Future Kentucky Writing Workshops — And Conferences Happening in 2023

Our past Kentucky Writing Workshop events were successes — thank you to all who attended! The KWW conference has happened multiple times before, and we at Writing Day Workshops have loved connecting writers and literary agents, and seeing so many success stories from our events.

We are not certain exactly when the next Louisville/Kentucky event will happen (and whether it will be online vs, in person). That said, if you’d like to attend a writers conference in 2023, we have both in-person conferences as well as online events coming up in 2023 to suit your needs. For our online writers conferences, anyone can attend from anywhere. Each event has great instructional classes and 30-40 attending literary agents! Don’t let your location stop you from connecting with publishing professionals and furthering your writing journey. Details:

If you have questions, or want to register for any 2023 writers conferences, either online events or in-person events, contact us (Brian Klems) at WritingDayWorkshops@gmail.com and we are happy to assist. Writers can sign up for more than one event. If you and several people from your writing group all want to register together, ask us about a group discount.

All online classes are recorded and sent out to attendees afterward, so you can study the instruction and enjoy the experience. All virtual pitches are one-on-one with literary agents seeking writers, and done over Zoom (though phone is also an option). Thanks, all, and we hope to see you in 2023 at an event!

The 2020 Kentucky Writing Workshop: April 4, 2020 (Louisville)

Screen shot 2014-07-23 at 12.58.51 PMAfter successful events in 2015, 2017, and 2019, the Kentucky Writing Workshop is back for 2020! Writing Day Workshops excited to announce the online 2020 Kentucky Writing Workshop — a full-day “How to Get Published” writing event in Louisville, KY, on April 4, 2020.

This writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more. Note that there are limited spaces at the event (175 total). All questions about the event regarding schedule, details and registration are answered below. Thank you for your interest in the 2020 Kentucky Writing Workshop!

(IMPORTANT MARCH 2020 UPDATE: The 2020 KWW is now an Online Conference to keep everyone safe. There is much more to say about this, but immediately you should understand 1) This will be easy and awesome, 2) You do not have to be tech-savvy to do this, and 3) We are keeping all aspects of the event, including one-on-one agent & editor pitching, which will now be done by Skype or phone. Learn all details about the new April 4 KWW Online Conference here and what everything means.)

WHAT IS IT?

This is a special one-day online “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Saturday, April 4, 2020, at the Louisville Marriott East. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome.

This event is designed to squeeze as much into one day of learning as possible. You can ask any questions you like during the classes, and get your specific concerns addressed. We will have literary agents onsite to give feedback and take pitches from writers, as well. This year’s faculty so far includes:

  • literary agent Cate Hart (Harvey Klinger Literary)
  • literary agent Alexandra Weiss (Jennifer De Chiara Literary)
  • literary agent Kortney Price (Raven Quill Literary)
  • literary agent Alice Speilburg (Speilburg Literary)
  • literary agent Chrysa Keenon (CYLE Literary)
  • literary agent Lizzie Poteet (The Seymour Agency)
  • literary agent Kenzi Nevins (CYLE Literary)
  • literary scout Brittany Smith (Metamorphosis Literary)
  • and possibly more agents to come.

By the end of the day, you will have all the tools you need to move forward on your writing journey. This independent event is organized by coordinator Brian Klems of Writing Day Workshops.

EVENT LOCATION & DETAILS

9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, April 4, 2020, at the Louisville Marriott East, 1903 Embassy Square Blvd, Louisville, KY 40299. (502)491-1184.

(Update: There is no in-person event for 2020. To keep everyone safe, we are making the whole conference online. Learn what that means here.)

Screen Shot 2018-11-17 at 8.31.33 PM.png

THIS YEAR’S SESSIONS & WORKSHOPS (APRIL 4, 2020):

What you see below is a quick layout of the day’s events. See a full layout of the day’s sessions, with detailed descriptions, on the official Schedule page here.

