10th Annual Writing Popular Fiction Retreat
In Your Write Mind
June 23 – 26, 2011
GUEST SPEAKERS
Kathleen Ortiz is the Subsidiary Rights Manager/Agent for Nancy Coffey Literary
and Media Representation. As a former online editor and interactive designer,
Kathleen uses her experience in online marketing to help authors build their
communities and promote themselves and their books. She looks past the pages of a
story and think of ways to help authors reach more readers so they can interact with
the characters and their world. As subrights director, Kathleen handles foreign,
audio and digital rights for the agency. She has an intimate list of clients, with Jaime
Reed's debut YA paranormal romance, LIVING VIOLET, book one of the Cambion
Chronicles, coming out by Kensington in January 2012. She is currently closed to
submissions (except conference requests) until August 1, 2011. You can find
Kathleen on Twitter or visit her blog for more information or updates on the
publishing industry.
STEVE SAFFEL has worked in publishing for long enough to beg
institutionalization. Having earned a degree in journalism about an hour
and a half drive away from this conference, he highly recommends
several things book professionals could learn from journalists. He
entered publishing via Marvel Comics, where he did promotions and
edited behind-the-scenes magazines, then moved to Del Rey Books,
where he edited science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, horror, and
nonfiction. As an editorial freelancer he has edited just about every kind
of book he could imagine, fiction and nonfiction. Currently he works
with Titan Books, an international publisher specializing in popular
culture, where he edits science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, horror,
graphic novel collections, media tie-ins, biography, classic fiction, art
books, and more. His author have included David Gemmell, Harry
Turtledove, David Morrell, Greg Keyes, Drew Struzan, John Shirley, Joe
Simon, John Birmingham, and many others.
Eddie Schneider
Eddie Schneider is the vice president of JABberwocky Literary Agency,
which he joined in 2008. He is actively building his client list (see “What
I’m Looking For,” below).
Schneider is an Iowa graduate, where he studied fiction, poetry, and
creative non-fiction (mentors include Yiyun Li and G.C. Waldrep). He is
also a graduate of New York University, with an M.S. in Publishing, and
started out in book publishing with a post at Folio Literary Management.
He has also been, at various points in his life, a magazine editor,
computer salesman, short-order cook, archery instructor, freelance
graphic designer, and ultramarathoner.
What I’m looking for
I am most passionate about literary fiction, sf/fantasy, and narrative
non-fiction that involves the sciences, history, and contemporary social
issues. I also have a particular interest in young adult and middle grade
fiction.
Cathy Teets, president of Headline Books, Inc., has been publishing
books for 26 years. She began with regional non-fiction, and in 2006
added fiction under the imprint Publisher Page, and a children’s book
division—Headline Kids.She developed a School Show Program that
now numbers over 800 school visits by her authors across the U.S. With
her expertise and a background in library science, editing, newspaper
publishing, retail merchandising, and real estate brokerage, her
company handles marketing, distribution, and scheduling for authors.
She currently has 52 active authors who travel, speak, and conduct
workshops. Headline Books currently has over 100 titles, 54 of which
have won national awards. Cathy lives in northern West Virginia with
her daughter, Ashley.