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Paradigms for the publishing world are changing
faster than ever. But the basic questions remain the same: Do you need
an agent to get published and succeed? If so, what's the best time to
find one? What can an agent do for you? What can you do to find and establish
a positive relationship with an agent? What is the state of the
publishing industry and how can you still achieve success with a moving
target?
These and many other issues of importance
to you as an author will be discussed as GLAWS presents its Annual
Literary Agents Roundtable. And you will have a chance to ask questions
of this panel of industry professional and meet them, as well. If you
are serious about pursuing a career as an author, you must attend this
important event.
This roundtable is free and
open to all writers. The Guest of
Honor dinner afterwards is open only to GLAWS members in good standing.
include: Charlotte
Gusay, Paul S. Levine, Dana Newman, Angela
Rinaldi, Sally van Haitsma, Jeff
Silberman, and Marla Miller
Charlotte
Gusay’s love of the literary has deep roots. She founded
and ran for many years the prestigious book shop George Sand,
Books on Melrose in West Hollywood (even before Melrose was chic.)
She knows the book business "from the trenches." In
1988 (two years after a new little girl came into her life),
she closed the book shop and started her literary agency. Much
to her delight (and with the help of a powerful Rolodex filled
with names culled from her book shop patrons -- directors, producers,
screenwriters, novelists, writers who continue to this day to
seek her out), she began to gain immediate success selling books
and film options to books.
She has come to be known as the "Diane
Keaton" of agents - eclectic, quality, and very careful
in choosing projects to represent. Founded on the basis of that
twelve years in the book business, The Charlotte Gusay Literary
Agency represents both fiction and nonfiction books, selected
children's books with movie potential, entertainment rights,
books to film, selected screenplays and screenwriters. The Agency
is a signatory to the Writers Guild.
GENRES & SPECIALTIES: Adventure, Contemporary
Fiction, Feminist Fiction, Historical Fiction, Humorous Fiction,
Literary Fiction, Mainstream Fiction, Military/War Fiction, Multicultural
Fiction, Mystery, Regional Fiction, Suspense, Agriculture/Horticulture,
Alternative Lifestyles, Anthropology/Archaelogy, Art/Architecture,
Biography, Communications, Cooking/Foods/Nutrition, Ethnic, Feminism,
Film/Cinema/Stage, Gardening, Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction, General Nonfiction,
Gift Book, Government/Politics, Health/Medicine, History, House
and Home, Humanities, Humorous Nonfiction, Language and Literature,
Literary Criticism, Multicultural Nonfiction, Music and Dance,
Nature and Environment, Philosophy, Popular Science, Psychology,
Reference, Regional Nonfiction, Religion, Sports, Travel and Script.
http://www.gusay.com/
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“Nothing
makes me happier than having a thousand people show up at a book
signing.” -- Mr. Paul S. Levine
The vast majority of Paul S. Levine’s
clients come to him as new, previously unpublished, or self-published
authors. Levine has a keen understanding of industry strategy
and has the editorial contacts required to ensure his success
as both a literary agent and entertainment law attorney, and
is thus able to offer his clients a comprehensive range of publishing
or literary attorney services.
His unique combination of publishing
industry savvy and entertainment legal services makes Levine
a dynamic choice for both new and published authors alike. Leaning
toward socially and politically important literature, he will
consider fiction, non-fiction, children’s, and young adult
manuscripts and proposals for non-fiction books. Highly aware
of market trends and editors’ prefSpecialerences, Levine
limits himself to projects which he believes in and feels certain
he can sell.
The two main keys to success as a literary
agent are: knowing many different editors and knowing what they
are “buying” for their publishing houses. When he opened
The Paul S. Levine Literary Agency in 1996, Levine had less than
200 editors in his private database; in his database he now has
over 1,600 editors, to whom he has sold over 150 fiction and non-fiction
books. As an entertainment lawyer, Levine has written the legal
contracts for several books adapted as movies-for-television. With
over a quarter of a century 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.
GENRES & SPECIALTIES General fiction
Mystery Romance Reference Biography Computers/technology Business/investing/finance
History Mind/body/spirit Health Travel Lifestyle Cookbooks Sports
African-American Science
http://paulslevinelit.com/
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Unfortunately, Toni
Lopopolo hurt her back and cannot ride in a car for at
least a week. She will not be able to attend.
