ONLINE: The 2021 CWW is now an Online Conference to keep everyone safe, on July 9-10, 2021. There is much more to say about this, but immediately you should understand 1) Online events are easy and awesome, and the online events we’ve done thus far have received wonderful feedback, 2) You do not have to be tech-savvy to do this, and 3) We are keeping all aspects of a traditional in-person event, including one-on-one agent & editor pitching, which will now be done by Skype or Zoom or phone. Learn all details about what it means to have a writers conference online.)
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Tara Bailey is the founder and CEO of Bailey Publishing House.
Tara founded Bailey Publishing House, LLC in 2016. She serves as Chief Executive Officer and Senior Editor.
At the 2021 online Colorado Writing Workshop, Tara is meeting with writers for add-on manuscript critiques.
Tara is a ghostwriter and author of Dracula of the West Side and Number Seven (2018). She’s the author of the dark comedy play, “Deadbeat” (2017). The play premiered on May 21, 2018 at the Pittsburgh Playwrights Theater, downtown Pittsburgh. The production was produced by Wali Jamal Abdullah and directed by Kim El.
She was the featured speaker at the Celebration of Reading in June 2017 and Pittsburgh’s Write On: Black Book Expo in November 2017. Along with speaking at book festivals, BPH hosts an annual writers workshop. She’s been a featured guest on WAMO 100 radio programs and Soul Pitt Quarterly wrote an article about her company in Summer 2017 edition. In addition to her commitment to BPH, she is also Editor-in-Chief for a personal care home monthly magazine in Pennsylvania.
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Heather Chavez is a graduate of the University of California Berkeley’s English literature program and has worked as a newspaper reporter, editor, and contributor to mystery and television blogs.
She lives with her family in Santa Rosa, California, and is at work on her second novel.
At the online 2021 CWW, she is providing manuscript critiques as an add-on for attendees.
Her debut thriller NO BAD DEED was published by William Morrow in 2020. Rights have also been sold in the UK, Germany, France, Holland, Croatia, and the Czech Republic.
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Julie Eshbaugh is a published author of young adult fiction. At the 2021 online CWW, she is offering manuscript critiques as an add-on element for attendees.
Julie lives with her husband and fur babies in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Early on, Julie focused her artistic energies on filmmaking and online video. She made two short films and spent several years producing a web series for teens that became an early YouTube hit and received several honors from the Webby Awards.
Julie’s new YA fantasy, Crown of Oblivion, was released by HarperTeen on November 12, 2019. She is also the author of Ivory and Bone, (HarperTeen 2016,) and its sequel, Obsidian and Stars, (HarperTeen 2017.) Find all her books here.
Julie is a member of the group writing blog Pub(lishing) Crawl.
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Latoya C. Smith is a literary agent with LCS Literary.
At the 2021 workshop, Latoya is teaching a class, and also meeting with writers for one-on-one pitches.
In fiction, she seeks high-concept women’s fiction; high-concept mystery, thriller and horror, romance (contemporary, romantic suspense, cowboys, historical, LGBTQ, paranormal, sweet), comedy / romantic comedy, and young adult (no SF/F). In nonfiction, she is strictly seeking platform and market-based books in the areas of memoir, how to, advice, relationships, health, wellness, politics, current events, history, sports, pop culture, and business.
“Having worked for corporate New York publishing houses, independent and boutique presses, and with self-published authors, I have a well-rounded knowledge of book publishing with a core network of relationships with authors, literary agents, and other publishing professionals. I graduated Cum Laude from Temple University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in African American Studies. I have been featured in Publishers Weekly, Forbes, and USA Today, as well as on various author, book conference, and book blogger websites. I am the winner of the 2012 RWA Golden Apple Award for Editor of the Year, the 2017 RWA Golden Apple Award for Agent of the Year, and the 2017 Literary Jewels Award for Editor of the Year. In early 2014, I appeared on CSpan2 where I contributed to a panel discussing the state of book publishing.”
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Eve Porinchak is an author, as well as a former literary agent.
At the 2021 online Colorado workshop, Eve is teaching a class, and offering critiques for attendees.
Since earning degrees in Biology and Psychology from UCLA, Eve has lived all over the planet and spent much of her time in and out of jail – as a creative writing teacher for teen inmates. A former agent with Jill Corcoran Literary Agency, Eve also attended medical school, served as a social worker with foster youth and homeless populations, and taught everything from first grade to college courses.
