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Lit Fest 2025
Type: Publishing/Career clear filter
Friday, June 6
 

9:00am MDT

Author Websites 101: Your Guide to Designing, Branding, and Launching Your Successful Site
Friday June 6, 2025 9:00am - 11:00am MDT
Lighthouse
Register
Need an author website but don't know where to start? This seminar will guide you through designing and launching an effective author website. Using an in-depth bespoke questionnaire, you’ll clarify your unique branding and style to create a site that truly resonates with readers. From choosing the right platform to building user-friendly design and crafting engaging content, this session is packed with practical tips and hands-on advice to bring your digital presence to life. Perfect for authors at any stage who want a polished, professional online home.
Speakers
avatar for HR Hegnauer

HR Hegnauer

Instructor
HR Hegnauer is the author of When the Bird is Not a Human and Sir, as well as two chapbooks. She has read from her work widely at universities, conferences, bookstores, and in numerous reading series. After working at Palgrave Macmillan, she left to start her own business as a book... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 9:00am - 11:00am MDT
Lighthouse 3870 York Street Denver, CO 80205
  Publishing/Career

12:00pm MDT

Lunchtime Business Panel: Beyond Big Book Publishing—Hybrid, Indie, Self
Friday June 6, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Lighthouse
Register
You believe 100% in your book. You've polished your manuscript, had beta readers, attended workshops, hired an editor, and queried agents to no avail. You want your book in print, but you've given up on "big" book publishing. Come explore other options as former literary agent Shana Kelly interviews authors who found success with small presses, self-publishing, and the hybrid model. How did they find publishers? What were the pros and cons? What was the cost? How about sales? Join these authors as they reveal the highs and the lows of publishing outside the Big Five.
Speakers
avatar for Terri Lewis

Terri Lewis

Instructor
Terri Lewis fell in love with medieval history in college. Not the dates or wars, but the mysterious daily lives of the people. Building on this love, she read and traveled widely, and finally, two sentences in a book bought at Windsor Castle led her to write her debut novel, Behold... Read More →
avatar for Poupeh Missaghi

Poupeh Missaghi

Instructor
Poupeh Missaghi is a writer, translator, and editor. Her debut book trans(re)lating house one was published in 2020 and her second book Sound Museum was published in 2024 (Coffee House Press). Her most recent translation In the Streets of Tehran, a book of witness narratives, was... Read More →
CS
Friday June 6, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Lighthouse 3870 York Street Denver, CO 80205
  Publishing/Career

12:00pm MDT

Lunchtime Business Panel: Beyond Big Book Publishing—Hybrid, Indie, Self (Livestream)
Friday June 6, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Zoom
Register
You believe 100% in your book. You've polished your manuscript, had beta readers, attended workshops, hired an editor, and queried agents to no avail. You want your book in print, but you've given up on "big" book publishing. Come explore other options as former literary agent Shana Kelly interviews authors who found success with small presses, self-publishing, and the hybrid model. How did they find publishers? What were the pros and cons? What was the cost? How about sales? Join these authors as they reveal the highs and the lows of publishing outside the Big Five.
Speakers
avatar for Terri Lewis

Terri Lewis

Instructor
Terri Lewis fell in love with medieval history in college. Not the dates or wars, but the mysterious daily lives of the people. Building on this love, she read and traveled widely, and finally, two sentences in a book bought at Windsor Castle led her to write her debut novel, Behold... Read More →
avatar for Poupeh Missaghi

Poupeh Missaghi

Instructor
Poupeh Missaghi is a writer, translator, and editor. Her debut book trans(re)lating house one was published in 2020 and her second book Sound Museum was published in 2024 (Coffee House Press). Her most recent translation In the Streets of Tehran, a book of witness narratives, was... Read More →
CS
Friday June 6, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Zoom
  Publishing/Career

1:30pm MDT

Site/Visit: Writing with the Land
Friday June 6, 2025 1:30pm - 3:30pm MDT
Lighthouse
Register
What does it mean to be in conversation with our local landscapes in our writing? Part experiential learning, part creative practice, SITE//VISIT provides a space to learn about native plants and local ecology and translate embodied experience onto the page through play and improvisation. We’ll draw from the practices and work of artists and writers such as Cecilia Vicuna, CA Conrad, Jake Skeets, and others.
Speakers
avatar for Cass Eddington

