Push to Publish 2018 – Philadelphia Stories

DATE: Saturday, October 13, 9am-5pm

LOCATION: Rosemont College, 1400 Montgomery Ave., Rosemont, PA 19010

Whether you are an established writer or just getting started, this one-day workshop will provide valuable resources you can use to get your work in print and online. Highlights include:

* Speed date with the editors and agents: Meet editors and agents who will review and offer feedback on your work (bring up to 5 pages of fiction, poetry, or nonfiction to review and discuss).

* Learn how to increase your chances of getting published.

* Discuss the latest writing trends with professionals in the community

* Get great marketing and networking tips to break into the competitive world of publishing.

Disclaimer: Due to the construction of the new Rosemont Community Center, disability access will not be available to the library or the cafeteria. Access to the McShain Performing Arts Center is wheelchair accessible. No food or beverages are allowed in Rotwitt Theater.

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Click here for bios of agents, editors, and speakers.

9:00-10:00 Registration and Breakfast (Kistler Memorial Library)

Attendees will sign up for their speed dates at registration. Open speed date sessions will run in the morning. Appointments will be available the day of the event on a first-come, first-serve basis. (Note: Please see registration information below for details on pre-reserving an afternoon agent appointment.) Due to high demand, we limit one agent meeting per attendee. Attendees are free to sign up for additional appointments with agents, after initial sign-ups, as available.

10:00-11:00 Keynote Speaker (McShain/Dorothy McKenna Brown Science Center, Rotwitt Theater*)

Dan Chaon‘s most recent book is Ill Will, a national bestseller, named one of the ten best books of 2017 by Publishers Weekly. Other works include the short story collection Stay Awake (2012), a finalist for the Story Prize; the national bestseller Await Your Reply and Among the Missing, a finalist for the National Book Award. Chaon’s fiction has appeared in Best American Short Stories, The Pushcart Prize Anthologies, and The O. Henry Prize Stories. He has been a finalist for the National Magazine Award in Fiction, the Shirley Jackson Award, and he was the recipient of an Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Chaon lives in Ohio and teaches at Oberlin College.

11:15-12:30 Speed Dating with Editors & Agents (Kistler Memorial Library)

Editors and agents will meet with attendees in 10-minute sessions.

12:30-1:15 Lunch & Networking (Cardinal Hall)

Lunch will be served at the cafeteria in Cardinal Hall.

1:15-2:15 Breakout Session I: Panels & Classes (McShain/Dorothy McKenna Brown Science Center)

Panel: Tips for Making the Most of Your Submissions: Rotwitt Theater*: This panel of editors will share their advice on how you can submit your work to literary journals to better your chances of getting published. Panelists: Lisa Romeo (Cleaver Magazine), Tim Fitts (Painted Bride Quarterly), Donna Talarico (Hippocampus Magazine). Moderator: Nathan Long

Panel: Publishing Options: Self-Publishing, Hybrid & Indie: Room 212: Authors have many options to publishing their works these days other than with traditional publishers. Join this panel of publishing experts to discuss the advantages and pitfalls of publishing with small and independent presses, hybrid publishers, and self-publishing. Panelists: Stacey Kucharik (Polished Print), Donna Cavanagh (Humor Outcasts Press/Shorehouse Books), Jennifer Cappello (Sunbury Press). Moderator: Janet Spencer King

Class: Revising with Character: Room 315: A 6-Point Worksheet to guide your novel revision process. All successful novels have one thing in common—and it has nothing to do with your genre, plot, setting, rising action or denouement. This class offers a simple, effective method to focus your revision around your characters. Presenter: Kelly Simmons

Note: Attendees are advised to bring a pen and paper, laptop or similar device for this session.

Class: Screenwriting & Playwriting: Room 316: The basic elements of screenwriting and playwriting will be covered with a focus on industry standard format, structure, and character. Current trends will be covered, as well. Presenter: B.J. Burton

Note: Attendees are advised to bring a pen and paper, laptop or similar device for this session.

1:30-2:30 Speed Dating With Agents (PRE-RESERVED APPOINTMENTS) (Kistler Memorial Library)

Agents will meet with attendees who pre-reserved appointments in 10-minute sessions.

2:30-3:30 Breakout Session II: Panels & Classes (McShain/Dorothy McKenna Brown Science Center)

Panel: Writing for Children & YA: Room 212: This panel of published authors and industry professionals will discuss the unique Childrens and Young Adult markets and offer tips for submitting to agents and publishers seeking work. Panelists: Diane Rodriguez Wallach, Becky Birtha, Paul Langan, Stephanie Kehr. Moderator: Nancy Kotkin

Panel: Visual Stories: Graphic Novels, Comics & Interactive Fiction: Rotwitt Theater*: There are many mediums to tell a story. This panel will focus on the visual mediums such as graphic novels, comics and interactive fiction. You’ll hear from industry experts on how they each fit in the world of publishing. Panelists: Terry LaBan, Brian Tate, Matt Phelan, Ed Asher Briant. Moderator: Carlos Pérez Sámano

Class: Publicity & Social Media for Authors: Room 215: Whether you’re traditionally published at a major publishing house, publishing with an indie press, or self-publishing, you need a marketing plan. In this session you’ll learn what a marketing plan is, essential components, timeline, execution, and review sample successful marketing plans. You’ll learn how to start, grow and maintain your social media presence. You’ll come away with ideas and solid action steps to give your book the best possible chance for success! Presenter: Andrea Thatcher, Marketing Manager and Book Publicist, Smith Publicity

Note: Attendees are advised to bring a laptop or similar device for the social media lesson in this session.

