Dragonheart Writing and Editing

Learning to Fly
	Description: I worked with Karmen Berentsen for many years on this memoir. Why did it take so long? She had packed a lot of life in a few decades, but there was more living and more learning to be done before the memoir could be complete. During that time, she had a child (Reese) and became CEO of A Line Boutique (four of what are arguably the most important women`s boutiques in Denver). This is a memoir about losing and finding yourself--personally, in relationships, and in business. It`s a map for those who want to live more fully and authentically.
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The Blades
	Description: Book three in Allynn Riggs` series The Stone`s Blade continues the story of the Stones and their Singers, the inhabitants of Lrakira and Teramar, and the colorful characters (Ani, Renloret, Taryn, and all the rest) with a few surprises. The link between the two planets has never been clearer and the stakes have never been higher.
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The Life of a Dog
	Description: Gary Totten was awarded a First Place EVVY Award in the category of Literary Nonfiction for his charming collection Life of a Dog and Other Tales. As the cover suggests (beautifully done by designer Bob Schram at Bookends), these are stories from the rural heartland. It was utter pleasure to help Gary navigate his first book as editor and project manager. Gary and I worked together many years ago at the State of Illinois. He was a great storyteller then, and I knew there was the potential for a great book if he ever chose to write one. He did. It is.
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Second Skin
	Description: Can a former newspaper journalist make good as an author of fiction? Price Colman did. I knew from the first quick look at his manuscript that this was one really good writer. And it is always pure joy to work with great writers. This mystery/thriller travels from Colorado to New Zealand and back again. Genetic science, ancient Asian martial arts, and good versus evil are all wrapped up in the tale of Gus O`Malley`s attempt to stop an assassin from doing more damage in this compelling, nail-biting read. And another great Bob Schram cover.
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Bonjour, Breast Cancer--I`m Still Smiling
	Description: Colleague Cheryl Callighan, who was project managing, pulled me in to edit this book by Diane von Brainisfried (aka Diane Uniman). We dubbed ourselves the Royal Cabal and had a great time. Yes, Diane had breast cancer. Yes, she`s still smiling. Through her own experiences and insights, along with research-based strategies, she shows others how to keep smiling through it too.
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The Blood and The Balance
	Description: It has been pure delight to work with Allynn Riggs on her sci fi/fantasy series, The Stones Blade. This series is set on the planets of Lrakira and Teramar. On Teramar, Stones are the spiritual mentors with Singers who are their guardians. And there is a very important link to Lrakira, which becomes clear over time. These are tales of heroic journey, of good versus evil, of adventure, and yes . . . also a bit of love. The characters (including a telepathic dog) are memorable, the cultures intriguing, and the undolding stories epic. The Blood (first in the series) took a Third Place EVVY Award in both science fiction and fantasy. The The Balance (book two) took a Second Place EVVY Award in science fiction.
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Embracing the Gap
	Description: Terry Kruegel wrote a memoir like no other about personal and spiritual transformation, and I had the pleasure of editing it. Terry`s sanity was lost, thanks to drugs and an emotional upheaval, so he went on a quest to find peace of mind. One look from a Tibetan Buddhist monk created an opening. He went from paranoia to mystical experience and back again many times and traveled around Europe and the Near East before landing in Boulder, Colorado, where he was mentored by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and began the meditation practice that helped him embrace the gap.
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The Standing Bear
	Description: David Fuselier`s novel, The Standing Bear not only won a 1st Place EVVY Award, it took a Bronze in the IPPY Awards (Regional category). This captivating and uplifting novel is both mystery and love story. Protagonist Sam Grant, half Ojibwe, searches for what happened to a beautiful Ojibwe ring dancer. Along the way, he ferrets out secrets hidden in centuries-old tribal customs and clans . . . and to find her, he has to find Standing Bear.
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Code 33
	Description: My late husband was a career cop (and chief of police in two jurisdictions), so when Tom Wamsley came to me with true California cop stories from the 1970s, I was drawn in immediately. Tom worked the Haight-Ashbury district back when flower children made it their home. Can you imagine being a police officer in that place at that time? His accounts of being a cop in San Francisco and Santa Cruz County give us a glimpse of what life was like for the front line of societal defense when hippies, terrorists, drug dealers, and prostitutes comingled with more ordinary people to create workdays that were seldom dull.
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Power of Rituals for Women
	Description: Melanie won a 2008 First Place EVVY Award in the technical category of Editing for her work on this inspiring book that helps women turn everyday life activities into meaningful, memorable experiences through the creation of rituals. The book won Ms. Smith and Ms. Roberts an EVVY, too, and the printer even snagged one. This was a perfect example of what can happen when a great team collaborates well.
