Nikki Arana

Nikki Arana is an award-winning author of women's fiction, essays, poetry and magazine articles. Her work has been published in the United States and Canada. She is currently completing the third book of an Inspirational fiction series being released in Spring of 2006 by Revel/Bethany House. She is a member of the Idaho Writers League, American Christian Romance Writers and Romance Writers of America. Nikki lives with her husband of twenty-seven years in Post Falls, Idaho. You can visit her website at www.nikkiarana.com.

Finding Carol was like finding the key to publishable/salable writing. My first effort at crafting a novel had caught the attention of a top agent but wasn't up to the standard she required for representation. I sent Carol the manuscript and she worked with me for six weeks, not revising, but re-visioning, my book. Her dedication and hard work resulted in my being signed by Natasha Kern Agency, a three book contract with Revel/Bethany House, and a bright future as an author.

photo by Russell Howe

Elaine Stirling

Elaine Stirling launched her first writing career in 1985 when UNSUSPECTED CONDUCT, a Harlequin Intrigue, won the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award. Within five years, she'd written nine more novels for the Intrigue, Superromance, and Temptation lines. Her books have been translated into thirteen languages. MADAME LYNCH, mainstream novel of womanlore, history, and magic took fourteen years to write, and is now being represented by the Natasha Kern Literary Agency. Elaine teaches Business and Creative Writing at University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies.

MADAME LYNCH would simply not exist without the incomparable editing skills of Carol Craig. She embraced a floundering lump of a book and taught its author the meaning and power of emotion. Carol was relentless, exacting, yet always kind, always patient. I would recommend her to any writer without the slightest hesitation.

Kay L. McDonald

Kay McDonald is a native Oregonian, born and raised in Salem. After years of dabbling in short stories, her first historical novel, THE BRIGHTWOOD EXPEDITION was bought by an editor at Liveright by the name of Jean Naggar. The book was a Western Writers of America Spurs Finalist.

Three historical novels, VISION OF THE EAGLE (T.Y. Crowell 1977 and NAL), THE VISION IS FULFILLED (Walker Books 1983, NAL, also a Spur Finalist), and BEYOND THE VISION (published in 2000 by Five Star First Edition Romance) continue the story which began in THE BRIGHTWOOD EXPEDITION. The books are available through Amazon.com.

Carol is really good at what she does. I have learned a lot through working with her. She is patient and not only tells, but shows with examples, what she wants you to do. Best of all she would encourage me by complimenting my work when I got something right and never belittled my writing ability or lack of computer skills. I would highly recommend Carol Craig.

Candy Calvert

Candy Calvert is a registered nurse who blames her quirky sense of humor on "survival tactics learned in the trenches of the ER." Writing credits include "By Accident," an inspirational story published in Chicken Soup For the Nurse’s Soul.

She has been a finalist in contests including : Writers Digest, Southwest Writers, and the Merritt. Candy is a member of Romance Writers of America and its chapters Sacramento Valley Rose and Kiss of Death. Her novels, Port Mortem and Cruise Control are represented by the Natasha Kern Literary Agency.

Candy lives with her husband in the foothills of Northern California’s gold country, where she is currently at work on the second in a series of shipboard romantic comedies.

I had a top-notch agent and a shipboard romantic comedy capturing the interest of nine major houses-pure goose bumps, until the rejections came in. Apparently, a hunky hero needs believable motivation to strip his shirt off and do the limbo, and I needed an editor! Carol is a delight. Whether working online, by mail, or brainstorming by phone, she is responsive, diligent, and insightful. She let my characters stay quirky, but gave them heart. She pulled my story together from first kiss to last laugh, and has it sailing again.

Mary Anne Cole

Mary Anne Cole's earlier professional exploits included teaching secondary and post-secondary English and Drama, freelance writing, and managing a marketing function with a large financial services corporation. Holding both an M.A. in English and an M.B.A., she has published over three hundred reviews, interviews, and essays in varied newspapers and magazines. Since she left her corporate position in 2000, she has made her living as a contract writer and editor for businesses and has switched her own writing focus to fiction, including plays, screenplays and novels. Her first screenplay, SONNY, won Best Comedy Screenplay at the Santa Clarita International Family Film Festival in 2002. She makes her home in San Antonio, Texas.
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Carol Craig focused like a laser on the problems in my novel that were making publishers call it well written but "too quiet" for today's commercial market. She worked closely with me, welcoming phone calls and questions, and going over and over the work until we were both satisfied. She was particularly helpful in shaping scenes and set pieces and in being sure the emotional element was always present. I believe she helped me take the novel from one with an interesting concept and good writing, to one that is also compelling and complex enough to attract a publisher. Thanks, Carol!