Class: World-building in Speculative Fiction: Room 315: Speculative fiction is “special” when it comes to world-building: it deals with worlds readers are not familiar with. But how do we create a whole new world, complete with history, geography, culture, ethnicity, and all the details that come with it – and then effectively convey it to the readers? Learn how to create an immersive experience for the readers with a truly different world that comes completely from your imagination, yet feels hauntingly real on a page. We will discuss all the details you need to build a world – as well as the process of choosing what to include in the story and what to keep away, not to overwhelm your reader. Presenter: Anna Kashina

Note: Attendees are advised to bring a pen and paper, laptop or similar device for this session.

3:45-5:00 Breakout Session III: Meet the Agents (McShain/Dorothy McKenna Brown Science Center, Rotwitt Theater*)

Agents share their tips for finding the right agent and selling your work. This interactive panel will include plenty of time for Q&A so you can get an insider’s perspectives on the publishing market today. Panelists: Jordy Albert, Jaidree Braddix, Sonali Chanchani, Caroline Eisenmann, Alyssa Eisner Henkin, Stephanie Kehr, and Sarah Yake. Moderator: Carla Spataro

5:00-6:00 Happy Hour & Networking (McShain/Dorothy McKenna Brown Science Center, Rotwitt Theater* Lobby)

Meet new friends and share lessons learned!

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Fee: $95 (Students, Seniors $85) includes Breakfast, Lunch, and one Speed-date Pass. Additional Speed-date passes can be purchased for $5 each. (No more than 3 total recommended.) (50% off for Rosemont students, faculty, and alumni — must provide valid proof of affiliation at registration)

Travel: For driving directions, click here. For transportation directions, click here. If you are taking public transportation, see SEPTA’s schedule for the Paoli/Thorndale rail line to the ROSEMONT station. Rosemont’s campus is a 5-10 minute walk from the station. Directions from station: head right and when you reach the first corner, cross the street and head left. Keep heading down the street; it will curve and you will see the Rosemont Campus at your left.

Parking: You may park in ANY lot on the Rosemont Campus for free. You do not need to worry about the signs about permits. See the campus map for lot locations. We recommend you park at Kaul and take the side entrance to the library as the front entrance is blocked by construction. Alternate recommended parking lots are Mayfield and Alumnae.

Pre-reserve an Agent (FULLY BOOKED): Attendees may pre-register for a guaranteed agent meeting in an afternoon time slot for a $25 fee (limit one meeting/attendee). Attendees MUST register for the Push to Publish conference to reserve an agent. It will count as use of your Speed-date Pass included with your registration. Click here to see available agents and meeting times.

Speed Date: Attendees will sign up for agent and editor meetings that take place in the morning the day of the conference (first-come, first-serve). Those who have NOT pre-reserved an agent meeting will have the opportunity to sign up with an agent first (limit one agent meeting/attendee). All attendees are free to sign up for additional appointments with agents, after initial sign-ups, as available.

*Click here for bios of agents, editors, and speakers.

PRE-CONFERENCE EVENT:

Master Class with Dan Chaon: Dreaming Awake: On finding stories and letting stories find you and that it will be a discussion of the relationship between storytelling and the unconscious mind, to include writing prompts and in-class work. Click here for more information.

Where: Rosemont College, 1400 Montgomery Ave., Rosemont, PA 19010; Kaul Forum (click here for campus map).
Travel & Parking: For driving directions, click here. For transportation directions, click here. You may park in the lot by Kaul for free (see campus map).
When: Friday, October 12, 11-4, 2018
Fee: $95 includes Lunch. (50% off for Rosemont students, faculty, and alumni — must provide valid proof of affiliation at registration)

Thank you to our sponsors!

The Philadelphia Writers’ Conference, Inc. is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to bring writers together for instruction, counsel, fellowship, and the exchange of ideas.

The Peppertree Press

**An independent book publishing company that provides professional publishing with a personal touch!**

Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group

**GLVWG is an all-genre organization; all are welcome.**

Rosemont College

Rosemont MFA in Creative Writing & MA in Publishing Programs

Click here for bios of agents, editors, and speakers.

Agents – Speed Date

Jordy Albert

Jordy Albert (1) NOTE: SPEAKER

Jordy Albert is a Literary Agent and co-founder of The Booker Albert Literary Agency. She holds a B.A. in English from Pennsylvania State University, and a M.A. from Millersville University of Pennsylvania. She has worked with Marisa Corvisiero during her time at the L. Perkins Agency and the Corvisiero Literary Agency.

SEEKING: Jordy is looking for young adult contemporary, sci-fi, and fantasy (romance is a plus). She’s also looking for smart, sexy contemporary and historical romance (Jordy definitely has a soft spot for a fantastic Regency). She’s drawn to strong, intelligent characters (snarky, but still likable). Please note that while it isn’t necessarily a deal breaker, she tends to shy away from novels with trigger topics, such as suicide and any type of abuse.

