“Credit goes to Sara Volle, my writing coach and editor. You are the person who made my stories better than I could have imagined. You talked me off the ledge when I wanted to throw in the towel and quit. You are so gifted and such a joy to work with.
To Susan Shankin, my publisher. You had the vision of what and who I am. And what this book could be. You made it beautiful and fun. I do not know how in the world you manage people like me every day and stay sane.
To Tim Kummerow, my illustrator. I could not have imagined working with someone so talented. You understood my crazy vision for these stories. Your illustrations are amazing and have added so much to this book.
To Julie Simpson, my copy editor. There were a couple of times I dreaded having you read my stories. I was scared, but you were positive with your feedback. You gave me hope. I am in awe of your attention to detail and the work you did on this book.”
Stephanie Geller
“You Can’t Make This Sh!t Up: Stories of a Badass Life”
“I am especially thankful to Susan Shankin of Precocity Press for her skills in assembling a beautiful book and completing all necessary publishing details to bring the book to reality. I am most grateful for the team of experts she assembled to add their talents in all the ways necessary to produce my story in its best light.
Likewise, illustrator Tim Kummerow faithfully transformed my ideas into an exciting cover and engaging graphic expressions throughout the book. Based on written or verbal descriptions, and sometimes my own crude sketches, Tim’s artistic renderings reveal exactly what I imagined. His drawings help bring the story alive.
Julie Simpson’s role as copyeditor was executed with excellence. Beyond that, she grew to know my characters and helped me keep their actions and dialogue true to their being. Fictional characters exist to the extent they are believable. She made sure they seemed real. Her assistance was essential in the creation of the final transcript.
To Darcy Hughes for her marketing support and creative work on my website. I especially appreciate her help in developing interest in what I consider to be an important story.”
Richard M Anderson
“Outbound: Islands in the Void”
Awards
Nautilus Award: Silver – Science & Math
Indie Excellence Book Awards: Miscellaneous
Best Book Awards: Finalist – Science
Testimonial for Precocity Press
“I just published a book through Precocity Press, ‘The Evolution of Life: Big Bang to Space Colonies’ and I would like to share my experience. Susan and her team did an outstanding job with proofreading, graphic design and formatting. The end result is a very professional, high-quality book. Throughout the whole experience, I never felt that I had lost control of any aspect of the book’s production. It was truly a collaborative effort.”
Richard Anderson
“The Evolution of Life: Big Bang to Space Colonies”
“Thank you Brenda Lange and particularly Susan Shankin at Precocity Press for the final work and making the book available to all.”
Ming C. Lowe
“MISSISSIPPI BLACKTOP: long road to the blues”
“I am grateful to my publisher Susan Shankin, Precocity Press. Thank you for believing in my book, your creative prowess and beautiful work, and your warmth and support. Thanks to Brenda Lange and Victoria Brock for your diligence in copy editing and proofreading.”
Meri Wallace, LCSW
“The Secret World of Children: Understand Why Your Kids Behave the Way They Do”
Award
Next Generation Indie Book Awards: Winner – Business
Testimonial for Precocity Press
“Susan Shankin created a marvelous cover and interior design that transformed the manuscript into a beautiful and readable book. I appreciate the great job Susan has done.”
John Shen
“Crossing the Swamp: My Path to Innovating as a Parallel Entrepreneur”
“Thank you Susan Shankin, who helped create this book and get it ready for publication.”
John Horton, MD
“Good to Go: Five Understandings to Navigate a Peaceful and Elegant Last Chapter of Life”
“I am grateful to Susan Shankin and Precocity Press for her excellent work on design and interior layout and for working with me to bring this project to completion.”
Dr. Kathy Hodge Dudley
“Bridges: Transforming Communities Together”
“Thanks for the Precocity Press team who guided me along the way. From book coach Sara Volle for keeping me inspired to editor Brenda Lange and Victoria Brock for finding all those typos, to publisher Susan Shankin at Precocity Press for listening to all the rookie questions I had and Darcy Hughes with Dream Book Marketing.”
Dale Wannen
“Don’t Feed the Clowns: Sustainable Investing for Everyday Life”
“Thanks to everyone who helped me produce this book at light speed: Susan Shankin for design and publishing, Deborah Steinberg for developmental editing, and Julie Simpson for copyediting.”
Christiane zu Salm
“In My Own Last Words: Insights Shared by the Dying”
“If you are looking for a publisher for your book, you should consider Susan Shankin, of Precocity Press. She has just published my book and I couldn’t be happier with the results. She knows what she is doing. Her work is meticulous, creative, and beautiful. We have had an excellent working relationship on zoom, but she was also always available by telephone. She was easy to talk to, listened to what I had to say, and was supportive of my project.”
Alice Cunningham
“ABDUCTED: My Struggle to Remember”
“Susan Shankin is straight-forward, trustworthy and responsible. She was clear about financial commitments, timing of project, marketing and was communicative about unexpected changes to original expectations. These are wonderful attributes in a Publisher.”
