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Rachel Rowlands, Editor & Author
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Rachel Rowlands, Editor & Author

welcome

I’m Rachel! I’m a professional editor and an author.

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i’m a writer i’m a reader
  • Rachel Rowlands - Editorial services for authors
  • Editor and author Rachel Rowlands headshot, with wavy blondey-brown hair and a blue flower-print dress

About Rachel

editor

I have nine years of experience working in the publishing industry as a freelance book editor, with 200+ titles under my belt, including bestsellers and award-winners. I’ve worked with the likes of Hachette, HarperCollins, Bloomsbury and Penguin Random House. I love helping writers to shape and refine their stories so they can reach their goals – whether that involves self-publishing or traditional publication.

author

I’m the author of the cat café romance series, published by Hodder & Stoughton. The first book, Snowed In at the Cat Café, has sold in ten territories worldwide and been translated into eight languages. The next few books in the series have also been acquired internationally.

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for writers

Editorial services

Developmental editing

An intense, hands-on story edit to improve and transform your manuscript during revisions.

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Manuscript assessment

A professional analysis to strengthen your manuscript. Intensive and mini options available.

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Copy and line editing

Editing designed to elevate your writing at a sentence level, without sacrificing your voice.

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Submission packages

Submitting to literary agents? I can help with your query letter, opening chapters, or submission package.

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clients

Editorial portfolio

  • The Last Secret of the Soul by Stephen P Smith
  • The Girls Are Good by Ilaria Bernardini
  • Darkness in the Blood by Guy Haley
  • The Book of Martyrs by various authors
  • Three Things About Emmy Crawford by Allison L. Bitz
  • Finding My Own Rhythm by Motsi Mabuse
  • A Wartime Welcome by Rosie Meddon
  • A Chapter on Murder by Sue Minix
  • A Cover for Murder by Sue Minix
  • Only Hard Problems by Jennifer Estep
  • Only Cold Depths by Jennifer Estep
  • The Twin Flame by K.T. Anglehart
  • The Wise One by K.T. Anglehart
  • If Every Day Was Christmas by Donna Ashcroft
  • Winter Wishes in the Scottish Highlands by Donna Ashcroft
  • Guilty Women by Melanie Blake
  • Love at First Knight by Megan Clawson
  • Regally Blonde by Megan Clawson
VIEW my portfolio

Testimonials

what some of my lovely clients say about working with me…
  • Absolutely wonderful

    Rachel is absolutely wonderful! Not only is she professional, thorough, and constructive, but her enthusiasm and the way she presents information with examples is helpful and informative. I’ve learned SO much working with her and look forward to working with her again on future books. She meets her deadlines and is genuinely interested in helping authors grow. She also respects your author voice and is just a nice person to work with in every aspect. Thank you, Rachel!
    Erica easton
    Romance author
  • In capable hands

    You are amazingly thorough. I love your process and your level of detail. And your enthusiasm for the story means everything. THANK YOU so, so much for levelling this manuscript up. I knew it was in capable hands. I don’t feel any anxiety around looking at these edits, and trust me that is an enormous feat.
    The Twin Flame by K.T. Anglehart
    K.T. ANGLEHART
    Author of the Scottish Scrolls series
    Website
  • An injection of energy

    Rachel’s manuscript assessment taught me so much, and unlocked a completely new way of looking at and understanding what did and didn’t work in my manuscript. Her notes were incredibly thorough, thoughtful and detailed, returned in a well-structured document with constructive ideas for fixing the big issues. I felt such an injection of energy after working with her, it has been invaluable for me.
    Rachel Dauncey
    YA author
  • She is simply amazing

    I was blown away by Rachel’s thoughtful and thorough work and there is no doubt that my novel will be incalculably stronger because of Rachel’s feedback. She is simply amazing. If you are a writer in search of professional editing services, you found them. End of search.
    The Ruiner by Wes Cook
    WES COOK
    Author of The Ruiner
    Website
  • You will walk away with great ideas

    Rachel is an excellent editor, and I cannot recommend her services enough! With her developmental guidance, I have been able to transform my early manuscript draft into a much more powerful story. If you are stuck in your writing process, take the plunge and get the leg-up you need from Rachel! She takes her time to provide thoughtful, actionable suggestions, and you will walk away with great ideas and kind words of encouragement to inspire you.
    Linley B.
    Historical fiction author
  • Worth every penny

    Rachel was a wonderful addition to my team and in helping bring my book to life. I would recommend her, especially to new authors who need a helpful hand in cleaning up their work. She was worth every penny. I would hire her again without a doubt.
    Ean S. Mills
    Fantasy author
    Website
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Resources for writers

Need some help with your writing? Every month, I share new writing and publishing advice on my blog. Head on over to the resource library to see an organised collection so you can easily find what you need.

visit the library
on the blog

Latest writing advice

  • Why literary agents reject novels

    Why literary agents reject novels

    February 3, 2026February 3, 2026
  • Is your manuscript ready for a professional assessment?

