I have been a reader all my life of everything I can get my hands on. My favorite reads are Urban Fantasy, mysteries and anything paranormal. I can still get into a lot of other genres, and do, but everyone has a favorite child, even if they don’t want to admit it, right?
I am a stage-III breast cancer survivor (Woo Hoo! Still Breathing!). Yoga keeps me from turning into a lump, and the dogs make me get out and walk, so life is good! A quilter, knitter, and recently a weaver, I also love doing home renovations when I can afford it. I love animals, the environment and food, glorious food.
Technically, I have a Masters Degree in Forensics and a Bachelors in Math (neither of which I utilize, fancy that) as well as a Bachelors in English Literature from long ago in a land far, far away. My real joy as a book editor and reviewer is helping authors to turn their manuscripts into polished works of art. Errors in grammar, word usage, sentence structure and continuity can turn a potential five-star review into a flaming one-star. It breaks my heart when that happens and it could have been so easily avoided. I will be happy to help you in your endeavor to send your “baby” out into the vast world of Indie Publishing looking it’s best.
Send me an email and I will be happy to discuss how I can help! Leiah@SoIReadThisBookToday.com
Hugs, Leiah
May 17, 2013 at 2:30 am
Thanks for following my blog, may your words be heard.
June 5, 2013 at 8:01 pm
Finally got it done! LOL Can you believe I neglected to get the About page up on my blog? Sigh
June 6, 2013 at 12:45 am
Some stuff has to wait for genius to happen!
May 23, 2013 at 4:05 pm
Awesome blog! Leiah, thanks for reading and reviewing my novel, ‘The Three Doors.’ Your kind and knowledgeable words mean so much.
May 23, 2013 at 6:30 pm
Awww! Now you made me blush! 🙂 You are very very welcome Brian!
June 1, 2013 at 12:52 pm
As I mentioned to you in an email earlier today, after reading your wonderful review of my book, PIERCED, you have become my new favorite person in the world 🙂
Thank you so much!
June 5, 2013 at 3:37 pm
Hi. Thanks for following my blog! The world would like to see your About page!
June 5, 2013 at 8:02 pm
I am so silly…. but I DID get it up!
June 5, 2013 at 10:18 pm
Hi! Thanks for following my blog @ whimsicallyours.com 🙂
June 6, 2013 at 10:00 am
I spent a lot of time on your blog last night – it is nice!
June 11, 2013 at 2:20 am
Awesome About page. It is wonderful to feel so much positive energy despite adversity. Keep up the writing, reading, and living! Thanks for following my blog, I really appreciate it.
-Brett
June 13, 2013 at 8:46 pm
Hey, Brett! Egypt…. I am so jealous. I can’t imagine how truly wonderful that will be for you! Pictures, please!! Lots of pictures and wonderful words!
June 14, 2013 at 6:43 am
Haha, I will certainly keep writing, and as soon as I can, I will post many pictures!
June 13, 2013 at 11:09 pm
You got rates?
June 13, 2013 at 11:16 pm
Absolutely. See http://soireadthisbooktoday.com/editing-fees-and-guidelines/
June 15, 2013 at 5:28 pm
My wife is a stage-III breast cancer survivor. Tough yards, very tough yards. Great to hear you’re doing well.
June 15, 2013 at 6:25 pm
A survivor! My best to both of you, the role of caretaker is nearly as hard as that of the survivor during the treatments. Give her my very best!
June 19, 2013 at 12:20 pm
Thanks for the follow. You have great taste in books. Love your blog!!
June 19, 2013 at 12:58 pm
Love yours! Your reviews are great. I adore animation also, and really want to see Epic.
June 19, 2013 at 2:19 pm
Thank you! Epic was great, hope you enjoy it.
January 21, 2014 at 7:44 pm
Glad you made it through your illness. I’m sure it’s made you into a very special person.
January 22, 2014 at 6:52 pm
Thank you, Gregg!
I am not sure it has made me “special” but it certainly causes one to rethink their life . . .
May 16, 2014 at 12:44 pm
I’m glad you survived breast cancer! good for you!!!!!!!!!
