Adam Blumer

Book Review—Edges of Truth: The Mary Weaver Story

By Adam Blumer November 27, 2013 Book Review, Books, Christian Nonfiction, True Crime 1 Comment
Book Review—Edges of Truth: The Mary Weaver Story

In lieu of a Friday post (since I will be out of town for the holidays and unable to respond), I’m posting a book review of my author friend Deb Brammer’s newest book, Edges of Truth: The Mary Weaver Story. Presumed Guilty: The Child Care Nightmare That Could Happen to You By Adam Blumer Edges of Truth: The Mary Weaver Story by Deb Brammer with Steve Brennecke, CreateSpace, November 2013, 350 pages, $13.95. Novelist Deb Brammer and former attorney on the case Steve Brennecke retell the inspiring true story of Mary Weaver in Edges of Truth. Mary, an Iowa babysitter, was accused and convicted of first-degree murder in the mysterious death of eleven-month-old Melissa Mathes on January 22, 1993. Written with effective fiction technique and based on meticulous research of court records, the book traces the story of Melissa’s mysterious death and Mary’s journey to prove her innocence through the legal system—first…

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Is Working from Home Right for You? Part 1

By Adam Blumer November 8, 2013 Freelance Editing, Technology, Weekly Post, Working from Home No Comments

In previous articles, I discussed various aspects of what it takes to succeed as a freelance editor. Since working from home is really what makes freelancing work, it only makes sense to have a very frank talk about the realities—the pros and cons—of what “homework” looks like. Working from home—or telecommuting, as many call it—isn’t for everyone, but it may be a big blessing for you if you have the right personality and circumstances working for you. In this and future posts, I address some pros and cons I’ve learned over the last seven years that may help you decide whether working from home is right for you. Social Scenarios I work in a basement home office a good twelve to thirteen hours each workday (with some weekend hours). In fact, several days typically go by before I even leave my house. Yes, I do take a lunch break and a good number…

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How Can I Be an Editor Too? Part 6

By Adam Blumer November 1, 2013 English, Freelance Editing, Gadgets I Use, How Can I Be an Editor?, How to, Technology, Weekly Post No Comments
How Can I Be an Editor Too? Part 6

See Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5. In previous posts I discussed various aspects of what is required to work from home as a freelance editor. In this post I discuss the nuts and bolts of what actual editing looks like (at least for me) with a focus on some of the tools and technology I use. Tools and Technology So let’s say that you’ve got a degree in communications—maybe even a BA in English—and you’re great at spotting typos. Are you ready to start editing? Maybe. But I recommend you become equipped with a few essential tools first. Even though I had fourteen years of experience editing with two different companies, I wasn’t quite prepared when I made the leap from editing all sorts of stuff to book editing in particular. I knew how to spot typos and fix grammatical problems, but that’s only part of what…

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