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Kevin Bolk: Pictures and Prose: The Colorful Worlds of Graphic Novels and Illustrated Fiction

It's a Conference Double Feature! In the first half, Kevin Bolk, freelance illustrator, web cartoonist, and proud "comic geek, " sheds some light on comics and graphic novels as a literary art form. SEE! The rise and fall (and rise again) of the American comic book. HEAR! The inside story of how sequential art is brought to life. DISCOVER! Your potential place in this reemerging medium. In the second half, Kevin will give you the lowdown on working with an illustrator. How do you choose the right artist? Do you get to choose at all? How do creative teams work? If you suspect your illustrator is a monkey, should you give him bananas? * A myriad of styles and genres will be discussed.

*Discussion may not actually include monkeys.

Kevin Bolk is a freelance cartoonist, illustrator, dreamer, and proud alumnus of Awesome University (his favorite imaginary alma mater). Known for his colorful illustrations, expressive characters, and quirky sense of humor, Kevin's work has appeared in publications by Draco Software, Udon Entertainment, and Tokyopop, as well as benefit albums for the charity group, Voices For. He currently produces weekly online comics for Interrobang Studios and his own website, kevinbolk.com.

David E. Booth, Sr., CPA, CFE, CIA: How to Keep the IRS at Bay: the Business Side of Writing

This session will focus on the who-, what-, why-, when-side of financial record-keeping for writers. Dave will talk about setting up and maintaining financial records, documents needed to support your tax returns and the repercussion of taking a tax reduction on your home if you use it as an office.

Dave Booth has been a practicing Certified Public Accountant for over 35 years. He also earned certifications in a number of other areas: Certified Fraud Examiner, Certified Internal Auditor, and Certified Public Accountant. Dave holds a Masters of Science in Accounting, and also works as a tenured professor of accounting at CCBC and adjunct professor at University of Baltimore.

Ann C. Crispin: Writing Scams: How Not to Break into Publishing and Rapiers and Rayguns: The Worlds of Speculative Fiction

For session descriptions, see Richard White's entry (below).

A. C. Crispin is the author of three best-selling Star Wars novels, four top -selling Star Trek novels, plus the novelization of the famous television miniseries V. Her major science fiction undertaking was the StarBridge series for Berkley/ACE. Series titles are: StarBridge, Silent Dances, Shadow World, Serpent's Gift, Silent Songs, Voices of Chaos, and Ancestor's World. StarBridge was on the American Library Association's YA Services Division's list of Best Books of 1991, and Silent Dances, co-authored with Kathleen O'Malley, made the 1991 Preliminary Nebula ballot. Serpent's Gift was on the 1993 Recommended Books for the Teen Age by the NY Public Library. Silent Songs (co-authored with Kathleen O'Malley) was nominated for ALA's "Best Books" list. Crispin has been active in the Science Fiction Writers of America since 1992, serving as both Eastern Regional Director and Vice President. With Victoria Strauss, she founded SFWA's highest-profile public service endeavor -- Writer Beware. Writer Beware (www.writerbeware.com) is a group of volunteers and a website that monitors writing scams aimed at authors, and warns aspiring authors of the dangers involved in handing over their money to questionable or outright unscrupulous literary agents or publishers. Her current work-in-progress is the first full-length Pirates of the Caribbean novel for Disney.

Michael Downs: Four-Wheel-Driving Writing: Overcoming Writer's Block

How do writers keep typing when life gets in the way of their desk time? What habits help them go back to the desk again and again? How do they overcome the terror of the blank page? And what the heck does gumbo have to do with your novel?

Michael Downs' book of memoir and literary journalism, House of Good Hope, won the 2007 River Teeth Literary Nonfiction Prize. He is the recipient of a fiction fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. His short stories have appeared in many literary reviews and have been anthologized in the Best American Mystery Stories series. A former newspaper reporter, he teaches creative writing at Towson University.

Joya Fields: Opinion vs. Constructive Criticism: Making the Most of Critique Groups

Multi-published freelancer Joya Fields will discuss how groups can provide positive, productive feedback that will help writers crank out salable submissions and develop trusted industry allies in the process. Learn how critique groups can benefit writers, how to find and form groups, and what qualities to look for in critique partners.

