SUCCESS STORIES
Just a few of the authors we’ve helped launch
RUTH NGUYEN
Sarah Landis, Sterling Lord Literistic, Park Row Books / HarperCollins
We worked with Ruth from her first idea all the way to a finished manuscript, then guided her through submissions. Within two weeks she had multiple agent offers, and a few months later the book we helped her develop and edit sold in a six-figure deal.
The child of Vietnamese immigrant parents, Ruth writes magical characters who find victory in the dark. She also loves Shakespeare, opera, and a good bánh mì.
“Mary and C.J. helped me synthesize my strengths, passions, and voice as an author to find my sweet spot in the publishing industry. Their affirmation and expertise helped me develop a concrete plan to dream bigger and aim higher than I'd dared think was possible for me at this stage of my career—including signing with a dream agent. I'm so thankful for them!"
~ Ruth Nguyen
CASSIE & MEGAN SIECHERT
Keifer Ludwig, BookEnds Literary
We coached Cassie and Megan for a year, helping them develop multiple story ideas, shape their manuscripts, and craft their query letters—ultimately helping lead them to representation. As identical twins and Fresno State grads, they bring a perfect blend of brilliance to YA thrillers. Off the page, they embrace their inner grandmas: knitting, quilting, and tracking down the best craft store sales.
“Before coming to The Writer's Sanctuary and working with Mary and C.J. we were so passionate about wanting to be writers, but honestly, we lacked confidence in ourselves. Mary and C.J. helped us understand what our process looked like as writers (both for conceptualizing, drafting, and editing books) and gave us the confidence to believe in ourselves. We left every meeting with renewed purpose and excitement about our career. With their help, our manuscript KILL HER STORY was the book that finally got us a literary agent! We can say with certainty that none of it would have happened without them. If you are a writer who is on the fence about joining, we promise you won't regret it!"
~ Cassie & Megan Siechert
“Above and beyond expectations. Top-notch professional service at every turn.”
~Julie Cantrell, NYT & USA Today bestselling author
“A true editor with mad skills for perfecting your manuscript! Her attention to detail regarding your characters, story and plot are amazing! So helpful and so thorough with explaining what the reader will see and want more or less of.”
~Ovsanna Bogosian, Indie Author of The Fallen Angel Series
“CJ and Mary are amazing mentors. The feedback I've received … has been invaluable, from helping me improve my craft to offering guidance on how to achieve my goal of getting published. From their experience and industry knowledge, they're able to offer direct, implementable comments that have immediately made my project better. Plus, they're a pleasure to work with and I am always so excited for our sessions.”
~Alex L.
