Endorsements

Carl Lennertz is the best. He has a keen editorial eye, a great sense for the shape and pacing of a story, and invaluable knowledge of the industry. He is also a pleasure to work with—patient, supportive, frank and yet tactful. Working with him was a wonderful experience, and it has made all the difference in my novel. I recommend Carl highly, and whole-heartedly.Caitlin Hamilton Summie, author of the forthcoming THE YEAR FOR WISHES

Carl has improved my writing so much that I can hardly believe it. I thought I had the story nailed, but his sense of literary rhythm is unsurpassed. His honest, fresh take lifted the manuscript to a new level. And not just over his head.Ray Barman, author of the forthcoming GRATTEN & SWITCH

Carl’s warmth, encouragement and flawless editorial judgment propelled my novel.Laura Weiss, writer, editor, author/Food Network, NPR; author of the forthcoming The Improper Life of Rivkah Stein

Carl is a great wordsmith with a knack for improving structure and organization while maintaining the author’s voice. Your manuscript is in great hands with Carl.Dirk Lammers, author of Almost Perfect, now under contract with Unbridled Books

After publishing a memoir, I wanted a seasoned pair of eyes to take a look at my first attempt at a novel before I sent it to my agent, and she recommended Carl. His thoughts on my first chapter, which needed the most work, were particularly invaluable and greatly improved the tone and pace during the most critical dozen or so pages of any book. In later chapters he made tweaks and suggestions that made a big difference, and he clearly thought of the book as an organic whole, not just a sum of parts. He’s also very personable and has a way of making editing fun.Pamela J. Olson, author of Fast Times in Palestine www.pamolson.org

Carl Lennertz brought out the best in my writing. His empathy, encouragement, insightful reading and dead-on editorial instinct turned my first novel into a career.Jeanne Matthews, author of the Dinah Pelerin mystery series

I had the pleasure of working with Carl on my debut novel. I was quite nervous about working with a professional editor for the first time, but soon found I had nothing to worry about. Carl is the perfect combination of smart, fun, intense and insightful. He is your biggest fan, but isn’t afraid to make the necessary changes. He is focused and fast-moving while taking great care with your story. Your book will be better because of Carl Lennertz.
Kirk Farber, author of Postcards from a Dead Girl — an Indie Next selection, Colorado Book Award winner, and Denver Post bestseller

I have worked with a half-dozen editors in my career, but none worked as hard or offered as much meaningful input as Carl. His editing went beyond all the normal expectations. His preternatural reader empathy, his super humor, and his intelligence seeped down into the text, becoming like a second creative brain, helping direct the way to a better work of art. Carl doesn’t just edit a book; he lives it.
Richard Horan, author of 2 works of non-fiction, SEEDS and HARVEST, and the award-winning novel, GOOSE MUSIC

One of the major lucky breaks in my life was when Carl Lennertz agreed to become my editor at HarperCollins. There is no doubt that his guidance vastly improved the three books we worked on together, and my writing in general. His credentials are well established–no need for me to reiterate them. I’ll just say that before we met, I knew him only as a name to conjure with (if you said “Carl” anywhere in the publishing world, from mainstream NYC offices to big conventions to the smallest bookstore, everyone instantly knew who you meant). When we did meet, I quickly realized that there’s a wonderful guy attached to that reputation–warm and witty, razor smart, straight and honest, with a longtime insider’s understanding of publishing, what makes books work and what makes them sell, and a devoted reader’s love of good writing. He brought all of this and more to our relationship. Working with him was crisp and efficient. Of course we had occasional disagreements, but always resolved them easily (even though we both have stubborn streaks). All in all, it was a joy–with the payoff of novels far better than I could have made them alone.
Neil McMahon, Stegner Fellow and author of 6 novels, and co-author with James Patterson of the #1 bestseller, TOYS

Carl’s keen perception and knowledge brought so much to my novels that I can say unequivocally they are much better books than they would have been without his help. Carl works within the writer’s voice and alters the direction or content of that voice with the sole purpose of improving what’s already there. He also has a great sense of humor! Mitchell Scott Lewis, author of the Starlight Detective Agency novels

Carl is a skilled and enthusiastic editor. In addition to his attention to details as small as spelling and grammar, he has an appreciation for the story as a whole, and knows how to ensure that each word choice serves the final goal of the piece.Chris Cander, author of the indie-award winning novel, 11 STORIES, and the forthcoming novel, WHISPER HOLLOW (Other Press, March 2015)

If you have a chance to use Carl Lennertz as an editor, grab it. He is one of those rare individuals who can critique your work in a meaningful way and still make you feel good about it. Carl has an excellent sense of both the small details of your story and how it fits into the wider world of book publishing. Quite simply, he is the best.William Petrocelli, bookseller and author of “The Circle of Thirteen”