attending PUBLISHING INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS
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Amazon Publishing is a leading trade publisher of fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books with a mission to empower outstanding storytellers and connect them with readers worldwide. We publish emerging, bestselling and critically-acclaimed authors in digital, print, and audio formats. With Amazon’s drive for innovation and passion for books, we merge technology and art to support our authors and help their stories change the world.
Ann Leslie Tuttle (via zoom)
Literary Agent, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret
Ann Leslie Tuttle joined DG&B in 2017 after working for 20 years at Harlequin Books where she worked on an extensive and varied list of bestselling and award-winning titles in romance and women’s fiction. She received her B.A. degree from the College of William and Mary and an M.A. from the University of Virginia. Helping to grow the careers of established and debut writers has always been Ann Leslie’s passion. Ann Leslie is especially seeking women’s fiction (e.g. relationships, family sagas, historical fiction and psychological thrillers) romance (e.g. romantic comedies, medical romance and contemporaries) and Southern Gothics on the adult fiction side as well as Middle Grade fiction and narrative nonfiction. Ann Leslie lives in New York City with her husband and young daughter, who is just discovering the magic of books and writing.
Ann Rachelle
Director of Marketing & Outreach, Audio In Color
A seasoned marketing professional and owner of the Milk & Cookies Marketing firm, Ann is a trusted expert in both the marketing and literary worlds. She has over ten years experience as a television writer and book editor, and now specializes in supporting brands tailored to marginalized populations. Ann serves on the Board of Directors for the Audio in Color grant program, a 501c3 that provides funding to authors of color to produce and promote their first self-published audiobook production.
In addition to her career pursuits, Ann is deeply dedicated to community service and volunteers with non-profit organizations focused on cancer research, autism awareness, and family resources.
DAn Wood
Chief Operating Officer, Draft2Digital
Dan Wood is the Chief Operating Officer at Draft2Digital, where he has spent the last 9 years helping authors publish their books to stores, libraries and subscription services worldwide.
During this time he has had the privilege to present at conferences in 7 countries across the world and speak with thousands of authors at various stages in their careers.
Dan is also a Co-Host of the Self Publishing Insiders Podcast.
Dana Claire
Founder, INKfluence
Dana Claire is a marketing and sales expert and an accomplished author, who founded The INKfluence, a specialized marketing agency that focuses on helping authors achieve success on direct sales platforms, such as Kickstarter. The INKfluence delivers a comprehensive range of services, including direct sales strategies, the design and production of special edition books, and crowdfunding project management. Their goal is to serve as the premier resource for authors aiming to expand their revenue streams, build community engagement, and captivate their most dedicated fans.
dEB wERKSMAN
Executive Editor, Sourcebooks Casablanca
Deb Werksman is the Editorial Director of Sourcebooks Casablanca. She previously ran her own publishing company. Werksman is the country’s foremost editor of Jane Austen sequels, and acquires single title romance in all subgenres, as well as historical and women’s fiction. Sourcebooks is an independent, women-led publisher bound together by the idea that Books. Change. Lives.
Diana Pho
Executive Editor, Erewhon Books
Diana (she/her) is a Hugo Award-winning editor with over 15 years of experience across various areas of the publishing industry, most notably the Science Fiction Book Club and the Tor Publishing Group. Before landing at Erewhon, Diana served as Lead Creative Executive for Co-Productions & Partnerships at the podcast studio Realm Media. She has had the pleasure of working with household names like George R. R. Martin and the Robert Jordan estate for The Wheel of Time, as well as critically acclaimed writers such as Bethany C. Morrow, Lara Elena Donnelly, K. A. Doore, and Margaret Killjoy, among others. Books she has edited have won the Thriller Award (A.J. Hartley’s Steeplejack, for Best Young Adult), the Ditmar Award (Thoraiya Dyer’s Crossroads of Canopy, for Best Novel), the American Library Association’s Alex Award (P. Djeli Clark’s The Black God’s Drums), the Nebula Award (P. Djeli Clark’s Ring Shout & A Master of Djinn) and a Kirkus Best Book of the Year Selection (Marie Miranda Cruz’s Everlasting Nora, for Middle Grade).