May 16, 2014 at 1:05 pm
Thank you! It was a long slog, but I made it! 😉
May 22, 2014 at 12:31 am
Hi Leiah, I am Gra from amazon discussion. RE Cooper, she had no clue about herself. She was utterly unselfconscious. There are 4 of us in this regional crime team, 3 guys and Cooper. We had our desks pushed together facing each other. One morning she flounces in on a waft of perfume and sits down. Its her first day back from vacation and she is wearing a new silk blouse she says she got in Bali. As soon as she sits down all the buttons come undone (size too small for the button holes). Cooper has no clue and continues to check emails and complain about Bali. After a while she picks up that we are not usually so attentive to her. Anyhoo she discovers the cause, squeaks like a five year old and bolts for the ladies room. She comes back wearing a black t-shirt with the silk blouse stylishly open on top and announces “You pigs!” She sits down, fusses about and then mutters “Well, at least I had one of my nice bra’s on.” She was priceless. The mood for work was kind of broken so we all decided to stake out a cake ‘n coffee cafe. She was a little stand-offish for about 10 seconds and then finished off her Bali story. Re Arkady Renko character. He is the Moscow Prosecutor’s Investigator in Martin Cruize-Smiths brilliant novels. A funnier Russian version of Harry Bosch but still brooding/listening to jazz/smoking on his Moscow balcony into the early hours contemplating the city he loves and hates so much. He is an amazing character and the books go from Soviet days through glasnost and post communism to present. A cool one is set in Cuba. One is on a fishing factory ship in the Bering Sea.They have lots of great social insight wrapped in wonderful cop/spy adventure. Not preachy at all. I am half way thru writing a book (50,000 words so far.) It is quite fortuitous that you replied to my post because I have no idea how to get editing and proofreading done and I would like to use your services on it. I also would value input from people who dont know me and will be straight with me. People that you know tell you what you want to hear not what you need to hear.
May 22, 2014 at 2:38 am
BTW you may remember the movie Gorky Park which was a big hit in the 80s. It was the first book in the Arkady Renko series. William Hurt played Arkady. It also starred Lee Marvin and Brian Dennehy and won some BAFTA awards.
May 22, 2014 at 12:42 pm
Cooper sounds like a hoot!! I would have liked to know her. As for myself, I have been known to do some outrageous things in my time. I was never really “shy” shall we say. As far as I was concerned, hey, we all have bodies, right? LOL Then I went through chemo, and with everyone who ran in and out of my hospital rooms over time, well, after a while you just don’t care any longer!
The Arkady Renko stories sound brilliant. I will put them on my goodreads list. For now, I have my editing and reading for review, and I don’t do a lot of “personal” reading. At this point, I have an Excel spreadsheet that I use to keep up with my work just so nobody falls through the cracks!
As far as the editing, I would be very happy to help. I understand that my fees are on the low end of the scale, so that should help, correct? As for being “straight” with you – I am not helping you if I don’t give you the unvarnished truth. My services also include reviews at no cost, just part of the deal. Check out my website – you will find my specifications there. Once you look at my specs, let me know what you think.
I have to get back to editing, hope to talk soon!
May 22, 2014 at 2:47 am
Dialog example from Gorky Park. Irina Asimova a witness is picked up by Arkady in his official Investigators car. Irina is unimpressed with Arkady’s car.
Irina sniffs and says”KGB have better cars you know”
Arkady “Ahh yes, but they don’t always take you where you want to go.”
May 29, 2014 at 7:53 am
Thanks so much for following my blog. Looking forward to exchanging ideas about editing, books, and everything else related to this wonderful world of words!
May 29, 2014 at 3:05 pm
And thank you for following mine! I too am looking forward to a long and fun “bookie” relationship.
May 29, 2014 at 3:49 pm
:>
August 5, 2014 at 11:30 am
I am wanting to start proofreading books. One of your authors Susan bailor(I know I misspelled her name) gave me your name. I saw a web site a while ago at the end of a book and it had a list of books that needed proofing, do you of a website like this? And how would I get started? Thank you.
August 9, 2014 at 6:41 pm
Missy,
Did you want to proofread for me? I do utilize secondary proofreaders after I have completed my edits. E-mail me.
Leiah
August 17, 2014 at 6:18 am
Just love your self-description — such range, and such resilience. Here’s to you! (I too am a bookworm…) Thanks for following my blog, I like the idea of you walking along with me as I poke about
August 17, 2014 at 10:48 pm
Thank you so much for the visit and the follow! I only just found your site today too, and it brought to mind being brought up on Greek mythology…How horrified I was by Prometheus’s fate on the rocks until Hercules rescued him. I never forgot that. So many formative reading and being-read-to experiences for me. And I must say not all good either. Did you ever read “The Red Shoes” by Hans Christian Anderson? I did, when way too young and I think it had a terrible influence on me. Bad things, those fairy tales, for young girls. IMHO, at any rate. Well, thanks again, and I hope you find something at my blog to your liking. Pam Wagner of Wagblog.
