Satima's Blogspot: What I do

What I do

Tuesday, April 19, 2016 |

Posted by Satima Flavell

I write and I edit.

If you're looking for someone to do these things, please Contact me to discuss your requirements. Or if you want more info first, read on!

Want to know more?

Editing

In fiction, my main strength is traditional fantasy. Bring on the elves and dragons! I also undertake works in other genres occasionally, especially Young Adult SF and historicals. I am also available to edit theses and other academic papers and other non-fiction of all kinds. For more info, scroll down or Contact me.

Writing

My first novel, The Dagger of Dresnia is published by Satalyte Publishing. It is the first book in a fantasy trilogy - currently I'm working on the second book, The Cloak of Challiver.

I also write non-fiction - mainly reviews and feature articles. Recently, I've written for Artshub webzine and Scoop Magazine and I get private commissions, too - mostly astrology reports and family histories, but I'm open to other things! Still want more info? Scroll down! Or Contact me.

Astrology

I rarely counsel clients these days, but I enjoy writing natal reports and what I call 'lifetime' reports, which are based on the Saturn cycle and give a good overview of what to expect at different times over a lifespan. For more info, scroll down or Contact me.

Still need more info?

Getting started with editing

Send me a synopsis of your book and the first fifty pages (or to the nearest scene break) and after reading them, I'll let you know if I think the work is ready for editing. I don't encourage people to sign up for editing too early because they'd be wasting their money. If I think that's the case I'll offer you a mini-assessment, in which I'll give you some ideas to work on. A mini-assessment costs only S115.00. (Some editors charge over twice that for a similar service.)

On the other hand, if I think your work is ready for editing, I will do an hour's work on it, completely free. This will enable us to see if we're a good match, and it also helps me to give you an estimated cost for editing the entire ms. If you've already had a mini-assessment of the same material I will discount the price of a full edit by $25.00.

The offer applies to non-fiction as well. I will do an hour's work on your paper, completely free and without obligation, before giving you a quote for the full edit.

If I don't think I'm the right editor for your particular kind of writing, I'll tell you so at once, and if I can, I'll suggest another editor you might approach.

I prefer to be paid via PayPal or, if you live in Australia, by direct payment into my bank account.

You can sign up or ask any questions here

A bit about me

As well as writing, editing, astrology and meditation, other favourite activities of mine include yoga and belly dancing. I also teach an adult dance class at the Trinity School for Seniors in Perth. I attend Speculative Fiction conventions, belong to several writers groups, Western Australia's Society of Editors (SOEWA) the Australian Society of Authors and the Perth Shakespeare Club. I blog on related topics at my Blogspot.

My experience

From a background in the performing arts, principally dance and music, I switched to writing in these areas in 1987. I have written reviews and feature articles for various prestigious publications including ArtsWest, Dance Australia, Music Maker and The Australian. I sometimes turn up in Scoop Magazine and I review theatre for ArtsHub.

I've served a long apprenticeship as a fantasy author and am finally published by Satalyte Publishing!

My bits of paper

I hold a BA in Religious Studies, an Associate Diploma in Performing Arts (Dance) and the certificate of the Federation of Australian Astrologers. For what it’s worth, I also have a Certificate in Rural Studies – I’m the only person I know who’s been both a ballet teacher and a pig farmer!

And how did this strange combination make me into a writer and editor? Click here to find out! If you're interested in having me edit something for you, find out more here.

More about my editing - fiction

As well as being a writer and editor, I am a well-practised beta-reader, slush reader, and critic of speculative fiction. As well as writing for Artshub and other journals, I read slush for ASIM. Historical fiction and high fantasy are my specialist sub-genres, but I do sometimes edit or proof-read books in other areas of fiction writing.