Jaidree Braddix

NOTE: SPEAKER

Jaidree Braddix is an associate literary agent at Sterling Lord Literistic. She works with a team of five agents headed by Celeste Fine. Born and raised on Maui, Hawaii, Jaidree holds an M.S. in Publishing from Pace University and a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Northern Colorado. She now lives in Brooklyn.

SEEKING: Formerly a publicist at an independent press, Jaidree is interested in both serious non-fiction and buzz-worthy topics that can make a big media splash, particularly in the areas of food, health, personal development, current events, and big idea topics with the potential to influence the national conversation.

Sonali Chanchani

NOTE: SPEAKER

Sonali Chanchani is an associate agent at Folio Literary Management. She began her career in publishing at Kaya, an independent press based in Los Angeles and dedicated to publishing authors from the Asian diaspora. She joined Folio in 2015, where she works closely alongside Claudia Cross and Frank Weimann and is actively building her own list.

SEEKING: Sonali represents character-driven upmarket and literary fiction. In particular, she’s drawn to smart women’s fiction; quirky, heartfelt family stories; nuanced psychological mysteries; and rich, atmospheric historical projects with a touch of magical realism. On the nonfiction side, she’s interested in narratives with a strong social justice bent or that illuminate some aspect of our society or culture. In Young Adult, she’s looking for contemporary realistic fiction as well as the occasional fantasy project (with a soft spot for myth, fairytale, and folklore retellings). Across the board, she’s especially interested in working with underrepresented voices.

Caroline Eisenmann

NOTE: SPEAKER

Caroline Eisenmann is an associate agent at the Frances Goldin Literary Agency. Prior to joining the agency in 2017, she spent four years at ICM Partners. Caroline was raised in the Boston area and received an undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University.

SEEKING: She represents adult upmarket and literary fiction, as well as nonfiction including reported narratives, memoir, cultural criticism, essay collections, and history and biography with a surprising point of view. In fiction, she is particularly drawn to work that centers around intimacy and its discontents, stories about obsession, and narratives that grapple with our current cultural climate.

Alyssa Eisner Henkin

Alyssa Henkin NOTE: SPEAKER

Alyssa Eisner Henkin, Senior Vice President, Trident Media Group began her publishing career at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. She loved the craft of editing, but soon realized her inner-entrepreneur was hankering to agent. In December of 2006 Alyssa became Trident’s first agent to specialize in books for young people. Alyssa is proud to represent WONDER by R.J. Palacio, soon to be a major motion picture, The 2017 Printz Honor THE PASSION OF DOLSSA by Julie Berry, and two-time Caldecott Honor author, Jen Bryant, among many others.

SEEKING: Alyssa is actively seeking standalone middle grade fiction that warms one’s heart and portrays under-represented voices, illustrated nonfiction or hybrid fiction/nonfiction that can sustain a series of Magic Treehouse proportion, and atmospheric YA novels that feels ripe for Sofia Coppola adaptations. Please send queries to ahenkin@tridentmediagroup.com.

Stephanie Kehr

NOTE: SPEAKER

Stephanie is a Junior Agent for C.Y.L.E. Literary. She currently lives in Northern Virginia and serves on the publishing board of Illuminate YA Fiction, an imprint of LPC Books. She’s an adventure lover with a special place in her heart for travel and culture. Although she grew up reading books, writing and representing them became an accidental passion.

SEEKING: Stephanie is looking for skillfully crafted stories that stir the soul and sharpen the mind. In fiction, she’s seeking young adult, middle grade, historical, children’s picture books, romance, fantasy, inspirational, and authors with strong platform, unique ideas, and diverse characters. She also represents non-fiction, including religious genres.

Tia Mele

Tia Mele is a Junior Agent at Talcott Notch Literary and is excited to build her list in Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction. She lives in northern Connecticut with her pet rabbit and three dogs. Some of her earliest memories involve reading and writing books, so it was only natural that she pursue a career that allows her to read every day. When she isn’t exploring new worlds through books, she’s travelling, watching baseball, and spending time with her family.

SEEKING: Tia is looking for middle grade and young adult fiction that makes her feel a wide array of emotions. She loves characters that are well rounded and diverse, and she loves a good romance, as long as it doesn’t detract from the overall story. She has a soft spot for sports, especially baseball, in both fiction and non-fiction. She is also open to hearing pitches for other genres for her own list and that may be suited for the other agents at Talcott Notch, including adult fiction, crime, mystery, thriller, and non-fiction projects.

Rita Rosenkranz

A well-established agent, who began her career as an editor at major publishing houses, Rita Rosenkranz represents almost exclusively adult non-fiction titles. Rita works with major publishing houses, as well as regional publishers that handle niche markets. Representative titles include Forbidden Fruit: Love Stories from the Underground Railroad by Betty DeRamus (Atria Books; essence.com best-seller), Olive Trees and Honey: A Treasury of Vegetarian Recipes from Jewish Communities Around the World (Wiley; James Beard Award winner) by Gil Marks; 29 Gifts: How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life by Cami Walker (Da Capo Press; New York Times bestseller, MS Awareness Award Winner, Books for a Better Life), and A Mind for Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science (Even if You Flunked Algebra) by Barbara Oakley, Ph.D. (Tarcher). She is a member of the Association of Authors’ Representatives (AAR), The Authors Guild, and Women’s Media Group.

