the shop
amanda borders | mystery writer & editor
Quill&Glass
Quill&Glass
amanda riley | mystery writer & editor
writing • editing • photography
Like so many of us, I fell in love with stories at a very young age and quickly picked up reading on my own. That proved inconvenient for my mom, who found she was no longer able to skip over the repetitive sections of The Poky Little Puppy.
I haunted our local library, making my way through the Bobbsey Twins, Boxcar Children, and Trixie Belden series. Anything mysterious or spooky captured my interest. I blame Scooby Doo and The Addams Family as well as my grandmother, who passed on her love of Gothic suspense to me. Somewhere around age ten, I read my first Agatha Christie and I was hooked. Since then, even though I read a wide variety of genres, Golden Age mysteries and Gothic suspense have had my heart. That was also when my dream of writing a book of my own, full of atmosphere and mystery, took root.
mystery writer & editor
I’m Amanda
hello there!
a writer and freelance editor and proofreader based in southern kentucky
Of course, as an avid reader, English was my favorite subject. I stuck with it in college, earning a BA in English from Western Kentucky University. As a junior, I won my department’s English award, and as a senior, I served as editorial assistant on the Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning. (Say that five times fast!)
I spent the next several years raising and, for a while, homeschooling my two kids, who are now mostly grown and almost out on their own. I decided it was about time to put that English degree to good use and resurrected my dreams of being a writer and editor. I started writing a mystery novel of my own and took editing courses through Edit Republic, Liminal Pages, and The Editorial Freelancer’s Association. I also started blogging about all things mystery.
Reader, Grammar Geek, Mom
cozy mystery romantic suspense traditional mystery gothic suspense cozy mystery romantic suspense traditional mystery gothic suspense cozy mystery romantic suspense traditional mystery gothic suspense cozy mystery romantic suspense traditional mystery gothic suspense cozy mystery romantic suspense traditional mystery gothic suspense cozy mystery romantic suspense traditional mystery gothic suspense cozy mystery romantic suspense traditional mystery gothic suspense cozy mystery romantic suspense traditional mystery gothic suspense cozy mystery romantic suspense traditional mystery gothic suspense cozy mystery romantic suspense traditional mystery gothic suspense cozy mystery romantic suspense traditional mystery gothic suspense cozy mystery romantic suspense traditional mystery gothic suspense cozy mystery romantic suspense traditional mystery gothic suspense
my clients write:
— who i work with —
been there. done that.
Mauris ut elit dictum, aliquam mi commodo, rutrum lorem.
change is possible.
Here you’ll find book recommendations, writing advice, tips for improving your manuscripts, and various musings on the writing life. Here and there you’ll also find evidence of my other passion—photography.
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after years of dreaming about writing my own mystery novel, i'm finally working on it!
editor
because i love getting lost in a good story, i help authors make their work the best it can be so that their readers can experience that same joy.
writer
I'm a lifelong lover of mystery novels, gothic suspense, and anything spooky
reader
nutshell:
me in a
web designer
Bandit
the mama's girl
Stella
the good girl
luna
the good boy
Loki
I get by with a little help from my friends.
The Team
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I love collecting old things, especially if they have a family connection. One of my favorite possessions is my great-grandparents' 1927 Corona typewriter. I also have a small collection of antique film cameras, including the box camera my grandfather carried through Europe during WWII.
my soul is analog
something old
did you know
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I love all things cozy, and it doesn't get any cozier than twinkly strings of fairy lights. That's why, no matter what time of year it is, you'll always find them hanging somewhere in my house. They aren't just for Christmas, y'all!
fairy lights all year
something twinkly
did you know
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I was not meant for life in the South. My favorite season is autumn, which lasts for approximately three days here, and my favorite weather is stormy. You can keep your sunny summer days, give me a cloudy, blustery day with steady rain and thunder. Perfect for curling up with tea and a book by the fire.
I love a rainy night
or a rainy day
did you know
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I was not meant for life in the South. My favorite season is autumn, which lasts for approximately three days here, and my favorite weather is stormy. You can keep your sunny summer days, give me a cloudy, blustery day with steady rain and thunder. Perfect for curling up with tea and a book by the fire.
tea collection
or a rainy day
did you know
View Next
I was not meant for life in the South. My favorite season is autumn, which lasts for approximately three days here, and my favorite weather is stormy. You can keep your sunny summer days, give me a cloudy, blustery day with steady rain and thunder. Perfect for curling up with tea and a book by the fire.
oxford comma
or a rainy day
did you know
get to know me
get to know me
The first time my dad saw my mom, he was so sure she was the one, he walked straight up to her and gave her a kiss. Was it forward? Yes. But it worked. It's been 32 years and they're still going strong.
My parents have always been a beautiful example of love, intimacy and marriage. And when my mom got sick, it wasn't home decor or baked goods that my dad brought to the hospital, it was photos. Photos remind us of the strength, courage and hope that reside in all of us the way few other things can.
WHY
editing MATTERS
take me there
On my resources page, you'll find all my favorite tools and resources for readers, writers, editors, and photographers. You'll also find the bookshelf, where I share my favorite books, both fiction and nonfiction.
tools, resources, & fun