Cass Eddington

Instructor
Cass Eddington is a poet, teacher, and editor originally from Utah. They are the author of the chapbooks Vernal Hurt (Magnificent Field) and TRANSIT (Spiral Editions, forthcoming January 2023) with recent work in Annulet, Deluge, DREGINALD, La Vague. They are a PhD candidate in the... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 1:30pm - 3:30pm MDT
Lighthouse 3870 York Street Denver, CO 80205
  Poetry   Hybrid   Publishing/Career

4:00pm MDT

Developing Writing Habits
Friday June 6, 2025 4:00pm - 6:00pm MDT
Lighthouse
Register
With jobs and family/personal responsibilities, sustaining a writing practice seems harder these days than ever before. We struggle to find the time and energy to find our way into our creative space. This course will offer prompts and habit-building techniques to help us sustain our writing practices, whether to exercise our muscles or to make it through long-term projects.
Speakers
avatar for Poupeh Missaghi

Poupeh Missaghi

Instructor
Poupeh Missaghi is a writer, translator, and editor. Her debut book trans(re)lating house one was published in 2020 and her second book Sound Museum was published in 2024 (Coffee House Press). Her most recent translation In the Streets of Tehran, a book of witness narratives, was... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 4:00pm - 6:00pm MDT
Lighthouse 3870 York Street Denver, CO 80205
  Fiction   Nonfiction/Memoir   Poetry   Hybrid   Dramatic Writing   Publishing/Career   YA/Children's

4:00pm MDT

Vocational Poetics: Working, Writing, Calling Out
Friday June 6, 2025 4:00pm - 6:00pm MDT
Lighthouse
Register
Most of us aren't able to support ourselves materially through what we would consider our “calling” (an idea that doesn’t recognize the inequities and issues of access shaped by capitalism, racism, and ableism). Lacking a single “vocation,” we may cobble together our livelihood through many sources. Beyond the fantasy of a consistent work/life balance, this lecture considers the root of vocation: both the labor of writing and the “calling out.” Through what forms and technologies are we able to be heard?
Speakers
avatar for Cass Eddington

Cass Eddington

Instructor
Cass Eddington is a poet, teacher, and editor originally from Utah. They are the author of the chapbooks Vernal Hurt (Magnificent Field) and TRANSIT (Spiral Editions, forthcoming January 2023) with recent work in Annulet, Deluge, DREGINALD, La Vague. They are a PhD candidate in the... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 4:00pm - 6:00pm MDT
Lighthouse 3870 York Street Denver, CO 80205
  Fiction   Nonfiction/Memoir   Poetry   Hybrid   Dramatic Writing   Publishing/Career   YA/Children's

4:00pm MDT

A Talk Against Goodness
Friday June 6, 2025 4:00pm - 6:00pm MDT
Lighthouse
Register
This is a talk about craft, its embedded politics, and the production of a poet in the US.
Speakers
avatar for Solmaz Sharif

Solmaz Sharif

Visiting Author
Solmaz Sharif is the author of two books of poetry, most recently Customs (Graywolf Press, 2022) which Publisher’s Weekly praised as “complex and confident” in a starred review. Her first book, Look (Graywolf Press, 2016), was a finalist for the National Book Award and a New... Read More →
Friday June 6, 2025 4:00pm - 6:00pm MDT
Lighthouse 3870 York Street Denver, CO 80205
  Poetry   Publishing/Career
 
Saturday, June 7
 

9:00am MDT

Two-Day Intensive: Finish It! Perspective and Persistence (V)
Saturday June 7, 2025 9:00am - Sunday June 8, 2025 12:00pm MDT
Zoom
Register
Working on a long poem, story, essay, play, or book? What will it take to finish? Can we do it—or at least create an actionable plan to finish—in a weekend? This intensive will provide solutions and strategies in the form of planning sessions, readings, discussions, writing exercises, charts, and other resources. We’ll cover the role of editors and feedback; myths and benefits of breaks; how to bypass blocks, fears and resistances; and where planning meets plain old knuckling down. Any genre welcome. This may be most useful for work between midway and “almost there.” Let’s find our way to the finish line together.
Speakers
avatar for Khadijah Queen

Khadijah Queen

Instructor
Khadijah Queen is the author of five books and four chapbooks of innovative poetry. Her full length collections are Conduit (Black Goat/Akashic Books 2008), featured in Poets & Writers magazine's Debut Poets issue; Black Peculiar, winner of the 2010 Noemi Press book award and published... Read More →
Saturday June 7, 2025 9:00am - Sunday June 8, 2025 12:00pm MDT
Zoom
  Fiction   Nonfiction/Memoir   Poetry   Hybrid   Dramatic Writing   Publishing/Career   YA/Children's