Eve writes stories featuring youth she feels have been underrepresented in children’s literature, such as those born into gang life, the abandoned, and the incarcerated who – ironically – have the most fascinating tales to tell. Her first book, the critically acclaimed ONE CUT – a haunting nonfiction story with a juvenile justice bent – launched Simon and Schuster’s new young adult true crime line, Simon True.
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Chuck Sambuchino (@chucksambuchino) is a freelance editor, best-selling book author, and former longtime staffer for Writer’s Digest Books. For many years he edited the GUIDE TO LITERARY AGENTS and the CHILDREN’S WRITER’S & ILLUSTRATOR’S MARKET.
Chuck is the head of Writing Day Workshops. At the 2021 Colorado conference, he is teaching a course.
His Guide to Literary Agents Blog was one of the largest blogs in publishing, and he wrote the platform guidebook CREATE YOUR WRITER PLATFORM. His humor book, HOW TO SURVIVE A GARDEN GNOME ATTACK, was optioned by Sony Pictures. Chuck’s books have been mentioned in Reader’s Digest, USA Today, the New York Times, The Huffington Post, Variety, New York Magazine, Buzzfeed, Mental Floss,New York magazine, and many more media outlets. He is a successful freelance editor of queries, synopses, and manuscripts—seeing dozens of clients get agents or book deals following his consultations/edits. He loves meeting new writers.
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Brian A. Klems (@BrianKlems) is the former online editor of WritersDigest.com.
He is the co-coordinator of the 2021 Colorado Writing Workshop. At the event, he is teaching a class, and offering query critiques as an add-on element for writers.
His blog during his tenure there, The Writer’s Dig—which covered everything writing and publishing—was one of the largest blogs in the writing community.
Brian’s first book, Oh Boy, You’re Having a Girl: A Dad’s Guide to Raising Daughters (Adams Media) was released in 2013. It received high-level buzz and praise from some of the funniest writers alive, including Dave Barry and Bruce Cameron. Brian is also a proud graduate of the Ohio University E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, a husband, softball infielder, perennial fantasy sports underachiever, and father of three lovely little girls.
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Kaitlyn Johnson is a literary agent with Belcastro Agency. At the 2021 online MN workshop, she is teaching a class, and meeting with writers for one-on-one virtual pitches.
After receiving a BA in Writing, Literature, and Publishing from Emerson College, Kaitlyn refused to leave the concept of nightly homework behind. A literary agent for Belcastro Literary Agency, she is also a freelance editor at her own company, Strictly Textual. Kaitlyn started her literary journey as a copyeditor for academic publisher codeMantra, a YA editor for Accent Press, a Conference Assistant for GrubStreet, Boston, and has been agenting since 2016. She has written various articles for Writer’s Digest and has had a flash fiction story published in the anthology A Box of Stars Beneath the Bed.
Some of Kaitlyn’s favorite books: Cornelia Funke (Inkheart series); Michael Buckley (Undertow series); John Green (more Looking for Alaska, less An Abundance of Katherines); Gayle Forman (Just One Year and Just One Day); Lois Lowry (The Giver series); Scott O’Dell (Island of the Blue Dolphins). Her favorite tv shows are Doctor Who, Buffy, Supernatural, Firefly, basically the nerdier the fandom the better.
Twitter @RedPenKaitlyn
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Leticia Gomez is a literary agent and the founder of Saavy Literary.
At the 2021 online Colorado workshop, Leticia is teaching a class, and meeting with writers for one-on-one virtual pitches.
Leticia has been working in the publishing industry for more than two decades. During this span of time, she has published her own newspaper, authored and published three books, edited numerous fiction and nonfiction manuscripts written in both English and Spanish that have gone on to publication. Thus far in her career as a literary agent she has placed close to 200 books with independent and mainstream traditional publishers.
At the present time, Savvy Literary Agency is interested in reviewing compelling and commercially viable book proposals and manuscripts written in English or Spanish in the following genres:
Fiction: Adventure, Chick-lit, Fantasy, Historical, Humor, Multi-cultural, Mystery, Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult and Middle-grade.
Nonfiction: Advice/Relationships, Biography, Cooking, Diet, Health, History/Politics/Current Affairs, How-to, Humor, Lifestyle, Memoir, Parenting, Religion/Spirituality and True Crime.