    Is your manuscript ready for a professional assessment?

    January 27, 2026January 27, 2026
  • 5 pieces of writing advice from Tolkien's life

    5 pieces of writing advice from Tolkien’s life

    December 5, 2025December 8, 2025
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for readers

Explore my books

  • Snowed In at the Cat Cafe
  • Cake Off at the Cat Café
  • First Dates at the Cat Café by Rachel Rowlands
  • The Cat Café Book Club
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Author newsletter

Sign up for book news, updates on my writing, reading recommendations, and occasional cat pictures!

Get in touch

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Member of the Editorial Freelancers Association

🤍❄️ January... frosty walks, snow, and editing my 🤍❄️ January... frosty walks, snow, and editing my next cat café book. Plus lots of editing projects for my lovely author clients. It was a difficult month as we lost our elderly cat, but we came out the other side intact.
I put up a poll asking if you'd like to see some w I put up a poll asking if you'd like to see some writing, editing, and publishing posts informed by my career as an editor and a published author. You all answered with a resounding yes... so here's the first!

Editing can be confusing – lots of writers aren't taught about how it works. The confusion is 100% normal!

It doesn't help that the terminology can be so different (developmental editing is sometimes called structural editing). 

Editing happens in stages, and each stage has a specific focus. These are the three core ones a manuscript goes through before it becomes a published book. 📚🖊

#writersofinstagram #amwri̇ti̇ng #publishing
Rest peacefully, lovely Jesper. The second cat we' Rest peacefully, lovely Jesper. The second cat we've lost in six weeks. 😔 **Please do ignore this and scroll on by you're sensitive to pet loss/pet death**

First, we lost the gorgeous stray my husband bonded with, Chunk, just before Christmas. And now we've had to say goodbye to beautiful Jesper. She was 16 years old and my husband's baby. He got her about 3 months into our relationship. She was a constant in our lives ever since. When my own cat Lily (second photo) became unwell, she lay with her daily and cleaned her. Later, when we brought Haru home, she bonded to a feisty kitten who ended up growing bigger than her. 

But Jesper had become very poorly and we had to let her go this week.

I won't say much more as I believe so many moments in life are precious and should be private and cherished. I will say that, if you didn't know, I based one of the cat café's cats on her – Jess, the one who likes to nuzzle hair when it's freshly shampooed. She did that a lot. She was very sweet and was my husband's shadow. She liked to be carried around on his shoulders and wanted to be around him every second of the day. Her absence is palpable.

She'll be so very missed. ❤️🙏
Snowed In at the Cat Café is now out in eight lang Snowed In at the Cat Café is now out in eight languages and nine territories outside the UK/US 🥹❤️ Look at how lovely all these editions look together! Do you have a favourite cover?

I still remember the absolute whirlwind of selling this book in 2023, right before Christmas, and all the foreign deals that quickly came in after. I don't think it's something I'll ever forget! After enduring seven years of rejection while submitting my work at various stages, the sudden flurry of interest was intense and so exciting! All these editions remind me of how hard I worked to get here and how proud I am of this book! It really changed everything for me as an author. 

I'm so incredibly grateful to have my stories be read so widely, after many years thinking no one was interested in my work at all. What a true gift to be here. 🙏 💕🐱
Earlier this week, I received copies of the Quebec Earlier this week, I received copies of the Quebec French edition of Snowed In at the Cat Café, published by @saintjeanediteur. 🥰 I love the attention to detail on this cover – the slope indicating the café is on a hill, the lamp post outside, the baked goods in the windows! It's so cute and cosy. 

Snowed In is out in eight languages now (and nine territories around the world). I still can't believe it! It's such an enormous honor to have my words translated for readers all over the world. I can’t wait to receive author copies of some of the other translations! ❤️

#snowedinatthecatcafe #catcafeseries

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