For those of you who require the service, I offer developmental edits, as well as line edits and proof-reading across a range of genres, with emphasis on genre fiction – fantasy, horror, science fiction, romance, erotica and historical. With more than a decade’s experience in print media, I’m also au fait with advertorial and magazine and newspaper publishing – so if you need a beady eye for your editorial, I’m happy to help out. At a twist I might even be convinced to write advertorial for you. That being said, if you need help writing your novel’s back cover copy, or blurbs for press releases, speak to me… I can help.
At present I am at the helm of Dark Continents Publishing’s Tales of Darkness and Dismay collections of shorter-form fiction. This includes anthologies and novellas. If you think you’ve got a story that might pique my interest, drop me a mail at nerinedorman@gmail.com
To give you an idea of what I like, my favourite authors include Neil Gaiman, Storm Constantine, Poppy Z Brite, Mary Gentle, Kate Elliot, CJ Cherryh and Jacqueline Carey, among others. Their prose reduces me to the state of a whimpering fangrrrl. If you can do the same to me, then I’ll adore you forever.
This is what some of my clients have to say about my editing skills…
“Nerine Dorman is a thorough and dedicated editor who asks pertinent questions about content, characterisation and loose plot threads as she works with the writer to improve their story, and uses her experience as a newsroom editor to beat terrible grammar into submission.” – Cat Hellisen
“Nerine is my first go-to for in-depth editing. Sometimes, I need to know where I can add more, aside from changes that need to be made to the existing material. This editor has a keen eye for developmental cues not fully realised, which I absolutely value. I will continue consulting with her for life.” – Carrie Clevenger
“Nerine Dorman has edited four of my books, including the best-selling Take Me, Break Me and has done a wonderful job each time. With Take Me, Break Me I basically threw it into her lap at the last minute and begged, so kudos to her for her great businesslike, adaptable and exuberant approach to editing books. I’m definitely sending her more of my book babies.” – Cari Silverwood
SA HorrorFest Bloody Parchment short story competition and anthology
For the past few years I’ve been in charge of the annual SA HorrorFest Bloody Parchment short story competition and anthology.
Volume 1
The Bloody Parchment short horror fiction anthology, released in conjunction with the SA Horrorfest.
Contents:
Khepera Redeemed: Nerine Dorman
The Depths: Carol Hone
Burden in my Hand: Damon Yeld
Strange Fruit: Rachel Green
The Night Walkers: Wendy Cockcroft
Clear Black Glass: Carine Engelbrecht
Apartment 415: S.A. Partridge
1301: Chris Miller
Regrets, Sunday Afternoon: Rachel Green
New Lease on Life: Liam Kruger
Available as a free download at Goodreads
Hidden Things, Lost Things and Other Stories
Bloody Parchment: Hidden Things, Lost Things and Other Stories showcases the top horror short stories from the 2011 Bloody Parchment writing competition, the literary component of the annual South African HorrorFest. The anthology showcases tales that examine fears – real or imagined – and plunges you into darkness from the relative safety of your armchair. The Bloody Parchment horror writing competition is the ideal hothouse to nurture and cross-pollinate South African and international talent. This year’s anthology features top stories by Brett Bruton and Jenny Robson, and all the finalists adding their frightening voices to the offering. Step across the threshold and taste the horror. We double dare you.
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The Root Cellar and Other Stories
Bloody Parchment: The Root Cellar and Other Stories brings a fresh crop of horror and dark literature from the most recent South African HorrorFest Bloody Parchment short story competition. From dreary subterranean chambers and angelic visitations to the many-legged horrors of alien invaders and a meeting with the Devil himself, this collection of tales offers readers the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the likes of Toby Bennett (winner), and runners-up Anna Reith and Chris Limb. Finalists include Diane Awerbuck, Simon Dewar, Zane Marc Gentis, Stephen Hewitt, Benjamin Knox, Lee Mather, Glen Mehn, S.A. Partridge, and Icy Sedgwick.
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“You’ll be hard pressed to find a stronger anthology of horror stories this year. There’s a staggering number of original ideas and talent on display here, as well as several stand-out stories that easily hold their own against work in any genre. And most importantly, they will creep the hell out of you.” – Sarah Lotz
Novels
From time to time I edit full-length novels. Some of the authors with whom I’ve worked include Cat Hellisen, Amy Lee Burgess, Cari Silverwood, DC Petterson, Carrie Clevenger and Sonya Clark, among others. Query me at nerinedorman@gmail.com for my rates. My preferred genres include fantasy, SF, and horror, though I am quite happy to edit romance and erotica (including BDSM).
Beneath the Skin by Amy Lee Burgess
If you could shift into a wolf, what would you discover about yourself?
Two years after the deaths of her bond mates, Constance Newcastle is ready to start over. The problem? The rest of the Great Pack, gathered in Paris to shift into wolves together, is not so sure she deserves the chance. Although the Great Council ruled the car crash an accident, even Constance blames herself. She was driving, after all.
Treated like a pariah by those she longs to rejoin, Constance reunites with an old lover. Everything looks promising until he mysteriously dies. Accused of his murder and desperate to clear her name, Constance joins forces with handsome, confident Liam Murphy, a former Alpha pack leader with a past as tragic and troubled as her own. Guided by the mysterious Councilor Jason Allerton, Constance and Liam discover they are not alone– throughout the Great Pack, people are dying. Can all the deaths be accidents, or is something more sinister going on?