Please Note: There will be 2-3 classes/workshops going at all times during the day, so you will have your choice of what class you attend at any time. The final schedule of topics is subject to change, but here is the current layout:

8:30 – 9:30: Check-in and registration at the event location.

BLOCK ONE: 9:30 – 10:30

1. Getting Published in Today’s World: 10 Tips to Make You the Writer Agents and Publishers Want (Bluegrass AB room). In this session, learn the challenges writers face in publishing today and offers up 10 practical tips to help you break through the barriers and find success.

2. How to Write Science Fiction/Fantasy That Sells (Colonel A room). This session will discuss the unique challenges that authors of sci-fi and fantasy face on the path to publication.

Screen Shot 2015-12-30 at 1.44.34 AMBLOCK TWO: 10:45 – 11:50

1. The Elusive Literary Agent: How to Find and Secure Your Publishing Representative (Bluegrass AB room). This class will cover the basic structure for a query letter, tips and tricks for improving an elevator pitch, tactics to avoid, and much more.

2. Making Social Media Work For You (Colonel A room). As authors, most of us wish we could spend more time writing and leave marketing to the experts, but in today’s world, social media is a necessary part of our job. Fortunately, with a little work, you can turn it in to a vehicle for reaching the world with your words, rather than a frustrating time-waster.

(What you see below is a quick layout of the day’s events. See a full layout of the day’s sessions, with detailed descriptions, on the official Schedule page here.)

LUNCH ON YOUR OWN: 11:50 – 1:15

Lunch is on your own during these 85 minutes.

BLOCK THREE: 1:15 – 2:30

1. “Writers Got Talent”—a Page 1 Critique Fest. (Bluegrass AB room) This is a chance to get your first page read (anonymously — no bylines given) with attending agents commenting on what was liked or not liked about the submission.

2. How to Sell a Nonfiction Book (Colonel A room). This session is completely devoted to nonfiction that is not memoir. So if you are trying to create an awesome nonfiction book proposal, this presentation is for you.

BLOCK FOUR: 2:45 – 3:45

1. Talk That Talk: The Ins and Outs of Writing Great Dialogue (Bluegrass AB room). Dialogue isn’t just empty words – it’s part of the plot! This session will help authors craft dialogue that is believable, moves the story forward, and gives life to characters.

2. Author Brand Building (Colonel A room). While having a website and an active social media presence isn’t an absolute must for new writers, it’s important to develop a positive online presence in some shape or form.

(What you see below is a quick layout of the day’s events. See a full layout of the day’s sessions, with detailed descriptions, on the official Schedule page here.)

BLOCK FIVE: 4:00 – 5:00

1. The Ins and Outs of Perfecting Voice in Your Writing (Colonel A room). When writing fiction, it’s crucial to have a distinct voice throughout your novel.

2. Panel: Ask an Agent Anything (Bluegrass AB room). In this session, attending literary agents, publishers and editors sit on a panel to answer your questions on everything to writing, publishing, building a platform, what agents want, what are the latest trends in publishing, how movie options work, and more. Come ready to ask questions about anything you want related to the writing and publishing industry, and our panel will answer them.

SESSIONS END: 5:00

At 5 p.m., the day is done. Speakers will make themselves available by the workshop’s bookstore for a short while to sign any books for attendees.

Agent & Editor Pitching: All throughout the day.

————-

PITCH AN AGENT!

Screen Shot 2019-11-21 at 2.32.54 PM.pngAlice Speilburg is the founding literary agent of Speilburg Literary Agency. She enjoys nonfiction in the areas of History, Journalism, LGBTQ, Pop Culture, Psychology, Science, Travel, and True Crime. “In nonfiction, I’m looking for cultural narratives, microhistory, nature, and pop science written by journalists and academics.” In fiction, she represents women’s fiction, crime fiction, some fantasy (specifics on her agent page), upmarket genre fiction, historical fiction, mystery, thriller, action/adventure, and horror. Learn more about Alice here.