Joya Fields has over 100 articles and short stories published and recently finished writing her second romantic suspense novel. She has been the Critique Group Coordinator for Maryland Writers' Association for two years, during which time she helped expand the number of organized groups from eight to over twenty. Find out more about Joya at www.joyafields.com

Eric D. Goodman: From Quill to Flightless Goose: How to Make a Children's Book Soar

In this session, Children's author and public relations expert Eric D. Goodman will share his experiences from first lines to final publication. Drawing on his experience, he will talk about the long and winding road to publication, and the bumpy path beyond it to successful sales. Learn about writer-publisher relations, writer-illustrator relationsand about working on a children's book as a husband-wife team. There will be plenty of opportunity to ask your own burning questions about the challenges and rewards of being a published children's author.

Eric D. Goodman is a full-time writer and editor. National Public Radio's WYPR called him "a regular on the Baltimore literary scene." His work has been published in The Washington Post, Baltimore Review, Writers Weekly, The Potomac, Slow Trains, Freshly Squeezed, JMWW, Grub Street, and New Lines from the Old Line State. His children's book, Flightless Goose, is available in bookstores, at Amazon, and at www.RunGoose.com. Eric is also the Public Relations Director for MWA and the F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Conference, and makes his living as a PR writer. You can learn more about Eric's creative writing or contact him at www.Writeful.blogspot.com.

Gary L. Lester: Worldsmithing

This talk will enhance author awareness of the importance of setting in storytelling. MWA Vice President and author Gary L. Lester will guide attendees in the importance of using myths, legends, and even religious observances in creating worlds. An instructional reading list will be provided.

Gary L. Lester is the Creative Director of Greyrock Publishing, LLC. His first novel, Ursula the Yellow, won first place in the Fantasy category in the 2003 MWA Novel contest. His short story, "The Last Drummer" appears in the MWA Anthology, New Lines from the Old Line State. He currently serves as Vice President for the Maryland Writers' Association and on the board of MWA Books.

Vicki Meade: Cure for Clutter: Organizational Skills for Writers

Learn ways to organize your space, materials, content, and mind for greater productivity.

After running her own writing and editorial business for twelve years, Vicki Meade joined AT&T in 2006, where she is a marketing communications manager. She is also an adjunct instructor of writing at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Her articles have been published in Chesapeake Life, Baltimore Magazine, The Washington Post, What's Up Annapolis, and many other outlets. Formerly, Meade was a writer and publications manager at the American Pharmaceutical Association, D.C. Public Schools, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. She holds an M. A. in writing from Johns Hopkins University.

Ally Peltier: Revisions: Polishing Your Work for Submission

Gone are the days when writers could expect substantial editorial support from their agents and editors. Most publishing professionals want clean, print-ready manuscripts. Every writer knows -- or soon learns -- that it takes multiple revisions to create a piece ready for publication. But where do you start? This talk will introduce you to the most common problems that plague written works and offer simple ways to identify and resolve them in your own novel, short story, or memoir. You'll receive tips on keeping readers' attention, polishing your manuscript at the technical level, properly formatting your submission, and getting objective feedback before you start sending your work out.

Ally E. Peltier is an editor, writer, and publishing consultant with a decade of experience working for clients such as Simon & Schuster, Penguin Group USA, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Chronicle Books, Kaplan Publishing, Sterling Publishing/Hearst Books, and more. Her work has appeared in venues such as The Writer and Writer's Digest 2009 Guide to Literary Agents. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate and Master of Arts in English and Creative Writing, Ally also ghostauthors nonfiction books, speaks on writing and publishing related topics, and teaches writing workshops as an adjunct instructor at Anne Arundel and Howard County Community Colleges. Learn more at www.ambitiousenterprises.com

Angela Render: Introduction to Marketing Platforms

Getting published is hard, especially for a first-time author. What if you could include on your query letter, "I have an e-newsletter with 10,000 subscribers? " Publishers want you to come with a platform, and this talk explains what a platform is and when to start building it. It also gives a brief overview of the tools available to writers for building a platform on the web and offers guidance on how to choose the best plan for you.