Linda Modaro and Nelly Kaufer
“Reflective Meditation: Cultivating Kindness and Curiosity in the Buddha’s Company”
“Susan Shankin was a joy to work with. Her publishing company, Precocity Press was instrumental in bringing my very first book, ‘US: The Resurrection of American Terror’ to the public’s attention.
Susan brought an undeniable passion and skill to her work. She has an uncanny eye for what works and what doesn’t when it comes to design. Every step along the way I had the sense that Susan’s goal was to make the writer shine. I appreciated her professionalism combined with a deep sense of care and respect not only for what I wrote but equally for who I was as a person.”
Kenneth W. Wheeler
“US: The Resurrection of American Terror”
Awards
Best Book Awards: Finalist: Health: Psychology & Mental Health
Living Now Book Award: Silver: metaphysical/exploring consciousness
Nautilus Award: Silver: Body ~ Mind ~ Spirit Practices
Next Generation Indie Book Awards: Finalist – New Age
Indie Excellence Book Awards: Finalist: Activity Books: Adult
Testimonial for Precocity Press
“Being a new author, navigating the difficult avenues of publishing my book was daunting. But Susan Shankin of Precocity Press made it easy and rewarding. She worked with me on every step of the process, and what a genius she is! She designed the book cover, laid out the pages, supervised edits and reedits and worked with me intensely on structural changes that made the book a better reflection of what I had to say. People tell me that they love the look of the book, and that is because of Susan. My book is up and running and successful because I trusted Susan Shankin and Precocity Press.”
Walter Berry
“Drawn into the Dream”
“Regarding ‘The Adventure of Sockboy’ series. I had no idea of the method involved or what to expect. I had worked so hard writing and painting and I was walking into this final phase with great uncertainty. I found the process to not only be very thorough but at times even fun. Through the Zoom meetings, I could see the refinement of my books flower into well-polished works. Both Susan Shankin and editor Lorraine Wadman told me right from the beginning that I as the author had final say and put all my worries at ease. We didn’t change much, and the changes were subtle but effective enough to bring the full meaning of my work to light. They also told me the reasoning behind their advice instead of just saying do it like this. I was informed at every step of what was happening and never had to wonder what was going on. I found the experience so agreeable that I went through them for my second book and will also for my third. I’m very grateful.”
Karl Cottle
“The Adventure of Sockboy,” “Sockboy: The Halloween Special” and “Sockboy in Space”
Awards
USA Best News Award: Health – Psychology & Mental – Finalist
Nautilus Book Awards: Silver – Gift & Specialty
Living Now Book Award: Gold: Metaphysical/Exploring Consciousness
Next Generation Indie Book Awards: Gold – New Age
Testimonial for Precocity Press
“Susan Shankin is brilliant and a joy to work with. As an art director, she aligned her vision and expertise with my book so that it came fully to life on the page. This was a complicated project: Susan worked with great diligence, passion and inspiration to seamlessly interweave images with the text. The synergy was magical and the book is truly beautiful. Even people who have read the manuscript are stunned by the richness of the book. I am so grateful to Susan for her genius and the love she pours into her work.”
Lauren Schneider
“Tarot: It’s All in the Cards”
“I love working with Susan and Lorraine! Their support has made the publishing experience feel doable and fun. They break down the process step-by-step and ensure a quality end product. With their help, I have published two books!”
Nishi Singhal
“A Friendship Story: Heart & Mind and Heart” and “Heart & Mind: Meet a New Friend”
“From start to finish, Susan was highly professional and a joy to work with. She helped us with the design, co-edited the manuscript with her editor.”
Margie Gayle
“My Love Is for Always: Profound Little Messages to Grow a Resilient Child” and “The Secret to Loving Yourself”
“My book won two prestigious awards and became an Amazon bestseller in six countries. We have all heard the statement, ‘You can’t judge a book by its cover.’ There is some truth to that statement. However, the cover is extremely important. It is what makes a first impression on the buyer. The cover is critical to the buyer looking inside. Once the buyer gets inside, the layout of the book must be ‘reader-friendly.’ It must be easy to read and understand. Susan Shankin is superb at what she does. She talked with me to understand the vision I was trying to communicate. She then did the design work to attract the buyer to the book. Susan’s work was a major contributor to the success of my award-winning, best-selling book. I had no idea of the complexity of effort necessary to take the content of the book I had written and turn it into a finished published product. I am so grateful that I contacted Susan Shankin to provide the design services and production of my book. Susan had the combination of expertise, skill, and personality to help me avoid a variety of problems. Her cover design of the book is powerful and effective. More importantly, Susan paid attention to my vision for how I wanted the pages laid out. She balanced the reality of publishing constraints and my sometimes, outrageous ideas! The end result is a book that is striking both inside and out. Susan’s hard work and final touches have produced a book for which I am very proud.”
Bill Blokker, Ed.D
“Achieve Beyond Expectations: Master the 5 Intangibles to Make the Impossible, Possible!”