SEEKING: Her wide-ranging list includes health, history, parenting, music, how-to, popular science, business, biography, sports, popular reference, cooking, writing, humor, spirituality, illustrated books and general interest titles. She represents first-time as well as seasoned authors, and looks for projects that present familiar subjects freshly or lesser-known subjects presented commercially.

Sarah Yake

NOTE: SPEAKER

Sarah Yake has been an agent with the Frances Collin Literary Agency since 2005. She manages the foreign and subsidiary rights sales for all of the agency’s clients, including the estates of Rachel Carson, John Williams and Esther Forbes. Her own clients include Sarah Blake, Nadine Darling, Kirsten Kaschock, Christopher Merkner, Wendy Sparrow, and Ann S. Epstein. Prior to becoming an agent Sarah managed a bookstore and was a sales rep for Random House. She holds an MA in English Literature from West Chester University and has a few obscure poetry publishing credits to her name. She can be found online in the following places: Twitter @slyyake, Publishers Marketplace and Manuscript Wish List.

SEEKING: Sarah’s main focus is adult fiction where she represents action/adventure, commercial, general, historical, literary, science fiction, short story, and women’s fiction. She also represents nonfiction, including biography, history, LGBTQ, memoir, and pop culture.

Editors – Speed Date

Courtney Bambrick

Courtney Bambrick COURTNEY K. BAMBRICK is poetry editor of the regional literary magazine Philadelphia Stories. Her poetry has appeared online or in print in Apiary, Certain Circuits, Dirty Napkin, Philadelphia Poets, Mad Poets Review, and Schuylkill Valley Journal. She performed as part of the 2016 Welcome to Boog City Festival. Her chapbook Rape Baby was a runner up in the 2013 Pavement Saw chapbook competition and most of it was published as “Caring for Your Rape” in the Body Map series at The Fanzine, curated by Sarah Rose Etter. Courtney has taught composition, creative writing, and literature at a number of colleges and universities in the Philadelphia area. In addition to poetry, Courtney has written and directed adaptations of plays and musicals for young people. She coordinates the Children’s Arts Program at Old Academy Players in Philadelphia. She lives outside the city with poet, painter, and musician, Peter Baroth.

GENRE: POETRY

Rahiem Brooks

Rahiem Jerome Brooks heads Prodigy Gold Books (PGB) as Publisher & Editor-in-Chief, an up-and-coming small press headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. PGB is devoted to the business and promotion of novels. He is a crime novelist and a member of the Mystery Writer’s of America. His debut thriller, LAUGH NOW won 2010 African-Americans on the Move Book Club’s (AAMBC) Book of the Year & he earned 2011 AAMBC Author of the Year. LAUGH NOW also won the Most Creative Plot at the DMV Expo’s Creative Excellence Awards. Rahiem was also nominated at the 2011 & 2012 African-American Literary Awards for Mystery of the Year for Con Test and Murder in Germantown.

Prodigy Gold Books is seeking: commercial YA and adult projects in the following genres: speculative fiction (horror, SFF, and all sub-genres), African-American fiction, mystery/suspense, thrillers, historical fiction, and general/literary fiction. We’re looking for strong plots that are ninety-percent complete and needs the Prodigy team to bring out that last ten-percent.

GENRES: FICTION, NONFICTION

Jennifer Cappello

NOTE: SPEAKER

Jennifer has been editing for Sunbury Press since 2011 and managing the editing staff since 2015. She is an editor, writer, and mother of three—five, if you count the dogs—living with her husband and family in Linglestown, PA. She holds an AA in Secondary English Education from Harrisburg Area Community College, a BA in English from Penn State, and an MFA in Creative Writing with a certificate in publishing from Chatham University. Her partial novel, “Fixed,” won runner-up for best thesis in Chatham University’s 2013 fiction category. She established an independent press while at Chatham, publishing a poetry chapbook (Chalk & Fire, Melrose Publishing, 2012) for an up-and-coming poet. Jennifer has served as editor for two college literary journals, has had poems published in HACC’s Wildwood Journal, and serves annually as a Scholastic Writing Contest judge. She loves to read, write, knit, cook, and travel.

Submissions: We read submissions from every category and genre. Lately, we’re looking to develop our nonfiction (particularly war memoir), historical fiction, and literary fiction book lists, but any quality work would be considered.

GENRES: FICTION, NONFICTION

Donna Cavanagh

NOTE: SPEAKER

Donna Cavanagh is founder of HumorOutcasts.com (HO) and the partner publishing company, HumorOutcasts Press which now includes the labels Shorehouse Books and Corner Office Books (HOPress-Shorehousebooks.com). Cavanagh launched HO as an outlet for writers to showcase their work in a world that offered few avenues for humor. HO now features the creative talents of more than 100 aspiring and accomplished writers, producers, comics and authors from all over the world. Known for its eclectic content, HumorOutcasts has something for everyone. As a writer herself, Cavanagh is a former journalist who made an unscheduled stop into humor more than 20 years ago. Her syndicated columns helped her gain a national audience when her work landed in the pages of First Magazine, USA Today and other national media.

*Donna is available for consultations and asks that all attendees meeting with her bring a paragraph that describes their marketing plans for their work.

