It was my pleasure to edit Annie Dean: Beasts and Blood for my repeat client, Jade Lamb, in May 2026. Beasts and Blood is the sequel to Jade’s debut, Annie Dean: Order and Blood, and picks up from where the first instalment in what I believe is to be a trilogy leaves off.

This time, as well as carrying out a comprehensive line and copyedit, Jade asked me some specific questions to help guide her as she made further edits to her manuscript after my input. She asked for feedback on:

• Two particular characters: Jade wanted to know if these characters still felt likeable and relatable, and if their actions made sense. As a result Jade made some significant changes to one of her characters and they are all the better for it.

• One scene towards the end of the novel: Jade asked for special feedback on a scene that takes place towards the end of Beasts and Blood, as she was unsure whether it was “too much” and she needed to rewrite it to be less graphic and gory.

I also provided Jade with a timeline document that charts the events of both Order and Blood and Beasts and Blood together to ensure that there were consistency errors between the two books.

Annie Dean: Beasts and Blood was 108,000 words long and the edit Jade asked me to complete took 120 hours over four weeks.

Annie Dean: Beasts and Blood is available to buy on Amazon.