League of Utah Writers: Home Page

Greetings from Ogden, Utah—this year’s venue for the League of Utah Writers Roundup! It’s been crazy over here, and it will get crazier still as we get ready to host the Roundup in September. I’m now on first name terms with agents in New York and California, although it could be that they see my phone number on their caller ID and just don’t answer (just kidding)! Actually, I was surprised how readily available and friendly these agents were. So we’ve managed to corner quite a few agents and they are really looking forward to coming the conference. Some are even coming earlier or staying later to enjoy our neck of the woods. And Natalie rounded up at least three acquisition editors from local bookstores. These agents and editors are ready to listen to your pitches. Natalie Pace (LUW President Elect), Jeff Martinez, Michele Mckinnon, and I are on the planning committee for the Roundup. We’ve been meeting on a regular basis and things are going smoothly. There have been a lot of after-midnight emails between Natalie and me, and we’re meeting with the local business association and the mayor’s office to entice contributions of any kind to our conference. This will help us to make the 2008 Roundup the best ever. The rest of our chapter writers will soon be asked to contribute their unique talents during the upcoming months. It’s been great fun and we cannot wait to welcome the rest of the League, as well as writers, agents, authors, editors, publishers, and class presenters from across the U.S. I’m getting goose bumps just thinking about autumn and writing and hanging out with like-minded people like you! A couple of weeks ago, I did an interview with up-and-coming author Stanley Trollip for a South African magazine. Stan and his best friend, Michael Sears (also South African), are the talk of the town—or rather, the talk of the U.S. and Europe. These two retired professors published their first novel, A Carrion Death, through Harper Collins.

“Smashed skull, snapped ribs, and a cloying smell of carrion. Leave the body for the hyenas to devour—no body, no case.” Is that a great pitch or what?! Their agent sold a two-book deal to North America, England, Italy, France, and South Africa. And thus Botswana’s extraordinary Detective Kubu saw the light of day and a new series was born.

Michael and Stanley write under the pen name of Michael Stanley, and are getting amazing reviews from all over.

Euro Crime (England):

“A rip-roaring read … Detective Kubu is set for many great things.”

Publishers Weekly:

“Intricate plotting, grisly sense of realism…

make this a compulsively readable novel.”

Booklist:

“Fast-moving story ... Rich with the atmosphere… well-drawn characters… exciting debut.”

Library Journal:

“… will enthrall readers.”

Genre Go Round Reviews:

“The police procedural story line is superb ... .

New York Times:

“Kubu is also hugely appealing – big and solid and smart enough to grasp all angles of this mystery. Readers maybe lured to Africa by the landscape but it takes a great character like Kubu to win our loyalty.”

Of course, being on the planning committee for Roundup, I was one-track minded. I asked Stan if he would, by any chance, be in America in September. He said he could be. So Stan agreed to be one of our keynote speakers at Roundup and will also present a class on co-writing a novel.

Our list of guest speakers, presenters and guests include:

Stanley Trollip — Suspense Writer

Stanley was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he did all his schooling, including an undergraduate degree in Statistics. His undergraduate work took twice as long as usual because of sporting activities such as cricket, rugby, and field hockey, as well as his involvement in the antiapartheid movement.

In 1970, Stanley attended University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where he received a PhD in Educational Psychology.

He co-authored three editions of a widely used book, Multimedia for Learning: Methods and Development (Allyn and Bacon). Stan and co-author Michael Sears undertook several flying safaris to Botswana and Zimbabwe. They love to buzz a dirt airstrip to shoo elephants off. Adventures on these trips include tracking lions at night, fighting bush fires in northern Botswana, being charged by an elephant, and having their plane’s door pop open over the Kalahari, scattering navigation maps over the desert. These wonderful times have fed their love for the bush, as well as for Botswana.

When time allows, they play golf, bike, and hike.

Tami D. Cowden — Writer of Many Genres

Award-winning writer Tami Cowden has presented programs at many writing conferences and retreats across the country and taught online writing classes. Tami is the coauthor of The Complete Writers Guide to Heroes and Heroines: Sixteen Master Archetypes, a guide to literary archetypes. Her first novel, Cruising for Love, winner of RWA’s Golden Heart, was released by Avalon Books. She has also published more than two dozen mystery and romance short stories.

James Dashner — Children’s & Young Adult Writer

James Dashner was born and raised in a small town in Georgia, surrounded by a creepy forest that provided many ideas for stories later on in life. His love of books and writing made him dream of being an author someday, and he still can’t believe how fortunate he is to have his wish come true. Though previously published, his most recent novel is his first to be nationally released.

Sharon Mignery — Romance Writer

Sharon Mignerey (www.sharonmignerey.com) has written books for Silhouette Intimate Moments, Zebra, and most recently for Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense (another imprint of Harlequin). The Good Neighbor will be out in November 2008. Sharon’s books have won several awards including the Golden Heart, the National Readers Choice Award, and the CRW Keeper Award.

Wendy Toliver — Young Adult Writer

Wendy Toliver’s debut novel, The Secret Life of a Teenage Siren, hit bookstores December 2007. Her second young adult novel, Miss Match, is scheduled to come out fall of 2008. She’s also written and co-written several nonfiction books, including The Little Giant Encyclopedia of Inspirational Quotes. She is a copywriter for Hachette Book Group USA (Warner Books) as well as a freelance editor and article writer.