Screen Shot 2019-11-11 at 9.47.12 AMAlexandra Weiss is a literary agent with Jennifer De Chiara Literary. She is seeking beautifully written young adult fiction (realism, science fiction, and fantasy – but stories that include magic, space, or science are not for her). She loves coming-of-age tales; stories that explore culture, race, sexuality, and identity; and literature from diverse and underrepresented voices. She represents all types of adventurous, silly, and out-of-the-box children’s picture books and middle grade books. In adult fiction, she is “open to most genres, but category romance, or heavy mystery/horror/thriller stories are not for me. Books that are written in or include uses of uncommon formats (uses of letters, screenplay, photos, poetry, or collection of short stories or essays) is another unique quality I look for.” Learn more about Alexandra here.

Screen Shot 2019-07-09 at 2.56.29 PM.pngCate Hart is a literary agent with Harvey Klinger Literary Agency. She specializes in historical, whether in young adult, women’s fiction and romance, or narrative nonfiction. She is particularly drawn to oft-forgotten stories of the past and underrepresented voices, and especially personal to her is unexplored Southern history and culture. She also loves high-concept fantasy in YA and Adult fiction. Cate seeks the following nonfiction categories: narrative, history, film, TV, theatre, pop culture, and music. She also seeks the following fiction genres: historical, commercial, women’s fiction, romance, fantasy, mystety, psychological thriller, middle grade, and young adult. Learn more about Cate here.

Screen Shot 2019-11-14 at 11.47.38 PMKortney Price is a literary agent with Raven Quill Literary. Kortney specializes in books for children from picture books through young adult. Her belief in these stories’ ability to change lives and the world drives her to always look for a way to introduce young readers to new people, cultures, and adventures much like her favorite childhood stories did for her. Whether a story changes the reader’s world view, tells them they aren’t alone or just offers an escape, every book in this field has the potential to make a difference in a child’s life and Kortney is honored to play a part in getting those stories into the hands of readers. Learn more about Kortney here.

ChrysaChrysa Keenon is a literary agent with CYLE Literary. She is actively seeking: YA contemporary romance, YA fantasy novels , adult romance, adult fantasy, nonfiction picture books, MG fantasy, MG contemporary; anything with diverse casts, creative worldbuilding, and romances that make my heart throb. Learn more about Chrysa here.

Screen Shot 2019-11-19 at 12.08.49 AMLizzie Poteet is a literary agent with The Seymour Agency. Lizzie is always looking for a good love story. She loves classic romance tropes, strong dialogue, sassy heroines, witty banter, and good old fashion romance. She’s actively seeking inspirational romance, cozy mystery, new adult romance, young adult (no speculative), romantic suspense, historical and contemporary romances, and loves anything with a happy ending. Learn more about Lizzie here.

Screen Shot 2019-11-15 at 4.23.30 PMKenzi Nevins is a literary agent with CYLE Literary Elite. Kenzi personally seeks picture books (text only is fine, but author-illustrators are her favorite), middle grade (all kinds), young adult (all kinds, including graphic novels with images), and adult fantasy. She is also happy to take pitches on behalf of her many co-agents, and pass on great submissions to them after the event. That means she will take pitches for romance (all kinds), literary fiction, mainstream fiction, science fiction, high & low fantasy, historical, mystery, thriller, suspense, women’s, and Christian/inspirational. For nonfiction, she will take pitches for parenting, leadership, ministry, devotionals, and self-help. She will also take pitches for board books and chapter books. Learn more about Kenzi here.