August 21, 2014 at 4:53 am
Hi Leiah I’ve nominated you for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award! Yays! Here’s the link:
https://versusblurb.wordpress.com/2014/08/21/one-very-inspiring-blogger/
August 21, 2014 at 10:32 am
AWWW! You rock my world!!!
August 21, 2014 at 7:43 pm
You well deserve it! Best wishes 🙂
September 4, 2014 at 1:14 pm
Hey, Leiah! I see you got your On My Reading List Gallery widget up and running. I thought I would stop by and see what was going on today on your site. I have not been able to do much on mine, because I have been taking care of my Mom apparently she has a touch of food poisoning.
I will talk with you later. I was just seeing if your slideshow gallery widget was up and running.
September 4, 2014 at 1:16 pm
It’s there! Thanks for that! I had seen the Gallery widget, but hadn’t played with it yet. I am still fuddling along on a new, more flexible site, but for now, I am really glad that is there! It keeps me focused on what I have to do, ;-). Now, I have to put up another for the books I am EDITING! LOL!!!! Hope your mum is feeling better. I have had a bad case of the “funk” so I haven’t posted much either, plus, I am editing like a fool, but will be back to posting soon!
Hugs, Leiah
September 4, 2014 at 5:44 pm
She is feeling better. I am glad you like the widget. Glad you are feeling better also.
Hugs back. Jennifer
September 4, 2014 at 6:01 pm
😉
September 13, 2014 at 10:29 am
Thank you for following my blog. I cant believe it took you 1 year to write something about yourself. I felt so inspired after reading it. 🙂
And I apologize in front for my bad English 😦
September 15, 2014 at 12:56 am
Don’t worry about your English! You are writing, and that is what counts. And I am glad I provided you with a bit of inspiration! 😉
September 27, 2014 at 9:01 am
Hello Leiah – You sent me a message that my last post was having some problems. You should be able to link directly back to it from my URL as it’s the last one I posted. I do hope you are having a great day. You mentioned you live in Arkansas. My husband and I moved here after living all over the world. We are in Conway. Sheri
September 27, 2014 at 12:31 pm
Hi Sheri – Yes, I remember. Clicked over and I see it is there. It is a great article, and I just reblogged to my site. I grew up in Arkansas, mostly, but I now live in Golden Colorado. Don’t miss the Arkansas heat, humidity and bugs! 😉
October 12, 2014 at 2:50 pm
Thank you for the follow and for reading the “Sheba” story. It’s hard to get people to read such a long piece on a blog. Thanks again. Rob
October 13, 2014 at 3:05 am
I know. We are all so busy, aren’t we… but I did enjoy the stories and hope others read it!
October 16, 2014 at 1:30 pm
after reading your ‘about’ page, i feel as if i know you – what an amazing package filled with personality and wisdom as well as humor. your image captures your sense of delight, and with that attitude, you have surely kicked that big C back in its place.
i have just returned from a visit to mississippi and arkansas. my sister lives in monticello and my niece and nephew live in little rock. it’s nice to meet you, and thanks for following!
lisa/z from ecuador
October 17, 2014 at 3:53 am
How wonderful to meet you as well! And thank you for your kind words, they mean a lot.
Spent lots of time in Monticello at one time, but not for ages and ages, of course.
Keep in touch!
Best, Leiah
October 20, 2014 at 9:29 pm
Hello,
I have nominated you for The One Lovely Blog Award; I hope that you’ll accept.
Check out the details here, http://thejennymacbookblog.wordpress.com/2014/10/20/the-one-lovely-blog-award/
November 6, 2014 at 8:56 am
I like your style Leiah cooper.
November 26, 2014 at 11:54 am
I love your gravatars image. You write as I think you would talk? Your skill as an editor causes me fear & trepidation.
November 26, 2014 at 3:04 pm
HA!~ Why fear and trepidation? I don’t tell your secrets, I simply polish your work to a shine!
And yes, I am very ‘train of thought’ in my writing. My grandmother used to call me her “Little Mad Scientist”… I would be messing about quietly, then come up with some oddity that I was determined to discuss – then suddenly switch topics and hare off in a completely different direction. I suppose it shows in my writing as well! 😉
And thanks for the compliment on the image! 🙂
November 26, 2014 at 3:27 pm
Happy Thanksgiving
December 19, 2014 at 7:35 pm
I just wanted to let you know that I love your posts and have nominated you for The Addictive Blogger Award! There is no pressure to participate, but if you wish to, you can find my post here: https://aprillwood.wordpress.com/2014/12/19/the-addictive-blog-award-why-i-blog/
December 21, 2014 at 11:27 am
Lovely to meet you, Leiah. I’m a big C survivor too, so far. 🙂
December 22, 2014 at 3:29 am
Congratulations!!!! I wish you all the best, now and in the future. May we see many, many more years of truly great books – well, and a few bad ones, of course! ❤ 😉
December 25, 2014 at 9:46 am
Merry Christmas. I have nominated you for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award. Check out my site.