Patricia Wiles — Children’s Writer

Patricia Wiles middle-grade novel series, The Kevin Kirk Chronicles,has been recognized for its realistic depiction of Mormon life in the southern U.S. by the Association for Mormon Letters. Her first children picture book will be released in 2009. Patricia is the Assistant Regional Advisor for the Midsouth (Kentucky and Tennessee) region of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and is editor of the region's newsletter, BorderLines.Her essays have aired on public radio and have been published in Writer's Digest, The Writer, and The Writer's Handbook,and she has earned awards from the Kentucky Press Association for her work as a newspaper reporter and columnist.

David Sheffield — Comedy Film Screenwriter

Update:

David Sheffield Will not be attending this year's Roundup due to health reasons. Our thoughts and prayers are with him at this time.

Salt Aire’ Films presents innovative marketing strategies by getting the most out of writer/publisher marketing dollars through the venues of book trailers, audio-books, and television promotion of the writer’s book. The workshop participants will experience four segments:

View examples of book trailers and learn how the use of book trailers can enhance promotion of their book.
Hear examples of dramatized and non-dramatized audio-books, and learn how this media format can enhance promotion of their book.
View newly produced pilot segments of the TV-20 show Literary Corner, and learn how this media opportunity can enhance promotion of their book.
Question and answer session.

* NOTE: The workshop will not be a venue for selling services of SAF, but serve as an educational program for writers. SAF will host a vendor booth to discuss services and pricing for interested persons.

Contact Information:

Salt Aire’ Films

Joseph A. Batzel, MA

President Of Artistic Development

Email: jbatzel1@msn.com

Ph. 1-435-720-2360

Web: www.saltairefilms.com

Mail: P.O. Box 457

Brigham City, UT 84302

Bill Contardi — Agent

For ten years Bill Contardi worked as an editor for NAL, Berkeley, Popular Library, and Avon Books. He was director of literary affairs at United Artists and then vice-president of literary affairs at Warner Bros. In their New York offices, he was charged with bringing in books for the studios

to develop for feature films. For 11 years, Bill was a dramatic rights agent for books to film and television at William Morris in New York. Since 2002, he has been a literary agent with Brandt & Hochman Literary Agents representing authors and selling their work to publishers. In addition to building a list of new writers at Brandt & Hochman, Bill also continues to represent the dramatic rights of literary properties for some Brandt & Hochman clients and for a few other agencies as well. He is open to all kinds of books, fiction and nonfiction (except for science fiction, fantasy, children’s picture books, middlegrade fiction, and self-help).

Felicia Eth — Agent

Felicia Eth from Felicia Eth Literary Representation is an independent literary agent operating out of Palo Alto, California for the last 15 years. Ms. Eth launched Felicia Eth Literary Representation building upon her prior nine years of experience as an agent in New York with Writers House, Inc. Given her west coast location and her east coast knowledge and connections, Ms. Eth sees herself as primarily representing authors based out west to New York publishing houses. Her list is relatively small by New York standards, and consists primarily of adult non-fiction best typified as provocative and intelligent on eclectic subjects including psychology, health, women’s and social issues, narrative non-fiction, and travel.

Kevan Lyon — Agent

Kevan has been with the Dijkstra Agency since 2004. She handles women’s fiction, with an emphasis on commercial women’s fiction and all genres of romantic fiction. Her particular interest is historical fiction of all types. She is also interested in non-fiction representing authors in the areas of memoir, environment, parenting, and current events. Kevan holds an MBA from the Anderson School of Management at UCLA and comes to the agency with 17 years of experience on the retail and distribution side of the publishing business. Her background on the buying and retail side of publishing affords her unique insight into what types of books will sell and how to market them. She is particularly drawn to stories that draw the reader in and loves a sweeping, complex story with strong female characters. Her authors in women’s fiction span a broad range of genres from more literary, commercial projects to all genres of romance including historical, contemporary, suspense, and paranormal. She loves to be surprised by a unique plot or characters and is always looking for a new, fresh voice or approach. With non-fiction projects she looks for topics that she is passionate about or that speak to issues of particular concern to women and families.

Cedar Fort Publications — Acquisition Editor

To be announced.

Kirk Shaw — Covenant Communications

Acquisition Editor

To be announced.

Derk Koldwyn — Deseret Book Acquisition Editor

To be announced.

Louise Knot Ahern — Author Coach

Louise spent eight years as a newspaper reporter and three years in non-profit public relations before launching her own author coaching service, The Working Writer Communications. After reading and writing thousands of press releases and news articles, Louise knows what does and does not grab the media’s attention.

Elizabeth Lyon — Independent Book Editor

Elizabeth Lyon, owner of Editing International, works as a writing teacher and as an independent book editor, and has over 20 years of experience. She is the author of six books for writers on all aspects of craft and marketing. Elizabeth Lyon lives in Springfield, Oregon. See her list of client successes on www.4-edit.com and www.elizabethlyon.com. Contact her at elyon123@comcast.net, or call (541) 344-9118.