GENRES: FICTION, NONFICTION, POETRY

Christopher Eckman

Christopher Eckman is a second year MFA student in Creative Non-fiction Writing at Rosemont College and managing editor of the Rathalla Review. He holds a Bachelors Degree of Science in Computer Science and Mathematics from the Metropolitan State University of Denver, and has been published in their arts and literary magazine, Metrosphere. He has lived in Colorado, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania. He currently works as a stay at home puppy dad in Villanova with his husband, Tim, and their two dogs, Dexter and Jordan, where he cooks, blogs, and plays guitar.

GENRES: FICTION, NONFICTION, POETRY, FLASH FICTION

Tim Fitts

Tm Fitts NOTE: SPEAKER

Tim Fitts has served at the editorial staff of The Painted Bride Quarterly since 2013 and is a frequent guest on PBQ’s “Slushpile” podcast. Tim lives and works in Philadelphia. He is the author of two short story collections, Hypothermia, and Go Home and Cry for Yourselves. He teaches Creative Writing at the Curtis Institute of Music and Penn State Brandywine. His short stories have been published by journals such as The Gettysburg Review, Granta, CutBank, among many others.

GENRE: FICTION

Ayesha Hamid

Ayesha F. Hamid is the editor-in-chief at The City Key. She is a Philadelphia-based poet and creative nonfiction writer, published in Blue Bonnet Review, Philly Flash Inferno, and the Rathalla Review. She is currently looking for representation for a full-length memoir called The Borderland Between Worlds, which was awarded a thesis of distinction by Rosemont College. Ayesha holds an M.F.A. in Creative Writing and an M.A. in Publishing from Rosemont College. She also holds an M.A. in Sociology from Brooklyn College. Aside from writing, Ayesha also loves travel and photography.

GENRES: FICTION, NONFICTION, POETRY, FLASH FICTION

Alison Hicks

Alison-Hicks Alison Hicks is the founder of Greater Philadelphia Wordshop Studio, which offers community-based writing workshops. She is also the author of poetry collections You Who Took the Boat Out and Kiss, a chapbook Falling Dreams, a novella, Love: A Story of Images, and an anthology, Prompted. Her work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize by Green Hills Literary Lantern, and has appeared in Eclipse, Fifth Wednesday, Gargoyle, Louisville Review, Passager, Permafrost, Poet Lore, and Whiskey Island, among other journals. Awards include the 2011 Philadelphia City Paper Poetry Prize and two Pennsylvania Council on the Arts fellowships. She will be happy to read literary or mainstream fiction, nonfiction and poetry.

GENRES: FICTION, NONFICTION, POETRY

Jennifer Kasius

Jennifer Kasius Jennifer is the Editorial Director of Running Press, a place she has been happy to call “home” for the last 14 years. She has acquired several New York Times bestsellers including the #1 bestsellers You are a Badass by Jen Sincero and Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin, The Sneaky Chef by Missy Chase Lapine, and Fabulicious! by Teresa Giudice. Some of her newest projects are Buddha’s Diet by Tara Cottrell and Dan Zigmond, Life is Like a Musical by Tim Federle, Vern Yip’s Design Wise, Liz Climo’s Lobster is the Best Medicine, and Asha Gomez’s My Two Souths, which was one of the New York Times’ “Best Cookbooks of the Year” for 2016. Before joining Running Press, she worked as an editor at Crown/Three Rivers Press, as well as the Dutton/Plume imprints.

Jennifer really loves offbeat and edgy voices, as well as books that have meaningful messages lurking beneath their fun packages. She is particularly drawn to the “quirky self-help” genre, but also like to acquire in the areas of lifestyle, memoir, pop-culture, and cooking.

GENRE: NONFICTION

Nancy Kotkin

NOTE: SPEAKER

Nancy Kotkin is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Prose Morsels Press, a small press focusing on themed collections of short prose, both fiction and creative nonfiction. Prose Morsels Press publishes single and multi-author anthologies, memoir-in-essays, and story cycle novels. The educational arm of the press, Brave New Words, offers ongoing workshops and an annual conference. Nancy has previously worked as an e-learning developer and project manager, technical writer, freelance editor, professional writing tutor, and adjunct professor. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Rosemont College.

I am currently seeking full manuscripts of either short fiction or creative nonfiction (i.e. single-author themed anthologies, memoir-in-essays, or story cycle novels in any genre except romance/erotica). Prose Morsels Press does not publish poetry, though we do consider prose poetry.

GENRES: FLASH FICTION, FLASH NONFICTION, PROSE POETRY

Peter Krok

Peter Krok has been the Editor-in-Chief of the Schuylkill Valley Journal since 2001. The journal was founded in 1990. He also serves as the humanities/poetry director of the Manayunk Roxborough Art Center where he has coordinated a literary series since 1990. Because of his identification with row house and red brick Philadelphia, he is often referred to as “the red brick poet.” His poems have appeared in the Yearbook of American Poetry, America, Mid-America Poetry Review, Midwest Quarterly, Poet Lore, Potomac Review, Blue Unicorn and numerous other print and online journals. In 2005 his poem “10 PM At a Philadelphia Recreation Center” was included in Common Wealth: Contemporary Poets on Pennsylvania (published by Penn State University). His book, Looking For An Eye, was published by Foothills Press in 2008.

GENRES: NONFICTION, POETRY

Danielle Modafferi

Danielle Modafferi earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. Since then, she incorporated Firefly Hill Press in 2014 and has been passionate about discovering and sharing incredible fiction through publishing ever since! She is a: Friend of Literature, Practicer of Random Acts of Kindness, Connoisseur of Cheese; Petter of Puppies, Inventor of Words; Professional Napper, and Lover of all things Harry Potter. Follow her on IG and Twitter @danimod115.

