You are here: Home / Archives for Past Events

Meet the Agents & Editors: Virtual Pitch-O-Rama 2024

By

Saturday, April 20, 2024, 8:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M. PT

Have you been anxiously waiting to meet the agents and editors attending this year’s edition of Pitch-O-Rama? With April soon approaching, Pitch-O-Rama will be just around the corner, so we’re eager to share the talents who will provide their expertise to those attending.

Haven’t registered yet? Head on to this page to register for Pitch-O-Rama 2024!

Meet the Agents and Editors for Pitch-O-Rama 2024:

Laurie McLean spent 20 years as the CEO of a publicity and marketing agency and 8 years as an agent and senior agent at Larsen Pomada Literary Agents in San Francisco. Following a stint as the CEO of a successful Silicon Valley public relations agency bearing her name, Laurie switched gears to immerse herself in writing. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the State University of New York and a master’s degree at Syracuse University’s prestigious Newhouse School of Journalism.

Laurie specializes in middle grade, young adult, and adult genre fiction (romance, fantasy, science fiction, mystery, thrillers, suspense, horror). 

 

Andy Ross opened his literary agency in January 2008. Before that, he was the owner for 30 years of the legendary Cody’s Books in Berkeley. The agency represents books in a wide range of subjects including narrative non-fiction, science, journalism, history, religion,  children’s books, young adult, middle grade, literary and commercial fiction, and cooking. However, he is eager to represent projects in most genres as long as the subject or its treatment is smart, original, and will appeal to a wide readership. In non-fiction, he looks for writing with a strong voice and robust narrative arc by authors with the authority to write about their subject. For literary, commercial, and children’s fiction, he has only one requirement– simple, but ineffable–that the writing reveals the terrain of that vast and unexplored country, the human heart.  www.andyrossagency.com,  www.andyrossagency.wordpress.com

 

Born in Port-au-Prince, M.J. Fievre, B.S. Ed, is a longtime educator whose publishingcareer began as a teenager in her native Haiti. At nineteen years old, she signed her first book contract with Hachette-Deschamps for the publication of a YA book titled La Statuette Maléfique. Since then, M.J. has released nine YA books in French that are widely read in Europe and the French Antilles, and she is the author of the award-winning Badass Black Girl book series for tweens and teens (in English). As the ReadCaribbean program coordinator for the prestigious Miami Book Fair, M.J. directs and produces the children’s cultural show Taptap Krik? Krak! In addition, M.J. serves as the managing editor of DragonFruit, which publishes high-quality children’s books, which connect with readers by paving the way to lifelong learning.

 

Leland Cheuk is a MacDowell and Hawthornden Castle Fellow and award-winning author of three books of fiction, most recently the novel NO GOOD VERY BAD ASIAN (2019). Cheuk’s work has been covered in Buzzfeed, The Paris Review, VICE, San Francisco Chronicle, and has appeared or is forthcoming in publications such as NPR, The Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Salon, among other outlets.

He is the founder of the indie press 7.13 Books, which publishes debut book-length fiction. Cheuk is looking for quality works of fiction and short story collections, favoring literary comedies and genre-bending submissions, as well as work from the queer and/or POC writing community.

 

Georgia Hughes is the editorial director at New World Library, publisher of the Joseph Campbell Library and The Power of Now. She acquires and edits nonfiction books in the areas of spirituality, sustainability, animals, business, women’s issues, and personal growth. Recent acquisitions include, Spiritual Envy by Michael Krasny, Dreaming the Soul Back Home by Robert Moss, Dogs and the Women Who Love Them by Allen and Linda Anderson, Right-Brain Business Plan by Jennifer Lee, and The Practicing Mind by Thomas Sterner.

 

Zeynep Sen graduated from Sarah Lawrence College with a B.A. in Literature and Creative Writing. Following graduation, she honed her skills as an agent at the Jennifer Lyons Literary Agency. A few years later, Zeynep moved to WordLink Literary Agency, where she now works as a senior agent and foreign rights agent. At WordLink, Zeynap represents her own lists of authors.

She primarily focuses on non-fiction works and Young Adult books. Her list of authors include Nabila Ramdani, Jaha Dukureh, Erik Edstrom, Elvira Gonzales, Elora Dodds, Airy Sindik, and Asli Pelit. Fluent in Spanish and Turkish, Zeynep is drawn to literary and historical works of fiction and narrative non-fiction of international appeal.

 

Mary E Knippel is an intuitive writing mentor, international speaker, best-selling author, and journalist for over 35 years. She helps women bring their transformational stories to life in the international bestselling Amazon collaboration book series “Written In Her Own Words-Wise Woman Wisdom”. Mary guides her clients through every aspect of the writing journey, from identifying their story to crafting and editing it into their chapter to bringing their stories to the world. She believes everyone has a unique story to tell and encourages daily journaling.

Her memoir, “The Secret Artist-Give Yourself Permission to Let Your Creativity Shine,” came about as she shared how she coped with her breast cancer experiences. You can learn more about how to become an author in the next collaboration book, attend one of her workshops, join her at the next Elite Women’s Writing Retreat, or sign up to receive writing tips on her website: https://yourwritingmentor.com.

 

Dawn Frederick is the owner of Red Sofa Literary, established in 2008. After earningher B.S. in Human Ecology and M.S. in Library and Information Sciences, she moved to the Twin Cities, to work for a publisher after many years working in indie and chain bookstores. She previously worked at Sebastian Literary Agency and co-founded the MN Publishing Tweet Up (a community social monthly meetup). She has been on the Board of Directors for Loft Literary and was once President of the Twin Cities Community Advisory Council for MPR. Wearing both the hat of librarian and agent, she brings an extensive knowledge and appreciation of the publishing and writing processes.

 

Lindsey Smith (Speilburg Literary Agency) represents non-fiction projects. In addition to being a literary agent, she owns a bookstore in her hometown, runs her own publishing press, and is the author of several books and gift products. Having worked in every facet of the publishing industry—from author to publisher, to PR strategist to publicist, she knows the book industry inside and out.

When she’s not helping people write books, she can be found reading old American Girl magazines, listening to Taylor Swift, or playing with her dog, Winnie Cooper.

