WRITING, EDITING AND NURTURING
Cindy Casey is an independent book editor and publisher, beginning this second career in 2020 after 43 years in newspapers, magazines and specialty publications.
She finished her journalism career at The Daytona Beach News-Journal, after 13 years as editor for the Community News, Features and Special Publications departments.
The first 20 years of her career was spent in New York and Ohio where she earned state newspaper association and AP awards for feature and column writing, and news and sports photography. She worked for both large and small newspapers … from the Syracuse (NY) Post Standard to the Cleveland (OH) Plain Dealer to smaller papers like the Ashtabula (OH) Star Beacon and the Hornell (NY) Evening Tribune.
Prior to the News-Journal, she spent 10 years in nonprofit association work, managing the Publications Department for APCO International, a worldwide organization located in Daytona Beach that supports police, fire and emergency dispatching. Under Cindy, APCO’s monthly magazine won several Charlie Awards from the Florida Magazine Association for overall writing, design and show issue.
Her department also was responsible for editing, designing and publishing technical books dealing with spectrum, frequency coordination and 9-1-1 dispatcher training.
Today, she works with authors around the country, writing in genres from memoirs and business-type nonfiction to mysteries, science-fiction, children's picture books and short story collections.
Cindy is a member of the Florida Authors & Publishers Association and the Independent Book Publishers Association.
Little Things Make an Editor's Day
Awards and success are nice ... I won’t kid you ... both have done a lot to bolster my confidence and ego. But my most gratifying accomplishments have come as an editor.
I loved watching a young staff writer earn her first writing award; or my sports editor find the courage to reach for a position with the Associated Press; or a brand new reporter receive his first "attaboy" from the publisher.
Being an editor comes with its own rewards. My favorite was a Christmas gift from a staff writer. It was a small stuffed teddy bear with a tag that read, “When being the boss becomes unbearable, hug a bear.”
Twenty-five years later, I still have that teddy bear.