Saturday Schedule
8:15 – 8:45 Registration/Breakfast Snacks/Meet & Greet
8:45 – 8:50 Welcome and Introductions, Monocacy Hall
8:50 – 9:45 “Trendwatch or Change Is Good (Right?)" Betsy Bird; Author, Librarian, and Reviewer; Monocacy Hall
9:55 – 10:50 Morning Breakout Sessions I Choose your session on the day of the conference, and just go!
1. “Marketer Turned Agent Talks Craft: Writing a Manuscript That Gets and Keeps Everyone’s Attention,” Linda Comacho, Prospect Agency, Monocacy Hall
2. “Write to Inspire: Work for Hire,” Kara Laughlin, Author & Artist, Potomac
3. "Dancing Down the Page," Laura Shovan, Sweet Sixteen Debut Novelist, Shenandoah
10:55 – 11:50 Morning Breakout Sessions II
1. “Composing The Query Letter,” Victoria A. Selvaggio, Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency, Monocacy
2. "So You Want to Get Published?" Mallory P. Grigg, Senior Designer, Simon and Shuster, Potomac
3. "Taking Off the Training Wheels," Kathy Macmillan, Sweet Sixteen Debut Novelist, Shenandoah
11:55 – 12:50 Morning Breakout Sessions III
1. “A Tale of Three Agents,” Stephen Barbara, Inkwell Management, Monocacy
2. "What Makes a Great (Novelty) Picture Book, Jess Tice-Gilbert, Senior Art and Novelty Designer at Scholastic's Cartwheel Imprint, Potomac
3. “Fiction Doesn’t Mean Fake,” Lois Sepahban, Sweet Sixteen Debut Novelist, Shenandoah
12:50 – 1:55 Lunch/Networking/Book Sales & Signing
2:00 – 2:55 Afternoon Breakout Sessions I
1. “Writing with Pictures: Considering the Pictures when Writing for Picture Books and Graphic Novels,” Traci Todd, Executive Editor of the Appleseed imprint at Abrams Books, Monocacy
2. "Pitch Perfect," Janet Sumner Johnson, Sweet Sixteen Debut Novelist, Potomac
3. “From the Ground Up: World Building in Sci-Fi/Fantasy,” Ava Jae, Sweet Sixteen Debut Novelist, Shenandoah
3:00 – 3:55 Afternoon Breakout Sessions III
1. “Revising a Novel from the Author’s and Editor’s Perspectives,” Andrew Harwell, Senior Editor, HarperCollins Children’s Books and Nanci Turner Steveson, Debut Author, Monocacy
2. "Turning Imagination and Play into Books," Karen Whiting, Author, Potomac
3:55 – 4:15 Break/Book Sales & Signing
4:15 – 4:55 All Faculty Panel
4:55 – 5:00 Wrap Up & Door Prizes