Screen Shot 2019-12-21 at 2.59.47 PMBrittany Smith is a literary scout for Metamorphisis Literary. At the 2020 KY conference, she will be taking pitches on behalf of several of her co-agents (Amy Brewer, Patty Carothers, and Erica Christensen). She is taking pitches for: romance of all kinds (if your plot revolves around love or angst or both, that’s a good thing), general/mainstream fiction, LGBTQ+, women’s fiction, book club reads, quirky humor, nonfiction, graphic novels, and children’s book illustrators. She also will also take pitches for mysteries and thrillers (bonus points for cozy mysteries and psychological thrillers), picture books with diverse characters that bring valuable lessons to children in an entertaining and lighthearted way, and lastly: upper young adult, new adult and adult romance in most subgenres, ranging from clean/sweet to high heat in any pairings. Learn more about Brittany here.

Screen Shot 2020-02-21 at 3.26.23 PMBrent Taylor is a literary agent and subsidiary rights manager at Triada US Literary. Unfortunately, he is no longer attending the 2020 KY conference.

            More 2020 agents/editors may be added at any time.

These one-on-one meetings are an amazing chance to pitch your book face-to-face with an agent, and get personal, individual feedback on your pitch/concept. If the agent likes your pitch, they’ll request to see part/all of your book — sending you straight past the slush pile. It also gives you an intimate chance to meet with an agent and pick their brain with any questions on your mind.

(Please note that Agent/Editor Pitching is an add-on, separate aspect of the day, for only those who sign up. Spaces are limited for these premium meetings, and pricing/detail is explained below.)

PRICING

$189 — the EARLY BIRD base price for registration to the online 2020 KWW and access to all workshops, all day, on April 4, 2020. As of October 2019, event registration is now OPEN.

Add $29 — to secure a 10-minute one-on-one meeting with any of our literary agents in attendance. Use this special meeting as a chance to pitch your work and get professional feedback on your pitch. (Spaces limited.) If they wish, attendees are free to sign up for multiple 10-minute pitch sessions at $29/session — pitching multiple individuals, or securing 20 minutes to pitch one person rather than the usual 10. Here are four quick testimonials regarding writers who have signed with literary agents after pitching them at prior Writing Day Workshops events. (Our bigger, growing list of success stories can be seen here.)

Screen Shot 2018-11-26 at 11.11.29 AM.png“I met my client, Alison Hammer, at the Writing
Workshop of Chicago and just sold her book.”
– literary agent Joanna Mackenzie of Nelson Literary

Screen Shot 2017-05-02 at 11.47.54 PM.png“Good news! I signed a client [novelist Aliza Mann]
from the Michigan Writing Workshop!”
– literary agent Sara Mebigow of KT Literary

Screen Shot 2018-11-05 at 12.56.10 PM“I signed author Stephanie Wright from
the Seattle Writing Workshop.”
– literary agent Kathleen Ortiz of New Leaf Literary

Screen Shot 2018-05-17 at 9.07.44 PM“I signed an author [Kate Thompson] that I
met at the Philadelphia Writing Workshop.”
– literary agent Kimberly Brower of Brower Literary

Screen Shot 2016-10-16 at 2.54.50 PM.png“I signed novelist Kathleen McInnis after meeting her
at the Chesapeake Writing Workshop.”

– literary agent Adriann Ranta of Foundry Literary + Media

Add $69 — for an in-depth, personal critique of your one-page query letter from instructor Brian Klems. (This rate is a special event value for Kentucky Writing Workshop attendees only.) Registrants are encouraged to take advantage of the specially-priced critique, so they can send out their query letter with confidence following the workshop. Also, if you are meeting with an agent at the event, you’re essentially speaking your query letter aloud to them. Wouldn’t it be wise to give that query letter (i.e., your pitch) one great edit before that meeting?