Angela Render has been designing and maintaining web sites for over a decade. She was the Web Editorial Assistant for Smithsonian Magazine for two years before she was promoted to Web Developer and has articles published on the Smithsonian Magazine website. Her historical fiction, Forged By Lightning: A Novel of Hannibal and Scipio, was published in 2002 and her short-story "The Dryad" appeared in the anthology, New Lines from the Old Line State. Her workbook, Marketing for Writers: A Practical Workbook, was released in January 2009, and she has a column in Writers' Journal called "Computer Business." She teaches writers how to build a web presence at The Writers' Center in Bethesda, Maryland, and web development to at-risk middle-school girls in Montgomery County through Passion For Learning's GRRLTech. Her website is www.angelarender.com

Cynthia Blake Sanders: Legal Contracts and More

To a creative writer, a legal contract can seem longer and more complicated than War and Peace. Intellectual property and media lawyer Cynthia Blake Sanders demystifies the legal side of the writing business. Learn about your rights and responsibilities when you sell your work and how to protect your intellectual and creative property.

Cynthia Blake Sanders is an experienced intellectual property and media lawyer with a practice spanning copyright, trademark, fair use, licensing, advertising, and technology transfer issues. She represents publishers, advertisers, advertising agencies, filmmakers, record labels, producers, performing artists, visual artists, songwriters, authors, graphic designers, health care companies, colleges and universities, trade associations, and software developers. She serves as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Maryland School of Law, where she teaches Entertainment Law. She earned her J. D. from the University of Maryland School of Law.

Linda Shertzer: Creating Romantic Tension

Whether you're writing a romance, mystery, western, or mainstream bestseller, romantic tension, when done right, will make your story sizzle and your readers care about your characters. Linda Shertzer, author of over twenty romance novels, shares her expertise on navigating romantic conflicts.

Linda Shertzer has written over twenty historical romance novels under her own name, as well as under the pseudonyms Linda Kreisel and Melinda Pryce. She has judged local and national romance writing contests. She holds a Master's Degree in Historical Studies. She has taught creative writing at her local community college. She is the past president of two writers' associations, and a founding member of third.

Christine Stewart: Resurrecting the Failed Poem

No poem is really a 'failed' poem there's always something salvageable but it can feel impossibly dead to its poet. In this session, we guarantee to bring at least one poem back to life. Participants should bring 2 copies of 3 poems of different lengths (1 short, 1 medium length, 1 long) that they consider hopeless to the session. Using the skill of our fellow poets, a little word magic, and our craft toolkit, we will surgically improve 1-2 of them and give you the confidence to, yes, try the revision techniques at home!

Christine Stewart is a fiction writer/poet and writing mentor with an MA from Hollins University in creative writing and an MFA in poetry from the University of Maryland. She is the recipient of a Ruth Lilly Fellowship, and a Pushcart Prize nominee. Some of her publications include Poetry, Ploughshares, Blackbird, and The Cortland Review. Christine is a former Resident Artist with Creative Alliance, an arts and humanities non-profit in Baltimore, where she founded and led the Write Here, Write Now workshops. She has also taught at Carver Center for Arts and Technology, the Baltimore Museum of Art, and is currently teaching a flash fiction class in the Odyssey program at Johns Hopkins.

David Warfield: Action is Character: Breaking Into Screen Writing

Examine the broad application of storytelling principles to feature films, as well as short films, including the core concepts Story Structure, Character's Dramatic Goal, and what is meant by Fitzgerald's dictum, "Character is action. " Genre will be discussed, along with the difference in the Hollywood vs. "independent" film script. The importance and evolution of screenplay format, and how to prepare a script for submission, will be presented as practical advice.