Crooked Fang by Carrie Clevenger
Sometimes a vampire’s past can bite him in the ass.
Xan Marcelles–bassist for Crooked Fang, vampire and full-time asshole, is content with his quiet existence in the backwoods of Pinecliffe, Colorado. But life at the Pale Rider tavern is set to become a little more complicated when he gets entangled with a feisty, blue-haired damsel and her abusive soon-to-be ex boyfriend.
To add to his woes, he’s gone from hunter to hunted, and his past returns to haunt him when a phone call draws him back to New Mexico. With the help of friends from his living past, he must get to the bottom of a murder, and figure out where he stands with his lover and his band, all while keeping one step ahead of his enemies. Hiding won’t be easy for him, especially with a mysterious woman dogging him every step of the way.
A Melancholy Humour by DC Petterson
Monsters walk the streets of Chicago. So do werewolves.
The Beast Killer terrorizes Chicago’s near north side, and Vincent, a retired police profiler, must untangle the mysteries of the Church, the F.B.I., medieval folklore and his own internal beasts.
Can a vulnerable street waif unlock the mysteries of sorcery and madness? Behind the facade of an old Italian neighborhood, do werewolves really prowl? As Vincent struggles to separate reality from nightmare, ancient truths from modern deception, he must protect his family and solve the mystery of the young woman—and keep himself from falling desperately in love.
Rough Surrender by Cari Silverwood
One master, one woman who craves surrender, and a sky that will challenge them both.
At a time when airplanes are as new-fangled and sensational as the telephone, Faith dares to fly.
The one territory she has not explored is her own sexuality. In Leonhardt she discovers the man who can teach her how a woman surrenders her body and her mind. However, Leonhardt has a shadowed past and his own learning to do. He doesn’t have the right to keep Faith from flying, even if he thinks airplanes are flimsy death-traps made of canvas, timber and their inventor’s prayers.
Faith has her limits, Leonhardt has his flaws, and sometimes the nicest people get murdered by unscrupulous bastards. Even if Leonhardt can save the woman he loves, the battle for Faith’s heart will be the hardest one of all.
Take Me, Break Me by Cari Silverwood
Jodie is scraping the barrel trying to stay afloat. An idea arrives that could rescue her finances and bring her together in a kinky way with a man she never gave up on. She’s terrified and fascinated, and tempted as hell.
Capture fantasies rule her eBook. Re-enacting one in a documentary would surely be irresistible viewing to millions of women?
But Jodie and Klaus discover that underneath an ordinary man dark desires may lurk. What will win in the end? The man and lover, or the monster?
Warning: Capture fantasy; dubious consent; anal play; M/f as well as one m/f/f/m scene; BDSM themes including caning, spanking, bondage, and needle play. Also contains one beginner Dom who is exploring sadism but is still working out how and when to stop.
Tales of Darkness and Dismay
At present I am accepting queries for Dark Continents Publishing’s Tales of Darkness and Dismay titles, with focus on publishing high-quality chapbooks, short story anthologies and novellas. If you have a project that falls within the horror, dark fantasy, science fiction and weird categories, or is perhaps a mash-up of them all, feel free to query me at nerinedorman@gmail.com and remember to put “Tales of Darkness and Dismay” in the subject line.
Transformation by Rab Swannock Fulton
As Donnacha falls passionately in love with Eimir, so too a sense of wrongness in his life increases, growing steadily stronger and closer to the two lovers. The young man finds himself troubled by dreams, discorporate voices and other strange incidents. Finally the supernatural impacts directly on his reality; in a way that allows no room for denial or ambiguity. A terrible creature from Irish folklore, a pooka, threatens Donnacha and all those close to him.
With events swiftly unfolding against the backdrop of modern Galway’s vibrancy, multi-culturalism, poverty and divisions, Donnacha’s struggle with the pooka forces him to confront his own beliefs and values. As the beast uses its teeth and horns to gouge a bloody path through the city, it vows to stop only when Donnacha gives him his soul…
Cover art
One little-known fact about me is that I majored in illustration and photography during my tertiary education days (I qualified with a National Diploma in Graphic Design at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology). While my drawing skills these days are relegated to doodles on my sketch pad, and I’m a HUGE fan of Instagram [smiles], I nonetheless still brainstorm the cover art for many of the projects in which I’m involved. This means understanding what authors want and connecting them with the right artists and project managing artwork until sign-off. There’s nothing more disheartening than a good book with a shit cover and even worse typographical treatment. I am here to help and know dozens of people who are amazing photographers and illustrators. I can connect you to the right people. Just ask me how.
Project management for self-publishing authors
I’ve been there, done that, have bought the t-shirt and spilled ink on it, and can offer project management to help you get your novel or short story collection from a rough draft to a final, printed product you can hold in your hands. I bring to the table years of digital publishing and print on demand experience, be it cover design, writing back cover copy, editing or formatting. I’m passionate about helping authors and connecting them to the right people, at a cost that is affordable. If I can’t do it myself, I can outsource the work to professionals who will get it right. Query me at nerinedorman@gmail.com
Proofreading
Yes, I proofread, and I can turn on my tail and proof quickly and accurately, be it a 10 000-word report on the benefits of mohair socks over their polyester counterparts, or a steamy BDSM novel involving flagellation with bananas.
Nerine Dorman 