Stacey Donovan
Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Crime, Suspense, Thriller, Literary Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Young Adult, Romance, Erotica, LGBTQ, Memoir
Author, Ghostwriter, Developmental Editor
Stacey Donovan is an award-winning book editor, ghostwriter, and author, celebrated for her work across multiple genres. She has edited or ghostwritten dozens of published books, many receiving critical acclaim and prestigious awards, such as New York Times Bestsellers and International Thriller Awards.
Donovan’s approach to editing and ghostwriting is marked by her close engagement with the material and her clients, providing thorough, insightful, and sometimes humorous feedback. She is praised for her ability to understand and enhance unique writing styles, including those that push the boundaries of language and style. Her clients commend her for her professionalism, insightful evaluations, and the transformative impact she has on their work.
Stacey is the author of Dive, a novel noted for its pioneering portrayal of LGBTQ themes in young adult fiction.
“Working with Stacey Donovan on my first turn on the McNally series was a pleasure from first to last page.”
—Vincent Lardo,
bestselling author of the blockbuster Lawrence Sanders Archy McNally series
“How much do I love Stacey Donovan? Let me count the ways: professional, industrious, intelligent, sensitive, encouraging, communicative, supportive, precise, punctual, thoughtful – and she led me to publication of both my fiction and non-fiction books.”
—Peter W. Yaremko,
nonfiction and fiction author of four published books
“This novella might not have been accepted by two publishing houses had it not been for the input of consummate professional Stacey Donovan, who provided the insightful evaluation and critique of the first draft.”
—Dick Rothschild,
author of The End Game
“Stacey Donovan was my editor on my first novel, Skinless, currently in production with Austin Macauley. I must say that she is a rare gem in the world of editing. Not only is Stacey very professional in all of her communications and deadlines, she displayed a keen interest in my writing, and she also clearly put her heart and soul into the edit she created for me. My particular style of writing contains a lot of my own urban vocabulary and turns of phrase, which could be difficult for some traditional editors because it pushes the boundaries of language and style. Stacey got right on board and I could tell that she really immersed herself with feeling each character, lived in the scenes and understood the through-lines and overall themes to the story. A huge gift to any writer. Throughout our process Stacey provided me a superb edit.”
—Maggie Moor,
author of Skinless
“Stacey Donovan is a delight as a Hamptons neighbor and even more so as an editor.”
—Vincent Lardo,
popular crime novelist and bestselling author of the Archy McNally Series by Lawrence Sanders
“I found her work to be thorough, insightful, thought-provoking, and even downright funny at times. Without a doubt, the manuscript is far better than it was after receiving feedback from my beta readers. I would recommend Stacey to any writer or author seeking to take their work to the next level.”
—Avanti Centrae, award-winning thriller author of Van Ops: The Lost Power
“Stacey Donovan is outstanding! And your website and communications which brought me to her are excellent.”
—Murray Keith Wadsworth, author of Prostate Cancer: Sheep or Wolf? Navigating Systemic Misinformation
—Martha Milot,
author of Trail of Evil
—Roberta Degnore,
author of twelve published novels
—Catherine Bosley
—Dana K. Schwartz
—Les AuCoin
—Allison McBane
“I owe my writing career to Stacey Donovan. I was astounded at her instincts and her talent to not only point out opportunities for improvement, but to offer concrete guidance as to how to implement necessary changes.
I had no idea that inspiration, editing excellence, and patient teaching could all be wrapped up in one individual.
Now that I’m working on my fifth book, I look back with gratitude to Stacey who so generously shared her expertise and provided such valuable direction.”
—Patricia Gussin,
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, winner of the Florida Book Award
“If you want an editor who will not give up on making your work, be it fiction or nonfiction, the best it can possibly be, then Stacey Donovan is the right choice. I’ve worked with Stacey on several published works, and the one indefatigable quality that defines her is an unwavering dedication to excellence. She is a writer’s writer – intuitive, resilient, tireless – with an emphasis on craft, authenticity, and surprise. Stacey knows down to her bones what is ineffable in any creative work.”
—Elise D’Haene,
co-author (with Stacey Donovan) of the acclaimed Red Shoe Diaries, based on the Showtime series by Zalman King, and winner of several screenwriting and literary awards
“Stacey Donovan is the right woman at the right time. I was with a terribly muddled manuscript and when Stacey worked her magic on my writing it suddenly came to life. But that wasn’t the best part of what she brought to bear on my manuscript. It was the level of organization she found. After years of my messing with the book (as well as several other editors who tackled the job and failed), I didn’t seem to have what it took to give birth to this baby on my own. Stacey is the one who birthed it and made it a coherent whole.”
—Dr. Jane Goldberg, PhD,
author of eight published books
“Stacey Donovan is more than a good editor. What makes her better than just good is an unerring ability to work with an author. She brings to the table not just an eye for weakness, but the creativity to make suggestions that the author can work with. Naturally, the writer’s talent is a factor, but with an editor’s help, the writer can give it his or her utmost. Stacey makes you work and work better than you ever thought possible.”
—Robert Boris Riskin,
author of three published books
“I feel fortunate to have had Stacey take on my manuscript. She discovered weaknesses in my story and suggested ways to strengthen it that made my story stronger. She’s diplomatic in her approach and communicated her criticism in a positive, constructive fashion. She’s especially pleasant to work with. Smart, witty, professional, and always responsive.”
—Kim Hamilton,
author of Accidental Lawyer
—Jonelle Patrick,
author of Painted Doll
—Peter Archon,
author of Transforming Tommy
—Vicki Marie Stolsen,
author of The Bachelor Chapters: A Thinking Woman’s Romance
—Loretta Coha, PhD
Stacey Donovan’s Books
From Readers’ Reviews
Dive
“Stacey Donovan really gets inside the mind of her young heroine in this superbly crafted coming of age novel that turns the pains of growing up into revelatory experiences. This writer has the guts and the supreme command of the English language required to make this a real work of art. Hers is a unique voice not afraid to shy away from the complexities of life. I recommend highly!”
The Art of Loneliness
“If Joan Didion wrote erotica, this is what it would sound like. Stacey Donovan is a powerful voice in erotica, one who pushes the limits of the genre and redefines it.”
Red Shoe Diaries: The Complete Set Books 1-4
“Lusty, literary, and sexually empowering for BOTH women and men. The ‘cherry on the sundae’ (so to speak), is the bonus story at the end of the book: Sex in the Hamptons: The Writers’ Confessions. Here the authors reveal their most intimate experiences with men and women. Funny, touching, and wild, I really felt as if I was getting to know these two women up close and personal.”