Testimonials

"TJ is an incredible editor. He has an unerring sense for what will and won't work. He is willing to follow you into the weeds as a writer, and he'll always find a way to lead you out of them. He's also infuriatingly well-read, and will find connections between your manuscript and other relevant work that will make your book stronger. I can't imagine having written either of my books without his patient and thoughtful input, and I will carry what I learned from him for the rest of my writing career."

—Adam Becker, author of More Everything Forever and What Is Real?

"TJ, you are unique in the universe. You are a scientist in editor's clothes, able to think like a scientist and like an editor simultaneously. You can see the bones of book, even when they are beneath layers of what, well, something else less pleasant. You can go through a book quickly and see where things should be. You have made my books so much better. You have made so many books so much better. And you do it by seeing truths, revealing truths and playing with ideas. Maybe there are/were other editors like you, but if so, they were from another century. THANK YOU for all you have done."

—Rob Dunn, author of The Call of the Honeyguide, A Natural History of the Future, Never Home Alone and more

"Thanks to Thomas Kelleher, who saw the value of my proposal, nourished its sturcture as the book's editor, then midwife this book's birth." 

—Melvin Gibbs, author of How Black Music Took Over the World

"Working with TJ was a delight. Throughout the highs and lows of writing he was thoughtful sounding board and trusted partner. He was always willing to dig into ideas with me—with our sessions often going much longer than planned as we spontaneously explored possibilities together. He helped me stay true to my voice while navigating the complexities of the publishing world, and I would recommend him without hesitation."

—Kelsey Johnson, author of Into the Unknown    

“T.J. was an invaluable partner on my latest book project. His insights helped me craft a powerful proposal, resulting in offers from several top-tier literary agencies. Beyond his structural guidance on the book's argument and narrative arc, his meticulous line editing helped me produce a work I am truly proud of—one that went to auction and secured a substantial royalty advance from a Big-Five publisher. When I began my next project, T.J. was the first call I made.”

—Robert Lanza, author of the Biocentrism trilogy     

"I worked with TJ when he was at Basic Books – he was the acquisition editor for my biography, The Last Man Who Knew Everything: The Life and Times of Enrico Fermi, Father of the Nuclear Age (2017.) Because I was an untested author, TJ asked to see each chapter as it was finished and worked with me closely as the book took shape. When I submitted a final manuscript that was 40,000 words over what had been contracted, he provided a 20-page roadmap for me to reduce it to manageable proportions while making the book structurally stronger and more commercial. He has deep substantive knowledge, but also a fine eye for how to tell a cracking good story. It was a delight working with him, and I would recommend him without reservation to anyone seeking advice on a book project, whether it be developing an idea into a proposal, developing a book in progress, line-editing a finished manuscript, or anything else relating to the writing/publishing process. He is, quite simply, the best. And a great human being."

—David N. Schwartz, author of The Last Man Who Knew Everything

David N. Schwartz