Add $89 — for an in-depth personal critique of the first 10 double-spaced pages of your novel. Spaces with faculty for these critiques are very limited, and participating attendees get an in-person meeting at the workshop. Options:

  • Romance, suspense, thriller, mystery, fantasy, paranormal: Faculty member Christina Kaye, a published writer, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your story, meet with you for at least 10 minutes at the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes at the meeting.
  • Picture books, board books, easy readers, young adult, middle grade: Faculty member Brittany J. Thurman, a published writer, will get your work in advance, edit the first 10 double-spaced pages of your story, meet with you for at least 10 minutes at the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes at the meeting.
  • Literary fiction, contemporary, thriller, science fiction, fantasy, mystery, crime, thriller, young adult, middle grade, general fiction. Faculty member Olivia Cole, a published writer, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your story, meet with you for at least 10 minutes at the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes at the meeting.
  • More critique options possibly forthcoming.

How to pay/register — Registration is now open. Reach out to workshop organizer Brian Klems via email: WDWconference@gmail.com, and he will provide specific instructions for payment and registration to get you a reserved seat at the event. Payment is by either PayPal or check. Because Brian plans different workshops, make sure you note that you’re inquiring about the Kentucky workshop specifically.

REGISTRATION

Because of limited space at the venue of the Louisville Marriott East, the workshop can only allow 175 registrants, unless spacing issues change. For this reason, we encourage you to book sooner rather than later.

Are spaces still available? Yes, we still have spaces available. We will announce RIGHT HERE, at this point on this web page, when all spaces are taken. If you do not see a note right here saying how all spaces are booked, then yes, we still have room, and you are encouraged to register.

How to Register: The easy first step is simply to reach out to workshop organizer Brian Klems via email: WDWconference@gmail.com. He will pass along registration information to you, and give instructions on how to pay by PayPal or check. Once payment is complete, you will have a reserved seat at the event. The KWW will send out periodic e-mail updates to all registered attendees with any & all news about the event. Because Brian plans different workshops, make sure you note that you’re inquiring about the Kentucky workshop specifically.

Refunds: If you sign up for the event and have to cancel for any reason, you will receive 50% of your total payment back [sent by check or PayPal]. The other 50% is nonrefundable and will not be returned, and helps the workshop ensure that only those truly interested in the limited spacing sign up for the event. (Please note that query editing payments are completely non-refundable if the instructor has already edited your letter.)

Screen Shot 2016-11-16 at 10.43.05 AM.png

Thank you for your interest in the 2020 Kentucky Writing Workshop.

The 2020 KWW is Now an Online Conference — Here’s What to Know

Hi KWW attendees,

Brian Klems here with the Kentucky Writing Workshop on April 4, 2020.

I hope you are staying safe and healthy. I wanted to update on you on our plans for the 2020 KWW. Because of faculty and attendee concern about health, we are excited to announce that we are moving the event to an all-day Live Online Conference on April 4, 2020. There will be no in-person event this year.

We will spell out details below in terms of what that means, but the important and immediate things to know are 1) this will be great and easy, and 2) this will not eliminate any aspect of the event, so you will still get every part of the event that you want (and more!). We will still have great classes teaching you how to get published, one-on-one video/phone pitches with agents, and helpful critiques. In fact, moving the event to a teleconference on the computer not only will keep attendees & faculty 100% safe, but it also adds some new awesome elements that we’re excited about. More on that below.

We understand that an Online Conference may be new to some attendees, but do not worry. It is quite easy to do, and we will have detailed steps on what to do and when. Essentially, all you need is access to a working computer, tablet, or phone with Internet, and then you watch the conference on your computer screen live. You’ll click links in emails and be able to watch live classes and ask questions. That’s it. Also, the day’s classes can be viewed again and again because it’s all recorded! Many writing conferences are switching to teleconferences during these months, and it’s going well.

Lastly, we the KWW coordinators are available all day long before and during April 4 to help and assist. You can always call on us.

OUR NEW ONLINE CONFERENCE – WHAT TO UNDERSTAND FOR ATTENDEES

What do attendees have to do right now: Nothing right now. All is well. Just read through this email whenever you like so you understand how the day will work. That’s it. We will continue to stay in touch all the way through April 4. As always, we are happy to answer any questions.