Diana herself is also a two-time finalist for the Ignyte Award and a finalist for the Locus Award for her editorial work. She has a double Bachelor’s degree in English and Russian Literature from Mount Holyoke College and a Master’s in Performance Studies from New York University. More than anything else, she appreciates a good cup of tea.
Eric S. Brown
Owner, Eric S. Brown Law PLLC
Eric S. Brown has been practicing entertainment law in New York City for over 30 years. Eric has extensive experience structuring and negotiating agreements in all areas of the entertainment industry, including book publishing, motion picture and television development, production, financing and distribution, live theatrical production, sponsorship, and merchandising.
Eric has been recognized for multiple years as a Super Lawyer in the field of Entertainment & Sports. He is a member of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), and the American Bar Association, where he is a past Chairman of the Literary Publishing Division of the ABA Forum on the Entertainment and Sports Industries.
Prior to founding Eric S. Brown Law, Eric was a partner at Franklin, Weinrib, Rudell & Vassallo, a New York City entertainment law firm. He started his career as an associate in the entertainment department of Paul, Weiss.
Eric received his law degree from Columbia Law School where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and an editor of The Columbia-VLA Journal of Law & the Arts. He also is a graduate of The Honors Program (with High Distinction) at The University of Michigan.
Flavia Viotti
Founder, Bookcase Literary Agency
Flavia Viotti, the founder of Bookcase Literary Agency, is driven, determined and quick to see business opportunities, while using her management skills to bring a breath of fresh air into the market. She has always been an aggressive and addictive reader and believes she has the best job in the world.
Gray Tan
Founder, The Grayhawk Agency
Gray Tan founded The Grayhawk Agency in 2008. They are a leading literary agency in Asia, representing over 200 foreign publishers and agents in China, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia. They represent a select list of Asian authors in film/tv and translation, whose works have been licensed in over 30 countries and to production companies in Asia, Europe, and Hollywood.
Jannah McCowan
Senior Acquisitions Editor, Tantor Media, a division of Recorded Books
Jannah McCowan started out as a bookseller and went on to work at a public library. In 2017 she received her graduate certificate in publishing from the Denver Publishing Institute. She started with Tantor Media in 2018 growing her acquisitions of both fiction and nonfiction titles. She acquires in all fiction subgenres, but especially loves sports romance.
Jenn Eschrich
Acquisitions Managing Editor, Tantor Media, a division of Recorded Books
In her tenure with Tantor, Jenn has acquired the audio rights to over 2,000 books across all genres though her passion projects are thriller/suspense, psychology, and self-help.
Joleen Hughes
Founder and CEO, Hughes Media Law Group
HMLG was founded by Joleen Hughes, a digital media legal pioneer, serial entrepreneur, professor, board member & an Amazon best-selling contemporary romance author. The HMLG team is comprised of women who have impacted media, tech and consumer businesses for decades. We are dedicated to help you develop and grow your publishing dreams!
Julie Braunschweiger
Senior Manager, Barnes & Noble Press, B&N’s self-publishing platform
Julie is responsible for day-to-day business operations, author outreach, promotions, and social media, as well as being closely aligned with top-line NOOK strategy. Previously, Julie spent four years in Los Angeles working in film and television. Before joining B&N, Julie was also the lead bookseller for a local, independent bookstore in Katonah, New York.
Kate Johnson
Co-Founder, Zory App
Kate Johnson, Co-founder of Zory App, has spent over two decades enthralled by the worlds of her favorite romance novels and video games alike. In 2018, she & her husband puzzled out how to blend those respective loves into Zory, an interactive reading app that merges the depth found in fiction with the choose-your-path-style plotlines of narrative video games. A former developmental editor, Kate spearheads content acquisition and heads up narrative design for Zory books, working closely with authors and an in-house team of video game writers to help breathe new life (in the form of alternate paths) into their stories. She’s driven by the desire to create win-win scenarios. On Zory, readers enjoy books like never before– their values and preferences actively shape the plot, while authors reach new audiences & diversify their IP into additional streams of income. It’s a win-win (which is always her goal).
