About the Team at The Book Refinery
Our mission is to help all aspiring authors get their book 'out of their heads and into print' by offering a bespoke service, be it coaching or production.
Alexa and her team have worked on hundreds of books, from business 'how to', to fiction and children's publications. Now, let’s get your book out of your head and into print.
Alexa Whitten — Book coach, typesetter extraordinaire, cover designer & Publisher
There really is no better feeling than holding your finished book in your hands.
I’m Alexa Whitten and I work with ambitious driven people who want to become authors. Helping people on this journey is an honour and when I get feedback such as “you’ve made my dream come true” – well, that is what my purpose is.
My coaching story started over ten years ago when I found myself coaching a great friend to get his book finally finished.
I truly believe everyone has a book inside of them, and if I can help people realise their dream, no matter what form of book that takes, then I’m happy.
I also run Compass-publishing UK, my sister company which helps said writers publish their work.
I co-host The Pen to Published podcast with Alexa Tewkesbury and also frequently appear as a guest on podcasts chatting about all things publishing.
If I’m not at my desk designing books, you’ll find me outdoors climbing mountains or drinking coffee in my local coffee shop.
CoachFoundation recognizes Alexa Whitten as one of the Top 20 Book Coaches for 2022.
Lindsay Corten — Copy editor and proof reader
Lindsay Corten, of Corten Editorial, is an experienced copy-editor and proofreader 
with a real passion for helping independent authors to get their work out there in a polished state.
She has wide-ranging experience of copy-editing and proofreading books, encompassing both fiction and non-fiction. Having done a considerable amount of business and academic copy-editing/proofreading (up to PhD-thesis level), and also having a 20-year career in information technology behind her (latterly as a business analyst and bid writer/manager), she is comfortable with academic, business and technical language, so is more than able to help you to make your non-fiction book shine. Lindsay’s aim in copy-editing/proofreading your book is to make it the best it can be, whilst maintaining your voice and your style (just getting rid of all those unfortunate typos and grammatical errors, amongst other things).
Lindsay loves the variety of her work, and it’s always a good month when she is able to spend some time working on a novel or two in amongst the non-fiction (she definitely has a soft spot for fantasy and sci-fi novels). And – before you ask – yes, you will still find her with her nose in a good book at the end of the day!
Specialist in Non-fiction, business books and editor for the audiobook side of The Book Refinery which runs in conjunction with Nartan Rose Audiobooks.
Alexa Tewkesbury — Copy Editor and Proof Reader
A Professional Member of The Society for Editors and Proofreaders and qualified in ‘Basic Proofreading’ through The Publishing Training Centre, I am a copy editor and proof reader for children's books predominantly, but have been lucky enough to work with many genres, with many years’ experience in providing a highly recommended editorial service to a variety of clients. I am also the author of numerous children’s books. My first, It’s A Boy! (co-written with Steve Legg), won the 2006 UK Christian Book Awards in the children’s category, and in 2016, a film for which I wrote the screenplay, My Month With Mrs Potter from MonkeyDribble Films, won the Driver Award for Best Feature at the Coventry International Film Festival.
I undertake a range of editorial projects, both fiction and non-fiction, and, as a children’s author myself, editing books for children has become a speciality. I appreciate the importance of clearly written text and polished presentation, and I care about the quality of your words as much as you do. My aim is always to help you achieve a professional finish to your writing.
For the past thirteen years or so, I’ve been privileged to work directly with self-publishing authors, as well as with both independent and traditional publishing houses. It’s an absolute pleasure to be part of Alexa Whitten’s editorial team.
Specialist in children's books and co-host of the Pen to Published Podcast.
Laura Cosby — Book Cover Designer
Laura lives in the picturesque High Peak region of the UK, with her husband and their two Golden Retrievers. On leaving art college, she first embarked on a journey in the retail sector, where she excelled as a visual merchandiser, transforming retail spaces into visually appealing environments.
However, it was not long before Laura's curiosity led her to explore the fascinating realm of digital imagery, where the possibilities of creating and manipulating images on a computer seemed boundless.
She discovered a passion for constructing entirely new worlds. Through self-education, she navigated the challenges of trial and error, gradually honing her skills and achieving a level of mastery that fuelled her enthusiasm. She has worked as a part-time book cover designer for over fifteen years. But in 2020, decided to become a full-time, self-employed book cover artist; she has never looked back.
Today, she is an award-winning artist, collaborating with authors and publishers from around the world, and bringing their literary visions to life through her artistic expertise.
Let's work together, today