 

Julia Park Tracey serves as the executive editor for Sibylline and is one of the four founding partners, all book industry women of a certain age. Sibylline publishes the brilliant work of women authors over 50 exclusively and has signed authors through Spring 2025 and now is looking for fiction and memoir for its Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 seasons currently as well as its developing ebook line, Sibylline Digital First, which encompasses all genres, including romance, self-help, and business. Julia is an award-winning journalist, editor, poet laureate, and author of several works of historical fiction for Sibylline Press. After receiving a starred review, The Bereaved: A Novel was named in the top 100 indie books published in 2023 by Kirkus Reviews. Her new novel, Silence, which is due out in Fall 2024, is also based on one of her ancestors, Silence Greenleaf who lived in the Puritan era. Julia lives in the low Sierra of California in a beautifully restored 1880 Victorian, with her family and beloved cats, bees and chickens.

 

Kat Georges is a poet, playwright, editor, publisher, and graphic designer. She is co-director and an acquisitions editor for Three Rooms Press, an independent publisher inspired by diversity, dada, punk, and passion. Her most recent book is the poetry collection Awe and Other Words Like Wow, and she is co-editor of MAINTENANT, the annual journal of Contemporary Dada Writing and Art. She lives in New York City. Kat is currently looking for LGBTQ+ fiction and young adult fiction that deal directly with current anti-queer attitudes, mysteries that center on bold and daring diverse main characters, and riveting women of history who need to have more attention given to them. Kat welcomes voices that have something different to say, that inspire readers, and that shows the power of innovative, compelling writing. To see the latest Three Rooms Press releases, visit threeroomspress.com. 

 

Becky Parker Geist is CEO of Pro Audio Voices and has been in the audiobook industry since 1981. As an audiobook publisher and producer, Becky has produced and narrated hundreds of titles, helping authors leverage their content through audio – even if it’s their book’s only published format. Typically, working with authors and publishers comes with the challenge of reaching the widest possible audience, which the Audiobook Marketing Program™ intends to resolve.

Becky serves as President of the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association and is a Chapter Leader of Nonfiction Authors Association.

 

Randy Peyser sells non-fiction manuscripts in all genres and speaks nationally abouthow to earn book deals. She also serves as faculty for CEO Space International, where she teaches about writing book proposals. She is the author of The Write-a-Book Progra; Crappy to Happy as featured in the move Eat, Pray, Love; and The Power of Miracle Thinking.

Her clients’ books have appeared in Oprah, Time Magazine, the bestseller lists of the Wall Street Journal and USA Today, in airport bookstores, Office Max and FedEx stores, and on Hallmark TV. Her work is featured in: Healing the Heart of the World, The Marriage of Sex and Spirit, Secrets of Shameless Self-Promoters, and the national bestsellers, Networking Magic Guerilla Publicity and The Profit of Kindness.

 

Kat Neff, Senior Publicist at Llewellyn Worldwide, the oldest and largest publisher in the mind/body/spirit genre, has over 20 years of experience in book publishing. She has helped countless authors achieve national and international media bookings by creating successful broadcast, online, and print media publicity. Kat is also a frequent speaker on various aspects of book publishing. A long-time publishing professional, Neff has worked as Associate Editor and Marketing Manager at Cleis Press & Viva Editions, Insight Editions, and Red Wheel Weiser & Conari Press. 

 

Eric Lincoln Miller is the founder of 3ibooks Literary Agency in Reno, Nevada.3ibooks is a different kind of literary agency that solely focuses on authors and their needs. Their agency looks for fiction of any genre (romance, horror, mystery/crime, women’s fiction, erotica, science fiction, historical, and fantasy).

Other genres of interest are picture books, young readers, intermediate, and young adult fiction and nonfiction. Additionally, 3ibooks are also interested in art, photography, film and TV, business, mind-body-spirit, and memoirs.

 

Natalie Obando is a graduate from California State University, Long Beach with a BA in journalism emphasizing public relations and a minor concentration in creative writing. For nearly two decades, she’s worked in the world of books as a book publicist. Natalie is the founder of Do Good Public Relations Group and the grassroots organization, Women of Color Writers Podcast and Programming. She is the current national president of the 105-year-old non-profit, the Women’s National Book Association (WNBA), overseeing all eleven chapters across the nation. As the first Latina president of the national organization, her goal has been promoting diversity in publishing via strategic grassroots efforts. Her dedication to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the book world led her to found and chair Authentic Voices—a four-month long program that immerses people from marginalized communities in a master class of writing, editing, marketing, and publishing. Always looking to amplify BIPOC writers and create community and discussion around diversity in publishing, she recently joined the Ladderbird Literary Agency team. As a literary agent, she hopes to further usher BIPOC writers into careers as authors.  FICTION, YA/NEW ADULT ROMANCE Non-Fiction.

 

Brenda Knight

Brenda Knight began her career at HarperCollins, working with luminaries Paolo Coelho, Marianne Williamson, and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. She was awarded IndieFab’s Publisher of the Year in 2014 at the American Literary Association. Knight is the author of Wild Women and Books, The Grateful Table, Be a Good in the World, and Women of the Beat Generation, winner of the American Book Award. 

She is the Editorial Director at Mango Publishing and acquires for all genres in fiction and nonfiction, LGBTQ, as well as children and photography books. She is the immediate past President of the Women’s National Book Association, San Francisco Chapter, and an instructor at the annual San Francisco Writers Conference.

 

Peter Carlaftes is a publisher, poet, playwright, author, and actor. The most recent of his seven published books is the poetry collection, Life in the Past Lane. He is co-director and acquisitions editor for Three Rooms Press, with a strong interest in memoirs, literary fiction, mystery, and fantasy by diverse authors.

He is co-editor of the annual Dada writing and art journal, MAINTENANT. He lives in New York City.

 

 

Michael Larsen co-founded Larsen-Pomada Literary Agents in 1972.  For over four decades, the agency sold hundreds of books to more than 100 publishers and imprints. The agency has stopped accepting new writers, but Mike loves helping all writers. He gives talks about writing and publishing and does author coaching.

He wrote How to Write a Book Proposal and How to Get a Literary Agent, and coauthored Guerilla Marketing for Writers. Mike is co-director of the San Francisco Writers Conference and the San Francisco Writing for Change Conference. 

March 7th: The Power and Progress of Women’s Voices — Mechanics’ Institute Library

By

Thursday, March 7th at 6 P.M. at The Mechanics’ Institute

The Power and Progress of Women’s Voices:

International Women’s Day Event 

In Conversation with authors Jia Ling Wang, Salumeh Eslamieh, Sheila Smith McKoy, and Christina Vo, Joan Gelfand, and moderated by Elise Marie Collins 

 A co-sponsored in-person event with our friends at the Mechanics’ Institute. Sign up on Eventbrite HERE. Use the code WNBA, free for members of our Meetup!

