I'm quite stunned really because your edit and advice are so utterly fantastic! I paid for an edit of a different novel a few years ago and was thoroughly disappointed, but you really hit the mark with everything you said (and you spotted straight away one of my main weaknesses: scene-setting - I can see it in my head and struggle to get it onto the page!). I was really blown away.

Keris Stainton
author of My OK! Life

"Some editors try to impose their own style and taste upon a writer's work. Ray doesn't. His job is to make you the best writer you can be. He has an eagle eye for plot inconsistencies–the minor (and sometimes, major) goofs that make a reader stumble. His suggestions were invariably helpful in polishing my manuscript. I recommend Ray to any writer who wants a professional, sharp, and considerate editor."

Lynn Knight
Author of House of Dreams

What should I thank you for the most?
     Being always there for me to hammer you with questions? Encouraging and coaching me? Teaching me the ropes in a way no business-
weary pro would? Going way beyond our agreement and your duties just to make sure everything was the best it could be? Giving me fair and blunt criticism at all times? Suggesting ways to fix the many problems you pointed out?
     No. That would be incomplete. It would only recognize you as the professional editor that you are.
     I want to thank you for making polishing my book—given the shape of the first draft, a daunting and apparently impossible job—a real pleasure.

Georges Melhem, Antelias, Lebanon
Author of Brotherland

"I truly enjoyed the new version of Brotherland. You have done a great job. I certainly will recommend you to any fiction author. You are a pro!"

Agnes Banks, Literary Agent for Brotherland
 

"Ray Rhamey edited my book 'Understanding Muslim-West Alienation: Building a Better Future.' Even though our contract required only copyediting, Ray provided numerous and excellent comments and suggestions that made the book considerably better. I was very satisfied with the overall work done and have no hesitation in recommending Ray for anyone desiring an impartial and objective view of their manuscript. I am really indebted to Ray for his help in making it a great book."

Arshad Khan
Understanding Muslim-West Alienation:
Building a Better Future

"I'm a first-time novelist with aspirations of getting published. Ray's editing and suggestions for improvement have been tremendously helpful, and have been instrumental in strengthening my manuscript. He is thorough, professional, and accessible. He knows his stuff. I wouldn't hesitate to work with him again, and I recommend him without reservation."

Andy Barton
Author of Merton

You have really started something! I'm into a whole major re-write of the first 150 pages of my book. But I'm enjoying it! I've taken a critical look at each chapter and I'm working on ramping up the tension in each chapter, and lots of new ideas have suggested themselves as I play with the plot. (I haven't gotten anywhere near writing the new chapters to fix the "deux ex machina" problem.) It's probably going to take me another 6 months.

 I am so glad that I did the edit – it was money well spent and a real education working with a professional. You helped greatly in every single area – from grammar to characterization to plotting. I'm taking the lessons I have learned and I am applying them to my second WIP.

Renee Yancy
Aisling's Tale

"Ray Rhamey pays attention. In going through my novel manuscript, he invested more work, more expertise and more insight than I have learned to expect from editors. His observations on everything from sentence construction to story line showed me where I wasn't doing what I intended. His suggestions were helpful in simplifying the narrative and isolating its problems. He was able to see where I was saying too much and where I had said too little. He brought my attention to factual details that needed research. He spotted lazy word usage. He kept me aware of the work's strengths as well as its weaknesses. In short, Ray brought understanding, curiosity and a broad competence to his task. I was paid to edit for a number of years, and I fully recognize the focus and intensity that Ray gives to the job."

Richard Patrick Gibbons
Author of Tejocote

"When I finished writing my novel, I knew there were problems, but I couldn't pin them down. Like most writers, I had become too close to my writing to see objectively. My friends were more concerned about my feelings than being helpful. Realizing I needed a pair of experienced eyes, I sent my manuscript to Ray Rhamey for editing. When I received it back, I was simply amazed. Apart from his fantastic editing work, Ray gave me an intensive and comprehensive lesson on writing. He improved the pace of my story, pointed out errors in grammar, plot, and point of view. His critique was honest, encouraging, and straightforward. Ray does not hold back.
     With Ray's expertise and hard work, I am now confident my work is well polished. I recommend Ray to all serious writers in search of keen eyes to dissect their manuscripts and make them the best they can be. I look forward to having Ray edit my next novel."

David M. Junior
Author of A Matter of Hate

"Ray has been the most influential part of my writing process. I don't know what I would have done without him! His advice has taken my writing to a new level and I can't believe the growth I've seen in my own processes! I would recommend Ray to anyone looking for a professional, yet personal editing approach. I never thought I could afford a professional edit, but Ray's flexible payment options worked out marvelously. I can't say enough about how happy I am that I've had him to work with or about the turn my writing has taken because of his help!"

Jennifer Bush
working on a paranormal romance

"Why hire a professional editor? It seemed unlikely that I would need the services of a one. Consider my background:
     I'd been writing and getting paid by newspapers and magazines since my late teens. I owned, published, edited and desktop published my own newspaper for 7 years. And I learned from all of that that experience that, no matter how good you are, it's hard to see your own mistakes.
     Ray Rhamey edited my work without losing the intent or the "flavor" of the work. Moreover, he corrected those nasty little grammatical and spelling errors that we all make when trying to become an author while holding down a full time job.
     And the results: When the call came from a publisher, I was ready.
     I highly recommend his work.

Marsha Wilson Rappaport
Author of The Secret Life of a Black Trophy Wife
 

"I was using friends as editors, all of them people with some knowledge of storytelling–an actress, a business magazine editor, an amateur writer and an English teacher. I thought that would cover the spectrum of problems I might create in my story.
    I did get good comments, but the criticism was not very constructive. All my friends felt there was "something missing," or "something is not working." While I knew they were right, I didn't know exactly what was bothering us.
    This was where Ray came in–his critique pinpointed difficulties in the story, but the best part about Ray's critique was specific proposals of how to remedy the problems. His suggestions allowed me to move from where I was stuck and take the story to a higher level. Now I feel it is truly ready to be sent out.
    I learned a lot from Ray's critique and I will definitely use his services in the future."

Tanya Preminger
Author of Surin

"I can't thank you enough for the edit. Your many writing tips and constant support have put a new dimension into my writing.
    More importantly you have given me the confidence to write in my own style, encouraged me when I floundered, and had eternal patience when my dyslexic head lost all grammatical direction and headed down the road of gibberish.
    Thanks again."

Patricia Fenn, Crete
Recently offered a publishing contract for her romantic suspense I edited, Greeks Bearing Gifts