Are we still accepting new attendees for the online events? Yes. Thank you for any word-spreading you do. People who want to register can contact me (Brian) at wdwconference@gmail.com

Timing of the day: We are still having the event on Saturday, April 4, from 930-500. The classes will be online live during that time for you to watch. Concerning your one-on-one meetings with agents & editors, you will have personal Skype or phone conversations for your agent pitches and critiques. Many of those may happen on April 4, or some in the days before/after the event.

How classes work: We send you an email, and on the morning of April 4, you open the email, click on a link, and log in to our “Classroom.” At that point, you are IN the conference with all other attendees—watching speakers teach classes on your screen. Then faculty members will be able to teach over the computer and speak directly to you. There is a Chat Box where you can type your questions at any time. For the workshop, our policy is that no question goes unanswered. That means if you type in a question and the presenter runs out of time to address all questions, those questions get answered following the event and emailed out to everyone.

Classes are recorded (and this is amazing news)! With an in-person conference, attendees would miss snippets of classes because they leave the classroom to pitch, or make a phone call, or anything else. But the 10 classes happening during April 4 are all recorded, which means we will send the whole day’s recording following the event. You can watch it as many times as you want during the next three months. This is an exciting new element that we couldn’t include before. Also, we will be sending out all handouts for all classes to attendees in advance.

Lastly, having this new technology allows us WDW faculty members to pre-record sessions, too—meaning we will actually send attendees extra FREE classes as part of their attendance. In addition to getting the day’s 10 classes sent to you to watch over and over again, we will also send you:

  • “15 Tips on How to Write Like the Pros”—a class on craft and voice, by Brian Klems
  • “10 Query Letter Tips”—a class to help your submission chances, by Chuck Sambuchino
  • “An Overview of Your Publishing Options Today”—a class on understanding the difference between self-publishing and traditional publishing, by Chuck Sambuchino
  • “Improve Your Writing: The Basics of Self-Editing and Revision,” by Kerrie Flanagan

How agent & editor pitches work: Agents and editors are blocking off their whole day on April 4 to take pitches via Skype (or a comparable video software) from attendees. So you will still get your individual 10-minute one-on-one pitches with agents and editors. If you’re not familiar with Skype, you can always do the pitches by phone—you can choose.

Query critiques: Those will be done before the event and emailed out to you. Nothing is changed. This is an add-on feature for people who opted for a query critique.

Manuscript critiques: This is also an add-on element. If you paid for a manuscript critique, your critique faculty member should be in touch with you directly with their notes, and to schedule a 10-minute phone call (or Skype call). Thanks.

First Pages Panel: The panel is still happening. We will collect your first pages in advance over email and pick them at random for the agents to critique during this midday centerpiece panel. Having this panel taped (so you can rewatch it) is an exciting opportunity!

Other notes: We considered rescheduling, but since there is no end date to the problem, it doesn’t work. We are excited about the online conference on April 4, and hope to have the conference as a live event again in 2021 and beyond. If you want your registration transferred to 2021 in full, just let me know.

Thanks for reading all this! Be in touch if you have any questions. We will “see” everyone on April 4. More emails to come.

Thanks
Brian Klems
wdwconference@gmail.com
https://kentuckywritingworkshop.com

 

Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Kenzi Nevins of CYLE Literary Elite

Screen Shot 2019-11-15 at 4.23.30 PMKenzi Nevins is a junior literary agent with CYLE Literary Elite.

Kenzi personally seeks picture books (text only is fine, but author-illustrators are her favorite), middle grade (all kinds), young adult (all kinds, including graphic novels with images), and adult fantasy. She is also happy to take pitches on behalf of her many co-agents, and pass on great submissions to them after the event. That means she will take pitches for romance (all kinds), literary fiction, mainstream fiction, science fiction, high & low fantasy, historical, mystery, thriller, suspense, women’s, and Christian/inspirational. For nonfiction, she will take pitches for parenting, leadership, ministry, devotionals, and self-help. She will also take pitches for board books and chapter books

“My personal interests lie in mythology and retold fairy tales, so I would say that fantasy and magic realism generally get me the most excited, but I will look at anything.”