KIMBERLY BROWER
President & Literary Agent, Brower Literary & Management
Kimberly fell in love with reading when she picked up her first Babysitter’s Club book at the age of seven (Super Special editions were her favorites) and hasn’t been able to get her nose out of a book since. She holds a BS in Business Administration from California State University, Northridge and received her JD from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. After spending a decade in the business world, it was kismet that she found herself in publishing. She takes great pride in her client list, from the debut authors to #1 NYT bestsellers, and likes to consider them all her favorite authors. She previously worked for over two years at a boutique literary agency before starting her own. After spending 14 years in California, she is thrilled to be back on the east coast. When not providing individual attention to her clients, Kimberly manages all of the day-to-day operations of the agency. This includes overseeing the management of the foreign, audio and all other subsidiary rights for all the authors in the agency.
LaSheera Lee
Senior Literary Agent, SBR Media
La Sheera Lee, Senior Agent at SBR Media, loves to make others shine. As an award-winning blogger and literary activist, she has managed to place a positive spotlight on the publishing industry. In her limited spare time, La Sheera Lee is also a podcaster and magazine contributor. When she does not have a book in her hand, she is most likely spending time with her family or binge-watching Murder She Wrote. Follow her at @Readyoulater on IG and X.
Lauren B. Emerson
Partner, Leason Ellis LLP
Lauren Emerson co-chairs the Trademark and Copyright Practice Group at Leason Ellis where she helps clients establish and enforce intellectual property rights. Lauren counsels household names and new ventures alike across a diverse array of industries including consumer products, fashion, payment technology, energy, telecom, medical devices, retail, software, automotive, and food and beverage. She has developed a niche publishing practice working primarily with individual authors. She also advises several non-profit organizations. Lauren has significant experience managing global trademark portfolios, crafting complex rights agreements, tackling thorny prosecution issues in China, and representing clients before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Federal litigation highlights include cases pertaining to film, architecture, toy sprinklers, sippy cups, romance novels, and in-dash navigation systems.
WTR, WWL and Super Lawyers have recognized Lauren’s passion for her practice and commitment to client service. Outside of the firm, Lauren channels her enthusiasm into involvement with industry organizations, including INTA, AIPLA and NYIPLA. Lauren served on the Board of the NYIPLA and serves on AIPLA and INTA committees. Lauren is frequently invited to speak at industry and legal events on topics ranging from Copyright 101 to complex issues involving the DMCA and has authored a number of amicus briefs. She holds a JD from Fordham University School of Law and a BA from Dartmouth College. Before attending law school, Lauren enjoyed a prior career in licensing at Pokémon USA, Inc.
leticia gomez
Editorial Director, Dafina Books, an imprint of Kensington Publishing
Leticia Gomez is the editorial director for Kensington Books and Dafina. Leticia is the Editorial Director for Dafina Books, an imprint of Kensington Publishing Corp., which focuses on high-quality fiction and nonfiction that centers on race, identity, and its impact on our experiences. Dafina’s carefully curated list is a home for dynamic stories that innovate and amplify voices too long ignored through books that entertain, challenge, and inspire. Launched in 2000 as the first African-American imprint, Dafina has led the market for more than twenty years in highlighting voices of color. Leticia is actively seeking to acquire multicultural fiction and nonfiction of all genres, including literary fiction, commercial fiction, historical fiction, romance, mystery, and narrative nonfiction of all genres with a focus on authors of color (BIPOC) hailing from all walks of life, as well as specific nonfiction projects for marginalized communities. In addition to her role at Kensington, Leticia is a prominent literary/film/television agent who specializes in bringing culturally diverse voices to the forefront. Savvy Literary is now an industry leader specializing in Self-help, Narrative Non-fiction, Memoir, True Crime, Suspense / Thriller, Spiritual / Inspirational, Political / Current Affairs, Family Drama, and the Young Adult market. Championing the work of minority writers continues to be a top priority for the agency.
