The first project she worked on she worked on was the Beyond the Bounds of Infinity anthology as co-editor with Vaughn A. Jackson. Stephanie proved herself invaluable in the process helping withe the Kickstarter, organizing the details, and keeping things on track.

That book went so well that we signed a collection by Pedro Iniguez, Fever Dreams of a Parasite, and put Stephanie in charge of the edits. She again rose to the challenge so we decided to make it official and bring her on board permanently as an acquiring editor. Stephanie started taking pitches at StokerCon and will be taking more in the near future. We’re very happy to have her help! So you can get to know her a little better we’ve put together an interview that highlights her interests as an editor.

What are your goals as an editor?

I want to find unique works of horror literature from different perspectives to put forth into the world. As an editor, I want to make sure the author’s voice carries throughout the work consistently and clearly. I hope to support writers with their projects and help get them to the “finish line” of publishing. At the end of the day, my main goal as an editor is that each author walks away from working with me feeling like I added value to their work, made it tighter and cleaner but still ultimately kept their voice and respected their vision.

What do you hope to learn editing for RDSP?

I hope to learn more about the process of taking a book from “accepted” to “published and on shelves”! I know I’ll often have to wear many different hats and I’m excited to learn all the skills this will require. I also hope to become a stronger editor (and maybe a bit quicker).

How did you become interested in editing?

I’ve always had an interest in books, writing, etc. I think I was around 13 when the movie “The Proposal” came out and I saw it- it’s mainly known for being a rom-com but in the film, Sandra Bullock’s character is a (not so nice at first) editor. That’s the first time I remember thinking about what went into books other than just writing them. As I met other writers I found a lot of joy in editing their work and finding any issues within it that needed to be fixed.

Tell us about your history as a reader. What are some of the formative books you read?

This is such a hard question because there are so many books to mention! I believe it’s important to read broadly, and diversely- I read across all genres and try to read non-fiction (even if it isn’t always my cup of tea). One of the first books I remember getting really excited about was Aquamarine by Alice Hoffman, I read it with my dad over the summer and I remember falling in love with the characters, and the idea of finding a mermaid. I also love Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore by Robert Sloan, The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, The Awakening by Kate Chopin, and Not Without Laughter by Langston Hughes. As far as horror books I remember reading when I was young, I got started with Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. I would try to memorize my favorites and tell them at parties and during recess. Additionally, I remember reading a lot of Scooby Doo Mystery books and Goosebumps, while they might not be scary looking back—they were definitely scary to me at the time! My first foray into “real” horror was V.C. Andrews novels—a friend’s mom gave them to me and I read all of them. I also fell in love with gothic novels and have a fondness for Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, as well as Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.

Do you think fiction can change the world?

Definitely! I think fiction can be a “safe space” to process hard emotions, conflicts, and ideas that can have real-world impact. It allows us to keep a safe distance from the issues presented within the story while examining how we feel about certain central conflicts that can parallel the real world- and these conflicts can range from a small interpersonal spat to a large geopolitical encounter. I also think that fiction can be a way of letting you walk in someone else’s shoes and allows you to experience worlds you never would have imagined before (whether that be quite literally a different world, or the challenges humans that are different from you face). It’s an easy “first step” for a lot of people to open them up to newer ideas and opinions that differ from their own. It also can serve as a source of comfort and escapism for people who feel lonely. Especially with the rise of indie and self-publishing, more and more people can find characters that look and feel like them, which can help them find community and feel a sense of belonging they might not have otherwise. Personally, I’m in a book club, and I think it’s great because I’ve found a group of people I wouldn’t have met without reading and am able to learn about how they view different books, storytelling and see details they picked up while reading that I didn’t. 

Talk a little about your editing process.

I will read a work multiple times while editing- sometimes backward or one sentence at a time to make sure I feel like I’ve done my best with it! Typically, on my first read through I will mark things that pop out to me and also get a sense of the author’s voice, the plot, and try to read it like a casual reader. After, I can figure out how best to tackle it from an editor’s standpoint. I try to pay attention to minor plot points and details like how many items are in a scene or who has what, and make sure the small things stay consistent throughout the entire manuscript. In talking with another editor, he brought up that none of his edits were “hills he would die on” and I agree with that sentiment. Ultimately, it’s the author’s name on the work and I think what matters the most is that they’re happy with what is going out. To me, editing is a collaborative process between an editor and a writer. I always want writers to feel like it’s their voice shining through the manuscript.

What has been your favorite moment of being an editor so far?

It’s been great being able to talk with writers and see inside different creative ideas and processes. I remember I had marked that a word should be “lay” instead of “laid” because it was referring to a person, but the author told me it was an intentional choice to show that the character was more of an object than a person. I loved that creative use of grammar to hammer home a point! I think it’s fun having an open dialogue with authors and making sure their ideas are as polished as possible.

About the Editor

Stephanie Pearre is the co-chair of the HWA Maryland Chapter, an affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association, and a slush reader for Apex Magazine. While she is currently working on her first novella, she also enjoys writing short stories and poetry. She is co-editor of the cosmic horror anthology Beyond the Bounds of Infinity. Her true passion is in supporting independent authors and publishers. In college, she minored in Ancient Studies—primarily focusing on Greek and Roman cultures and mythologies. She has traveled to Spain, England, and Greece with her college to visit historic ancient sites and has a deep appreciation for history, as well as literature. She lives with her fiancé, two adorable cats, and an equally adorable dog.