“A friend recommended Susan Shankin to help me finish and publish my first book, “The Making of Mr. Mac,” a memoir. I was unfamiliar with the publishing world. I will always be grateful for her sound and steady advice because she listened carefully to understand my original concept of the book and was ultimately creative with her own outstanding contributions to the look and its overall feel from cover to cover. She possessed a positive, cheerful, optimism—a part of her nature which is so helpful to the creative process which can be daunting. Whether this is your first time or you a seasoned author, Susan Shankin of Precocity Press will be professional and highly effective in making the publishing process easier and more successful. I couldn’t be happier with this highly skilled professional.”
James Maechling
“The Making of Mr. Mac”
“Susan is amazing to work with. She completed her design and publishing tasks within schedule and patiently guided me through the publishing process with encouragement and inspiration. ‘Song of a Lotus Leaf’ is my first book. I was nervous at first but then absolutely thrilled when Susan showed me the final draft via Zoom. My Word document had become the beautiful book I had dreamed about for a long time! I highly recommend Susan and Precocity Press. You will not be disappointed!”
Dawn Li
“Song of a Lotus Leaf”
“I am so glad that my debut children’s book was in the helpful hands of Precocity Press. Susan’s full-scope guidance and expertise, from preliminary conversations about concepts to tiny details in the production process, were invaluable to me as a first-time author. Thank you, Precocity Press!”
Jeff Goodman
“Feel Like Eggs?”
Awards
Indie Excellence Book Awards: Winner Business – Motivational
USA Best News Award: Finalist Business – Personal Finance/Investing
New York Book Festival: Honorable Mention – Business
Next Generation Indie Book Awards®: Finalist – Business
Testimonial for Precocity Press
“Working with Susan was an extraordinary experience—and I have worked with her twice. Susan’s expertise in helping authors develop a rough first draft manuscript into an award-winning book were evident right from our first meeting. Her exceptional design work went far beyond my expectations. I highly recommend Susan to any writer with a dream to publish a book.”
James E. Demmert
“The Journey to Wealth” and “The Sustainable Endowment”
“On my book project, Susan was an inspiration, wise counsel, and talented designer. I feel blessed by all of it. Thank you for your support of ‘Save Our Democracy.'”
Sakada
“Save Our Democracy”
Awards
Nautilus Book Awards: Silver Medal – Psychology
USA Best Book Awards: Finalist
Testimonial for Precocity Press
“Launching your book into the world is like birthing a baby. I would not trust that precious task to just anyone! Susan is experienced, connected, kind, honest and brings a unique eye to book design, marketing, and sales. My book wouldn’t be what it is without her guidance and support, I can’t recommend her highly enough!”
Lauren Polly
“The Other Side of Bipolar”
“I enthusiastically endorse Susan Shankin’s creative talents! Her cover art for my book and interior layout were striking and unique, enhanced interest in it, and stimulated many admiring comments from readers. Her imaginative artistry and design inventions are exceeded only by her caring interest in seeing that her clients succeed.”
Jack Schramm
“Passionate Purpose: A Global Governance Journey”
“Susan Shankin was a great partner all along the process of making my novel ‘One Woman Three Men’ reach the US market. She understood me as a writer, and carefully took me through the different steps in the process with great competence and kindness. Her focus is to advise you how to make the manuscript become the best book. And once you agree on the different elements, she makes it happen. Susan even found me a Hollywood agent. All in all, she is very professional and great to work with.”
Pouline Middleton
“One Woman Three Men: A Novel About Modern Love and Sex”
“Publishing a book means expressing your thoughts related to ideas you care about for the benefit of others. Visual qualities, readability and understandability are what a book reader enjoys. I am about to publish my fourth book with Susan. Her creative talents regarding design and illustration have helped me publish three beautiful books. If you are an author, she is an exceptional professional who can help you get your message out effectively.”
John M. Poothullil
“Eat, Chew, Live; Diabetes: The Real Cause and the Right Cure; Surviving Cancer, and When Your Child Has Cancer”
Awards
USA Best Book Award: Finalist Business – Management & Leadership
Beverly Hills Award: Winner Business Entrepreneurship & Small Business
Barnes & Noble Book Seller Recommended Business Books
Testimonial for Precocity Press
“I knew I wanted to write a book to promote my company, Lead with Purpose. I wrote a first draft and it became clear I needed professional assistance from an experienced editor and book designer. What a relief when I found Susan, whose knowledge of all aspects of book publishing was impressive. She was an incredible partner throughout the entire experience—attentive to my needs, available when I needed to talk, and committed to producing a quality book.”
Marc Koehler
“Leading with Purpose”
Awards
Independent Publishers Award (IPPY): Silver LGBTQ
Los Angeles Book Festival Award: Honorable mention Biography/Autobiography
Best Book Awards Winner: LGBTQ+ Nonfiction
Living Now Book Award Gold: Memoir
Indie Excellence Book Awards: LGBTQIA Nonfiction
Testimonial for Precocity Press
“Sara Volle, writing coach, has been absolutely wonderful throughout this process and I am grateful for her help throughout this project.”
Cedrick Bridgeforth
“Alabama Grandson”
“Thank you to Susan Shankin and Rick Benzel from Precocity Press for their many hours of manuscript review, layout, and helpful suggestions.”
Hubert Venenman
“Stefan Heym: A Critical Analysis Of His Autobiography And Circle Of Acquaintances”
