Fall classes and an update on my WIP

The Hop On Newsletter

Reader,

I was in Chicago for Labor Day weekend, visiting with some old friends and colleagues in the city where I got my start as an editor. It was the perfect place to reminisce and celebrate 20 years of POP Editorial Services, as I had made a similar visit in 2006, just before the launch of my company.

Susan Moore and Gigi Grajdura were some of my first mentors back when I worked for NTC/Contemporary, a trade book publisher later bought by McGraw-Hill. Susan was the team leader for my group, helping to keep my projects on track and guiding editorial decisions when I was unsure what to do. Gigi was the CMOS expert and steadying presence in the department. Kathy Clayton joined McGraw-Hill in the early 2000s, and she and I have been friends ever since.

We met in part to say goodbye to a colleague and dear friend, Craig Bolt, who passed away over the summer. We often referred to Gigi and Craig, the eldest of our department, as "Ma and Pa," and Craig had been Kathy's team leader. I haven't seen Craig in 22 years, but I remember him fondly. He is missed.

Susan, Gigi, Kathy, and I spent nearly four hours catching up at Kabobi Persian Restaurant in Irving Park. In the middle of the conversation, Susan asked about this newsletter and about my next book. I promised her an update, so here it is.

The Last Best Days of Caroline Cook

The last update I sent out was when I completed the first draft of my work in progress, the companion to Debra Lee Won't Break. In the new novel, Deb's best friend Caroline Cook has just learned she has a terminal illness and is pregnant. Now every decision is a matter of life and death.

For the past two months I have been revising the manuscript to address the numerous issues my beta readers highlighted for me. For this book, I employed the help of one alpha reader, Stephen Murphy, who gave input on story structure. After revising for that, I asked three more readers to give input on a more granular level:

• Amy Moore evaluated the representation of working as a fundraiser at a nonprofit
• Joseph Rae gave feedback on the representation of multiple sclerosis
• Beth Thompson shared her insights as a cancer survivor and a nurse

All three had excellent suggestions that have given me direction while I revise the manuscript. Once I complete this pass, I will read it again at least one more time before seeking the help of a final beta reader (or two) to tell me if I have successfully addressed all of the issues.

There is much more to come. In the meantime, enjoy this sneak peek at the working cover for Caroline Cook.

Upcoming Events

Thursday, September 17, 2026

Know Your Competition!

7-9 p.m. on Zoom

Know Your Competition! returns this fall via the Writer’s Center. This fun and interactive class shows you how to find competing books and what to do with them once you’ve found them. Register on the Writer's Center website.

Thursday, October 22, 2026

Crafting Compelling Characters

7-9 p.m. on Zoom

In this class, we explore three facets of character—tragic flaws, contradictory behavior, and backstory—and reveal how you can combine them to create characters readers will love. Come ready to write! This class includes hands-on writing exercises to get your creative juices flowing. Register on the Writer's Center website.

From the Blog: Learning from My Clients: Lessons in Publishing Success

In this archived post from 2017, I looked at four author-clients who graciously shared their stories of publication on The POP Newsletter. As I continue to celebrate the past 20 years of editing, this post stands out because it captures how much knowledge and insight I gain from every client.

The goals of each author and their expectations for marketing and sales greatly colored their stories. It was educational for me to see where I saw success and where they did or did not.

Happy Writing!

Katherine

POP Editorial Services LLC | Hop On Publishing

Silver Spring, MD 20901

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