Presenters and Instructors for the 2023 Online
Tennessee Writing Workshop
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Maria Vicente is a senior literary agent at P.S. Literary Agency.
At the 2023 online TNWW, Maria is teaching a class. She is also meeting with attendees for one-on-one virtual pitches.
Maria represents bold and innovative books for kids, teens, and curious adults. Her favorite books to work on show readers something new about the real world or invite them into new worlds they never want to leave.
In her 8 years at PSLA, Maria has launched the careers of many authors and illustrators and is known for being an early advocate of the growing graphic novel market in trade publishing. With a B.A. in English from Carleton University and a B.Ed. from Western University, she puts her teaching background to use hosting workshops about the publishing industry and supporting her fellow agents at PSLA. Maria lives in New Brunswick, Canada, reading and selling books from the Atlantic Ocean shore.
Maria is acquiring fiction and nonfiction for readers of all ages. She is looking for: literary fiction and upmarket speculative fiction (fantasy, magical realism, horror); young adult novels; middle grade novels; illustrated picture books; illustrated graphic novels, graphic memoirs, and graphic nonfiction; and narrative nonfiction for kids, teens, or adult readers about culture, arts and entertainment, history, and science topics. She welcomes and encourages submissions from BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and disabled creators.
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Kimiko Nakamura is a literary agent with Dee Mura Literary, representing YA and adult titles within the genres of contemporary, literary, historical, and women’s fiction. In the categories of non-fiction she specializes in cookbooks and memoir.
At the 2023 online TNWW, Kimiko is offering add-on manuscript critiques for attendees. (She is not taking pitches.)
A graduate of Boston University’s Book Publishing program and Skidmore College, Kimiko has called the publishing industry home since 2006. From production to sales she’s worked within publishing houses to release new titles and foster backlist profits. As an agent, she uses this diverse background to assist her clients with all stages of publication, and well beyond.
Kimiko works with aspiring and established authors alike. She loves projects that reimagine what’s possible, characters with something (or nothing) to lose, unique viewpoints, trailblazing heroines, and cookbooks she can read like the Sunday morning paper.
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Dani Segelbaum is a literary with the Carol Mann Agency.
At the 2023 online TNWW, Dani is teaching a class. She is also meeting with attendees for one-on-one virtual pitches.
Dani joined the agency in 2021 as a literary agent and subrights manager. She is interested in both fiction and nonfiction.
Dani is seeking nonfiction titles with an emphasis on politics, women’s issues, popular culture, and current events. Dani also loves memoir, narrative nonfiction, lifestyle, and cookbooks.
In fiction, she is looking for literary and upmarket adult fiction including debut, historical, rom-coms, mysteries, and women’s fiction. In both fiction and non-fiction, Dani hopes to work with authors from diverse backgrounds to tell stories that are important to them. She loves compelling narrators and is drawn to writing that is voice-driven, highly transporting, and features unique perspectives and marginalized voices.
Born and raised in Minneapolis, Dani is a graduate of Boston University’s College of Communication where she studied journalism and political science. She has been a voracious reader for as long as she can remember. Dani began her publishing career as an editorial assistant at HarperCollins Publishers, focusing primarily on highly designed non-fiction titles. She previously worked as a literary assistant at New Leaf Literary & Media, working with established and debut authors.
A few books she loves… A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, Girls & Sex by Peggy Orenstein, The Girl With The Louding Voice by Abi Daré, The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, Save Me The Plums by Ruth Reichl, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong, Conversations With Friends by Sally Rooney, You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington by Alexis Coe, The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead, From The Corner Of The Oval by Beck Dorey-Stein, Coming To My Sense by Alice Waters, Who Thought This Was A Good Idea? by Alyssa Mastromonaco, Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Dani spends her free time exploring the streets of her neighborhood and trying the latest restaurants in town. Her guilty pleasures include cookbooks (seriously, she has way too many), reading the newspaper in the middle of the night, and baking dozens of delicious baked goods for friends and family (she does use the cookbooks).
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E.J. Wenstrom is a published novelist. See all her books here.
At the 2023 online TWW, E.J. is teaching a class.
E.J. believes in complicated heroes, horrifying monsters, purple hair dye and standing to the right on escalators so the left side can walk. She writes dark speculative fiction for adults and teens, including the young adult dystopian novel Departures and the award-winning Chronicles of the Third Realm War series (start with Mud). When she isn’t writing fiction, E.J. is a regular contributor to DIY MFA and co-hosts the Troped Out and Fantasy+Girl podcasts.
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Erica Bauman is a literary agent with Aevitas Creative Management.
Erica is currently focused on representing a wide range of authors across middle grade, young adult, and adult fiction, as well as some select narrative nonfiction projects. She is most interested in novels that straddle the line between literary and commercial, imaginative tales with a speculative twist (grounded sci-fi or fantastical twist), fearless storytellers that tackle big ideas and contemporary issues, and working with and supporting marginalized authors and stories that represent the wide range of humanity.
“In adult, I gravitate towards stories that have a commercial premise and beautiful writing. I love voice-driven, witty romcoms, historical novels (especially mysteries), and light SFF and magical realism. I’m on the lookout for books starring nerds, and stories that make me laugh. Across all age ranges and genres, I’m eager to support and work with marginalized authors and stories that represent the wide range of humanity.”
At the 2023 online TWW, Erica is teaching a speech. She is also meeting with writers for one-on-one pitch meetings.