Lizzy Mason
Publicity Director, Entangled Publishing
Lizzy Mason is the Publicity Director for Entangled Publishing and has worked in publishing for more than two decades. She is also the critically-acclaimed author of three sad-but-funny young adult novels about mental health: The Art of Losing, Between the Bliss and Me, and Remind Me to Hate You Later. She largely eschews social media, but you can occasionally find her at @lizzymasonbooks and her cats at @greygardenskitties on Instagram.
louise fury
President & Literary Agent, The Fury Agency
The Fury Agency represents multiple authors whose books have hit the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly and Der Spiegel bestseller lists.
We work with each author to build the publishing career of their dreams and to expand their reach across platforms, formats and territories. Whether the goal is a traditional book deal, exploring subrights for a self-published title/s or mapping out a multi-platform approach for their business, our focus is on the needs of the author and monetizing multiple streams of revenue to expand the reach of each project and to build the author brand.
lynn raposo
Assistant Editor, Canary Street Press and Graydon House (formerly HQN)
After starting out as a bookseller in 2016, Lynn Raposo went on to roles at Penguin Random House Canada, HarperCollins Canada and Harlequin, where she now works as an assistant editor for Canary Street Press. She studied English, French, and Professional Writing at the University of Toronto before completing her publishing certificate at Humber College. She enjoys fresh stories with a strong cast of characters and transportive settings, witty romcoms with unique hooks and genuine humor, and modern twists on classic tropes.
Margarita Coale
Founder and CEO, The Law Offices of Margarita Coale
Margarita Coale is a sole practitioner in Dallas, focused exclusively on the representation of authors, and romance writers in particular (with some podcast and gaming clients and children’s authors for a little variety). A love of romance novels is one of the few constants in her well-traveled, adventurous life. Born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico, she attended law school at the University of Texas (got a couple of other degrees along the way), worked for several years at the white-shoe New York firm representing Enron in its epic bankruptcy filing, and then taught procedure and international law at the Texas Wesleyan School of Law in Fort Worth.
Her current practice grew out of her business-law work and has expanded to include writers worldwide on a host of commercial and intellectual property issues. Margarita has helped many authors successfully negotiate agreements for the reversion of rights. Her practice includes advising client of their intellectual property rights, the creation of literary trusts and the legal day to day operations in the business of being an author.
“Mom” to four children (and wife to one more), she also leads the elementary school parent-teacher group and coordinates volunteers for the junior high and high school. She can often be heard speaking to her clients about their universes, in hopes of mystical babies and plans to climb a Colorado mountain in 2020.
mark gottlieb
Literary Agent, Trident Media Group Literary Agency
My name is Mark Gottlieb and I am a vice president and literary agent at book publishing’s leading literary agency, Trident Media Group in New York City. I attended Emerson College and was President of its Publishing Club, establishing the Wilde Press. After graduating with a degree in writing, literature & publishing, I began my career with Penguin’s VP. My first position at Trident Media Group, was in foreign rights. I was EA to TMG’s Chairman and ran the Audio Department. I am currently working with my own client list, helping to manage and grow author careers with the unique resources available to TMG. I have ranked highly in our industry among literary agents in overall deals and other categories.
Michelle Grajkowski
Literary Agent, 3 Seas Literary Agency
From the moment Michelle Grajkowski first opened the doors to the 3 Seas Literary Agency in August of 2000, she has been living her dream. (What could be better than surrounding yourself with amazing authors and their exciting and imaginative books?) Since then, her agency has sold more than 900 books to all the major publishing houses, and has grown from one agent to five!
Michelle’s client list includes New York Times Bestselling Authors Katie MacAlister, Cathy McDavid, Kerrelyn Sparks and C.L. Wilson. She primarily represents romance, women’s fiction, young adult and middle grade fiction along with select non-fiction projects with a terrific message. She is currently looking for fantastic writers with a voice of their own.