We welcome authors Jia Ling Wang, Salumeh Eslamieh, Sheila Smith McKoy, Christina Vo, and Joan Gelfand in conversation with WNBA-SF president Elise Marie Collins, in a celebration of women writers, artists, and changemakers for International Women’s Day.

By centering women’s lives – socially, politically, and historically – in their work, these authors faithfully capture the diverse spectrum of women’s stories and perspectives. The panelists will also speak to their own experiences in the field of writing and publishing.

About the authors:

Jia Ling Wang (Karen Wang Diggs) is a certified nutritionist, chef, and entrepreneur by day. By night, she reads, writes, and dreams. She is also a history hound keenly interested in the never-ending struggles of girls, women, and anyone who identifies as female. With a keen awareness of history’s patriarchal dominance and the suppression of female voices and achievements, Jia Ling is on a mission. Her sincere hope is that her writing serves as a source of inspiration and enrichment for everyone, contributing to greater gender equality, social justice, and harmony in these challenging times.

Salumeh Eslamieh received her MA in literature and has been a professor of English since 2005 and most recently, Creative Writing. Always inspired to write based on the world around her, a girl on the bus became the subject of one of her short stories, and that short story turned into the first chapter of her novel, Children of a Revolution, a multigenerational family saga that brings together her study of Postcolonial literature with stories she grew up with about the Iranian Revolution. Publication of her short story about the girl on the bus, A Pair of Candelabras, is forthcoming in the 3rd edition of the Women’s National Book Association Anthology.

Sheila Smith McKoy, Ph.D. is an award-winning poet, fiction writer, and filmmaker. Her full-length poetry collection, The Bones Beneath is a haunting new work from Black Lawrence Press. In addition to her poetry and fiction, Smith McKoy has authored and edited numerous scholarly works. Her books include the seminal text in understanding white race riots, When Whites Riot: Writing Race and Violence in American and South African Cultures. She is co-editor of Recovering the African Feminine Divine in Literature, the Arts, and Performing Arts: Yemonja Awakening (2020), and editor of The Elizabeth Keckley Reader: Writing Self, Writing Nation (2016) and The Elizabeth Keckley Reader: Artistry, Culture and Commerce (2017). Smith McKoy has also written, produced, directed or served as executive producer for four documentary films.

Christina Vo is a writer based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her work reflects her commitment to understanding and sharing the complexities of the human experience. Christina’s debut memoir, The Veil Between Two Worlds: A Memoir of Silence, Loss, and Finding Home, demonstrates her ability to weave personal experiences into broader narratives about identity, home, and belonging. Her second book, My Vietnam, Your Vietnam, an intergenerational memoir co-written with her father, will be published in April 2024 and was recently selected for the Ms. Magazine Most Anticipated Feminist Books of 2024. She has worked internationally for UNICEF in Vietnam, the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, as well as served as a consultant for nonprofits.

 

Joan Gelfand‘s debut memoir, Outside Voices: A Memoir of the Berkeley Revolution, was published in January 2024 (Post Hill Press). The book chronicles second wave feminism as it grew into a national movement. Berkeley, where Joan lived amongst a community of writers, artists, and musicians was ground zero for some of the movements we are focused on today-Black Lives Matter and metoo. Joan is the author of three volumes of poetry, an award-winning chapbook of short fiction, and a novel, Extreme, which was a finalist in the International Book Awards. Her poem about Lawrence Ferlinghetti was the basis for a film, The Ferlinghetti School of Poetics, which was featured in over twenty international film festivals. A beloved teacher and mentor, Joan is President Emeritus of the Women’s National Book Association (WNBA) and a member of the National Book Critics Circle. Her guide You Can Be a Winning Writer: The 4 C’s Approach to Author Success is an Amazon #1 bestseller. Joan holds a BA from San Francisco State University and an MFA in Creative Writing from Mills College. She lives in San Francisco with her husband, Adam Hertz.

Sign up on Eventbrite HERE.  Use the code WNBA, free for members of our Meetup!

March 21st: The Heroine’s Journey — A Template for Writers

By

Thursday, March 21st | Noon – 1:00 pm/ PDT

A Paid Virtual Event- $10 for WNBA members, $20 for non-members

The Heroine’s Journey: A Template for Writers

A Lunch and Learn Discussion with Kate Farrell for Women’s History Month 2024

Unable to attend? No worries. Register anyway and receive the replay!

Ever wonder why the movie Barbie was a “particular ripple in the universe” as Greta Gerwig, its screenwriter/director, described it? How did the movie appeal more than the average chick flick and become a runaway box office success, breaking records worldwide? 

To many, Barbie, in its plot, characters, and tropes is the universal story of the feminine quest based on ancient folk and fairy tales. Barbie is to the heroine’s journey as Star Wars is to the hero’s journey.

Kate Farrell, author and storyteller will discuss the basic elements of the heroine’s journey and compare the Hero’s Journey models of Joseph Campbell and filmmaker Christopher Vogler to the Heroine’s Journey of Carl Jung, Marie-Louise Von Franz, and Clarissa Pinkola Estes.

In this interactive presentation, you’ll hear an age-old folktale of the feminine quest with an emphasis on its main characters, followed by prompts for a free write with time to share a few. We’ll compare iconic films with similar folktale characters like Barbie, Snow White, and the Wizard of Oz.

We’ll discuss how the modern experience for women reflects the basic plot elements of the feminine quest archetype and makes it relevant as a template for writers:

Treachery, Into the Wilderness, Return.

·      Treachery: Entanglements and Jealousies

·      Into the Wilderness: Escape and Initiation

·      Return: Recognition and Self Attainment

Sorry. This form is no longer available.

 

 

Kate Farrell, author, storyteller, and educator founded the Word Weaving Storytelling Project and published numerous educational materials on storytelling. She has contributed to and edited award-winning anthologies of personal narrative. Her award-winning new book is a timely, how-to guide on the art of storytelling for adults, Story Power: Secrets to Creating, Crafting, and Telling Memorable Stories. She offers workshops on storytelling and the heroine’s journey for libraries and writing groups here.

 

Kate’s new project offers online and in-person classes with WOVEN: Telling the Heroine’s Journey 

2024 San Francisco Writers Conference

By

Register for the 20th annual San Francisco Writers Conference

February 15-18, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency

Since 2004, WNBA-SF has partnered with the folks behind the San Francisco Writers Conference to help offer the opportunity for ambitious writers to connect with professionals who can help pave the path to becoming a published author.

If you’re currently in the process of writing a book, getting ready for publication, or interested in promoting a book, this four-day weekend could bring you one step closer to accomplishing your goal.