More about my editing - non-fiction

Since the boom in self-publishing, most of my work is editing speculative fiction, but in the past, much of my editing work has come from academics, especially PhD students, and I am still available for such commissions. I will also research, write or edit other non-fiction work, especially reviews, biographies and family and local histories. I pride myself on having a broad general knowledge, and have edited in areas ranging from the arts (both performing and visual) through to Physiotherapy, Law, Business Studies, IT, Women’s Studies and even an occasional Engineering effort. See my web site for more details.

More about my writing

I don't write fiction for money, although it's nice if I do get paid! :-) I write because stories have come to live with me. But since we're here, let me tell you how I came to start writing fiction.

I was already well-published in non-fiction when I went overseas in 1995, but I hadn't written any fiction since I was in primary school. The story of my three-and-a-half years of travel and work in other lands is a whole nother yarn to spin, but suffice it to say here that as part of my brief to Get to Know my Country of Birth, I took a job as housekeeper in a hotel in North Devon, England. It was hard work, but not terribly mentally challenging, and I would finish each day with sore feet and a sore back, ready to veg out in front of the TV.

But one day, just as I was about to turn on Coronation St (or was it East Enders? Those two are forever inextricably linked in my mind) a sentence popped into my head. 'To be left a widow at the age of twenty-one may sound like a tragedy,' it ran, 'but to be honest, I felt liberated by Reyel's death.'

I knew it was the start of an SF novel. Not one I'd already read, but a new one! My very own book! I grabbed paper and pen and began to write. I missed my TV shows that night, and the next day I bought an exercise book and a new pen. Night after night I would rush home, plonk myself on the bed and continue the adventures of a girl named Kryshli who was sold into slavery and travelled around the world - her world - as a result.

It took me seven years to write that book, on and off, and of course it was not very good. First novels seldom are, and let's face it, second third and fourth ones are often not very good either. But I had a lot of fun writing it, and I learnt a lot. When I returned to Australia three years later, I joined writers groups and started going to workshops and conventions to meet like-minded people, for writing is a lonely craft, one that non-writers cannot usually comprehend. To remind ourselves that what we are doing is a perfectly good way to live, we need the support of people who can not only understand our passion but also help us improve. A lot of writers, far better at the craft than I, gave me encouragement and support, so now I am eager to help other writers to better their skill. You will, therefore, read a lot about SF reading, writing and editing on my blog and on my posts at Egoboo, a blog I share with five good writing buddies.

Fun things

I am lucky. I enjoy what I do. I love reading, writing and editing, and in the course of my life, I've gained a portfolio of skills and lots of general knowledge that feed well into my work. When I'm not engaged in reading, writing, reviewing or editing, you are likely to find me on Facebook, playing Scrabble and other word games.

If you go to my web site you will see links to pages on family history, astrology, meditation and belly dancing. I have a fair bit of family history info there - if this is one of your passions, too, take a look and see if we are related! And don't forget you can contact me here.

Popular pages

About Me

My books

Buy The Talismans

The Dagger of Dresnia

The Cloak of Challiver, Book two of The Talismans

Mythic Resonance

Mythic Resonance

Follow me on Twitter

Share a link on Twitter

For Readers, Writers & Editors

Interviews with authors

My Blog List

Favourite Sites

Blog Archive

Places I've lived: Manchester, UK

Places I've lived: Gippsland, Australia

Places I've lived: Geelong, Australia

Places I've lived: Tamworth, NSW

Places I've Lived - Sydney

Places I've lived: Auckland, NZ

Places I've Lived: Mount Gambier

Places I've lived: Adelaide, SA

Places I've Lived: Perth by Day

Places I've lived: High View, WV

Places I've lived: Lynton, Devon, UK

Places I've lived: Braemar, Scotland

Places I've lived: Barre, MA, USA

Places I've Lived: Perth by Night

Inner Peace Blog

Versatile Blogger Award

Fabulous Blog Award

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What I do

Some reviews of The Dagger of Dresnia

Goodreads reviews for The Dagger of Dresnia

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