AMI MCCONNELL,MASTER EDITOR FOR WESTBOW PRESS, THOMAS NELSON'S FICTION IMPRINT
The picture is of Ami (on left) with my daughter Kara at the 2004 RWA Conference when Without a Trace was up for a RITA.

Me, Kristin and Denise were at Mt Hermon in 2002 and some of the girls wanted to see the Oscars. We were the only ones with a TV, an advantage of being princesses and staying at the HIlton instead of the camp, so I offered our room. I had the fun of sitting on the bed beside Ami McConnell as we watched the show. I felt an immediate bond with her that has only strengthened over time. She's beautiful, fun, witty, incredibly smart and totally dedicated. I've had the privilege of working with Ami for the past three years, and every day has been a joy. Ami has an almost uncanny ability to see the skeleton of a story and where bones are missing, as well as an unfailing eye for character. She and my other "family" at WestBow really helped me understand how important branding is, and I'm a big believer in it now. She's helped me grow as a writer, and has been a friend through thick and thin.

She is the busy mom of Max, Maddie Beth, and Mimi, and if ever there was a supermom, it's Ami. She and Aaron have done a wonderful job with their. My buddy Max is the neatest kid, and I adore her girls as well.

Ami has a great grasp of the industry so I recently asked her some question. Here we go!

1. IS EDITING JUST A LEAP INTO THE WRITING WORLD? WOULDN'T YOU RATHER WRITE?
The good writers write because they must write. I don't feel that compulsion--that calling. What I do feel called to is what I do here at WestBow: helping writers realize their own artistic vision. Not my vision--their own.

COLLEEN HERE: Ami is a master at this. She pulls out stuff in my books that I didn't even consciously realize was there.

2. WHAT DO YOU PREFER TO SEE WHEN A SUBMISSION COMES ACROSS YOUR DESK: A REALLY GREAT VOICE OR AN AVERAGE STORY FROM AN AUTHOR WITH A MARKETING PLAN AND A SPEAKING PLATFORM? WHAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING?
You know, I really like to see a clear connection between the text and it's author--that is, I look for work that is a byproduct of the author's character. Many writers write "to" a particular market. More important to me is the answer to this question: Is the work representative of who that author is at his/her core?

3. WHAT'S THE BEST PART OF BEING AN EDITOR?
I believe that a novel isn't real until somebody reads it and connects with it--hears what it has to say. Kind of like the Velveteen Rabbit, you know? I love being one of the first people to "hear" what the novel says and having the priviledge of talking with the author about his/her intent and meaning. They choose every word, every scene, every chapter so carefully, with such intent. I love trying to unpack the meaning and puzzle of why they made those choices. It's a real trip.

4. WHAT'S THE WORST PART OF BEING AN EDITOR?
Saying "no" is the hardest part. You really put yourself out there when you're an artist and I know that--you're so vulnerable. So I have a sense of the impact it has when a manuscript we've been reviewing is turned down. It's crummy but it's an essential part of my work.

5. A SYNOPSIS SEEMS TO BE THE BANE OF THE WRITER--HOW NECESSARY ARE THEY?
Imagine if you were going to build a house and you'd be partnering with various and sundry contractors. It's not their project, but they can't help if you don't tell them what your plan is. That's how I envision a book process: it's the author's house, but I can't help if I don't know what the plan is.

6. WHAT ARE YOU READING RIGHT NOW?
Just finished A Man Called Cash by Steve Turner and now I'm reading his book Imagine because I was so impressed with the way he wrote the Cash book. I'm also reading Stories from the Blue Moon Cafe (McAdam/Cage Publishers)--you know how I adore southern fiction. Also I'm reading Flannery O'Connor's Mystery and Manners, but I do so in doses--one essay at a stretch--because it effects me so deeply. And of course I have an unopened Real Simple magazine and a Costal Living magazine, too, which I will get to in good time. In the car I'm listening to the spoken word audio (ie, poetry set to music) of Minton Sparks called Sin Sick. Fantastic stuff.

7. WHAT ARE THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU LOOK FOR IN A MANUSCRIPT?
Does it feel authentic and true? Does it have something new to say or say it in a new way? Does the author seem to know where she/he is going and does she get there? Really, at the end of the day, I have to love the work because I'll have to live with it for a long time. So that's the real question: Do I love it?