David Warfield is a screenwriter, filmmaker, teacher, and consultant. His screenplay, Linewatch, was released by Sony Pictures Entertainment in 2008. Other screenwriting credits include Kill Me Again, MGM; Private Investigations, MGM; and Kiss of a Killer, ABC. He has performed studio assignment work for Warner Bros, PolyGram, RKO, and MGM. Mr. Warfield wrote and directed the indie thriller Ocean Park (Echelon Entertainment), which received awards in 2002 including Best Director and Best Feature from the RAD Digital Film Festival and the New York Independent Film Festival. He served as Head of Production at Propaganda films, where he worked with notable directors such as David Lynch, John Dahl, David Fincher, and Dom Sena. He has written and directed shows for the History Channel, and has taught screenwriting at UCLA and Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Mr. Warfield is currently writing and teaching film and screenwriting classes at Loyola College in Maryland and Dickinson College in Pennsylvania. He provides story and screenplay consulting through his website: www.storysolver.com. Mr. Warfield was a producing Fellow at the American Film Institute, Los Angeles, and holds an MFA in Screenwriting from UCLA.

Elissa Brent Weissman: Writing for the Middle Grades: Ages 8 to 12

Are you the next J. K. Rowling? Published children's novelist Elissa Brent Weissman will let you in on the secrets of the thriving children's book market. From crafting characters to striking the right tone to submitting your work, learn the ins and outs of writing for young readers.

Elissa Brent Weissman is the author of two novels for 8-12-year olds, Standing for Socks (Simon & Schuster) and The Trouble with Mark Hopper (Penguin). She is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins Writing Seminars program, where she received the Robert Arellano Award for excellence in fiction writing and the MA in Children's Literature program at Roehampton University in London, England. She currently teaches Writing for Children at the University of Baltimore and the Johns Hopkins Odyssey Program. Learn more at www.ebweissman.com.

Richard White: Writing Scams: How Not to Break into Publishing and Rapiers and Rayguns: The Worlds of Speculative Fiction

Writing Scams: Amateur agents, questionable publishers, display sites, unscrupulous publicists, query spammers . . . there are a ton of ways not to get your book published or worse, published badly. Ann Crispin and Rich White of Writer Beware will be presenting a panel on avoiding these issues as well as reviewing some query letters to help authors improve their chances of catching the eye of someone who can help their career . . . and not just help themselves to their pocketbook.

Rapiers and Rayguns: Authors Ann Crispin and Rich White will present a panel on speculative fiction (fantasy, science fiction, dark fantasy). This talk will cover various topics to include (but not limited to) how to conduct research and how to avoid info dumps; bringing a world (or a universe) to life; how to make an alien believable; and the joys (and pain) of original fiction vs. media tie-in work. Audience participation highly encouraged.

Richard C. White has worked primarily as a media tie-in writer in his career. His two most recent sales have been short stories "Redshift" for The Sky's the Limit, the 2007 Star Trek anthology by Pocket Books, and "The Price of Conviction" for The Quality of Leadership, in the May 2008 Doctor Who: Short Trips anthology by Big Finish, LTD. He is currently working on Shadows of the Heart, a Stargate SG-1 novel for Fandemonium, LTD. Rich's other professional works include a novella, Echoes of Coventry for the Star Trek Corp of Engineers series; a novel, Gauntlet Dark Legacy: Paths of Evil for Midway Games; and a short story, "Assault on Avengers Mansion" for the Ultimate Hulk anthology. Rich is active in the Science Fiction community as the newest member of the Writer Beware committee for the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

Gregg Wilhelm: The Publishing Matrix

Already a tenuous financial endeavor, publishing has grown all the more volatile in these tumultuous economic times. More than ever, a writer setting the right expectations means the difference between a dismal and delightful publishing experience. That journey starts with knowing what publishing options are available to you in the rapidly changing industry landscape. Explore the writer's creative involvement, the money picture, and the ultimate role of the author with four paths to getting published . . . the Publishing Matrix!

Gregg Wilhelm is Executive Director of CityLit Project, a Baltimore-based nonprofit literary arts organization he founded in 2004. CityLit produces literary festivals, conducts writers' workshops and conferences, and inspires youth and diverse audiences to enjoy the literary arts. Gregg has been in the book business since 1992, working as an editor, marketer, and production manager for various presses, including Johns Hopkins University Press, Tidewater Publishers, and Woodholme House Publishers, which he co-founded with the owners of Bibelot. He also teaches book publishing courses at Loyola College.

