Jordan Ray Interview

To celebrate Jordan Ray becoming Gurt Dog Press’s Junior Editor we asked her some questions about editing and her favourite projects.

1. What drew you to editing as a career?

I wanted to pursue a career in editing because I loved helping people make their stories the best they can be. I specifically work with queer authors because it is a dream of mine to help bring as many queer stories as I can into the world. I also find editing really satisfying. In my own writing, I find the editing stage the most fun because I get to watch my story improve and grow. When I was getting my undergraduate degree in English and Gender Studies, I often peer edited essays and short stories and I always enjoyed giving suggestions and talking through ideas with folks. So, when I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do after I graduated, I decided to look into internships with publishing companies to see if editing was the right fit for me!

2. Why do you feel it’s important to focus on working with queer stories and their authors?

As a queer person myself, my goal as I mentioned before, is to bring as many queer stories into the world as I possibly can. I remember in high school feeling really desperate for genre fiction about queer people that wasn’t about getting kicked out or conversion therapy (not that those stories aren’t important but when they are the only stories it is an issue) that I turned to fan fiction for fun queer stories until after I graduated college where I discovered that there were a ton of fantastic queer books coming out and I knew I wanted to be part of this new trend. I was so lucky to find Gurt Dog because they publish such fun (and creepy) queer fiction from really cool queer authors and I love that I can work with these authors! I love feeling like I’m even a small part of this new trend towards diversity in publishing. Baby me would have been very proud.

3. What have been some of your favourite projects so far?

There have been so many fun projects! I loved working with Nem on The Sapphire Deep–that was such a fun 80s slasher horror novel. I loved the main characters in that book. Duncan was sooooo swoon worthy, I’ll admit I have a soft spot for buff motorcycle riding women! I also had a great time editing the short stories in Folk Tales from the Hinterlands. Each story was so different and unique! I think people are really going to enjoy that collection. I, of course, have a soft spot for A Cure for Humanity because it was my first novel I edited for Gurt Dog! It was such an amazing experience. But really, I’ve loved every book I’ve edited for Gurt Dog! It’s been an honor to work with you all.

4. Any projects you are looking forward to next year?

Yes! I am so unbelievably excited to work on Anna Kirchner’s sequel to Little Black Bird, Tall White Tenement! I was a huge fan of Little Black Bird before I started working for Gurt Dog and I am so honored I now get to work on the second book. I’m also a big fan of Anna’s and have been following her on instagram since I started my instagram–can you tell I’m fangirling a little bit? As a fellow asexual, Little Black Bird has a really special place in my heart. I felt so seen by that book and I remember wanting to hug it after I was done with it. I feel like this will be a big step in my ace self-acceptance journey to help with a book that is so huge in the community! I can’t wait!

5. What are some of your favourite indie queer books?

So many! Little Black Bird by Anna Kirchner (duh), The Sapphire Deep by Nem Rowan (also duh), Our Bloody Pearl by D N Bryn, Peter Darling by Austin Chant (aka SA Chant), Shepherd of Souls by Liv Savell and Sterling D’Este, Oak King Holly King by Sebastian Nothwell, Villainous by Lou Wilham, and There’s Magic Between Us by Jillian Maria (just to name a few)!

Thank you Jordan! We couldn’t be more thrilled to have you as a permanent part of our team!