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Book Editing for Paandaa Entertainment
	Description: Melanie Mulhall was the editor on both of these books. Antler Dust, by Mark Stevens, is a compelling mystery set in the Colorado high country. It has gutsy heroines, greedy hunters with murderous intentions, and some surprises that will keep you reading. This debut novel earned Mark a place on the local best seller list. Mondai Nai means "no problem" in Japanese. That is not exactly what Kai Waters experiences in Japan, but he carries the essence of that sentiment throughout his adventures. Beautiful, lush, and complex, with an undercurrent of intrigue, Mondai Nai is a captivating read by King Hurley.
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Kids & Kaos
	Description: The cover alone will sell you on this book! Fiona Cattermole`s book is a life saver for any parent who wants to restore calm. Melanie felt calmer, herself, in the process of editing it.
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Bless Your Mess
	Description: Why fight with your clutter when you can Bless Your Mess and create a space you love to come home to? Melanie edited this delightful, helpful book by Ashi . . . and organized a thing or two of her own in the process.
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The CEO`s Advantage
	Description: Melanie`s business background made her realize that Stephen C. Moulton was on to something with his executive hiring process . . . and she helped him give life to his business book in the form of story through thoughtful editing.
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Getting Started as an Independent Computer Consultant
	Description: Mitch Paioff already had most of the content for this book from workshops he`d given. But he needed help putting it into book form--including gently massaging the content, adding segues between chapters, and other aspects of content and technical editing. Melanie did that and managed much of the project, too.
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How to Maintain Your Sanity in an Upside-Down World
	Description: Melanie Mulhall worked extensively with Jim Keelan on this delightful book that combines humor and practical tools for staying sane. The book required updating, including fresh statistics, sources needed to be verified, and both content and technical editing was required.
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Good to Go
	Description: This book`s subtitle only begins to explain it: The ABCs of Death and Dying. Being a thirty-year veteran of major market radio wasn`t enough for Jo Myers. In her off-mic life, she helped an aging neighbor through her last years, coped with family trauma after the death of parents, and made a study of what to do . . . and not do when it comes to death and dying. Melanie edited this funny, irreverant, and wise book for Jo.
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Crossing 13
	Description: This memoir by Carrie Stark Hugus became a local best seller. Melanie worked extensively with her on it, from rough manuscript through final product.
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More Book Editing For Paandaa Entertainment
	Description: Ultimate Excursions, by Alan Gottlieb, is another great novel by Paandaa Entertainment edited by Melanie Mulhall. This dark, exotic tale moves from Ecuador to Peru, travels moodily through the United States, and finds its way back in South America. It speaks to loss and redemption and haunts the reader with its probing look at a life haunted by one, terrible mistake. Ultimate Excursions became a local best seller.
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Oops, I Did It Again
	Description: Enlightened Woman Magazine, January/February, 2005
	Excerpt: Cindy, my best friend, was reading an article of mine to a traveling companion as they drove the farmlands of Illinois, on an outing dedicated to scouting out antiques. At the end of the reading, Cindy`s companion said, "Your friend, Melanie, must be very wise." I broke into laughter as Cindy recounter this story . . .
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Practically Shameless
	Description: Melanie did the final edit on this important book about shadow work by Alyce Barry.
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MacGraphics Postcard
	Description: This postcard was an important component of a marketing effort for MacGraphics Services. Melanie served as copywriter on the project.
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Hyper-Speed Stress Busters
	Description: Enlightened Woman Magazine, March/April, 2005
	Excerpt: These days, many of us have lives moving at hyper-speed, constantly in overdrive mode. That hyper-speed activity carries with it a great deal of stress. Old methods for combating stress do, indeed, work but the problem with them is finding and taking the time to put them into practice. What we need, instead, are hyper-speed methods for busting stress . . .
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Extraordinary Ordinary People
	Description: Enlightened Woman Magazine, May/June, 2005
	Excerpt: Later she would say that the evening she wrote all of those check, amounting to tens of thousands of dollars, was one of the most joyful and fulfilling evenings of her life . . .
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Art in the Underworld: Goddess Speak
	Description: Melanie edited the manuscript on which this film was based, edited the script, and served as a voiceover artist on the project.
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When Your Spirit Calls
	Description: When Your Spirit Calls, In Search of Your Spiritual Archeype, by Warren Ziegler, was edited by Melanie Mulhall. Thanks in part to the editing, this book contains what is widely considered the most lucid descriptions of Warren`s seminal work on enspiriting practices and disciplines.
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Life`s Little Ahas
	Description: Melanie edited the quotes--and even contributed a few--on this delightful little book by Rob Roseman. She also wrote the copy for the Introduction and Acknowledgments.
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