Toni
Lopopolo Literary Management was founded in 1991 by Toni Lopopolo
who boasts an impressive 30+ years in the book publishing business.
This former executive editor at Macmillan and then St. Martin’s
Press, combines her many years in publishing with her unique
editing skills to provide a full service literary agency to new
and seasoned authors.
Toni Lopopolo Literary Management
partners with authors for the duration of their literary careers
and includes development of fiction projects, creation of nonfiction
book proposals, and editing when needed. Toni has helped bring
many first-time and published authors to print including Sol
Stein, Lee Silber, Lillian Glass, Steve Duno, Nancy Baer, Flo
Fitzgerald, Judith Smith-Levin, Howard Olgin, Jeanette Baker,
Larry Seeley, and many others. Publishers include St. Martin’s
Press, Simon and Schuster, Crown, Dell, HarperCollins, Kensington,
and many others.
Toni Lopopolo Literary Management provides
a high level of service by limiting the number of clients represented
but always searching for select new talent and established authors
who seek a more personalized relationship with an agent. For writers
seeking workshops, read more about Toni’s Fiction Boot Camp.
Literary Agent, Toni Lopopolo, brings book
publishing resume that began in 1970 in the publicity dept of Bantam
Books, where she helped publicize authors such as Philip Roth,
Barbara Cartland, Isaac Asimov, and Louis L’Amour.
She next served as Library Promotion Director
at Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, and visited almost every major library
in the USA, until Houghton Mlfflin offered her a position in Boston
as Marketing Manager, Paperback Books. Her big campaigns included
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues by Tom Robbins. When Macmillan offered
Toni the title of Executive Editor, she moved back to New York
City and published Judy Mazel’s Beverly Hills Diet, Elvis
56 by Al Wertheimer among other hits.
When St. Martin’s Press made an offer
she couldn’t refuse, Toni became Executive Editor there from
1981 to 1990 and published Hot Flashes by Barbara Raskin and Rich
and Famous by Kate Coscarelli plus Elsa Lanchester, Herself, by
Elsa Lanchester, On The Other Hand by Fay Wray and many other titles.
In l991, Toni opened Literary Management
and has sold books for authors Sol Stein, Lee Silber, Lillian Glass,
Steve Duno, Nancy Baer, Flo Fitzgerald, Judith Smith-Levin, Howard
Olgin, Jeanette Baker, Larry Seeley, and many others. Toni is also
known for her Fiction Bootcamp workshops where she uses a unique
method that helps first-time novelists to master the skills needed
to successfully write book-length fiction, and she aids nonfiction
writers to produce compelling narrative nonfiction, using fiction
techniques.
http://lopopololiterary.com/
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Dana
Newman is an independent literary agent based in Los Angeles.
She's also a transactional and intellectual property attorney,
advising creators and businesses on contracts, copyrights, trademarks,
and licensing. Her focus is on helping creative entrepreneurs
and authors achieve their goals, and she represents a wide variety
of clients in entertainment, media and business.
With years of experience working in
the entertainment industry during the digital revolution in film
editing and audio recording, Dana is excited about the changes
happening in publishing and enthusiastically embraces new technologies
and ideas about how books will be created, distributed and experienced
in the future.
Dana combines her professional insight,
educational background (B.A. in Comparative Literature from U.C.
Berkeley, J.D. from University of San Francisco), and a lifelong
love of reading to provide a sophisticated, innovative approach
to her role as a literary agent. A believer in the power of books
to shape our culture and impact lives, she enjoys working with
authors who are passionate about their work and have something
meaningful to share. From crafting proposals and polishing manuscripts
through negotiating and managing contracts and rights, Dana strives
to be a trusted advisor and create a holistic, long-term working
relationship with her clients.
