A Metaphor, Bleak

Boutique Editorial Evaluations & Manuscript Critiques Specializing in Dark Fiction

Psychological and Domestic Suspense, Literary Crime, Gothic, Noir, Hard-Boiled, Dark Romance, Horror

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Focusing on Voice, Atmosphere, Character Psychology, Emotional Payoff, Genre Tone, and Narrative Tension

Editing Philosophy

My editorial approach is grounded in the anatomy of a story. I don't just identify where a narrative fails to land; I isolate the specific craft choices that may be causing the dissonance, always keeping the reader's experience in mind. If you sense something in your manuscript isn't working, my critiques offer a surgical diagnostic tailored to meet your story where it lives. As an author with over twenty short stories published in literary journals - mostly literary fiction and literary crime - I bring a practitioner's perspective to every manuscript and short-form piece I evaluate. Whether you've written a gothic piece dripping with vivid imagery and generational decay, a literary horror rich with metaphor, a gritty procedural that explores the corrupt underbelly of an urban landscape, a dark romance filled with power imbalances, or a noir piece heavy with moral erosion, my editorial feedback is defined by deep-tissue analysis. I'll interrogate the narrative integrity and emotional resonance of your work - specifically the interplay of subtext, interiority, tension, and atmospheric rhythm - to ensure your manuscript's intent and execution are in absolute alignment.

Editing and Critique Services

Manuscript or Short Story Critique - Includes a tailored report, extensive in-line comments, and a sample line editQuery Letter and Synopsis Critique - Includes a brief report, in-line comments, and line edits where appropriateLine Editing - Available on a limited basisDevelopmental Editing - Available on a limited basis

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About Jess

Jess's fiction has appeared in Two Thirds North, The Rockford Review, Bright Flash Literary Review, Pembroke Magazine, Reservoir Road Literary Review, Ponder Review, Wilderness House Literary Review, Grey Sparrow Journal, MSU Roadrunner Review, Hidden Peak Press, Tough, Shotgun Honey, Uncharted, Samjoko, Failbetter, The Writing Disorder, Dream Noir, Rundelania, The Thieving Magpie, Last Syllable, Grub Street Literary Magazine, Villain Era, Moss Puppy Magazine, and Mystery Magazine. Her stories have been longlisted for Litmag’s Anton Chekhov Award for Flash Fiction in 2022 and The Masters Review 2022 Flash Fiction Contest. Her short story A Place like You was a finalist for the Bellingham Review’s Tobias Wolff Award for Fiction in 2022. Her short story Ghosts was nominated by the editors of Tough Crime Magazine for the 2023 Best American Mystery and Suspense and Best American Short Stories anthologies. Her flash fiction piece Baby and her short story Who Are You were nominated for the Best of the Net Anthology in 2023 and 2025. In 2024, her long-form piece, Her Father's Daughter, was nominated for a Pushcart Prize.

About Stella

Head of Security and Private Investigator specializing in tracking down toys and treats.

Writing Portfolio

Literary Fiction

Ant Mill
Hidden Peak Press
January 2024

Crime