Testimonials

Below is a sampling of what editors and authors have to say about Deri Reed’s work.
(Find additional testimonials from self-publishing authors on the Independent Authors page.)

Rick Rodgers: Author, Editor, Ghost Writer

Thanks for all of the hard work you put into SHARE (by Chris Santos) which had a lot of moving parts, to say the least. I found myself saying again and again, “Boy, am I glad that she caught THAT!” Your fresh eye was invaluable and made this complicated book so much better.

—Rick Rodgers, co-author of Share by Chris Santos (2017, Grand Central Books), and author of over 40 other cookbooks

Mark Scarbrough: Cookbook Author

Deri’s copyedit of The Kitchen Shortcut Bible was an exercise in precision and self-control. She gently helped me realize a structural fault in the book, one I’d resisted throughout the editorial process. She kept my voice intact, cleaning up the prose without altering its tenor (even when I veered into “too chatty" mode). And she helped clarify some of the recipe techniques by giving me a choice among several options, letting me leave my fingerprints all over the final book. If I could, I’d include her as a mandatory hire in every publishing contract.

—Mark Scarbrough, co-author of The Kitchen Shortcut Bible (2018, Little, Brown) and 29 other cookbooks

Dorothy Kalins Ink

Finding Deri was like being gifted with the kind of crack editorial staff I am used to working with at the best magazines. Deri’s intelligent eye makes her a scrupulous reader of narrative text. Her ability to work out the kinks in recipes, thinking like a cook, a reader, and a copyeditor all at once, made Zahav by Michael Solomonov, My Family Table and Cooking from the Heart by John Besh, and Hero Food by Seamus Mullen clear and mistake proof.

—Dorothy Kalins of Dorothy Kalins Ink, Producer/editor of IACP-award-winning My Family Table by John Besh (2011, Andrews McMeel), Hero Food by Seamus Mullen (2012, Andrews McMeel), and the James Beard 2016 Cookbook of the Year, Zahav, by Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook (2015, Rux Martin Books)

Thank you so much for all that you have put into this book. I’ve had nothing but compliments from the author and Sur La Table reviewer.
—Lane Butler, production editor, on Deri’s copyedit of Sur La Table’s The Art and Soul of Baking (Andrews McMeel), winner of the 2009 IACP baking cookbook award.

A big thank you to Deri for her attention to detail, sage editorial advice, and demonstrated professionalism in editing my book. She was just amazing to work with and her editing is everything I wanted.
—Kiki Hime, author, Meals on a Loveseat (2014, WE Press, Hong Kong)

As this was our first bilingual book, I was very lucky to find Deri. Her fast and clear replies and professional work made our collaboration quick and smooth. Throughout the process, Author Kiki and Editor Deri worked like they were sitting just next to each other, while they were actually working on opposite sides of the world.
—Ada Wang, publisher, Meals on a Loveseat (2014, WE Press, Hong Kong)

Some feedback on your work for Mediterranean Harvest by Martha Rose Shulman: In a word, excellent! You worked with the food editor, inhouse editor, and me to incorporate ever-changing tweaks to style and text, and added valued input where there were styling questions. Your grasp of the “big picture” really helped to move this project along, and I’m confident that we’ll have a clean first pass due largely to your efforts. Thanks for doing a great job. I look forward to throwing more challenges your way.
—Lois Hazel, project editor, Mediterranean Harvest by Martha Rose Shulman (Rodale Books)

Thank you so much for your staggeringly thorough copyedit of my Veggie Burgers manuscript. I’m so grateful for the oversights/errors you caught—and generally just grateful for how much you improved the entire thing!
—Lukas Volger, author, Veggie Burgers Every Which Way (The Experiment)

This book was definitely overwhelming, and it makes me so grateful you were willing to tackle such a manuscript. I want to tell you how very pleased I was with your level of edit, your queries, and your attention to detail. I am really happy we were able to work together on this project, and I think the book will be much better for it. You have a great eye and don’t let anything get by you!
—Rachelle Longé, project editor, on Deri’s copyedit of The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook by Pat Tanumihardja (Sasquatch Books)

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Just wanted to drop a note to let you know how immensely appreciative the authors were of your edits, and your overall efforts on behalf of their book. After your edit, they took stock of your suggestions and restructured the book to address the issues you brought up, which has gotten us to a much stronger book. They were really happy with your work; thanks so much!
—Megan Gerrity, production editor, Hachette Book Group, on a health/diet book Deri edited

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I’m extremely impressed with your work and want to thank you for the time/energy/hard work you’ve put into the book.
—Matthew Lore, former VP executive editor, Da Capo Press, on Deri’s copyedit of Totally Vegetarian by Toni Fiori (2009, Perseus)

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I’ve come to count on Deri to give my food trend reports their final polish. She catches the little things that I never notice, elevating my work from good to great and ultimately making me shine for my clients. As a freelancer myself, I rarely hand my work to others, but I’ve come to trust Deri’s copyediting prowess and find it’s so refreshing to work with someone of her caliber.
—Anna Klainbaum, food trends and content writer

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When working with Deri, I always feel like I’ve gotten an upgrade. She’s a long-time freelancer for IMP, but she works—and cares—like a full-time employee. Edit 500 online recipes in two weeks? Take over the design, construction and distribution of a weekly e-newsletter? Learn a new CMS and asset management system? Get into character as a wise grandma and dispense cooking advice in the appropriate tone? Not a problem for her. I always feel comfortable giving projects to Deri, as I know I’ll get back quality work and intelligent questions with very little need for direct supervision.
—Clark Aycock, former Editorial Manager, International Masters Publishers