Register now 

What to Expect at the SFWC

  • 100+ presenters, including over 20 literary agents and acquiring editors!
  • 80+ sessions of lectures and classes throughout the four-day weekend
  • SFWC Poetry Summit and the Writing for Hollywood Summit sessions
  • A free one-on-one consultation with an editor, a promotional pro, and a book coach
  • Various networking events such as the SFWC Gala or the Sunday afternoon no-host banquet

How can the SFWC help me?

  • With the four-day weekend packed full of various presentations and workshops fulfilling certain niches, you have the freedom to check out whatever speaks to your interest.
  • This is your chance to launch your writing career! Get in touch with leaders of the industry who can help you learn the publishing game.
  • As aspiring writers gather at the conference, observant agents assemble to offer their services.
  • The opportunity to refine your work with free editorial feedback from a freelance book editor and consultation sessions with a book coach or marketing expert.  
  • Most importantly, you are a book lover who gets to meet fellow book lovers! The San Francisco Writers Conference offers it all.
Keynote Speakers
 
Maia Kobabe is a nonbinary, queer author and illustrator from the Bay Area, California. Eir first full length book, GENDER QUEER: A MEMOIR, was published in May 2019. Maia’s short comics have been published online by The Nib and The New Yorker, and in many print anthologies including THE SECRET LOVES OF GEEKS, FASTER THAN LIGHT Y’ALL, GOTHIC TALES OF HAUNTED LOVE, ADVANCED DEATH SAVES and BE GAY, DO COMICS.

Before setting out to work freelance full-time, e worked for over ten years in libraries. Eir work is heavily influenced by fairy tales, homesickness, and the search for identity.

 
Alka Joshi is the internationally bestselling author of the Jaipur Trilogy: THE HENNA ARTIST, THE SECRET KEEPER OF JAIPUR, and THE PERFUMIST OF PARIS. Her debut novel, The Henna Artist, immediately became a New York Times bestseller and a Reese Witherspoon Hello Sunshine Book Club Pick. It has been translated into 28 languages and is currently in development at Netflix as an episodic series.

Born in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India, Alka Joshi has lived in the U.S. since the age of nine. Joshi graduated with a BA from Stanford University and worked in the fields of advertising and PR before starting her own marketing consultancy. In 2011, she obtained her MFA in Creative Writing from the California College of Arts in San Francisco, California. She lives on the Monterey Peninsula with her husband and Coco, the misbehaving pup. 

We are looking for a few more volunteers for the WNBA-SF table at the SF Writer’s Conference, email sanfrancisco@wnba-books.org

 
WNBA-SF at SFWC
While you’re at the SFWC, be sure to catch up with some of our WNBA-SF members attending the conference.
 
Congratulations to our WNBA Members who are Presenters

Acquiring Editors/Independent Editors

May 12th – Confident Communication for Authors: How To Overcome Public Speaking Anxiety As An Introvert

By

Thursday, May 12th, 2022

Confident Communications for Authors: How to Overcome Public Speaking Anxiety As An Introvert w/ Julia Beauchamp Kraft

12 pm PST

 

In this talk, you’ll learn…

  • The 3 mistakes authors make when they want to overcome nervousness and why you keep spinning in anxiety no matter how much you prepare
  • The secrets to always having the perfect words at your fingertips and never blanking out again!
  • The 4 step framework for comfort and confidence in your skin when the stakes are high without anxiety or fear of the audience’s judgment
  • How to calm and relax your nervous system for instant confidence

 

Bio:

Julia Beauchamp Kraft is an authentic expression mentor and public speaking coach who specializes in helping introverted women overcome public speaking nerves. Through her signature program, “Fully Expressed”, Julia teaches quiet, shy women how to cultivate authentic confidence in the spotlight.

Over the past 8 years Julia has trained 1000’s of professionals and entrepreneurs about public speaking best practices and skills including companies like LinkedIn, Twitter and Salesforce. But, it wasn’t until the start of the pandemic that she created The Fully Expressed program as the world of public speaking completely changed. Through her years of experience, she saw that some people were able to implement public speaking skills right away and others really struggled and even seemed traumatized by the public speaking workshop itself. She realized that most of the people struggling were women and all of them had a long history of performance anxiety, public speaking nerves and an intense fear of the audience’s judgment.

Being an introverted woman herself she understood these challenges and created a program designed specifically for the more sensitive, empathic woman who has a desire to be heard but is struggling with public speaking PTSD. This work empowers introverted women to get out of overwhelm and burnout, unpack old conditioning that’s keeping them stuck and discover their full range of expression as confident communicators.

 

Sign up for the event here:

Sorry! Registration is closed, so we can manage the list of attendees.

WNBA-SF 2022-2024 ELECTION

By

It’s that time again! Please elect this new slate of officers down below to continue to guide our chapter through the next two years (2022-2024).

We welcome the opportunity for ongoing and new WNBA-SF leadership! (Please note that in accordance with WNBA-SF Bylaws, there are two Vice President positions). The WNBA-SF Bylaws also provide brief descriptions of the officer positions and are attached here for your review:

https://wnba-books.org/members-only/

 

VOTING DEADLINE – APRIL 20, 2022

 

If you wish, you may also nominate an active, qualified WNBA-SF Chapter member as an alternative to this slate with their prior, written consent not later than April 11, 2022.

Many thanks,

Elise Marie Collins, President WNBA-SF Chapter

 

2022-2024 WNBA-SF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ELECTION SLATE

 

PRESIDENT

ELISE MARIE COLLINS

Current WNBA-SF Chapter President, Elise Marie Collins has played major roles in the overall direction and strategy development of the chapter, leading teams to accomplish successful Pitch-O-Ramas, membership drives and mixers, and educational literary presentations. A yoga instructor, health coach, and author with a master’s degree in gerontology from USC, Elise became more in touch with how food and lifestyle affects us spiritually. This knowledge led her to author “An A-Z Guide to Healing Foods, A Shoppers Companion,” and “Chakra Tonics. Essential Elixirs for Mind, Body and Spirit,” published by Conari Press. As a gerontologist, she writes about how to be well and live a long life. Her latest book is “Super Ager: You Can Look Younger, Have More Energy, A Better Memory, and Live a Long and Healthy Life.”