Company Vision: Firefly Hill Press strives to find, publish, and market exceptional works of novel-length fiction, specifically in the YA and Romance genres. FHP works to promote cutting-edge fiction that will balance conventional tropes, true to popular genre fiction, with unconventional elements that are groundbreaking and captivating to its target demographic.

GENRE: FICTION

Lisa Romeo

NOTE: SPEAKER

Lisa Romeo is the nonfiction editor for Cleaver Magazine, where she represents both fiction and nonfiction. She is the author of Starting with Goodbye: A Daughter’s Memoir of Love after Loss (University of Nevada Press, May 2018). Her work is listed in Best American Essays 2016, has been nominated for additional BAE and Pushcart Prizes, and published in the New York Times, O The Oprah Magazine, Longreads, Brevity, Hippocampus, Under the Sun, Front Porch, and several essay anthologies. Lisa is thesis advisor in the Bay Path University MFA program, and completed her MFA degree at Stonecoast (University of Southern Maine). She’s previously taught at Rutgers and Montclair State Universities, throughout northern New Jersey with The Writers Circle, and works privately with writers as editor and coach. She also serves as the creative nonfiction editor for Compose Journal. Lisa lives in northern NJ with her husband and sons.

GENRES: FICTION, NONFICTION

Mitchell Sommers

Mitchell-Sommers Mitchell Sommers is the fiction editor for Philadelphia Stories. He is also a columnist for LNP, the Lancaster, Pennsylvania daily newspaper. He practices law in Lancaster County, concentrating in the area of consumer bankruptcy. He received his MFA from the University of New Orleans. He’s currently working on a novel set in colonial Pennsylvania.

GENRE: FICTION

Donna Talarico

NOTE: SPEAKER

Donna Talarico is an independent writer and content marketing consultant, and she also is the founder of Hippocampus Magazine and its books division, Books by Hippocampus, and annual conference, HippoCamp. Donna has more than two decades of experience in marketing and communications, and about half that time has been in higher education. She speaks at higher education and publishing conferences, writes an adult learner recruiting column for Wiley, and has contributed to Guardian Higher Education Network, The Writer, mental_floss, Games World of Puzzles, and others. Her creative nonfiction appears in The Los Angeles Review and The Los Angeles Times. Donna teaches or has taught about branding and digital identity in several graduate creative writing programs, including Wilkes University and Rosemont College, as well as at Pennsylvania College of Art & Design.

Books by Hippocampus seeks to publish compelling, thought-provoking works of creative nonfiction for all types of readers. They are looking for work in the following categories: memoirs, essay collections, literary journalism, travel writing, craft books, and creativity books.

GENRE: NONFICTION

Speakers

Please note that speakers are not available for speed dates unless otherwise noted.

Jordy Albert

NOTE: SPEED DATE AGENT

Becky Birtha

Becky Birtha, who grew up in Germantown and West Mt. Airy, has a degree in Children’s Studies from SUNY Buffalo, and MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She has taught at Temple, the University of Pennsylvania, and Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges, first becoming known as a poet in the LGBTQ+ community. Her work has been widely anthologized, earning fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the NEA, and the Pew Foundation. She is the author of award winning picture books from Albert Whitman & Company: Grandmama’s Pride, a Golden Kite Honor Book, Lucky Beans, recipient of the Arkansas Diamond Primary Award, and Far Apart, Close in Heart: Being a Family When a Loved One Is Incarcerated, receiving starred reviews in Kirkus and School Library Journal. In all of her writing, Becky Birtha strives to express her concern and advocacy for social justice. She and her partner live in Lansdowne, Delaware County. Panel: Writing for Children & YA

Jaidree Braddix

NOTE: SPEED DATE AGENT

Ed Asher Briant

Ed-Asher-Briant Ed Asher Briant is the author and illustrator of over a dozen books, including picture books, early readers, graphic novels, and young adult novels. He illustrates the Petal and Poppy graphic novels with his wife Lisa Jahn Clough for Houghton Mifflin’s Green Light series, and he writes and illustrates the weekly webcomic, Tales from the Slush Pile, for Publisher’s Weekly. He received a Flying Start Award from Publisher’s Weekly for his picture book Paper Parade, and was noted as a Newcomer to Watch by the Horn Book for his picture book Don’t Look Now. With a MFA in Creative Writing from Vermont College, Ed has worked extensively with graduate students in developing their careers, especially in the children’s and YA industry. He takes great pride in helping students find an authentic voice in their work, followed by a path to publication. Ed has been teaching at Rowan since 2011, and is currently working on a picture book, The Platypus of Sleep, and a young adult novel, The Wrong Stuff. Panel: Visual Stories: Graphic Novels, Comics & Interactive Fiction