12:00pm MDT

Lunchtime Business Panel: Your Agent Itinerary: Tips for Representation (V)
Saturday June 7, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Zoom
Register
Are you feeling overwhelmed at how to narrow down which agents might be a good fit for you? Are you querying to no avail? Just wondering how it all works? Join four agents as they tell the candid story of what they do. They’ll share tips and strategies for successfully targeting and querying agents, and give you insights into turnoffs and what not to do. Each agent will share one thing you absolutely must know; you’ll leave with an understanding of the inner workings of publishing and how you can best begin your publishing journey.
Speakers
avatar for Nate Moscato

Nate Moscato

Agent
Nate Muscato (Agent, Aevitas Creative Management) represents academics, journalists, artists, and polymathic thinkers and storytellers. Authors he works with have written for national and international publications, hit The New York Times bestseller list, and received awards and fellowships... Read More →
avatar for Haley Casey

Haley Casey

Agent
Haley Casey graduated from The University of Kansas in 2015 with a BA in creative writing, and that fall, she attended the Denver Publishing Institute for a deep dive into the industry. She began her full-time career at Ogden Publications, where she was an editor for four years. There... Read More →
avatar for Brenna English-Loeb

Brenna English-Loeb

Agent
Brenna English-Loeb works with authors of adult genre fiction and adult nonfiction, with select YA and crossover clients. She joined the Transatlantic in 2019 after working for several years at Janklow & Nesbit Associates and Writers House, where I had the pleasure of working with... Read More →
avatar for Elizabeth Copps

Elizabeth Copps

Agent
Elizabeth Copps is a literary agent and founder of Copps Literary Services based in Denver, Colorado. With 15 years of industry experience, Elizabeth began her publishing career in 2010 when she moved from Florida to New York City and discovered her passion through an agency internship... Read More →
Saturday June 7, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Zoom
  Publishing/Career

12:00pm MDT

Lunchtime Business Panel: Your Agent Itinerary—Tips for Representation
Saturday June 7, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Lighthouse
Register
Are you feeling overwhelmed at how to narrow down which agents might be a good fit for you? Are you querying to no avail? Just wondering how it all works? Join four agents as they tell the candid story of what they do. They’ll share tips and strategies for successfully targeting and querying agents, and give you insights into turnoffs and what not to do. Each agent will share one thing you absolutely must know; you’ll leave with an understanding of the inner workings of publishing and how you can best begin your publishing journey.
Speakers
avatar for Nate Moscato

Nate Moscato

Agent
Nate Muscato (Agent, Aevitas Creative Management) represents academics, journalists, artists, and polymathic thinkers and storytellers. Authors he works with have written for national and international publications, hit The New York Times bestseller list, and received awards and fellowships... Read More →
avatar for Haley Casey

Haley Casey

Agent
Haley Casey graduated from The University of Kansas in 2015 with a BA in creative writing, and that fall, she attended the Denver Publishing Institute for a deep dive into the industry. She began her full-time career at Ogden Publications, where she was an editor for four years. There... Read More →
avatar for Brenna English-Loeb

Brenna English-Loeb

Agent
Brenna English-Loeb works with authors of adult genre fiction and adult nonfiction, with select YA and crossover clients. She joined the Transatlantic in 2019 after working for several years at Janklow & Nesbit Associates and Writers House, where I had the pleasure of working with... Read More →
avatar for Elizabeth Copps

Elizabeth Copps

Agent
Elizabeth Copps is a literary agent and founder of Copps Literary Services based in Denver, Colorado. With 15 years of industry experience, Elizabeth began her publishing career in 2010 when she moved from Florida to New York City and discovered her passion through an agency internship... Read More →
Saturday June 7, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Lighthouse 3870 York Street Denver, CO 80205
  Publishing/Career

4:00pm MDT

How to Build Your Niche as a Poet (V)
Saturday June 7, 2025 4:00pm - 6:00pm MDT
Zoom
Register
Discussing his background as a traveling Himalayan poet, our instructor shall share his efforts to build bridges across continents despite being from a small nation. The lecture will explore the unique Himalayan tradition of traveling saints and bards, who played a vital role in shaping the instructor’s world and helping him develop the resilience and inner spirituality needed to establish his niche as a poet. The lecture will turn to the universal, covering how to develop a unique voice, cultivate a clear identity, and position oneself within the literary world.
Speakers
avatar for Yuyutsu Sharma