 

CO-VICE PRESIDENT

JOAN GELFAND

Author of three poetry collections and a chapbook of short fiction, Joan Gelfand’s reviews, stories, essays, and poetry have appeared in national and international literary journals and magazines. Winner of twenty writing awards, Joan teaches for The Writing Salon. “You Can Be a Winning Writer,” a book for writers is an Amazon #1 best seller. “Extreme,” Joan’s debut novel (Blue Light Press) is set in a Silicon Valley gaming startup and received praise from Katie Hafner of the NYT and Ransom Stephens. A member of the National Book Critics Circle and a Juror for the Northern California Book Awards, Joan lives in San Francisco with her husband Adam Hertz and two beatnik kitties – Jack Kerouac and Lawrence Ferlinghetti.  www.joangelfand.com

 

CO-VICE PRESIDENT

ANNIQUA RANA

Anniqua Rana is a writer and educator committed to eliminating inequities around her.  She has done this in collaboration with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office providing professional development and training to colleges in the Bay Area. She co-founded Aalimocracy.com a volunteer organization providing professional development to educational institutions in Pakistan. She has taught English, ESL, EFL, International Education, and Creative Writing at San Mateo Community Colleges, DeAnza College, University of San Francisco, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Pakistan, and Stanford University. Her debut novel, Wild Boar in the Cane Field was shortlisted for Pakistan’s UBL Literary Award 2020. To create a platform for writers she co-founded the blog Tillism.

 

TREASURER

BRENDA KNIGHT

Brenda Knight began her career at HarperCollins, working with luminaries Paolo Coelho, Marianne Williamson, and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Knight was awarded IndieFab’s Publisher of the Year in 2014 at the ALA, American Library Association. She is the author of Wild Women and Books, Random Acts of Kindness, The Grateful Table, Be a Good in the World, and Women of the Beat Generation, which won an American Book Award. Brenda is Associate Publisher and Director of Editorial Acquisition at Mango Publishing and has served the immediate past President of the Women’s National Book Association, San Francisco Chapter, as well an instructor at the annual San Francisco Writers Conference.

 

SECRETARY

KATHLEEN ARCHAMBEAU

Native San Franciscan, Kathleen Archambeau, is an award-winning writer and LGBTQ activist. She is author of four nonfiction works, Climbing the Corporate Ladder in High Heels (2006), “Seized,” an essay in The Other Woman (2007), edited by Victoria Zackheim, Pride & Joy (2017), and We Make It Better (2019), with gay dad, Eric Rosswood. Academy Award-winning screenwriter, Dustin Lance Black wrote the Foreword to Pride & Joy and endorsed We Make It Better. Archambeau’s work has been favorably reviewed in global and national literary publications and she has been a featured speaker at national and global Pride literary events. Her book was included as part of the Oakland Museum of California store’s Queer California Exhibit, and she is a founding member of the James Hormel LGBT wing of the SF Public Library. Currently, she is on a final draft of her novel, Liberty Street, about a gay presidential candidate and his Quixotic campaign for equal protection.

 

Vote here:

Voting stops as of midnight, April 20th, 2022

April 14th – Looking Back, Looking Forward: A Reading with Jan Beatty and Dana Levin

By

Thursday, April 14th, 2022
Looking Back, Looking Forward:
A Reading with Jan Beatty and Dana Levin
5pm-6pm / PT

 

Poets Jan Beatty and Dana Levin will join us for an evening that will celebrate their award winning poetry and celebrate the foremothers who inspired them.  Each poet will begin the evening by introducing the foremother poet who influenced her work.  Then, Beatty and Levin will share their own new work.

 

Participants: 

Jan Beatty is the winner of the Red Hen Nonfiction Award for her memoir, American Bastard (2021). Her sixth book, The Body Wars (2020), was published by the University of Pittsburgh Press. In the New York Times, Naomi Shihab Nye said: Jan Beatty’s new poems in “The Body Wars” shimmer with luminous connection, travel a big life and grand map of encounters. Books include Jackknife: New and Collected Poems (2018 Paterson Prize) named by Sandra Cisneros on LitHub as her favorite book of 2019. Beatty worked as a waitress, a welfare caseworker, an abortion counselor, and in maximum-security prisons.

 

Dana Levin’s fifth book is Now Do You Know Where You Are (Copper Canyon, Spring 2022), a Lannan Literary Selection. Recent books include Banana Palace (2016) and Sky Burial (2011), which The New Yorker called “utterly her own and utterly riveting.” She is a grateful recipient of honors, including those from the National Endowment for the Arts, PEN, and the Library of Congress, as well as from the Rona Jaffe, Whiting, and Guggenheim Foundations. Levin teaches in the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College, and serves as Distinguished Writer in Residence at Maryville University in St. Louis.

 

 

Jan Beatty and Dana Levin will share their most recent work. Audience members will not only learn about these current poets, they will also discover writers from the past.  

 

Sign up for the event below:

Meet the Agents & Editors: Virtual Pitch-O-Rama 2022

By

Saturday, April 30, 2022
8:00 am – 1:00 pm 

 

Another year, another round of Pitch-O-Rama! We’ve learned a lot from the last two events, and we are ready to do our utmost to make this year’s Pitch-O-Rama the best one yet. Also, we are adding even MORE agents, so keep checking back in here for the latest updates.

 

Sign up for 2022 Pitch-O-Rama with the link below as registration is filling up quickly:
https://wnba-sfchapter.org/april-30th-virtual-pitch-o-rama-2022/

 

Includes pre-pitch coaching.


$65 WNBA-SF members, $95 Non-members


EVERYONE Welcome!

 

Meet the Agents and Editors for Pitch-O-Rama 2022!

 

These impressive publishing professionals bring years of experience and will provide advice, direction, and next steps for your literary project! 

 

Jim Azevedo is the marketing director at Smashwords, the largest distributor of self-published ebooks, serving over 130,000 independent authors, publishers, and literary agents. Since 2008, Smashwords has helped authors around the world release more than 470,000 titles and distribute their work globally to top ebook retailers, subscription services and public libraries. Prior to joining Smashwords in 2011, Jim built his career in marketing & PR for high-tech companies. Although Smashwords is a self-publishing platform, Jim loves helping authors sharpen their pitches and book descriptions. He credits his journalism education when it comes to guiding authors, and himself, to “get to the point” with messaging. Jim is open to discussing all genres.