GENRES & SPECIALTIES Biography,
Computers/technology, Business/investing/finance, Mind/body/spirit,
Health, Travel, Lifestyle, Cookbooks, Memoir, Upmarket Women's
Fiction
http://dananewman.com/
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Angela
Rinaldi has been an editor at NAL/Signet, Pocket Books, Bantam
Books and manager of the publishing program for The Los Angeles
Times. She has been a member of the Literature Panel for the
California Arts Council in addition to the board for PEN and
the membership committeefor AAR. Her clients range from Who Moved
My Cheese? by Dr. Spencer Johnson to Blood Orange by Drusilla
Campbell. She is interested in mainstream and literary fiction,
upmarket contemporary women’s fiction, suspense, historical
fiction, narrative non-fiction, memoir, current affairs, biography,
psychology, health books that address specific issues, business
and career.
We offer service in four broad areas:
Editorial Development, Business Representation, Collaborating
Writers, Publicity & Marketing Strategy. Member AAR No reading
fee Foreign, film and TV rights for clients only through subagents.
Fiction: I’m passionate for fiction
and look for engaging characters, a strong plot, good storytelling
and lovely writing with a distinct voice. My dream fiction client
would be able to write a commercial novel with literary sensibility.
I am actively looking for upmarket contemporary fiction, mainstream
women’s fiction, thrillers, mysteries, suspense, literary
historical thrillers, gothic suspense, women’s book club
fiction – novels where the story lends itself to discussion;
literary fiction, ethnic fiction.
Non-fiction: An author with an original
idea who has a national platform will always get my attention as
will authors who have big ideas and can spot trends; authors who
can explain the way we live or have life transforming messages;
authors who have a brands; authors who having strong media contacts
and are able to get endorsements. My dream non fiction client would
be an author like Malcolm Gladwell who takes the mystery out of
everday occurrences. I continue to look for narrative non-fiction,
memoir, women’s issues/studies, current issues, biography,
psychology, health/medical/wellness, business, career, cookbooks/food
narratives/wine, personal finance and books written by established
journalists, academics, doctors and therapists, love/relationships.
Children’s, Young Adult. Would love
to find the next crossover novel.
GENRES & SPECIALTIES General fiction,
Mystery, Juvenile fiction, Reference, Biography, Business/investing/finance,
Mind/body/spirit, Health, Travel, Lifestyle, Cookbooks, Children's
books, Commercial and Literary Fiction
http://www.rinaldiliterary.com/
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In
this quickly evolving publishing landscape, van Haitsma Literary
represents a new breed of full-service agency, working closely
with talented authors to realize their literary ambitions. Adopting
an entrepreneurial approach and drawing from professional experience
in publishing, business, law and academia, van Haitsma Literary
puts clients first and strategizes tirelessly to match their
work with great publishers. Along the way, we are coach, confidante
and cheerleader!
van Haitsma Literary, a boutique agency
on the West Coast, was founded by Sally van Haitsma in 2010. Sally
previously agented six years at the Castiglia Literary Agency and
prior to that, apprenticed at the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency,
both located in Del Mar, California. Sally regularly attends writers’ conferences
throughout the country, meeting accomplished clients through these
events, and travels periodically to New York City, where she enjoys
relationships with editors at both major and indy publishers. She
has retained agent Taryn Fagerness to handle clients’ foreign
rights.
Some of the titles Sally has represented
include the New York Times bestseller Wesley the Owl by Stacey
O’Brien (Simon & Schuster); Silverstein & Me by Marv
Gold (Red Hen Press); America Libre and House Divided by Raul Ramos
y Sanchez (Grand Central); Hick by Andrea Portes (Unbridled Books,
optioned for film); Big Brown by Greg Niemann (Wiley); NATO 2.0
by Sarwar Kashmeri (Potomac Books); Does this Mean You’ll
See Me Naked? by Robert Webster (Sourcebooks); Illuminations by
Mark Tompkins (Ten Speed/Random House); The Five Year Party by
Craig Brandon (BenBella Books) and The Leisure Seeker by Michael
Zadoorian (HarperCollins, optioned for film).
van Haitsma Literary is looking for projects
with great writing, a compelling narrative arc, and an “aha!” moment
of emotional truth. Reflecting her influences as a West Coast girl
with Midwestern roots, Sally gravitates toward stories and topics
that explore the American experience in an ethical, pragmatic and
independent spirit. Across all categories, she is on the quest
for books with literary ambitions and mainstream appeal.