Dr. Betsy Greenleaf Yarrison: Writing Realistic Character Development and Dialogue

Strategies drawn from linguistics and psychology can help writers create characters whose behavior accurately models the behavior their readers or audience will expect and find credible. Learn about the concept of mimesis as it applies to fiction and drama.

Betsy Greenleaf Yarrison has been a professor at the University of Baltimore since the early 1970s. She teaches courses in literature, linguistics, rhetoric, and professional writing, directs the program in Interdisciplinary Studies, and is currently serving as director of the Helen P. Denit Honors Program. She received her Ph. D. in comparative literature at the University of Wisconsin. Her primary scholarly interest is in dramatic theory, from which the materials for this presentation will be drawn.

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Magazine Editor Panel (at the MWA Banquet)

Brian Michael Lawrence is the editor-in-chief and creative director for Style magazine, a bimonthly regional consumer lifestyle publication based in Baltimore. Prior to his post there, he was creative director for Blue Sky Design, a communications design firm specializing in magazines. He holds degrees in management and graphic design from Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Brian is a member of the American Institute of Graphic Arts, and currently serves on the board of Maryland Art Place and is a member of the Frances Scott Key Society at the Maryland Historical Society. During his career, Brian? s work has been recognized with awards from the AIGA 20/20 Show, CASE, Washington Edpress, Financial World magazine? s national annual report competition, the City & Regional Magazine Association's national magazine bronze medal and first place in the graphic design category from the Society of Professional Journalists. Aside from Style magazine, he is heard weekly on his Style Report on radio stations MIX106 and 101.9 Lite FM, and he writes a regular nightlife blog, Brian Lawrence Live.

Dan Patrell is President of Great State Publishing, LLC, and Editor and Co-Publisher of Maryland Life magazine. Maryland Life was founded in August 2004 and published its first bimonthly issue January-February 2005. Since then, the subscriber base of Maryland Life has grown to over 25,000 and a readership of hundreds of thousands more through businesses statewide, newsstands, doctors offices, airlines, and more. Editorially, Maryland Life has committed itself -- enthusiastically -- to include the entire state within every issue, something it has done inside every issue since its first. From culture to history, travel to dining, interesting people to fascinating events, Maryland Life covers what makes Maryland an interesting and unique place to live, work and play -- what makes Maryland, indeed, "America in Miniature."

Book Editor Panel

Featuring Alissa Davis, ass't editor, Dorchester Publishing; Carla Jablonski, independent editor; Chelsea Gilmore, Avalon Books; and Daniela Rapp, Editor, St. Martin's Press. New York editors discuss what they do, what they're looking for, and the state of the publishing industry. Audience members will have the opportunity to have their questions answered.

Alissa D. Davis is an Assistant Editor with Dorchester Publishing. A graduate of the master of publishing program at Pace University in Manhattan, she came to New York from New Orleans and loves working with authors to help their stories shine. Dorchester Publishing has been involved in the publishing of mass market books since 1971, making Dorchester the oldest independent mass market publisher in America. From its founding, it has strived to bring the best fiction to millions of fans. Although mostly known for romance, Dorchester also publishes world-class horror, thriller, and Western titles, as well as the award-winning Hard Case Crime line of pulp-style mysteries.

Chelsea Gilmore is an Associate Editor at Avalon Books in New York, acquiring romances, mysteries, and Westerns. After spending three years working on higher education textbooks at Oxford University Press, Chelsea's love of all things fiction compelled her to make the move to Avalon. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, she earned a dual degree in Communications and Journalism. In addition to being a self-proclaimed "book worm," Chelsea also enjoys cooking and taking in as much of the busy city as possible.

Carla Jablonski is an author, editor, book doctor, and ghostwriter specializing in books for the middle-grade and young adult markets. She has worked for packagers (such as Alloy and Parachute Publishing) and publishers (Penguin, Simon and Schuster, HarperCollins, and others) as well as for individual author clients. She has edited dozens of best-selling mass-market series, including R. L. Stine's Ghosts of Fear Street and Give Yourself Goosebumps, Choose Your Own Adventure, The Hardy Boys, the various Mary Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen series, as well as trade and literary individual titles. Jablonski is also a widely-published author, including the Books of Magic (HarperCollins) series, based on Neil Gaiman's popular comic books. Her two most recent books, Thicker than Water and Silent Echoes (Razorbill/Penguin) were both included on the NYPL "Books for the Teen Age" lists, a selection of the best books of the year chosen by New York librarians and committees of teen readers.

