title: The Author's Toolkit: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing and Publishing Your Book
author:  Mary Embree 
description: <b>Mary Embree</b> is an accomplished author, literary consultant, and writing workshop leader. She is also the founding director of the Small Publishers, Artists, &amp; Writers Network (SPAWN). She lives and works in Ventura, CA.
zlib_text: _**THE**_ _ **Q**_ _ **UEEN’S**_ _ **D**_ _ **OLLMAKER**_
  
   _ **THE**_ _ **Q**_ _ **UEEN’S**_ _ **D**_ _ **OLLMAKER**_
  
   **CHRISTINE TRENT**
  
  ![](Images/image00187.jpeg)
  
  KENSINGTON BOOKS
  
  [www.kensingtonbooks.com](http://www.kensingtonbooks.com)
  
   _For my husband, Jon,_  
  _for loving, coaching, and encouraging me_  
  _through this book_  
   _…but most of all for believing in me_
  
   **ACKNOWLEDGMENTS**
  
  No book is written in solitary, and I think I needed more than my share of
  help. First, I’d like to express my gratitude to the team at Kensington
  Publishing: from Audrey LaFehr, editor extraordinaire, who decided to take a
  chance on a fledgling writer; to her wonderfully helpful assistant, Martin
  Biro; and to my copy editor, Tory Groshong, who has an eagle eye for mistakes
  and really shaped up my prose. I’m very lucky to be in such professional
  company.
  
  The pundits say you should never let your mother edit your work. Those folks
  never had my mother cheerfully poring over their manuscript