February 9, 2015 at 7:03 am
Me again, picking up on another detail in your autobio… You love home renovation? Have you discovered the BBC-TV series “Grand Designs” which happily for the rest of us is available on You Tube & elsewhere? It’s been going many years, & though each show is about 50 min. or so, they track a residential build/restoration from start to finish, over the necessary months even years. Amazing, inspiring stories & intelligent commentary. One more thing to do, when you’re not out with the dogs or deep in a book.
February 9, 2015 at 8:42 am
I do love home reno. The first one I did was a California Bungalow in Long Beach California. It had been empty for over a year in a dispute over a will, and the bums had moved in. I had a friend who was a firefighter – she loaned me her hazmat gear so I could go in and pull out the carpet – grab the shag with long handle pliers, cut with a carpet knife, then drag the strips out the door to the curb, dripping needles, syringes, and “unmentionables” as I went! After I got everything stripped down and sanded away, it was to find the house was built from old growth fir and cedar. It. Was. AWESOME. And I was hooked from there! When you don’t have a lot of money, you can learn how to do pretty much anything from library books and the people at the big box construction stores!!
February 10, 2015 at 6:37 pm
hurray for you! do give a Grand Designs episode a try one day, I think you might like it (tho’ it’s always dangerous trying to predict what someone else might like)
February 10, 2015 at 7:35 pm
I will! I have no doubt I will like it. I try to limit my television these days, but it is worth a look for sure.
February 22, 2015 at 6:17 pm
Thank you for finding and following my blog, Your about page is interesting and I have been looking around your blog. I follow in return. One day I hope to do something with my writing but not sure where to start.
February 23, 2015 at 1:18 am
Start by having faith in yourself! 😉 Good luck, and I look forward to reading your work some day.
Cheers!
Leiah
April 6, 2015 at 5:57 am
Thanks for the like. 🙂
April 7, 2015 at 10:06 am
You are a very nice lady, and thank you for being so nice to me. Some older and well educated ladies don’t treat girls like me with respect, for whatever reason, but I appreciate your kindness and respectful comments. The world needs more girls like both of us, and in between, to make it a “Better Place!”
Bless You and your work!
xoxo
April 7, 2015 at 10:19 am
Ha! Believe it or not, older ladies used to be younger ladies . . . 😉 And some of us got our nasty on quite well! (hug)
April 7, 2015 at 10:32 am
I am happy to hear you say that!
xoxo
June 17, 2015 at 8:13 am
My wife sounds a lot like you-she is in the middle of some 1000 page book! Always reading something. 🙂 I read science fiction and read comic books-does that count as reading? ha ha! Enjoy your blog, and glad that you chose to follow mine. Oh, our daughter loves to read and listen to books on cd. We are a reading family!
June 17, 2015 at 8:19 am
How wonderful that your daughter is following in your footsteps as readers! And I thought they were called “Graphic Novels” these days? That way you can call them “books”!
July 27, 2015 at 8:19 am
Hi Leiah, I’ve nominated you for a Dragon’s Loyalty Award – mostly on account of the fact it’s a DRAGON:) https://sjhigbee.wordpress.com/2015/07/27/dragons-loyalty-award/.
February 12, 2016 at 1:52 am
Hi Leiah, love the new look. I’m going to try to change mine – one day!! I’ve kind of learned as its happened, had no idea what I was doing when i started…
re the cereal packets, yep, that was me too. we didn’t have many books, so I read everything avidly including the cereal packets. Mum used to say of toilet paper was printed I’d read that – and I would..
I was like you at school except I was the dark skinned though English skinny girl with glasses and braids. I used to get called Indian, or for variation Indian four eyes. I loved school libraries though, that and the art dept was the best part of school for me.
Anyway, I’m here because have you seen Kristi Charish ( Owl books author) has a new book on netgalley? Just found it this morning, it’s called The Voodoo Killings. and there’s a new Owl novel out sometime this year too.
February 12, 2016 at 12:23 pm
Off to Netgalley!!!!!!!!
February 12, 2016 at 12:53 pm
OK, requested it! I am behind on my Netgalley, just been soooo busy, but maybe they will send it. I did both Owls, so maybe.
You are on WordPress. Want me to give you a hand?