B.J. Burton

B.J. Burton is a playwright and adjunct professor, whose plays include Lobelia Lodge, Hunting Season, Room for Love, For the Record, Pizza Again, A Sky Full of Stars, and The Dangers of Lightning. Honors include two Fellowships from Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, winner of the Pennsylvania Playwriting Award, a finalist for the Heideman Award, a finalist in the New York Screenplay Competition, a finalist twice in the Set in Philadelphia Screenwriting Competition, and a semifinalist in the Nicholl Fellowships. She is the author of The Philadelphia Connection: Conversations with Playwrights (Intellect Books/University of Chicago Press). Her B.A. is in Theatre from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and her M.F.A. is in Creative Writing from Rosemont College. She studied further at American Conservatory Theatre, Playwrights Horizons, UCLA Writers’ Extension, and American Film Institute. Currently, she teaches playwriting, screenwriting and related courses at Philadelphia-area schools and colleges. Memberships include SAG-AFTRA, AEA, and The Dramatists Guild. Class: Screenwriting & Playwriting

Jennifer Cappello

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Jennifer has been editing for Sunbury Press since 2011 and managing the editing staff since 2015. She is an editor, writer, and mother of three—five, if you count the dogs—living with her husband and family in Linglestown, PA. She holds an AA in Secondary English Education from Harrisburg Area Community College, a BA in English from Penn State, and an MFA in Creative Writing with a certificate in publishing from Chatham University. Her partial novel, “Fixed,” won runner-up for best thesis in Chatham University’s 2013 fiction category. She established an independent press while at Chatham, publishing a poetry chapbook (Chalk & Fire, Melrose Publishing, 2012) for an up-and-coming poet. Jennifer has served as editor for two college literary journals, has had poems published in HACC’s Wildwood Journal, and serves annually as a Scholastic Writing Contest judge. She loves to read, write, knit, cook, and travel. Panel: Publishing Options: Self-Publishing, Hybrid & Indie

Donna Cavanagh

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Sonali Chanchani

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Caroline Eisenmann

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Tim Fitts

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Tim Fitts has served at the editorial staff of The Painted Bride Quarterly since 2013 and is a frequent guest on PBQ’s “Slushpile” podcast. Tim lives and works in Philadelphia. He is the author of two short story collections, Hypothermia, and Go Home and Cry for Yourselves. He teaches Creative Writing at the Curtis Institute of Music and Penn State Brandywine. His short stories have been published by journals such as The Gettysburg Review, Granta, CutBank, among many others. Panel: Tips for Making the Most of Your Submissions

Alyssa Eisner Henkin

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Anna Kashina

Anna Kashina’s writing draws on her diverse backgrounds as a Russian-born scientist, a competitive ballroom dancer, and a fan of martial arts, history, and folklore. She is the author of the award-winning Majat Code series featuring adventure fantasy, medieval politics, assassins, and romance. She lives in the US Northeast, where she combines her career in biomedical research and her passion for writing. Her upcoming novel, Shadowblade, will be released in May 2019. Class: World-building in Speculative Fiction

Stephanie Kehr

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Nancy Kotkin

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Stacey Kucharik

Stacey Kucharik is a professional fiction editor whose goal is to help authors all of ages and experience levels master their craft and “polish” their book. Stacey elevates fiction books through editing. Over the past 10 years, she has helped countless authors polish their novels, hook readers, and leave a lasting impression. Her one-on-one, personalized editing services go beyond syntax and grammar to dig deep and bring out the essence of the story arc, pacing, characterization, and much more. Her clients’ accomplishments include; New York Times Best Seller List, Amazon Best Seller’s List, acceptance as a Goodreads-sponsored author, and achieving more than one million reads on Wattpad. Stacey is the owner of Polished Print. For more information and to access her original tip sheets and checklists, check out her website and her Facebook page. Panel: Publishing Options: Self-Publishing, Hybrid & Indie

Terry LaBan

Terry LaBan is a cartoonist, graphic recorder and illustrator. He worked in the comic book industry as an artist and writer for 10 years and his work has appeared in many publications including Mad Magazine, Nickelodeon Magazine and Details. From 2001 until 2016, he created the daily comic strip “Edge City,” which was syndicated by King Features Syndicate and appeared in newspapers nationwide. Terry is a graphic recorder and facilitator and his company, Breakthrough Visuals, creates finished illustrations, explainer comics and infographics for businesses and organizations. He also teaches classes in graphic narrative as an adjunct professor at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Panel: Visual Stories: Graphic Novels, Comics & Interactive Fiction

Paul Langan

Paul Langan was born in Philadelphia in 1972. He spent his early childhood in the city before moving to southern New Jersey with his mother. After an unsuccessful first semester at college, Paul worked as a shoe salesperson, a gas station attendant, a landscaper at a psychiatric hospital, and a nightshift stock person at a big box warehouse store. These experiences led him back to school, first at community college and later at La Salle University where he earned his B.A. in English. While at La Salle, Paul served as a prison tutor, an AIDS hospice volunteer, and a Writing Fellow. He also traveled to his roommate’s home in Kenya. Paul later earned an M.S. in Education from the University of Pennsylvania. Today he is editor and lead author of the Bluford Series, a 21-book (and counting!) collection of young adult novels that have sold more than 11 million copies since 2002. Panel: Writing for Children & YA

Nathan Long

Nathan-Long Nathan Alling Long’s work has appeared in over fifty journals and anthologies, as well as on NPR. His collection of fifty flash fiction, The Origin of Doubt, was released this year from Press 53, and his collection, Two Stories, Some Tales, and a Yarn, was a finalist for the Hudson Book Manuscript Prize and a semifinalist for the Iowa Fiction Award. He is the recipient of a Mellon grant, a Truman Capote literary fellowship, and three Pushcart nominations. He lives in Philadelphia and teaches at Stockton University in NJ. Panel: Tips for Making the Most of Your Submissions

