Nice Mommy~Evil Editor

I first started working for Samhain in about August of 2007. And, as all of us newbies are in the beginning, I was under Angie’s thumb. Very much so under her thumb. And for someone like me who likes to do things on my own, I hated it. Really hated it. I had to send EVERYTHING I did to her to look at and give me approval on first. I remember complaining that I thought it was stupid, I knew what I was doing and if I had a question, I would ask. Hell, she wouldn’t have hired me if I sucked, right?

I was right about her not hiring me if I sucked…and for anyone out there’s who’s taken her/Samhain’s editor test, it’s grueling. Very grueling. But I was wrong about not needing her guidance. Very wrong. As much as I may have disliked it at the time, I know that I am a better editor today because of her guidance and flaming whip. She really has one, I promise. And it really hurts sometimes. The first edits I sent to her for one of my books, she promptly flung back at me with about a million comments on the first few pages. I remember my stomach sinking to the floor, or below that if possible, and wondering why she had hired me in the first place.  And then I quickly got over, put on my big girl panties and took her comments and integrated them into my editing from there on out.

And after what seemed like years, she finally gave me the go ahead to go it on my own, that I didn’t need her approval anymore. I was so happy that I didn’t have to take that extra step anymore that took more time up. And now that I look back at that, I know that when she did that, she was telling me she trusted me. She trusted that I would put out the quality of work Samhain is known for at the Crissy and Angie expect from us.

I have yet to meet Angie in person, but I’m hoping to at RT next year. It’s in Ohio and I’m in Indiana and I’ve already made up my mind that I’ll be there. =) And I can’t wait to finally get to meet the illustrious Angela James. I mean, heck, the woman has been my boss for two years now and I’ve never even met her. But I guess in this industry that’s not so far out of the norm. =)

I can only hope to have the “status” someday that Angie has in this industry. I can honestly say she’s my editing hero/role model. LO And no, I’m not sucking up, that’s not me. I’m just stating the facts that I think any other editor at Samhain would agree with.

Tera Kleinfelter

http://editortera.wordpress.com

P.S. I was going to do something sooooo typically Tera and post nudie pics of David Hasselhoff (my hero) or some such nonsense, but I though better and decided to do something out of the norm and do something completely off the wall and be serious for once. =P Plus, I figure if I’m good this time, then Angie will trust me to babysit her blog again and I can come up with some a little more….interesting, shall we say. =)