About Me

Your Editor

Hello Indie Author! 

Thanks for visiting. I love connecting with new people, and I look forward to getting to know you and your current project. Chances are you’re here because you find yourself in need of a skilled and reliable editor for your manuscript. Each book is like one of your babies, and you don’t want to hand it off to just anyone, especially to someone holding the dreaded red pen! Before entrusting someone with something so precious, it’s nice to know a little about them first. So here goes . . . 

My name is Margaret Fierstine, and I live in Michigan’s beautiful Upper Peninsula—on the shores of Lake Superior—with my husband, three children, and our exuberant yellow lab, Scout. One of my favorite things to do is spend time with my family at our camp, which is the U.P.’s version of a cottage. When life gets a little too crazy, and we need to retreat from it all to recharge our batteries, Camp gives us a place to do that. 

Of course, another favorite activity of mine is working with stories. I love to read them, write them, and edit them. I’m an author of contemporary women’s fiction and write under the pen name Charlotte Everhart. My first two novels are out on preorder, and my third is in the works. Feel free to check me out at my author website to learn more.

Background and Credentials

As far as my formal education goes, I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish and English in 2001 and went on to receive certification in secondary education in those areas in 2002. With over seventeen years of teaching experience, both inside and outside of the public school setting, you can imagine just how many papers I have graded—stacks upon stacks! I had no idea those years were preparing me to become an expert editor and proofreader.

Language has always been a gift and a passion of mine, and I love playing with words to create just the right effect. I can also spot an error a mile away. What can I say? I’m a grammar geek! My study of other languages has served to further strengthen my understanding of the structure and rules of our own language.

In the fall of 2019, I turned my editing skills into a freelance business. It was a natural step for me to take. After completing a full and comprehensive editing course and gaining tons of experience in this field, I am sure now more than ever that I have landed in the right place. At first, I edited everything: fiction and non-fiction books, websites, legal documents, dissertations, etc. Although I am accomplished at editing both technical and nontechnical writing, I decided to niche down to work only with fiction novels, novellas, and short stories because editing that type of content brings me a joy that the other stuff didn’t.

When we work together, you will find that I always seek to preserve your voice throughout the editing process. You have put your heart and soul into your writing, and I have the utmost respect for that. You’ll also find you can rely on me to be meticulous in my search for any errors or inconsistencies in your writing. Words are incredibly powerful, as you know. A well-written, error-free novel allows the reader to focus on your story without needless distractions. And let’s face it, a book with embarrassing errors can undermine all your hard work. 

Let’s polish your manuscript until it shines. I look forward to working with you!

Education

• Bachelor of Arts degree from Northern Michigan University – 2001
  • • Summa Cum Laude Graduate
    • Secondary Education Certification in Spanish and English – 2002
• High Level Proofreading Pro Graduate – 2019