 

 

Peter Beren, formerly Vice President, Insight Editions, Publisher of Sierra Club Books, Publisher of VIA Books and an Acquisitions Editor for Jeremy Tarcher. Peter Beren is a literary agent and a book publishing consultant to authors and independent publishers. He is the founder of The Peter Beren Agency, located in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is also author or co-author of eight books, including The Writers Legal Companion (Basic Books), California the Beautiful (Rizzoli) and The Golden Gate (Insight Editions). As a publishing consultant, Peter works with independent publishers, self-publishers, and authors to help them make the most of their publishing opportunities. He represents selected nonfiction projects as a literary agent to help authors obtain publishing contracts. https://peterberen.com/

 

Associate Agent Karly Caserza was born in the Phillipines and immigrated to Northern California as a child. She obtained her Business Marketing degree and has been a Freelance Graphic Designer for over 10 years. In addition to designing a wide range of print and web promotional material for clients. Karly creates book covers for Short Fuse and promotional graphics for Fuse authors. Professionally, Karly began her career in the publishing industry as a reader for Tricia Skinner at Fuse Literary, a role that also included a spot on the production team of Short Fuse. Karly is also the Marketing Coordinator of the San Francisco Writer’s Conference. In her spare time, Karly has a deep love for characters with a strong voice and seeks out stories she can get lost in. Diversity in genre fiction is a major bonus. She specializes in middle grade and young adult genre fiction (fantasy, science fiction, and contemporary.)

 

Leland Cheuk is a MacDowell and Hawthornden Castle Fellow and award-winning author of three books of fiction, most recently the novel NO GOOD VERY BAD ASIAN (2019). Cheuk’s work has been covered in Buzzfeed, The Paris Review, VICE, San Francisco Chronicle, and elsewhere, and has appeared or is forthcoming in publications such as NPR, The Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Salon, among other outlets. He is the founder of the indie press 7.13 Books, which publishes debut book-length fiction. He is looking for quality works of fiction and short story collections, favoring literary comedies and genre-bending submissions as well as work from the queer and/or POC writing community.

 

M.J. Fievre, B.S. Ed, is a longtime educator whose publishing career began as a teenager in her native Haiti. At nineteen years old, she signed her first book contract with Hachette-Deschamps for the publication of a YA book titled La Statuette Maléfique. Since then, M.J. has released nine YA books in French that are widely read in Europe and the French Antilles, and she is the author of the award-winning Badass Black Girl book series for tweens and teens (in English). As the ReadCaribbean program coordinator for the prestigious Miami Book Fair, M.J. directs and produces the children’s cultural show Taptap Krik? Krak! In addition, M.J. serves as the managing editor of DragonFruit, which publishes high quality children’s books, which connect with readers by paving the way to lifelong learning.

 

Georgia Hughes is editorial director at New World Library, publisher of the Joseph Campbell Library and The Power of Now. She acquires and edits nonfiction books in the areas of spirituality, sustainability, animals, business, women’s issues, and personal growth. Recent acquisitions include Spiritual Envy by Michael Krasny, Dreaming the Soul Back Home by Robert Moss, Dogs and the Women Who Love Them by Allen and Linda Anderson, Right-Brain Business Plan by Jennifer Lee, and The Practicing Mind by Thomas Sterner. 

 

Jane Kinney Denning is a freelance agent and editor and former president of the WNBA. With over 30 years of experience in writing, editing, and educating, she has worked as an adjunct professor in publishing at Pace University, and has editing books with HarperCollins, Little Brown, CRC Press, and Van Nostrand Reinhold. Jane has also worked as the Acquisitions Editor for Mango Publishing, acquiring notable books such as The Fearless Women’s Guide to Starting a Business, Plan and Organize Your Life, Baker Bettie’s Better Baking Book, and the first three titles of the Baseball Hall of Fame Imprint.

 

Brenda Knight began her career at HarperCollins, working with luminaries Paolo Coelho, Marianne Williamson and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Knight was awarded IndieFab’s Publisher of the Year in 2014 at the ALA, American Library Association. Knight is the author of Wild Women and Books, The Grateful Table, Be a Good in the World, and Women of the Beat Generation, which won an American Book Award. Knight is Editorial Director at Mango Publishing and acquires for all genres in fiction and nonfiction, LGBTQ as well as children and photography books. She is the immediate past President of the Women’s National Book Association, San Francisco Chapter, and an instructor at the annual San Francisco Writers Conference.

 

Michael LarsenMichael Larsen co-founded Larsen-Pomada Literary Agents in 1972. Over four decades, the agency sold hundreds of books to more than 100 publishers and imprints. The agency has stopped accepting new writers, but Mike loves helping all writers. He gives talks about writing and publishing, and does author coaching. He wrote How to Write a Book Proposal and How to Get a Literary Agent, and coauthored Guerrilla Marketing for Writers. Mike is co-director of the San Francisco Writers Conference and the San Francisco Writing for Change Conference.

 

Michele Martin is an editor and literary agent specializing in non-fiction and children’s books. Previous experience includes acting as VP for North Star Way (imprint for Simon & Schuster) where she acquired award-winning actress Keke Palmer’s book I Don’t Belong to You in 2017, as well as finding MDM Management, specializing in topics such as business, health & wellness, and self-help.

 

 

Kristen Moeller, MS, is an agent at Waterside Productions, the literary home of Eckhart Tolle, Neale Donald Walsch, Jean Houston and other luminaries. Previously, she was an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing and the executive publisher for Persona Publishing, a self-publishing imprint. With close to 30 years of training and experience in psychology and personal growth, she craves discovering new (mostly female) authors with real and gritty memoir or literary fiction about walking through the fires of life – exploring depths and darkness while maintaining a strong psychological base. A published author and a three time TEDx speaker, she has been featured on NPR, ABC, NBC, Fox News, the New York Times, Huffington Post and Tiny House Nation.

 

Stefanie Molina is an agent and editor who specializes in titles written by authors and for communities of color. Since 2013, she has helped edit various fiction and non-fiction from children’s books to memoirs in order to help authors reach the highest caliber to develop their creative work. Some of her previous experience includes over 5 years as Senior Editor at Brink Literacy Project, whose mission is to share storytelling that empowers underserved communities, and is currently an agent at Ladderbird Literary Agency.  Outside of agenting, she enjoys hiking, swimming, baking, and playing the piano. Her favorite place in the world is Yosemite National Park! You can find her on Twitter @fiction_tech. Stefanie is primarily looking for BIPOC stories inclusive of intersectional identities (LGBTQ+, disability, mental illness, neurodiversity…). She particularly relates to stories centering mixed protagonists. In all genres, she adores stories that incorporate food, animals, the outdoors, and intergenerational relationships. She also loves when stories explore “messy” feelings like rage, fear, guilt, grief, etc. in empowering ways. Please don’t send her books that revolve around abuse (though it can be in a character’s past) or books where the protagonist dies at the end. In picture books, she’s looking for heartfelt stories about family, facing your fears, and/or finding your place in the world. She especially loves brave, quirky heroines. In middle grade and YA, she likes contemporary and urban fantasy and coming-of-age stories. She loves a touch of mystery and is also open to the right high fantasy or romcom. In adult, she’s looking for romcoms, mysteries, thrillers, and urban or contemporary fantasy. She’s also open to high fantasy or historical fiction that empowers BIPOC individuals and communities. Two of her specific wishes are for a mystery or thriller helmed by a BIPOC woman, and for historical fiction centering a BIPOC cowgirl.

