Melanie Votaw is a full-time freelance writer/editor/photographer and publishing professional. She is the author of 11 non-fiction books - some written under her own name and some as a ghostwriter. Her book, 52 Weeks of Passionate Sex, sold out its first printing to the stores within a week of its release, and her book, The Cocktail Kit, sold more than 100,000 copies.

She has ghostwritten books on a variety of subjects, including medicine, dentistry, and popular business. One book that she ghostwrote was published by Hyperion, the publisher owned by Disney. Additionally, Melanie has particular expertise in subjects related to dance, psychology, childhood development, nature and wildlife, and spirituality. 

As an editor/book doctor, Melanie has helped her clients produce books worthy of numerous awards. Two such books were finalists in awards sponsored by USA Today, and another won the Grand Prize in the Best Beach Books Festival in 2009, which culminated in an awards banquet at the famed Algonquin Hotel in New York. Two of her edited titles which were self-published were purchased and published by Macmillan in seven Asian countries.

As a journalist and travel writer, Melanie has written articles for such publications as Woman's Day, Travel Savvy, Medical Economics, South China Morning Post, and others. As a copywriter, she has written speeches, website copy, whitepapers, newsletters, press releases, brochures, and a host of other marketing materials. For more information, visit her other website at RuletheWord.com.

Melanie is a member of the Authors Guild and two travel writers associations. She is also an accomplished nature/wildlife photographer and is a professional speaker, usually on the subject of creativity in business. She is also a magna cum laude college graduate with a B.A. degree in English. Read Melanie's resume.

"Melanie Votaw is a talented writer and editor who helped me with the editing of one of my books and was instrumental in the polishing of my manuscript. I admire her work ethic and have already recommended her to a friend, who has also been very happy with her work. I would not hesitate to recommend Melanie again to anyone who needs writing or editing assistance." -  Debra Fine, Author of The Fine Art of Small Talk and The Fine Art of the Big Talk (published by Hyperion)

Read more testimonials regarding Melanie's work.

Deborah Grandinetti has worked in the publishing industry for more than 25 years. She is the author of 12 non-fiction books on a variety of subjects - some under her own name and some as a ghostwriter. She has edited countless books and articles as a former Senior Editor at Running Press, former Health Books Editor at Rodale Press, and former Senior Editor at Medical Economics Magazine.

As a publishing industry professional both as a freelancer and for Partners in Publishing in California, Deborah counseled numerous authors about how to make their books and proposals marketable. Every one of her clients at Partners in Publishing obtained a contract from a publisher. 

Deborah was the lead writer on Positive Living and Health, which sold 200,000 copies. She was also a staff writer on The Doctor's Book of Home Remedies, which sold an unprecedented 13 million copies. During her first year at Running Press, the titles she oversaw as Senior Editor earned $2.5 million in net sales, outperforming all other senior editors at the publisher. At Medical Economics Magazine, she wrote more than 90 feature-length articles. 

Deborah has particular expertise with highly technical subjects, such as medicine and finance, and she is also has considerable experience and interest in education, spirituality, and psychology.

She has also taught courses, developed conferences, and presented as a speaker on a variety of subjects. Deborah is a magna cum laude graduate of Boston University School of Public Communications with a B.S. degree in Journalism. Read Deborah's resume.

"I hired Deborah as a freelance editor and writer to assist me on writing major professional articles which were successfully published. If you were to hire Deborah, I trust your experience will be like mine: you will be impressed with her ability to listen intently, stimulate your thinking to a deeper level, and assist you to present your writing clearly and powerfully." -Bruce Feldstein, M.D., Chaplain, Director of The Jewish Chaplaincy at Stanford University Medical Center