Your Editor & Ally
My job as an editor is to test your content's mettle, pruning and polishing just enough to let your voice shine through. My work isn't done until your work is in prime fighting shape—ready to take on the literary marketplace.
You can hire me to - line edit, copy edit, and proofread per internal and external style guides - conduct and compile research - fact-check dates/names/etc - perform sensitivity readings - create stylesheets and guidelines - plus whatever else your heart desires. (Within reason!)
So, how about it? Looking to join forces?
“We had a tight timeline, and Kumari energetically dove in. Her edits were thoughtful, thorough, and ultimately made the work so much more compelling. I would absolutely work with her again. If you have any editing needs, reach out to Kumari!”
Danielle Barnes, CEO of Women Talk Design
What have I worked on?
Memoirs, how-to's, prose poetry, fiction—I've worked with a rainbow of manuscripts, shifting my editorial skill set according to the unique needs of each author. Take a look at some of my clients' books below!
Call Forth a Fox
by Markelle Grabo
Though the western wood is rumored to be home to wicked faeries, fifteen-year-old Roisin forages without fear, until the night she saves a red fox from a bear, and that bear turns on her.
A bear who is actually a boy cursed by faeries and forced to partake in a deadly competition. A red fox who is actually a girl—the same girl from the village whom Ro has fallen for.
Between the bear and the fox only one is meant to survive, but Ro and her sister are determined to break the curse before tragedy strikes, and their fight forever alters their ties to the western wood and to each other.
Meet Me in the Fourth Dimension
by Rita Feinstein
“Malachite?”
“A rogue dwarf planet,” he explains,
breathy with awe.
I’m still clicking myself deeper into this wormhole,
tabs metastasizing across my browser bar,
saying Malachite can heal,
Malachite can kill,
Malachite will miss,
Malachite will hit,
and I don’t know which mutually exclusive truth to believe.
The Word
by Mary G. Thompson
After her parents split up, seven-year-old Lisa’s father convinces her to leave out the window in the middle of the night. After all, according to their religion, she belongs to him; it is her duty to obey.
She spends the next nine years on the run before the police finally catch up with her father, and she is returned to a mother who is “dead” in the eyes of their religion. But her father always had a plan for when the law came and took what was his―a plan that was set in motion the moment the police arrived at their home.
Rest in Peaches
by Alex Brown
Quinn Marcelo wouldn't necessarily win the award for Most Popular Person at her school, but unbeknownst to her peers, Quinn entertains them at every football, basketball, and baseball game—as Peaches the Parrot, her high school's godlike mascot. However, when someone sabotages the legendary Peaches costume at the Homecoming Game, Quinn is left unmasked and humiliated.
In order to uncover the culprit, Quinn is forced to unravel the lives of everyone in her path—including Tessa Banks, the most popular girl in school—in a no-holds-barred conspiracy-fueled investigation.
The Dark Road Home (Book #2)
by John W. Jarrett
Still reeling from the savagery he endured on the perilous Santa Fe Trail, James finds refuge in the fierce love he shares with his resilient wife, Katie. But in defending their Paiute friend, Mana, James sets off a chain of events that escalates to unimaginable proportions—and finds himself driven to extremes in his quest to protect those whom he loves.
All (Dead) Girls Lie
by Piper L. White
When the sleepy town of Boiling Springs, North Carolina is roused by the murder of a local teen, sixteen-year-old Quinn is thrust into a life of danger. It doesn't help that she's become romantically involved with Gilly, best friend of the dead girl and daughter of the town sheriff.
When another one of Gilly’s friends turns up dead, Quinn starts her own investigation, determined to uncover the truth. Everyone in town is lying to each other, and the suspect list is only growing—but somehow, Quinn can't help but feel that the killer is closer to home than anyone suspects.
Losing Sight
by Tati Richardson
Sports reporter Tanika “Nikki” Ryan is at the top of her game until she isn’t. Squinting at the teleprompter and flubbing lines, she loses her coveted Thursday Night football spot to a younger, less qualified woman—and that’s only the start of her troubles.
After her impaired sight leads to an accident nearly costing her life, Tanika finds herself in the office of handsome widowed optometrist Gideon Miles. There, mysterious circumstances lead Tanika to an enchanted pair of glasses, changing her world—and Gideon’s—forever. With help from her “boss chick village” and a bit of magic, Tanika finally learns to see the love that’s right in front of her eyes.
