Our Team

Andrea Costantine

Interior Design
Andrea Costantine always dreamed of being a writer, is a lover of books, and an avid reader. Although writing was never a personal strength, she enrolled in a few college courses to polish her skills. She quickly learned that she wasn’t the typical college writing student and felt dismissed by the staff. Stuffing down the artist within, she hung up her writing hat for years. Luckily, her return to college for her master’s degree in Counseling Studies unleashed the writer within. After consecutively writing twenty page research papers for two years, Andrea returned to her passion and love for writing and creating.

In 2010, with writing partner Lisa Shultz, she wrote How to Bring our Book to Life This Year: An Exploratory Guidebook on Writing and Self-Publishing. Since that time she has subsequently published, Soulful Marketing: Heart Centered Marketing for Conscious Entrepreneurs and Connected: 101 Ways to Be of Service and Create Community.

As a writer, community gathering specialist, Andrea works with aspiring authors to help them unleash the book inside of them. Her services include layout design.

Andrea believes that having a book is one of the biggest accomplishments of an individual’s life and is one of the most rewarding goals a person can ever complete. She’s honored to work with so many talented writers and to help them share their message, talent, and gifts with the world.

Catherine Spader

Editor & Writing Coach
Catherine Spader is an editor with My Word Publishing. She is also the award-winning author of the dark fantasy Wulfhedinn series. Her first novel, Feast of the Raven, won a first place EVVY award from the Colorado Independent Publishers Association. Both novels in the series have received critical acclaim from Kirkus Reviews and BlueInk Review.

As owner of Quillstone Press, Catherine is an editor, writing coach, and ghostwriter. She is also a medical writer and editor and has published 1,000 articles in healthcare journals, trade magazines, and medical websites.

Contact her at cathyspader@yahoo.com

James Hallman

Editor & Writing Coach
James Hallman started editing for one purpose: to help writers. He believes in working carefully with authors to ensure that the stories they wish to tell; the articles they seek to publish; or the research they want to present is as clearly and elegantly written as it can be.

He combines a deep knowledge of story architecture, a love of English’s unique capacity for elegance, and an eye for detail that makes the process of development an exciting and informative one. His advice and guidance has proved invaluable to many clients over his years as a freelancer, an educator, and mentor.

His previous clients have included academics, self-publishing authors, and traditional publishing houses. He is also a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association.

James provides the following services:

• A full range of editorial services, from basic copy-editing to full developmental work.
• Research assistance, fact-checking, and citation/indexing services.

Gail Nelson

Ebook Conversion, Illustrator & Children’s Book Designer
Gail Nelson is passionate about books in all forms. She is a chain-reader of both print and e-books and she enjoys discovering new children’s book apps. As a graphic designer and children’s book illustrator, she loves to help authors bring their books to life. Gail has been working with self-publishing authors since 2004 and is efficient and productive with an eye for detail. She specializes in formatting manuscripts for the e-book market and developing apps from children’s books. To connect with Gail, please visit e-book-design.com.

Susie Schaefer

Publishing Consultant
Susie Schaefer comes to My Word Publishing as a Publishing Consultant, to help drive authors through the self-publishing process. Susie was first published as a contributing author in Speaking Your Truth: Courageous Stories from Inspiring Women (Vol III) and has worked on several collaborations with other authors.

Susie’s background as a marketing expert and work in broadcasting and media, allows her to look at a client’s bigger vision, and give them the guidance they need to see their book to completion, with a view of the bigger picture to set them up with speaking, coaching, even PR if that’s in the author’s goals. We’re thrilled to have her with My Word Publishing.

To contact Susie for a complimentary consultation email her at Susie@mywordpublishing.com.

Bobby Haas

Editor & Writing Coach
Asked about his favorite kind of books to edit, Bobby Haas is fond of answering “any book written by a committed and enthusiastic author.” Writing can sometimes be a difficult, lonely task; creating a book is a magnificent achievement. Haas loves particularly the collaborative nature of the editing process, the trust and communication that evolves while the writing becomes the book.

“Everyone has a story,” Haas says. “My job is to help writers find it, and then help them strengthen their voice and their craft in order to tell it well.”

A former newspaperman ¬– both writer and editor ¬– Haas understands the pressure of producing. He balances his frequent calls for “Clear, Concise, Compelling” with a nurturing, supportive attitude. He has helped novelists, psychologists, business mentors, motivational speakers and more achieve the dream of holding their book in their hands.

Haas’ novel Midnight Valiant – A Parable was a finalist for Best Literary Fiction from CIPA. He offers Coaching, developmental, copy, and line editing. He can be reached at WriteOn@BobbyHaas.com

Alexandra O’Connell

Editor & Writing Coach
Alexandra is an award-winning book editor and writing coach, and the 2017-2018 President of the Colorado Independent Publishers Association. She was worked on books on business, leadership, personal development, spirituality, health, and memoir, as well as fiction. Her work includes developmental, content, and line editing. Find Alexandra at www.alexoconnell.com.