Kenzi is an award-winning writer with a passion for magic realism and mythology. A graduate of Taylor University’s professional writing and theatre programs, she spent two semesters studying in the story-laden Wicklow Mountains of eastern Ireland. Previously, she won second place for theatre journalism and critique from the Kennedy Center for American College Theatre, and her short story, “The Last Freedom,” was published in eBook and paperback by StoryShares.

When she isn’t writing, Kenzi can be found watering her fairy garden, experimenting with little-known tea flavors, or wandering the aisles of her Kentucky library.

Get to Know a Literary Scout in Attendance: Brittany Smith of Metamorphosis Literary

Screen Shot 2019-12-21 at 2.59.47 PMBrittany Smith is a literary scout for Metamorphosis Literary. At the 2020 KY conference, she will be taking pitches on behalf of several of her co-agents (Amy Brewer, Patty Carothers, and Erica Christensen).

She is taking pitches for:

  • romance of all kinds; if your plot revolves around love or angst or both, that’s a good thing. Also looking for general/mainstream fiction, LGBTQ+, women’s fiction, book club reads, and quirky humor.
  • nonfiction, graphic novels, children’s book illustrators.
  • upper young adult, new adult and adult romance in most subgenres, ranging from clean/sweet to high heat in any pairings. Also seeks mysteries and thrillers (bonus points for cozy mysteries and psychological thrillers). Also, picture books with diverse characters that bring valuable lessons to children in an entertaining and lighthearted way.

For as long as she can remember, Brittany has had a book in hand and story ideas whirling in her mind. A voracious reader and lover of ice cream, she often dreams of owning a personal library to rival Belle’s. A former mental health counselor, Brittany is currently working on a nonfiction book and preparing to launch her blog Real Life Real Well. “A book, too, can be a star, a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe.” ~ Madeleine L’Engle

Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Kortney Price of Raven Quill Literary

Screen Shot 2019-11-14 at 11.47.38 PMKortney Price is a literary agent with Raven Quill Literary.

Kortney specializes in books for children from picture books through young adult. Her belief in these stories’ ability to change lives and the world drives her to always look for a way to introduce young readers to new people, cultures, and adventures much like her favorite childhood stories did for her. Whether a story changes the reader’s world view, tells them they aren’t alone or just offers an escape, every book in this field has the potential to make a difference in a child’s life and Kortney is honored to play a part in getting those stories into the hands of readers.

Kortney graduated with a B.A. in English from Greenville University in 2014. Since then she has interned with Andrea Hurst & Associates, Amphorae Publishing Group, and Inklings Literary Agency. She was an associate agent for two years before finding her home with Raven Quill Literary Agency.

 

Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Alice Speilburg of Speilburg Literary

Screen Shot 2019-11-21 at 2.32.54 PM.pngAlice Speilburg founded Speilburg Literary Agency in 2012, bringing with her the editorial and business expertise she had developed in previous publishing positions at John Wiley & Sons and Howard Morhaim Literary Agency. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Mystery Writers of America, and Society of Children’s Book Authors and Illustrators, and she is a board member of Louisville Literary Arts. She is currently building her client list and represents a wide range of fiction and nonfiction.