 https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/stefanie-molina/

 

Liz Nealon is the founder and president of Great Dog Literary, a publishing company specializing in sharing unique voices for both adults and children. In her previous life, she was an award-winning executive producer and children’s media industry leader who played an integral role in shaping the indelible youth brands Sesame Street, Kidz Bop, and MTV, as well as being the former Publisher of StarWalk Kids Media, an award-winning digital publishing company that she co-founded with author Seymour Simon (2012-2016). Liz has unique and specific experience in children’s digital publishing, with extensive knowledge of the US Schools & Libraries sector. She is a big reader of both non-fiction and literary fiction, and is particularly looking for Modern Women’s Fiction (no fantasy or Regency); True Crime with a strong, literary voice; memorable Narrative Non-Fiction; Art/Illustrated titles for adults; Illustrated Middle Grade (both fiction and non-fiction). She is committed to representing diverse voices and would be over the moon if she could acquire a captivating LGBTQ RomCom for YA readers.

 

Becky Parker Geist is CEO of Pro Audio Voices and has been in the audiobook industry since 1981. As an audiobook publisher and producer, Becky has produced and/or narrated hundreds of titles, helping authors leverage their content through audio – even if it is the first or only format of their book to get publishedTypically working with authors and publishers who are challenged in reaching their widest audience, the Pro Audio Voices team provides audiobook production, including complex and unusual projects, and the Audiobook Marketing Program™ to help authors increase their impact. Committed to leadership, Becky serves as President of Bay Area Independent Publishers Assoc. and a Chapter Leader of Nonfiction Authors Association. proaudiovoices.com

 

Randy Peyser sells non-fiction manuscripts in all genres and speaks nationally about how to get book deals. She also serves on faculty for CEO Space International where she teaches about writing book proposals. She is the author of: The Write-a-Book Program; Crappy to Happy as featured in the movie, Eat Pray Love; and The Power of Miracle Thinking. Her clients’ books have been in Oprah and Time Magazines, the Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestseller Lists, in airport bookstores, Office Max and FedEx/Office stores, and on Hallmark TV. Her work is featured in: Healing the Heart of the World; The Marriage of Sex and Spirit; Secrets of Shameless Self-Promoters; and the national bestsellers, Networking Magic, Guerrilla Publicity, and The Profit of Kindness. AuthorOneStop.com.

 

Leah Pierre is a literary agent and production manager who loves diverse and unique work that is fast paced and has a complex cast of diverse characters. After graduating from Rosemont College with her B.A. in English and History and currently finishing her Master’s in Publishing, she has moved back to the South to begin her next adventure. In addition to searching for the next commercial YA or Adult project that will hook her (or make her cry), Leah is looking for YA/Crossover/Adult fiction across speculative, contemporary, romance, mystery/thriller, and fairytale reimaginings and retellings. She currently works at Ladderbird Literary Agency and is the Production Project Manager at Greenleaf Book Group: https://www.ladderbird.com/leah-pierre.html

 

Marthine Satris is the Acquisitions Editor for Heyday, a nonprofit publisher located in Berkeley, CA. Having worked as an editor and writer for Stanford University Press, Callisto Media, and the Center of the Art of Translation, Marthine’s main goal is to help shape a title with an eye on the fine detail. At Heyday, some of the books she has edited include Charles Hood, Marni Fylling, Mary Clare and Gary Ferguson, John Muir Laws and Emilie Lygren, Alex Harris, Jack Gedney, and David Harris, with more to come. Marthine is acquiring prescriptive books, reference books, narrative nonfiction, literary essays, and, for Heyday, quirky books on Californian history, our natural world, and social justice.

 

Brooke Warner is a writing coaching, professional publishing consultant, and WNBA-SF member. She has worked as an acquiring editor in the publishing industry for the past sixteen years, most recently as the Executive Editor at Seal Press. Brooke left Seal Press in May 2012 to pursue the coaching practice and to co-found She Writes Press with Kamy Wicoff. Also, she launched Write-Minded: Weekly Inspiration for Writers in 2018, teaches and facilitates memoir courses through Write Your Memoir in Six Months, co-founded with Linda Joy Myers, President of the National Association of Memoir Writers, and has published three books on writing and publishing. Some genres Brooke is looking for are memoirs, self-help, entrepreneur, and other business-like titles.

 

Viveca Shearin is a co-publisher of Not a Pipe Publishing, an indie publishing house based in Oregon (though she lives and works in NYC). An avid reader since childhood, her tastes in books have changed throughout the years. However, she is still a lover of fantasy, magic, and all things dark and mysterious. As she searches for her new talent, Viveca is looking for YA and Adult fiction projects in these genres: fantasy, speculative, paranormal, supernatural, mystery and thriller, science fiction, and retellings of fairy tales and mythology (Greek and Japanese). Viveca is especially interested in BIPOC representation and acquiring BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ voices. She’s drawn to stories that feature strong female characters (lead and secondary), stories with a diverse and eclectic cast of characters that all shine in their own ways, stories that feature found families, and stories that stay with her long after the last page is turned. She will not read stories that feature Black trauma, abuse, or anything of that vein. So please do not send these to her. Aside from working for Not a Pipe, Viveca also works as a sensitivity reader.

 

Leticia Gomez is a prominent literary/film/television agent who specializes in bringing culturally diverse voices to the forefront. She has helped her clients secure deals with the largest publishers in the world and has seen several of her projects successfully optioned for TV and film rights. In January of 2007, Leticia launched Savvy Literary Services, becoming one of a highly select group of agencies in the world that specializes in the Latino book market. Savvy Literary is now an industry leader specializing in Self-help, Narrative Non-fiction, Memoir, True Crime, Spiritual/Inspirational, Political/Current Affairs, Suspense/Thriller, Family Drama, and the Young Adult market. Blending her experience as an author, literary/film/television agent and acquisition editor, she is now truly excited to spearhead her very own Hispanic book imprint Café con Leche Books. At the present time, Savvy Literary Agency is interested in reviewing compelling and commercially viable book proposals and manuscripts written in English or Spanish. Fiction areas of interest: adventure, chick lit, fantasy, historical, humor, multicultural, mystery, paranormal, romance, young adult, and middle grade. Nonfiction areas of interest: advice/relationships, biography, cooking, diet, health, history/politics/current affairs, how-to, humor, lifestyle, memoir, parenting, religion/spirituality and true crime. 