The Savvy Literary Agency is not interested in representing projects in the following genres: Children’s Picture Books, Horror, Erotica, Poetry, Short Story Collections, and Graphic Novels
In January of 2007, she launched Savvy Literary, becoming one of a highly select group of agencies in the world that specializes in the Latino book market and offers literary representation in English and Spanish. Since its inception, the agency’s prime directive has been to professionally, diligently, and tirelessly represent Latino and other ethnic minority writers since oftentimes they are misrepresented or worse yet not represented at all in the publishing and film/television industry. Although Savvy Literary has evolved through the years and is now an industry leader by also specializing in Business and Self-Help, Suspense/Thriller, and the Young Adult market, championing the work of minority authors continues to be a top priority for the agency.
In partnership with Ascendant Group, one of the leading branding and marketing firms in the nation, Leticia offers an even greater level of support to aspiring authors. As president of the company’s entertainment division, she has distinguished herself as a literary/film/television agent who can communicate effectively with the authors she is representing. She has helped her clients secure deals with the largest publishers in the world. In addition, she has seen several of her projects successfully optioned for TV and film rights. She is currently an Executive Producer for Bridges, an independent feature-length film starring Chris Routhe. Blending her experience as an author, literary/film/television agent and acquisition editor, she is now truly excited to spearhead her very own Hispanic book imprint Café con Leche Books (www.cafeconlechebooks.com).
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Barb Roose is a literary agent with Books & Such Literary.
At the 2021 online Colorado writers conference, Barb is meeting with writers for one-on-one virtual pitches, and also teaching a class.
Barb represents nonfiction and adult fiction exclusively to Christian publishers. She loves partnering with authors to achieve their publishing career goals. With experience as an author, award-winning pharmaceutical sales representative and executive leader in the megachurch environment, Barb embraces the challenges and opportunities that agenting in Christian publishing offers.
Barb began writing books as a child because she fell in love with the characters and stories created by her favorite author, Beverly Cleary. Yet, as a little brown-skinned girl with pop-bottle glasses, Barb never dreamed that becoming an author was a real possibility for someone who looked like her.
After a multiple-award career in pharmaceutical sales and non-profit management, Barb spent 14 years on staff at her local church as part of the executive leadership and teaching teams. During that time, Barb attended her first writers conference and received her first writing contract. The dream she hadn’t dared entertain as a child became reality.
In 2016, Barb transitioned from her duties at church to full-time speaking and writing. Her goal is leading and teaching people to overcome their fears so they can live strong, courageous lives and experience God’s great adventure of faith for them. She speaks at conferences and events in the U.S. and abroad, including on multiple national platforms.
Barb became a part of Books & Such in 2014 as a client represented by Rachelle Gardner. Barb saw herself as an author who didn’t know anything about the publishing industry other than being thrilled someone wanted to publish her book. Fast forward several years and a growing library of books with her name on the cover. Barb now wants to help other writers achieve their publishing dreams. The thrill of partnering with authors compelled Barb to say “yes” to joining the Books & Such Literary Management agent team in 2020. Her desire is to come alongside hopeful and established authors to create the most marketable, appealing manuscripts that will build lasting careers and influence readers.
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Kelly Peterson is a literary agent with Rees Literary.
At the 2021 online Colorado workshop, Kelly is teaching a class and meeting with writers for one-on-one pitches.
Kelly is a West Chester University graduate with a B.S.Ed in English and Literature. She worked as a Junior Literary Agent for two years before moving to Rees Literary Agency, continuing to champion her authors and the manuscripts she loves.
Kelly seeks manuscripts in various genres within Middle Grade, Young Adult, and Adult age ranges. In Middle Grade, she loves fantasy, sci-fi, and contemporary that touches on tough issues for young readers. Her Young Adult preferences vary from contemporary to high fantasy, sci-fi (not the space kind) to paranormal (all the ghost stories, please!), and historical all the way back to rom-coms. Kelly is proud to continue to represent Adult manuscripts in romance, fantasy, and sci-fi. She is very interested in representing authors with marginalized own voices stories, witty and unique characters, pirates, witches, and dark fantasies.
Kelly is excited to be expanding her client list and finding new authors who have a strong story to tell.