Author Christopher Castellani will perform the first page of YOUR unpublished manuscript for the audience and a panel of three established agent judges who specialize in literary and commercial fiction as well as narrative nonfiction: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.
Watch a panel of agents, editors, and authors reveal their literary achievements and faux pas as they play the popular game, “Never Have I Ever.” Join host Stephanie Gayle (Idyll Fears, Idyll Threats) and a panel composed of literary agent Ann Collette (Rees Literary Agency), YA author Mackenzi Lee (The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue), New York Times–bestselling author B.A. Shapiro (The Art Forger and The Muralist), and Houghton Mifflin editor Timothy Mudie as they divulge whether a romantic partner’s book taste has given them second thoughts or if they’ve ever claimed to read a classic that, in truth, they have not. With a bonus audience participation round at the end! Learn, laugh, and play along!
Have you ever wondered how an author chose details to bring a place to life, why she chose her narrative’s point(s) of view, or how he selected just the right word to create an unforgettable poetic moment? In these four sessions, writers will open up about the nuts and bolts of their craft. Our host for each session will lead an audience discussion of a very short excerpt from each author’s work before bringing the author into the conversation to contextualize the excerpt, discuss her or his choices, and answer questions from the audience. A unique alternative to traditional readings, these sessions will appeal not only to aspiring fiction writers but also to readers looking to enrich their reading experience. This session will consist of three twenty-minute guided explorations of the work of authors whose recent fiction conjures up a particularly evocative sense of place: Brunonia Barry (The Fifth Petal, which is set in Salem), Jessie Chaffee (Florence in Ecstasy, set in Florence and Boston), and Erica Ferencik (The River at Night, set in the Maine wilderness). Our host is Henriette Lazaridis, whose novel The Clover House is set largely in Greece.
