Award-winning author of women’s fiction and founder of Chrysalis Editorial
Herta Feely | Author & Storyteller
Herta Feely is the award-winning author of Saving Phoebe Murrow (2016), a gripping debut published in the US and UK that examines the dark undercurrents of social media and modern parenting. Her upcoming novel, Strange Shape of Love (September 2025), continues her exploration of digital culture’s influence on our most intimate relationships. Her short stories and memoirs have appeared in The Sun, The Potomac Review, Big Muddy, and other literary journals and anthologies, including Enhanced Gravity and She Can Find Her Way.
Her personal essay, “The Wall,” a poignant reflection on immigration, received the American Independent Writer’s Award for Best Published Essay. Herta is the recipient of fellowships from both the James Jones Literary Society and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. She also co-edited the anthology Confessions: Fact or Fiction?, which investigates the blurred lines between truth and imagination in memoir and fiction.
Born in Yugoslavia, raised in Germany, and immigrating to the United States at age seven, Herta brings a global perspective and deep empathy to both her storytelling and editorial work. Her passion for cultural identity, social issues, and emotional truth infuses every project she takes on.
When she’s not immersed in words, Herta can be found nurturing orchids, chasing butterflies, or planning her next journey abroad. She lives in Washington, DC, with her husband.
Herta loves connecting with readers and welcomes opportunities to speak at book clubs, literary salons, and author events—whether in person or virtually. If your group is reading one of her books or you're planning an event, she encourages you to reach out and start the conversation.
Herta Feely | Editor, Coach & Publishing Guide
As the founder of Chrysalis Editorial, Herta has spent nearly two decades guiding authors through the often messy, always meaningful process of shaping a book. She works as a developmental editor, writing coach, and ghostwriter, specializing in memoir and fiction with emotional and cultural depth. Her editorial approach is both strategic and compassionate, balancing rigorous structure with the author’s authentic voice.
Before founding Chrysalis in 2007, Herta worked as a reporter, press secretary, public relations consultant, and co-founder of the National Safe Kids Campaign (now Safe Kids Worldwide). She holds a BA in Latin American History and a graduate degree in journalism from UC Berkeley, along with a Master of Arts in Writing from Johns Hopkins University.
Writers who work with Herta appreciate her editorial precision, international worldview, and passion for helping authors tell their stories with clarity and heart. She especially enjoys collaborating with writers who are immigrants, expatriates, or exploring life across borders.
Whether you're refining a manuscript, exploring your publishing path, or just beginning to tell your story, Herta offers the tools and insight to help your work take flight.
A small sampling of a few favorite books: Never Let Me Go, Station Eleven, Lolita, To Kill a Mockingbird, My Life as a Colombian Revolutionary, American Dirt, Our House, Bad Blood, The 23rd Hero, The Art Thief