Daniela Rapp is an Editor with St. Martin's Press, where she acquires a varied list of titles, ranging from gritty mysteries and thrillers to serious narrative nonfiction. Daniela got her start in the industry at a literary agency selling foreign rights. She came to publishing first and foremost as a reader, considers herself an omnivore of books, and is always interested in being taken on a ride or learning something new. She is actively looking for mysteries (historical and contemporary), high-concept women's fiction, as well as books about pets, animals, and nature, American history, language and humor, and travel. No historical fiction, no chick lit, no romance, and very few prescriptive books. She is especially interested in multi-cultural projects and Native American topics.

Book Agent Panel

Featuring Emmanuelle Alspaugh, Judith Ehrlich Literary Management; Andrea Barzvi, International Creative Management; Jessica Sinsheimer, Jane Freymann Literary Agency; and Jenny Bent, The Bent Agency. New York agents will also discuss what they do, what they're looking for, and the state of the publishing industry from an agent's point of view. Audience members will have the opportunity to have their questions answered.

Emmanuelle Alspaugh is with Judith Ehrlich Literary Management has made deals for former Miss USA Chelsea Cooley, Marie Claire editor Sarah Wexler, romance novelist Alissa Johnson, and Canadian novelist Danielle Younge-Ullman. Before becoming an agent, she was an editor at Fodor's/Random House. She is building her client list and is looking for fiction and non-fiction. She is especially interested in international or multi-cultural voices. Emmanuelle represents women's fiction, romance in all subgenres but suspense, historical fiction, and literary fiction. Sub-categories of fiction include family saga, historical fiction, young adult, and multi-cultural fiction. She also represents narrative nonfiction, memoir, popular science, psychology, business, and how-to. Sub-categories of non-fiction include parenting, pop culture, travel, and women's issues. She does not represent genre mysteries or thrillers.

Andrea Barzvi started at ICM in 2001 after graduating from Cardozo Law School. She represents commercial nonfiction in the self-help (relationships, health, diet, fitness) categories as well as celebrity and other memoirs. Some of her projects include the New York Times bestsellers He's Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo, Making the Cut by Jillian Michaels, Five Factor Diet by Harley Pasternak, and The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan. Some of her celebrity clients include Ricki Lake, Howie Mandel, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, and Ali Vincent. She is always looking for strong voices and authors with a multi-faceted platform.

Jenny Bent's list is varied and includes commercial fiction and nonfiction, literary fiction, and memoir. Her authors include New York Times bestselling author John Kasich's upcoming Every Other Monday, about his twenty years in a Bible study group; the upcoming Whom Not to Marry by Father Pat Connor, an 80-year-old Catholic priest featured in a recent Maureen O'Dowd column; the #1 New York Times best seller The Red Hat Society; the bestseller Lost and Found, a book about loss and grief and how our pets can help us to heal; and humor writing including the bestseller Idiot Girls Action Adventure Club by Laurie Notaro. In the realm of commercial fiction, she represents many bestselling novelists including Lynsay Sands, Julia London, Sandra Hill, and USA Today bestsellers Kathy Caskie and Janelle Denison.

Jessica Sinsheimer has been reading and campaigning for her favorite projects since 2004. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, she went east for Sarah Lawrence College and stayed for the opportunity to read soon-to-be books for a living. Now an associate agent at the Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency, she's developed a reputation for fighting office members to see incoming manuscripts firstand for drinking far too much tea. Her favorite slushpile finds include Wisdom 2.0 (Harper One, 2010), How to Say It With New Media (Perigee, 2009) and Birth Day: A Pediatrician Explores the Science, the History, and the Wonder of Childbirth (Ballantine, 2009). Always on the lookout for new writers, she is most excited about finding literary fiction, psychology, parenting, and works that speak to life in the twenty-first century.

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