Carlos Pérez Sámano

Carlos José Pérez Sámano is a Mexican literary fiction and narrative non fiction author, teacher of Creative Writing Workshops in Mexico, U.S.A., Kenya and Cuba. With four published books, and recently hosted in the anthology Who Will Speak for America?, his work has been featured in more than 20 international magazines like Rio Grande Review, Fredericksburg Literary and Art Review, Errr Magazine, Quinqué, Poetry in Common, Forum, Cultura Colectiva, among others. For more info, please visit perezsamano.com. Panel: Visual Stories: Graphic Novels, Comics & Interactive Fiction

Matt Phelan

Matt Phelan is the illustrator of more than twenty books for young readers, including The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron, winner of the 2007 Newbery Medal. He is the author/illustrator of four graphic novels: the Scott O’Dell Award-winning The Storm in the Barn, Around the World, Bluffton, and the New York Times Bestseller Snow White. Matt has been nominated for five Will Eisner Awards, including best writer/artist and best new graphic album for Bluffton. In 2014, Matt received the Free Library of Philadelphia/Drexel University Children’s Literature Citation. His latest books are the picture book Pignic and the novel Knights vs. Dinosaurs. Panel: Visual Stories: Graphic Novels, Comics & Interactive Fiction

Diana Rodriguez Wallach

Diana Rodriguez Wallach is the author of the Anastasia Phoenix Series, three young adult spy thrillers (Entangled Publishing, 2017, ’18, ‘19). The first book in the trilogy, Proof of Lies, was a finalist for the International Thriller Awards for best Young Adult Novel. It was also named by Paste Magazine as one of the “Top 10 Best Young Adult Books for March 2017.” Bustle also listed her as one of the “Top Nine Latinx Authors to Read for Women’s History Month 2017.” The second book in the series, Lies that Bind, debuted March 2018, and was named an Amazon “Hot New Release.” Diana is also the author of three award-winning young adult novels: Amor and Summer Secrets, Amigas and School Scandals, and Adios to All The Drama (Kensington Books); as well as a YA short-story collection entitled Mirror, Mirror (Buzz Books, 2013). She holds a B.S. in Journalism from Boston University, and currently lives in the Philadelphia area. Panel: Writing for Children & YA

Lisa Romeo

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Kelly Simmons

Kelly Simmons is a former journalist and advertising creative director and the author of the novels Standing Still, The Bird House, One More Day, The Fifth of July, and coming next year, Where She Went. She’s a member of WFWA, the Tall Poppy Writers and The Liars Club, a nonprofit organization dedicated to mentoring fledgling novelists. She also co-hosts The Liars Club Oddcast, a weekly podcast interviewing top authors and discussing the craft and business of writing. More at kellysimmonsbooks.com. Class: Revising with Character

Carla Spataro

Carla Spataro, who publishes as C.J. Spataro, is the MFA program director at Rosemont College and the editorial director of Philadelphia Stories and PS Books. She is an award winning short story writer and a Pennsylvania Council on the Arts grant winner. Her short fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in Phantom Drift, December Magazine, Italian Americana, Iron Horse Literary Review, Pithead Chapel, Permafrost, The Baltimore Review, Painted Bride Quarterly, and others. Poetry has appeared in Ovunque Siamo. Her work has also been anthologized in Another Breath, Forgotten Philadelphia, Extraordinary Gifts, and 50 Over 50. Several of her students have gone on to have books published by big five publishers and win nationally recognized awards. Panel: Meet the Agents

Janet Spencer King

Janet Spencer King works in two closely related areas of book publishing. She is an independent book editor for both fiction and non-fiction authors across many genres. As one of three editors in the Book Development Group, she was honored to be described as one of the “29 best editors in America,” by Jeff Hermann, in his popular Guide to Publishers, Editors & Literary Agents. Janet also directs the self-publishing process for her clients who choose to forgo the time-consuming and uncertain route of traditional publishing. Working with top-level cover and interior designers, copy editors and other professionals, she produces books that match the highest standards of traditional publishing houses. Janet lives in New York City. For more information see: www.bookdevelopmentgroup.com and www.spencerkingauthorservices.com. Panel: Publishing Options: Self-Publishing, Hybrid & Indie

Donna Talarico

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Brian Tate

Brian Michael Tate is the founder, lead developer, and president of Echoic Mobile Press. With a strong interest in “new media,” gaming, maps, reading, and writing, he aims to create a next-gen reading and writing experience. Brian has worked many years as a geographic information systems specialist and data manager. After seeing one too many “bad maps” in ebooks, he had enough and decided to utilize his skills to create an ebook platform where authors could integrate interactive maps, artwork, gaming elements and multiple paths into their stories. Panel: Visual Stories: Graphic Novels, Comics & Interactive Fiction

Andrea Thatcher

Andrea Kiliany Thatcher has worn many hats in the book publishing industry, from bookseller and marketing and social media consultant for independent bookstores and the New Atlantic Independent Bookstore Association, to in-house marketing experience at a small independent publishers, to her current role as marketing manager and book publicist at Smith Publicity. She has also reviewed books for a variety of print and online publications. Class: Publicity & Social Media for Authors

Sarah Yake

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