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Born and raised in South Africa, I graduated from the University of South Africa in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Political Science. With a lifelong love for the printed word, I worked in both the book-selling and publishing industries for seven years before heading down the path of entrepreneurship, opening a specialist library-supply and academic bookshop in 1998, and launching one of South Africa’s first online bookstores in 1999.
Working on both sides of the tracks for almost three decades has given me unique insights into the book world as a whole.
Today, I am an internationally published author, a professional ghostwriter, an accomplished book editor, and a publishing consultant working with authors all over the world.
With my strong business and academic background, my focus is primarily on memoir and works of non-fiction, including business and inspirational books.
I believe that it is our responsibility as human beings to raise the energy of our planet by sharing our stories with the world. I didn’t always feel that way, however. Being vulnerable and sharing our deep, dark secrets back then was considered quite radical, and I wasn’t quite sure that I’d ever want to put myself “out there” in that way.
It took an event that shook my world to plant that seed and change all of that ….
When my husband got into his car in 2007, drove away, and was never seen again, my world was turned on its head. The chain of traumatic events that happened that day all led back to me, and there was no way I could escape them.
Seven years later, burdened with guilt and desperate to find peace, I knew I had to face the monster that was growing larger and fiercer inside me by the day. It was time to set it free. I decided I was going to do the unimaginable and write a book about it.
When I first put pen to paper (well, it was actually fingers to keyboard), I began writing the book as a memoir, but as I got deeper into the story and the horror of it all, I stopped and pulled up the handbrake. There were too many people I needed to protect, and it would have been unfair of me to reveal their true identities. So I started from scratch and decided to write my book as a novel instead, with everything embedded in fact.
A year later, I wrote “The End” and sent the book out into the world. My hope was that anybody who had been through a traumatic experience and struggled to pick up the shattered pieces of their lives afterwards would find peace and hope through my story.
The response was more than I could have ever hoped for.
Four in the Morning was published as an e-book in July 2015, and in paperback and large print in April 2017.
After publishing my book, people began reaching out to me for help. Many had stories of their own to share but did not have the time or the necessary skills to capture their story on a printed page. They wanted me to write their stories for them. Until then, I had no idea that such a profession existed, but when I discovered that ghostwriting was a real thing, I decided to take the plunge and follow my heart.
In the years that followed, people began asking me to edit their manuscripts. Editing has always been a passion of mine, and so I followed my heart again. When people began asking me if I could help them independently publish their books, I saw it as another green light in my career, and embraced another exciting new opportunity that I have really grown to love. There is nothing more rewarding than helping my clients birth their book babies into the world.
My passion as a ghostwriter and editor is collaborating with people who have been through life-changing experiences that have reshaped and remoulded them as human beings, and helping them share their message with the world.
I am based in the Western Cape, South Africa, and work with clients all over the world. If you’ve got a book inside you and you’re looking for a professional ghostwriter, I would love to work with you to turn your story into a published legacy.
If your book has already been written and simply requires the polishing of an edit (be it a copy-edit or a substantive edit), I would love to work with you too.
If you’re looking to publish your book, I can help you get your book independently published (in paperback and ebook) and distributed through major book retail platforms across the world, including Amazon.com, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Ingram, Kobo, Tolino, and Overdrive (among others).
So, what are you waiting for? Isn’t it time that you got your book out there?
Please feel free to drop me an email at phillipa@phillipamitchell.com or complete the form below.