Yuyutsu Sharma

Instructor
Yuyutsu Sharma is one of the few poets in the world who make their living with poetry. Named as “The world-renowned Himalayan poet,” (The Guardian) “One-Man Academy” (The Kathmandu Post) and “Himalayan Neruda” (Mike Graves), Yuyutsu is a vibrant force on the world poetry... Read More →
Saturday June 7, 2025 4:00pm - 6:00pm MDT
Zoom
  Poetry   Hybrid   Publishing/Career
 
Sunday, June 8
 

12:00pm MDT

Lunchtime Business Panel: Truth of Writing About Our Families, Friends, and Other Real People—Permission and Consequences
Sunday June 8, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Lighthouse
Register
What are the repercussions of writing about family and friends? What are our responsibilities to the truth as writers and how may that affect our family dynamic? Join a group of writers who have wrangled with these questions, and more, as they address the wide range of responses from loved ones and the balance that may be right for you as you work on your nonfiction or memoir.
Speakers
avatar for Amanda McCracken

Amanda McCracken

Instructor
Amanda McCracken is a freelance journalist who is passionate about experiences that highlight the intersection of wellness and relationships. A few places her work has been published include the New York Times, Washington Post, Guardian, National Geographic, Elle, Outside, NPR... Read More →
avatar for Anna Qu

Anna Qu

Instructor
Anna Qu is a Chinese American writer. Her critically acclaimed debut memoir, Made In China: A Memoir of Love and Labor, was named a New York Times Editors’ Choice pick. Her work has appeared in Threepenny Review, Lumina, Kartika, Kweli, and Vol.1 Brooklyn, among others. She was... Read More →
Sunday June 8, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Lighthouse 3870 York Street Denver, CO 80205
  Publishing/Career

12:00pm MDT

Lunchtime Business Panel: Truth of Writing About Our Families, Friends, and Other Real People—Permission and Consequences (Livestream)
Sunday June 8, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Zoom
Register
What are the repercussions of writing about family and friends? What are our responsibilities to the truth as writers and how may that affect our family dynamic? Join a group of writers who have wrangled with these questions, and more, as they address the wide range of responses from loved ones and the balance that may be right for you as you work on your nonfiction or memoir.
Speakers
avatar for Amanda McCracken

Amanda McCracken

Instructor
Amanda McCracken is a freelance journalist who is passionate about experiences that highlight the intersection of wellness and relationships. A few places her work has been published include the New York Times, Washington Post, Guardian, National Geographic, Elle, Outside, NPR... Read More →
avatar for Anna Qu

Anna Qu

Instructor
Anna Qu is a Chinese American writer. Her critically acclaimed debut memoir, Made In China: A Memoir of Love and Labor, was named a New York Times Editors’ Choice pick. Her work has appeared in Threepenny Review, Lumina, Kartika, Kweli, and Vol.1 Brooklyn, among others. She was... Read More →
Sunday June 8, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Zoom
  Publishing/Career
 
Monday, June 9
 

12:00pm MDT

Lunchtime Business Panel: Getting Past the Gatekeepers
Monday June 9, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Lighthouse
Register
This panel of writers and editors will share their screening process for determining what manuscripts make it into publication or the final rounds of a contest. We’ll share some suggestions for what to do (and what not to do) to make your work stand out and get the green light. Panelists include Jenny Shank, who served as a screener judge for this year’s Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction, and more.
Speakers
avatar for Jenny Shank

Jenny Shank

Instructor
Jenny Shank's short story collection, Mixed Company, won the George Garrett Fiction Prize and is a finalist for the Colorado Book Award (General Fiction). Jenny Shank's novel, The Ringer, won the High Plains Book Award in fiction, was a finalist for the Mountains & Plains Independent... Read More →
MI
Monday June 9, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Lighthouse 3870 York Street Denver, CO 80205
  Publishing/Career

12:00pm MDT

Lunchtime Business Panel: Getting Past the Gatekeepers (Livestream)
Monday June 9, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Zoom
Register
This panel of writers and editors will share their screening process for determining what manuscripts make it into publication or the final rounds of a contest. We’ll share some suggestions for what to do (and what not to do) to make your work stand out and get the green light. Panelists include Jenny Shank, who served as a screener judge for this year’s Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction, and more
Speakers
avatar for Jenny Shank

