James R. Coggins

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Praise from J.C. Di Musto MD, author of Cat Purple in Grosse Pointe

Editor

James R. Coggins is a skilled editor with 25 years of professional experience, excelling at producing clear, concise copy. He was an award-winning editor with the Mennonite Brethren Herald for 19 years. He is a member of the Editors’ Association of Canada and ChiLibris and spends a lot of his time as a freelance editor, specializing in substantive editing and copyediting of book manuscripts on a contract basis. He has experience editing both fiction and non-fiction, at the academic and popular levels.

Other editing services include

  • manuscript evaluations
  • editing of academic theses
  • evaluation and editing of shorter pieces – articles, short stories, etc.
  • proofreading
  • ghost writing, writing promotional pieces, letters, etc.
  • polished translations of some written work from French (and Latin) into English.

James R. Coggins’s book editing projects began with Robert N. Thompson’s From the Marketplace (Trinity College Press, 1979). Some of his more recent editing projects are:

Being the Church in Abbotsford cover

Ron Dart, David Giesbrecht, J.H. Hans Kouwenberg and J. Christoph Reiners, eds., Being the Church in Abbotsford: Reflective Essays

The Fraser Valley has often been described as “the Bible Belt” of British Columbia, and the city of Abbotsford as “the buckle of the Bible Belt.” The terms have frequently been used to present a simplistic and negative caricature of the city. The eleven essays in Being the Church in Abbotsford show a more complex, multi-layered view of Abbotsford, highlighting topics such as inter-church engagement; spiritual care in the hospital; the need for interfaith dialogue; faith and social concern; faith and the arts; faith and education; faith and business; and faith and politics. In some senses, the book can be seen as a sequel to The Church in the Heart of the Valley: 1892–1992 (edited by A.J. Klassen, 1992), but it attempts to reflect more profoundly on the reality of the city. Dr. Jonathan S. Raymond has called it “a must read for those interested in the future of our cities and towns and the collective contribution of their faith communities.”

The Best Is Yet To Be cover

Vern Heidebrecht, The Best Is Yet To Be

Mill Lake Books

Vern Heidebrecht is a highly successful Christian minister whose pastorates have been marked by long terms and remarkable church growth. His career culminated in him coming to his home town of Abbotsford, B.C., where he helped Northview Community Church grow into one of the largest churches in Canada. What is surprising about this autobiography is that it is not a listing of his achievements but a frank description of his struggles, as well as what God taught him along the way. Brian Stiller, Global Ambassador, World Evangelical Alliance says, “Vern Heidebrecht’s autobiography is a marvelous presentation of the Christian theology which shaped and transformed his life.” Other readers have described the “warm, evocative story-telling” of someone through whose life “we are and being pointed heavenward.”

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David Collins, Out of the Box: Moving from Religion to Intimacy with God

Paradigm Ministries

Out of the Box is based on a simple assumption: The knowledge of God is vast and largely undiscovered. There are immense oceans of truth still waiting to be found. Mark Buchanan, author of Your Church Is Too Safe, says, “David can console and startle in equal measure, sometimes in the same sentence. If you’re looking for a collection of bland platitudes, choose another book. If you could use a jar of spiritual hot chili peppers, you’re holding it.” Darrow Miller, co-founder of the Disciple Nations Alliance, adds, “David’s new book will challenge you to reflect more deeply and think more widely. It is a wonderful encouragement for each of us to face our hard days with a fresh spirit.”

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Linda Settles, Redeeming Our Treasures: Finding Joy in the Shadows of an Abusive Past

Edict House Publishing Group

This book is constructed around the story of a woman who spent twenty-eight years imprisoned by her father’s violence and depravity. Settles examines the questions often asked by those who have suffered abuse: If God is all powerful and all loving, why did he not intervene for me? Was I responsible for the abuse? Why did I stay for twenty-eight years? What could I have done differently? Redeeming Our Treasures takes readers back to the origin of their pain and teaches them to mine for treasures buried beneath the rubble of traumatic memories and broken dreams. The author has worked with therapists and other survivors to produce a book that is powerful in its message and empathetic in its approach to this sensitive subject.

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Joy D. McCullough, Kingdom Living in Your Classroom

Purposeful Design Publications

From the big picture of worldview to the detail of classroom procedures, this book is a guide to help teachers incorporate kingdom living into every part of their life and profession. This book provides valuable insights and practical tips on how to model Christlikeness for students, parents and others in the school community.

The Incredible Dream cover

Harry Schmidt, The Incredible Dream

As a boy, Harry Schmidt could not have been expected to accomplish much. Born to an impoverished immigrant farm family, he had no money, little education and a serious speech impediment. All he could do is dream. But he took the first job he could get, one thing led to another, and his dreams became reality. He became a successful building contractor in Canada and now travels the world using his acquired wealth to build children’s shelters. More than a biography, this book asks probing questions: Why do the poor have to remain poor? Why do some people succeed while others fail?

Diets Make You Fat: Eating Makes You Skinny cover

Dr. Rafael Bolio, Diets Make You Fat: Eating Makes You Skinny

“Many years ago, when parents were trying to make their children gain weight, being overweight was quite unusual. Now that everyone is trying to lose weight, the number of people with excess weight is on the rise.” A specialist in internal medicine, Dr. Bolio made the remarkable discovery that weight-loss diets often upset metabolic balance and lead to the accumulation of excess body fat. This propelled him to the leadership of a nationwide program to combat obesity in Mexico and made him an internationally recognized expert on the subject. This book is an English translation of his best-selling book in Spanish. Learn how to lose weight by eating well!

A longer list of book projects is available on request.

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