Jillett Publications

Manuscript Editing

Here is some sample editing from a recent Jillett Publications project. Please bear in mind that, for demonstration purposes, we've chosen a passage that needed some help.

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Sunday October 6, 1996

       I couldn’t believe it, but Hollywood Kryptonite had been at the house all along. I found it at my front door when Duncan and I were bringing in our new exercise machine.  George had told both Gary and I that Eddie Mannix looked like a bulldog and, judging by the picture on the book jacket, he did. The first few chapters verified everything George had told us, including Eddie’s syndicate connection.

       I flipped to a picture of George’s schnauzer, Sam. George reacted. According to George, Toni had Sam kidnapped weeks before his murder. George loved that dog and the picture brought sad and angry tears to both of us.

       As I read the book, I began feeling anxious and very uneasy and didn’t know if As I read, I felt anxious and uneasy, but I couldn’t tell whether these feelings were George’s or mine. I told George I’d love him no matter what the book revealed. George kept saying he was sorry, but I didn’t know about what. I told him he had witnessed all my mistakes and yet he is still with me.

 

Monday October 7, 1996, 2:00 a.m.

       It was two o’clock in the morning and I was stillStill reading the Hollywood Kryptonite book. I could feel George’s pain as I read and at times even felt a sense of embarrassmentfeel embarrassed. Suddenly I stopped reading and closed the book because the part of me that’s George could no longer continue dealing with thoseGeorge closed the book. He said he could no longer deal with those memories any more. It’s like he’s reliving the June 16^th  night all over again. I told him I loved him and none of the information makes any difference between us or ever will. 

       I discovered from the book that there were more similarities between our lives. The first house my husband George Owens and I rented and the one George and Toni bought was were both Cape Cods. Also, tThe backs of the two of each houses faced a hillside. And to top it off, George and I were both registered Republicans.

       Later we had a long session with Gary lasting two hours. He spent most of the time talking with George about his relationships with Toni, Leonore and Helen. The topics of the session abruptly changed when George became upset over losing his dog, the lies about his father and what his birth name really was.        

 

Wednesday October 9, 1996

I finally finished reading Hollywood Kryptonite. I discovered the book’s version of George’s death was somewhat different from what he had revealed to us. George stands by his version of what happened that June night and indicated there were many untruths in the book.

       The acknowledgement Acknowledgements section of the book revealed there was a Super Museum in Metropolis, Illinois. George wants me to go to the museum, talk to Jim Hambrick the curator and find out what he knows about George’s life. If I go, I hope Gary can also gocome along because the trip might confirm what I'd already told him about George.