GENRES & SPECIALTIES: Commercial and
literary fiction, narrative non-fiction, memoir, pop culture, education,
business and current affairs. We do not represent genre fiction
(historical, romance, horror, fantasy, sci-fi), young adult, screenplays
or poetry.
Please refer to our Submission Guidelines
for specific details about how to approach us. We are looking for
you!
http://vanhaitsmaliterary.com/
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The
Literary Group International (LGI) has been one of the premier
literary agencies in the book publishing industry for the last
two decades. Founded in 1986 by Frank Weimann, the agency has
expanded operations to include offices in New York and Los Angeles. The
Los Angeles office is headed up by Jeff Silberman.
LGI is proud to represent a wide range of
authors, from bestselling novelists to celebrities to Nobel and
Pulitzer Prize winners, across a diverse and comprehensive range
of fiction and nonfiction. LGI forms a traditional relationship
with its authors, working closely with them on editorial and project
development, yet takes a progressive stance in the competitive
landscape of both print and electronic publishing. The Literary
Group International stands at the forefront of the industry by
offering the work of its clients across a broad spectrum of platforms,
both traditional and emergent, to reach the widest readership possible.
LGI has represented more than 50 best selling
works over the last six years and has enjoyed considerable success
in selling a wide variety of projects to both the domestic and
international markets, as well as to studios and networks for feature
film and television production.
The Literary Group International welcomes
the opportunity to consider serious new voices. The best way for
you to represent your manuscript once it is on our desks is to
present us with a polished, professional submission by following
these guidelines exactly.
Submission Policy
The Literary Group International asks for a 30-day exclusivity
period, beginning from the date the material is received. There
is no reading fee. Due to the number of manuscripts we receive,
we can not provide written or oral evaluations of submitted material
or reasons why we decide to decline to represent an author or
project.
Review and Notification
All submissions are read by a qualified member of The Literary
Group International's staff and a decision is made as to whether
or not to request more material. The requested material is then
read by one of our agents who makes the final decision as to
whether or not to offer representation. If the decision is positive,
the author will be contacted, then sent copies of the agency
agreement to sign and return. Due to the enormous volume of materials
received, The Literary Group International will only respond
to those authors whose work we intend to pursue.
http://www.theliterarygroup.com/
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Ms. Miller was Assistant Director of Santa
Barbara Writers Conference, where she established the Young Writers
Program and MC'ed many literary agent panels.
Marla Miller’s Marketing
the Muse Quick Query Critique video mini-workshops,
offered FREE at www.MarlaMiller.com, www.TheWriterMag.com and www.100memoirs.wordpress.com,
receive high marks from authors on the road to publication.
She’s a Simon & Schuster published
author and wrote for Orange County Register’s lifestyle magazine
for 16 years before becoming founding editor-in-chief of a quarterly
Southern California coastal lifestyle magazine. In addition to
The Writer, Miller has written for More Magazine, Writer’s
Digest, Los Angeles Times & Oxygen.com.
For eight years, she co-hosted a radio talk
show on an NPR affiliate and interviewed many notable writers and
public personalities.
Miller teaches MarketingtheMuse workshops
at several writers’ conferences around the country. Miller’s
first ebook, co-authored with a noted fitness celebrity, debuts
in spring/summer 2011. Also in Spring 2011, Marla Miller launches
a video driven blog aimed at women over 45 and titled Me Quiet?
You’re Kidding, Right?
Marla Miller’s social media sites
include:
www.Twitter.com/writersMAMA
www.facebook.com/marlamiller.writersMAMA
http://www.youtube.com/user/ocwriter2
http://www.linkedin.com/in/marlamiller
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/MarketingOurMuse
Contact her through:
www.MarlaMiller.com
marketingthemuse@gmail.com
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The Greater Los Angeles Writers Society is
a non-profit organization that provides a forum for writers of all
disciplines to meet and discuss the craft and the business of writing.
GLAWS accomplishes this through monthly meetings, discussion forums,
critique groups, special writer appearances, conferences, and other
events conducted for the purpose of educating and mentoring writers
of all levels of expertise. GLAWS Special Speaker Events are open to
the public, and a great venue to meet other writers and expand your
expertise.
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