Nonfiction:

She enjoys nonfiction in the areas of History, Journalism, LGBTQ, Pop Culture, Psychology, Science, Travel, and True Crime. “In nonfiction, I’m looking for cultural narratives, microhistory, nature, and pop science written by journalists and academics. I’d love to see more nonfiction proposals, so even if you think your nonfiction project is not quite what I’m looking for, please send it over so that I can take a look.” She’d love to see

  • Pop Science Narratives that inform some particular quirk of our human nature or the world around us, like STIFF, or ON TRAILS
  • Pop Science Narratives that tie closely with political discussions regarding the environment, social issues, etc., like INFERIOR, OVERRUN, or LOST MOUNTAIN
  • Nonfiction Narratives that weave history or science through memoir, like THE OREGON TRAIL, or SPINELESS
  • Nonfiction narratives that focus on the intersection of two — perhaps unlikely — subjects, like WAR AND WINE, or EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
  • Journalistic Narratives that focus on a specific place, thing, or circumstance to show something about our culture at large, like JANESVILLE, THE GOOD GIRLS REVOLT, GHOSTLAND, or WILD ONES

Fiction:

She represents women’s fiction, crime fiction, some fantasy (specifics below), historical fiction, mystery, thriller, action/adventure, and horror.

“In fiction, I’m looking for stories that sidestep into history, magic, mystery, horror, or adventure. My favorite sub-genres are feminism, narrative nonfiction, and upmarket genre fiction.” She would love to see

  • Historical Fiction that reimagines factual events, especially crimes or mysteries, like BURIAL RITES, THE BALLAD OF TOM DOOLEY, or THE LAST DAYS OF NIGHT
  • Women’s Fiction that oscillates between modern and historical perspectives like THE DOLLHOUSE
  • Historical Fiction that sidesteps into magic, like OUTLANDER, A SECRET HISTORY OF WITCHES, or THE MONSTERS OF TEMPLETON
  • Fantasy based on American folklore, earthy and magical, like THE VINE THAT ATE THE SOUTH
  • Fantasy that contains mythical elements, like THE BIRD KING, THE GOLEM AND THE JINNI, or THE BEAR & THE NIGHTINGALE
  • Adventure Fantasy with fresh and unique magic, like A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC, THE BOOK OF DUST
  • Police Procedural Mysteries that are grounded in both a unique investigator and an evocative setting like the ARMAND GAMACHE series and the ALEX MCKNIGHT series
  • Psychological Thrillers that border on horror with smart female protagonists, like IN A DARK, DARK WOOD

Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Chrysa Keenon of CYLE Literary

ChrysaChrysa Keenon is a literary agent with CYLE Literary.

Chrysa has always loved stories—both reading and writing them. Her degree from Taylor University’s acclaimed Professional Writing program helped her learn a thing or two about the craft, and she set her sights on working in the publishing industry. She has published over 400 pieces of fiction (including poetry, short stories, and stage plays) and nonfiction (book reviews and journalism articles). She has multiple first-place awards for her writing, including 1st Place in Sci-Fi/Fantasy for the Blue Seal Award. Setting her sights on the industry, Chrysa kickstarted her career in publishing by interning with GenZ Publishing and The Seymour Agency. By day, she works in editorial for a prominent bridal magazine. By night, she is an agent at the Cyle Young Literary Elite agency, helping writers achieve their publishing dreams, one query at a time.

She is actively seeking: YA contemporary romance, YA fantasy, adult romance, adult fantasy, nonfiction picture books, MG fantasy, MG contemporary; anything with diverse casts, creative worldbuilding, and romances that make my heart throb.

Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Cate Hart of Harvey Klinger Literary

Screen Shot 2019-07-09 at 2.56.29 PM.pngCate Hart is a literary agent with Harvey Klinger Literary Agency.

Cate joined the agency in 2019 after 5 years with a New York agency. She specializes in historical, whether in young adult, women’s fiction and romance, or narrative nonfiction. She is particularly drawn to oft-forgotten stories of the past and underrepresented voices, and especially personal to her is unexplored Southern history and culture. She also loves high-concept fantasy in YA and Adult fiction.

A graduate of the University of Tennessee, studying Theatre and History, Cate currently lives in Nashville with her children.

Cate seeks the following nonfiction categories: narrative, history, film, TV, theatre, pop culture, and music. She also seeks the following fiction genres: historical, commercial, women’s fiction, romance, fantasy, mystety, psychological thriller, middle grade, and young adult.