Author Christopher Castellani will perform the first page of YOUR unpublished manuscript for the audience and a panel of three established agent judges who specialize in literary and commercial fiction as well as narrative nonfiction: Esmond Harmsworth, Ann Collette, and Amaryah Orenstein. When an agent hears a line that would prompt her to stop reading, he or she will raise a hand. Castellani will keep reading until a second agent raises a hand. The agents will then discuss why the lines gave them pause and offer suggestions to the author. All excerpts are read and evaluated anonymously. At the end, a winner will be crowned and win a prize. Note to participants: Please bring THE FIRST 250 WORDS of your manuscript double-spaced, titled, with its genre (fiction or nonfiction only, please) marked clearly at the top. Given the volume of submissions, we can’t guarantee that yours will be read aloud. This session is not for the thin-skinned! Sponsored by GrubStreet.