When not curled up with a great manuscript, Michelle loves to spend time with her husband, children, and her crazy puppy who refuses to grow up.
monique patterson
Vice President & Editorial Director, Bramble (The Tor Publishing Group)
Since childhood, Patterson has been a fan of genre fiction. “I love—and grew up loving—fantasy, vampire and werewolf tales, all the fairy tales. I read so voraciously! And I got really intrigued by sci-fi when I saw The War of the Worlds movie. My sisters and I were little nerds.” Immediately after college, she began her publishing career at Avon in 1997 as an editorial assistant. Three years later, after moving up to assistant editor, she got a call from Jennifer Enderlin, then v-p, publisher, Griffin and SMP paperbacks. The two hit it off, and Patterson was invited to SMP to meet with Enderlin, SMP president Sally Richardson, the late Matthew Shear (then publisher of Griffin and SMP Paperbacks), and then-editor-in-chief George Witte. A couple of days later they offered Patterson a full editor position, and she has been at SMP ever since.
Oriana Leckert
Head of Publishing, Kickstarter
Oriana Leckert is the Head of Publishing at Kickstarter, where she helps creators bring a marvelous array of literary projects to life. She’s written and edited for Vice, MTV News, Slate, Hyperallergic, Gothamist, Atlas Obscura, and many more. Her first book, Brooklyn Spaces: 50 Hubs of Culture and Creativity (Monacelli, 2015), grew out of a multi-year project chronicling the rise and fall of under-the-radar creative places across New York City. Follow her at @orianabklyn on most social platforms.
Patience Bramlett
Managing Production Editor, Wolfpack Publishing
As Managing Production Editor for Wolfpack Publishing, Patience Bramlett is a book lover through and through.
With a sharp eye for detail and a deep appreciation for great storytelling, she oversees the production of action-packed thrillers, rough ‘n’ tough Westerns, heartfelt romances, enriching Christian tales, and young adult adventures. She’s the fairy godmother for all things publishing, and she prides herself on meeting every due date that hits her desk.
When she isn’t diving into our world’s stories, you can find her snuggled up at home with the two loves of her life, her beloved husband and adorable daughter. And if you happen to spot her racing around town, don’t worry—she’s just frantically in pursuit of the next great cup of coffee!
rick bleiweiss
Editor, Blackstone Publishing
Rick Bleiweiss has been a successful musician, songwriter, music producer, and record company executive. He has worked as a social activist and journalist and is currently a publishing executive. His novel Pignon Scorbion & the Barbershop Detectives was selected as an Amazon Editors’ Pick for Best Mystery, Thriller, and Suspense, as well as being chosen as one of the year’s Best New Debut Mystery Novels by Publishers Weekly. Rick lives in Ashland, Oregon, and is at work on his next Pignon Scorbion novel. Follow him and Scorbion at RickBleiweiss.com.
Sarah Younger
Senior Literary Agent, Nancy Yost Literary Agency
Sarah Younger, Senior Agent at the Nancy Yost Literary Agency, began her career in publishing in 2010 at Press53 in Winston Salem, N.C., after receiving her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She later attended the University of Denver’s graduate publishing program in 2011, where, upon completion, she moved to New York City. Sarah joined the Nancy Yost Literary Agency in the fall of 2011 and has since cultivated a diverse and talented list of authors, including a variety of commercial fiction and select non-fiction titles. She is specifically interested in representing all varieties of adult commercial fiction, from book club titles to romantic comedies, genre romance, adult science fiction and fantasy, mysteries, thrillers, suspense, and very select non-fiction. You can learn more about Sarah on the Nancy Yost Literary Agency’s website, www.nyliterary.com, which includes how to query Sarah (though she is currently closed to queries at this time). She has been a member of AALA since 2014.
stephanie phillips
Literary Agent, SBR Media
Stephanie Phillips is a born and bred southern girl. After graduating from High Point University, she’d gone from different careers including modeling, Mary Kay, publicist, blogger, radio show host, and then found her footing as an agent. With over two hundred clients and three times as many deals between her and her eight agents, she’s happy to see SBR Media is a force in the literary world. When not agenting, blogging, or reading, she spends time with her husband and two adorable kids in their Myrtle Beach home.
Victoria Gerken
Publisher, Podium Audio
Victoria Gerken is the Publisher of Podium Audio. She has welcomed independent authors into the Podium family since 2016. She previously worked with authors in traditional publishing roles – at Random House and Alfred A. Knopf – where she was a publicist and sold subsidiary rights. She got her first taste of entrepreneurship in publishing as the founder of the Random House Speakers Bureau.