The Business of UX Writing
by Yael Ben-David
UX writing is good for business, while also playing a critical role in delivering a top-notch user experience. Through case studies, frameworks, and historical context, Yael Ben-David offers savvy and practical guidance to ensure our digital products support the user and the business—plus writers and designers!—all at once.
You Should Write a Book
by Katel LeDû & Lisa Maria Marquis
Writing a book is a career milestone that only the most elite professionals and thought leaders can achieve—right? Wrong!
Whether you want to work with a publisher or on your own, Katel LeDû and Lisa Maria Marquis walk you through crafting a stellar proposal, break down the reality of writing and editing a manuscript, and demystify the marketing and publishing process—so when you’re ready to contribute, you’ll know what to expect.
Inclusive Design Communities
by Sameera Kapila
What does it mean to be a member of a community? And how do we ensure that our communities—from classrooms to workplaces to meetups—are welcoming to all who want to be a part of them?
Sameera Kapila answers those questions and more by examining how our identities intersect with our design practices. Whether you’re a student, educator, practicing designer, manager, recruiter, mentor, or organizer, you’ll learn to notice subconscious bias, interrogate your values, and actively create welcoming spaces for all. Inclusive Design Communities will empower you to build the design industry you want to see—the one we all deserve.
Present Yourself
by Danielle Barnes & Christina Wodtke
At Women Talk Design, we believe everyone's voice needs to be heard―in meetings, on stage, and in the articles and books that we read―especially those we don't hear from enough.
This book is based on our eight-week public speaking course and will teach you practical techniques for honing in on your ideas, crafting presentations, and speaking up with confidence.
Your Legacy on Main Street
by Alina Trigub
Alina Trigub reflects on her experience growing up in the Soviet Union—the impetus for her lifelong interest in learning how to create, sustain, and grow wealth not just for her family, but for generations to come. She takes readers through the lessons she's learned and the secrets she's uncovered, defining seven steps towards building generational wealth.
Let Your Legacy on Main Street be your guide to creating and following a path that builds wealth for you and yours—even past the borders of your own lifetime.
The Confessions of Fiona
Steve Blamires
In 1893, the Scottish writer and mystic William Sharp (1855 – 1905) started to write under the name of "Fiona McLeod." The name "Fiona" did not exist before then—at least, not in our world. Fiona, after all, was a Faery being.
For the following twelve years, Fiona wrote profusely of her own tradition, sharing Faery mythology, tradition, and lore with the Victorian public. None of these myths, legends, gods, or goddesses were known to humans prior to Fiona's revelations. There is much to discover in how these mighty beings of ancient times were literally shrunken to become the Tinkerbells of popular imagery.
Everyday Tarot Magic
Dorothy Morrison
Turn your tarot deck into your own personal help line and get the answers you've been looking for. Follow Dorothy's expertise as she guides you through each exercise and ritual, with over 140 spells, charms, and activities to choose from.
Use numerology to help determine special cards, like your spirit card, your lesson card, or your personal year card. Connect with the spirit world and learn the fundamentals of tarot in this fantastic book for both the beginner and the advanced reader.
A Witch's Book of Terribles
Wycke Malliway
For all witches, or for the witches in all of us, the tales in this collection will serve you well. Each enchanting story contained within A Witch’s Book of Terribles offers a lesson rooted in the art of witchcraft that a walker of any path will be sure to learn from.
While witches have long been the impetus of fairy tales for ages, it is now their turn to sit at the heart of the matter. Whether it is a fable of the timid Aunt Brynelda or a legend of the primal Nonna Noxa, there is much to be garnered from each witch’s tale, both great and terrible.
Sword Art Online: Kiss and Fly, Vol. 3
Reki Kawahara
Witness the first steps in the story of the girl who would one day become the infamous “Zekken!” Leaving behind the VR hospice program Serene Garden, Yuuki and her older sister Ran follow their new friend Merida into the Japanese-style VRMMORPG Asuka Empire.
Astounded by the twins’ rapid progress, Merida questions how they acclimated so fast, leading Ran to divulge that they’re running the game on modified NerveGear—the same technology used to dive into Sword Art Online...