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Josephine Carr has published five novels, including two Y.A.’s (No Regrets and My Beautiful Fat Friend), and three adult novels (Monday’s Child, The Dewey Decimal System of Love, and My Very Own Murder).
After teenage years in Kenya and Switzerland, she received degrees in English Literature from Mt. Holyoke and Bryn Mawr, followed by teaching at Temple University. She particularly loves guiding people in discovering their voice, their story, and their place in the world as writers. She recently relocated to the Bay Area from Washington D.C.
At the 2023 online TWW, Josephine is teaching a speech. See her website here.
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Shelli R. Johannes is the author of 18 books (out and forthcoming). She is the coauthor (with Kimberly Derting) of the popular CECE LOVES SCIENCE series and PENNY (An Engineering Tale of the Fourth Pig). In addition to her tween and teen novels, she is also the author of the THEO THESAURUS series and SHINE LIKE A UNICORN. Her new chapter book in Chelsea Clinton’s “She Persisted” series on FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE comes out in March 2023. See all her kids books here and all her teen novels here.
At the 2023 online TNWW, Shelli is teaching a speech on how to utilize both traditionally publishing and self-publishing. She is also offering add-on manuscript critiques for attendees.
Shelli can often be found on highways and country roads saving strays and other jaywalking critters or volunteering with animal conservation groups. After earning a master’s to follow her passion of writing.
She lives in Atlanta with her own pack of unicorns: a British husband, two teens, two Goldendoodles, one sassy bird, and the many loud characters that “live” in her head. Shelli is addicted to exclamation points, puns, unicorns, and anything sciencey. You can always count on her to laugh at her own jokes, at least once.
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Paul S. Levine is a literary agent and the founder of Paul S. Levine Literary. He is also an attorney.
At the 2023 online TNWW, Paul is teaching a class. She is also meeting with attendees for one-on-one virtual pitches.
His fiction interests include adventure novels, mainstream fiction, mysteries, romance, thrillers, and women’s fiction.
His nonfiction interests include business/commerce, pop culture, how-to, self-help, politics/law, relationships, and sports.
Paul has sold more than 250 fiction and nonfiction books.
As an entertainment lawyer, Levine has written the legal contracts for several books adapted as movies-for-television. With over thirty-seven (38) years of experience in the entertainment and book industries, Levine is one of the few lawyers on the West coast who also understands the world of book publishing; as such, he is able to act as both literary agent and publishing attorney for his clients.
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USA Today bestselling author A.S. Green lives in chilly Minnesota and spends the all-too-short summers on Lake Superior, which is the muse for her paranormal and contemporary romances. She writes complex characters, action-packed plots, and snarky in-your-face banter. And, of course, loads of steamy love scenes.
At the 2023 online TWW, Anne will be giving a speech.
When she’s not writing romance, she’s probably watching Outlander or pleading (unsuccessfully) with her husband to don the kilt she bought him last summer.
You can find her on most social platforms at @asgreenbooks.
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Helga Schier, PhD, is the Editorial Director of CamCat Books (camcatbooks.com), a boutique publisher of award-winning genre fiction. With over 25 years of experience powering her work, Helga guides authors through the development and revision process. Helga focuses on concept, story, and approach, helping writers sharpen their vision, refine their voice, and unlock the potential of their manuscripts. A former academic, Helga has lectured on literature and creative writing, published essays on contemporary English and American fiction, and has translated several novels, screenplays, and memoirs (visit withpenandpaper.com for more information).
At the 2023 online TWW, Helga is teaching.
With an unwavering commitment to excellence and dynamic growth, CamCat Books is proud to publish what we call Books to Live In: books that allow for an immersive reading experience, that invite you to walk in other people’s shoes, that stay with you far beyond the last page. As Editorial Director of CamCat Books, Helga is heavily involved in the acquisition process, actively looking for stories with a sense of empathy for morally ambiguous characters, a well-structured plot that moves at a nice clip, and an inkling that a wrong choice could quickly lead us down an irreparably treacherous path. CamCat Books accepts submissions in adult and YA novel-length genre fiction. We’ll consider any good tale, but what we want to see most urgently revolves around these genres:
- Mystery, Thriller, and Suspense
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Romance
- Historical
- Paranormal
- Horror
- Western
Please note that CamCat Perspectives will soon open for adult nonfiction submissions in the following subject areas:
– True Crime
– US History and Biography
CamCat Books and CamCat Perspectives are imprints of CamCat Publishing. For
more information visit camcatbooks.com.
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Chuck Sambuchino (@chucksambuchino) is a freelance editor, bestselling book author, and former longtime staffer for Writer’s Digest Books. For many years he edited the GUIDE TO LITERARY AGENTS and the CHILDREN’S WRITER’S & ILLUSTRATOR’S MARKET. His Guide to Literary Agents Blog was one of the largest blogs in publishing, and he wrote the platform guidebook CREATE YOUR WRITER PLATFORM.
His humor book, HOW TO SURVIVE A GARDEN GNOME ATTACK, was optioned by Sony Pictures. Chuck’s books have been mentioned in Reader’s Digest, USA Today, the New York Times, The Huffington Post, Variety, New York Magazine, Buzzfeed, Mental Floss, New York magazine, and many more media outlets.
He is a successful freelance editor of queries, synopses, and manuscripts—seeing dozens of clients get agents or book deals following his consultations/edits. He loves meeting new writers.
At the 2023 online TWW workshop, he is offering add-on query critiques for attendees.