be published, and I said “The White Guy Dies First.” Everyone went silent and then immediately was like, “Hey, that’s a really good idea?” - Mark Oshiro

At Every Turn: Paladin's Grace by T. Kingfisher

These books are a dream to work on. Her drafts are basically whistle-clean, except every so often she adds a detail or a plot point which is extremely...uh...distinctive. So I ask her to address these issues in the manner which is most appropriate to that particular manuscript. It helps that we're great friends in meatspace, and she can trust that I'm wholly honest when I tell her, "Kingfisher, my buddy, my pal, this particular element will give your readers screaming horrors and you should either tone it down a skosh or stop advertising this as a children's book." - KB Spangler

Until next time: do what you can. Care for yourself and the people around you. Believe that the world can be better than it is now. Never give up.

—Gailey