Athena Critique Services

Our Mission

Our mission is to build a place where writers can feel comfortable asking questions in our blog and online workshops. We promise to deliver positive and constructive critiques to help writers bring their stories to life. And most important we will always strive to keep our prices reasonable and affordable!

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About Us

Teresa Bodwell lives in Western Montana, where the spirit of the Old West still runs through the mountains, rivers and sweeping plains. That landscape inspires her stories of rugged characters facing untamed country and dangerous villains. Tough heroes and courageous heroines who struggle for survival, for family and for love. Teresa is the author of two western historical novels and a novella in the anthology My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys.

Teresa has degrees from The University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), The University of Oregon and The University of Tennessee. She is also a Girl Scouts of the USA Certified Instructor of Trainers. She has presented fiction writing workshops online and in person on Creating the Yummy Hero and Putting Wings on Your Backstory. Teresa first learned the art of giving positive and supportive comments as a legal writing instructor for first year law students (one of the few groups with egos as fragile as creative writers). After years of teaching writing to law students in the classroom and in the law office, she has honed her skill at fiction critiquing by working with several fantastic critique partners and judging numerous romance writing contests. She loves teaching and views the writing critique as an important teaching tool. Visit Teresa’s website at www.tbodwell.com.

Flo Fitzpatrick is a multi-published author of romantic suspense, paranormal romance and mystery, plus numerous short stories and non-fiction articles. Her 2005 release, Hot Stuff was nominated by RTBookClub for Best Romantic Suspense of that year, and two of Flo’s novels are currently under option for film. She worked for a Literary/Talent Agency in New York as a “first reader”, evaluating manuscripts before passing them on, and has judged contests for various RWA and Sisters in Crime chapters, as well as the RITAS.

As a reader, her favorites are mystery and romantic suspense, contemporary and historical romance, and ghost or time-travel paranormal. (Plus all the Harry Potters which she considers paranormal, mysterious and somewhat romantic!) Flo has a Masters in Theatre Arts, is a performer and a teacher, so has great empathy for anyone dealing with rejection and is the first to cheer loudly for all who have their creative works accepted. Flo’s website is www.flofitzpatrick.com.

Sophia Johnson is a multi-published author of intense medieval romances. Well versed in the medieval period, she supports her research with lengthy trips to Great Britain.

Her Blackthorn Trilogy included: Risk Everything – finaled in the Holt Medallion and Maggie Awards, 2006, and has been translated into German, Spanish and Portuguese. Always Mine – finaled in the Golden Quill and won 2nd place in both the More Than Magic and Beacon Awards, 2007. She recently received word that it has been translated into Portuguese. Midnight’s Bride – due for release in October .

She judges in the RITA, Golden Heart, Beacon and many RWA chapter contests each year. Her home office has an extensive research library as well as a bookcase filled with her favorite authors. She enjoys reading Historical, Paranormal (preferably Time Travel or Ghosts), Contemporary and Espionage stories by Ludlum and Clancy.

After their daughters married, she and her husband moved to north-central Florida and acquired two little dogs. Their long-coat Chihuahua Jamie is their guard dog…he nips friends as well as strangers. Their Papillon Konner wriggles himself silly until Jamie finishes making enemies of their friends then soothes them with doggie kisses-to-go. To learn more about Sophia, visit her at www.sophiajohnson.net.

Our Name

We chose Athena, the goddess of wisdom and mentor to Odysseus, to represent us. Our critique service and workshops are designed to give positive and constructive feedback to help you grow as a writer and bring your work up to today’s highly competitive publishing standards.

In addition, Athena is a warrior. We’ve all been around publishing long enough to know that every writer must be prepared for battle. It’s tough to get an agent’s attention, to find the right editor for your work. Once you’re published the fight continues. Having a great manuscript will help give you an edge as you enter the fray.

So follow Athena’s example. Don your helmet and wield you pen like a sword–the pen is mightier after all!

What Others Say

“As a contest coordinator, I was highly impressed by Ms. Bodwell’s critiques on entries she judged. Her comments were always insightful, constructive, and encouraging, and her assessment of each entry’s strengths and weaknesses were spot-on. One of the best judges I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with!”

—Kristina Cook,
historical romance author

“Flo Fitzpatrick writes with flair and edits with passion. She posesses a writer’s soul and an editor’s eye. No matter which side of the manuscript she is on, Flo has a keen eye for detail and offers not only a in-depth analysis of a manuscript’s overall potential, but she is also knowledgable about the business of writing and publishing. A published author and gifted editor, she offers a wealth of information to those looking to improve their writing skills.”

—Chelle Martin,
published author, creator and Contest Coordinator of the
Clued In Press Contest for Short Mystery Fiction

“Critiques from Teresa Bodwell have been instrumental to my writing success; she has a strong grasp of structure, a warm and encouraging manner, and a great sense of what it takes to make a manuscript saleable.”

—Candy Calvert,
author of The Darcy Cavanaugh Mysteries

“Terry and I began our writing careers at the same time and I can tell you she’s spot-on in her observations and has a knack for knowing the market and what will sell.”

—Angie Fox,
Author of The Accidental Demon Slayer, coming August, 2008.