 

Tips for Pitching 2022, CLICK HERE!

 

Sign up for 2022 Pitch-O-Rama now!

April 30th – Virtual Pitch-O-Rama 2022

April 7th, 2022 Pitch-O-Rama Prep Workshop & AMA

By

Thursday, April 7th

Noon – 1pm, PDT
Online, via Zoom

 Virtual Workshop!

Click the logo above for more information on Pitch-O-Rama 2022!

 

By popular demand, WNBA-SF will hold our 2022 Pitch-O-Rama Prep Workshop & Ask Me Anything (AMA)!

We are VERY excited to hold this year’s Pitch-O-Rama, which is looking to be a fabulous event with new agents and editors including those from the New York publishing world. And, since it is virtual, we are having many new writers joining us, hailing from all over the country and even a couple of international guests. We have gotten many questions and suggestions which resulted in this debut Pre Pitch and Ask Me Anything (AMA) session.

WNBA-SF stalwarts who have run Pitch-O-Rama for many years will tell you what to expect, tips, and strategies for inspired pitching, and how to get the most from this mini writers conference. Hosted by Madame President, Elise Marie Collins, this event will feature experts who can answer any question you have, so make your list now!

Collins will offer techniques on how to overcome nerves and make your best impression. Past President of WNBA-SF, librarian, author and master storyteller Kate Farrell ran Pitch-O-Rama for years, and can tell you secrets to success from her deep experience. Publisher Brenda Knight will share what editors and agents are looking for, and how to position your project so it will garner real interest from acquiring editors and literary agents. Ellen McBarnette, an attendee from last year’s virtual Pitch-O-Rama will tell you “what she wishes she knew last year and what you should know for this year.”

Every year, writers find agents, get publishing deals and get excellent feedback that advances their writing careers. This year, it can be you!

 

Registration is free for anyone already signed up for 2022 Pitch-O-Rama. If you haven’t, prices are $10 for WNBA-SF members and $25 for non-members.

 

Distinguished panelists:

 

Brenda Knight, author of  Women of the Beat Generation, will read new work and a tribute to “Beat Goddess” ruth weiss. Brenda began her publishing career at HarperCollins. An author of ten books, she won the American Book Award for “Women of the Beat Generation.”  In 2015, she was named Indiefab Publisher of the Year. She is Editorial Director at Mango Publishing and is President of WNBA-SF Chapter.

 

Elise Marie Collins has consulted with small businesses, authors, and alumni associations on social media marketing and believes that a social media plan should be intuitive, fun, and seamless. Helping students and clients form healthy lifestyle patterns is Elise Collins’ passion and life purpose. She has taught yoga for the past 20 years and is the author of several books on healthy living, including her latest, Super Ager: You Can Look Younger, Have More Energy, a Better Memory, and Live a Long and Healthy Life. Elise enjoys sharing yoga wisdom and current scientific research.

Kate FarrellStoryteller, author, librarian Kate Farrell is the author of Story Power: Secrets to Creating, Crafting, and Telling Memorable Stories. Kate founded the Word Weaving Storytelling Project and published numerous educational materials on storytelling. She has contributed to and edited award-winning anthologies of personal narrative, Times They Were A-Changing: Women Remember the 60s & 70s, and Cry of the Nightbird: Writers Against Domestic Violence. 

 

Ellen McBarnette is a life-long writer whose nonfiction work has been published as testimony, fact sheets and opinion pieces for organizations that include the Sierra Club and the American Bar Association. A professional storyteller, she is a recent transplant from Washington, DC where she ran the Arlington Creative Nonfiction Writers Group. She now runs the Beta Readers and Writers Group and is an active participant in critique groups in the Bay. She lives in Hayward with her partner Ben and their cat Java.
 
 

Register here for the Prep Workshop & AMA:

Sorry. This form is no longer available.

 

March 16th – Feeling Joy + Awe in Difficult Times

By

Wednesday, March 16th, 2022
Heart Wisdom Panel:
Feeling Joy + Awe in Difficult Times with Sherry Richert Belul, Allen Klein, and Irene O’Garden
1:30 pm / PT

During the pandemic, we saw the ways that depression and mental health impacted so many people of all ages. Over the last weeks as the violence in Ukraine has continued, it has added to an already-heavy sense of despair in the world. 
 
People need to feel some relief from the grief, fear, and discouragement. We need to be uplifted and reminded of our spirits. 
 
Cultivating a sense of joy and awe can be a great addition to our self-care practices during this time in the world when so many people are filled with grief, fear, disappointment, and heartbreak. 
 
Join us at this week’s Mango Publishing Author Panel to participate in a conversation about ways to uplift ourselves and to bring more joy and awe to others, as well. 
 
Our guest authors, Irene O’Garden (“Glad to Be Human”) and Allen Klein (“The Awe Factor”) will share their own stories and unique ways of living in joy and awe. Everyone who attends is invited to join the conversation if you wish. The panel is facilitated by Sherry Richert Belul (“Say it Now.”) 
 
Mango Author Panels are a great way to get a behind-the-scenes look at the publishing world and what goes on in authors’ heads. They are always interactive, often intriguing, and especially warm and inspiring. 
 
This event is free. However, registration is required. Please use the form below and the Zoom link will be sent to you upon registration. 
 
 
 
 

**Author Bios**

 

Author Irene O’Garden (https://ireneogarden.com/) is an Off-Broadway playwright, an award-winning poet, a memoirist, and a Pushcart Prize-winning essayist whose latest book is “Glad to Be Human: Adventures in Optimism.” 
 
 
 
 
Through his books and keynote presentations, Allen Klein (https://www.allenklein.com/), the world’s only “Jollytologist”, shows people worldwide how to find humor and positivity in their not-so-funny stuff.  Allen is author of  numerous books, including “The Lighten Up Book” and, “The Awe Factor: How a Little Bit of Wonder Can Make a Big Difference in Your Life.” 
 
 
 
Sherry Richert Belul (simplycelebrate.net), author of “Say it Now: 33 Creative Ways to Say I Love You to the Most Important People in Your Life,” is founder of Simply Celebrate, a business dedicated to helping people live colorful, connected, creative lives of love and appreciation. 
 
 

 

Register for the Heart Wisdom panel below:

Sorry! Registration is closed, so we can manage the list of attendees.