The 5-minute "elevator pitch" provides you with a chance to present the idea of your book in a succinct and compelling manner -- the way you might if you found yourself in an elevator with an agent or editor -- in the hopes of hearing that agent/editor say, "Send me the manuscript!"
Conference attendees have the opportunity to sign up for 5 minutes with an agent or editor free of charge. Slots will be filled on a first-come basis, with priority given to members of James River Writers through July 31, 2009. Please indicate your order of preference on the Conference Registration form. You may sign up for EITHER a literary agent OR an editor, but not both.
Here are the literary agents and editors who will be attending Conference 2009 :
Elizabeth Evans is a literary agent with Reece Halsey New York. She is looking for excellent writing with a strong storyline and unforgettable characters. Special interests include stories set abroad, especially in Africa and Eastern Europe, the environment, adventure writing, and anything with a good love story. Elizabeth does not handle children's books, poetry, or screenplays.
Molly Friedrich started her own literary agency, The Friedrich Agency, in 2006. Before that, she worked for the Aaron Priest Literary Agency for twenty-eight years, Anchor Press, and as an intern at Doubleday. Her host of clients includes Terry McMillan, Melissa Bank, and Sue Grafton. She was born in London but now resides in New York.
Paige Wheeler helped found Folio Literary Management, LLC, a literary agency which sells both domestic and foreign rights, and offers marketing department, speaker, and licensing services. Prior to founding Folio, Paige founded Creative Media Agency (CMA) in 1997 and was its president for nine years until she merged CMA into Folio in 2006.
Ken Wright was a book editor and publisher for more than 20 years. He is currently a literary agent at Writers House in New York City, where he focuses on commercial narrative nonfiction of all kinds for adults and young readers -- biographies, memoirs, popular science, history -- as well as literary and commercial adult and children's fiction; and popular reference.
Jennifer Pooley is a Senior Editor at HarperCollins’ imprint, William Morrow, where she's worked since 1998 with numerous authors, including Willy Vlautin, Sarah Hall, Marjorie Hart, and Richmond natives Sara James and Ginger Mauney.
Karen Lotz is the president and publisher of Candlewick Press, one of the largest independent publishing companies in the world. The company publishes books for young people and works with countless talented authors, including Avi, Kate DiCamillo, M.T. Anderson, and James River Writers’ own Gigi Amateau.
