Delois McGrew
When asked to become the acquisitions editor for High Hill Press’ division covering mysteries, thrillers and short story collections, I jumped at the opportunity. After years of editing and co-editing anthologies, along with writing short stories and mysteries, it felt like a natural progression in my life. I’m looking forward to finding writers with books that will make them and High Hill Press proud.
Literature has called to me all my life. I co-edited my first short story anthology in the 1980s, followed by the next three volumes of the same anthology. After that, I honed my skills at writing conferences and critique groups, as well as college courses in California and Arkansas—the latest one with Ellen Gilchrist at the University of Arkansas. Recently, I’ve edited or co-edited seven short story anthologies, including Echoes of the Ozarks, Voices, and Skipping Stones.
The word “eclectic” certainly fits my writing and reading interests, but mysteries and short stories are my passion. I write anything that catches my interest, and have published everything from short articles in Grit to book reviews for local and regional newspapers and poetry and a mystery short story to Woman’s World magazine. My short stories have appeared in several anthologies and I wrote two cozy mystery novels that may one day win the lottery and be published.
My main focus for the foreseeable future is to find books that I believe will be winners for the authors and for High Hill Press. I don’t have to say I’m looking for well-plotted novels and short stories collections with good writing. That’s a given. What I’m also looking for are writers with books they consider polished and ready for publication. Then, if necessary, I want that writer to be flexible enough to realize they may have something more to learn about writing and dedicated enough to do any additional work needed to make their book the best it can be.
In addition, the author needs to know how they plan to sell that novel after it’s in their hands. Seeing your words in print isn’t the end of the process. The book still has to be sold. And isn’t that what we all want—the best book you can produce in the hands of your readers? By working closely together, that can happen.
In exchange, I promise to approach each and every manuscript with an open mind and to give it my close personal attention. If we both do our best, your dream can be achieved.