About

I’m driven to demystify a needlessly complicated industry in order to help authors get their stories out into the world without unnecessary gatekeeping.

I’ve truly seen it all, from messy “Is this anything?” first drafts to howling typos in (supposedly) print-ready files.

No grammar flub would ever make me say “tsk-tsk,” and I’m pretty unshockable as far as content goes.

I’m also uninterested in asking you to sand down the edges of what makes you unique. I want to support your own specialized path through self-publishing and to help you trust the strength of your own voice.

I’ve learned all the traditional ways of doing things so I can assure you that you don’t have to do them like that (unless you want to).

My name is Allison Felus.

I started my career in the publishing industry back in 2002 at a midsized independent company where I worked my way up the proverbial ladder from editorial assistant to director of production.

Over the years, I’ve edited and prepared for print hundreds of titles in a variety of genres, though my fave subject areas are the arts, memoir, and spirituality.

If you want to learn more about my 20+ years in the book biz, you can read a long interview with me on Kimberly Monaghan’s site Books Uplift.

“I can’t say enough about allison and her work.

She provided thoughtful edits of my work, and went above and beyond to make sure I was satisfied. She gave me insights on how to proceed after the book was done with the edits and made the experience very easy. I would highly recommend her.”

Jill Ripley, author of Empowered by the Storm

work with me

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work with me 〰️

book love

My all-time favorite book: Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations. I make a habit of rereading it every other year around Christmastime.
My fave book I’ve ever worked on as an editor: The definitive biography of comedy writer Doug Kenney, A Futile and Stupid Gesture (yes, the one they made into a movie starring Will Forte).
The only author I’ve ever written a fan letter to: Annie Dillard (and she actually wrote me back!).
Best bookshop in the city of Chicago: Unabridged Bookstore.
Print books vs. audiobooks vs. ebooks? These days, I’m a devoted user of the Kobo Libra e-reader.
Recent loves: Serenade: A Balanchine Story by Toni Bentley, The Art of the Straight Line: My Tai Chi by Lou Reed, Cloistered: My Years as a Nun by Catherine Coldstream, and Things Become Other Things: A Walking Memoir by Craig Mod.