Jenny Shank

Instructor
Jenny Shank's short story collection, Mixed Company, won the George Garrett Fiction Prize and is a finalist for the Colorado Book Award (General Fiction). Jenny Shank's novel, The Ringer, won the High Plains Book Award in fiction, was a finalist for the Mountains & Plains Independent... Read More →
MI
Monday June 9, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Zoom
  Publishing/Career

1:30pm MDT

So You Want to Go Indie
Monday June 9, 2025 1:30pm - 3:30pm MDT
Lighthouse
Register
As the quality and readership of indie/self-published books increases, indie publishing—once considered a “less than” alternative to traditional publishing—is becoming a progressively popular choice for authors at all stages of their careers. What does it take to independently publish your book? In this seminar, we’ll explore what goes into the indie decision, the pros and cons of this publishing method, and the must-have attributes of a successful independently published book.
Speakers
CS
Monday June 9, 2025 1:30pm - 3:30pm MDT
Lighthouse 3870 York Street Denver, CO 80205
  Fiction   Nonfiction/Memoir   Poetry   Hybrid   Publishing/Career   YA/Children's

1:30pm MDT

Practical Publishing: Journals as Models for Your Work
Monday June 9, 2025 1:30pm - 3:30pm MDT
Lighthouse
Register
This workshop will focus on studying several literary journals and the writings they publish in order to plan better where to submit our work. We'll read several genres recently published in journals such as The Adroit, The Sun, Guernica, and others to get down to business—discovering prompts from what we find for workshop exercises. We’ll also discuss cover letters, author bios, and aesthetics within journals to avoid pitfalls when submitting.
Speakers
avatar for Hillary Leftwich

Hillary Leftwich

Instructor
Hillary Leftwich is a neurodivergent, multimedia writer and the author of Ghosts Are Just Strangers Who Know How to Knock (CCM Press, 2019 and Agape Editions, 2023 new edition), Aura (Future Tense Books and Blackstone Audio Publishing, 2022), and Saint Dymphna’s Playbook (forthcoming... Read More →
Monday June 9, 2025 1:30pm - 3:30pm MDT
Lighthouse 3870 York Street Denver, CO 80205
  Publishing/Career
 
Tuesday, June 10
 

12:00pm MDT

Lunchtime Business Panel: Perfect Pairing
Tuesday June 10, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Lighthouse
Register
The publishing industry is complicated, constantly changing, and seemingly mysterious, so the relationship between an author and her agent is an integral component of a successful career. Join author Christina Rivera and Evanthia Bromiley and their agents, Julie Stevenson and Jennifer Lyon as they talk about how they’re navigating the choppy waters of publishing together.
Speakers
avatar for Jennifer Lyons

Jennifer Lyons

Agent
Jennifer Lyons was a senior agent for sixteen years before she decided to open up her own literary agency. She represents numerous award-winning authors. The awards her clients have received include the Nobel Prize, The Pulitzer for both Fiction and Nonfiction, the National Book Award... Read More →
avatar for Julie Stevenson

Julie Stevenson

Agent
Julie Stevenson is a literary agent with Massie, McQuilkin & Altman in New York. She represents literary and upmarket fiction, suspense, memoir, graphic novels, narrative nonfiction, young adult fiction. She is drawn to storytelling with unforgettable characters, an authorial command... Read More →
Tuesday June 10, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Lighthouse 3870 York Street Denver, CO 80205
  Publishing/Career

12:00pm MDT

Lunchtime Business Panel: Perfect Pairing (Livestream)
Tuesday June 10, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Zoom
Register
The publishing industry is complicated, constantly changing, and seemingly mysterious, so the relationship between an author and her agent is an integral component of a successful career. Join author Christina Rivera and Evanthia Bromiley and their agents, Julie Stevenson and Jennifer Lyon as they talk about how they’re navigating the choppy waters of publishing together.
Speakers
avatar for Jennifer Lyons

Jennifer Lyons

Agent
Jennifer Lyons was a senior agent for sixteen years before she decided to open up her own literary agency. She represents numerous award-winning authors. The awards her clients have received include the Nobel Prize, The Pulitzer for both Fiction and Nonfiction, the National Book Award... Read More →
avatar for Julie Stevenson

Julie Stevenson

Agent
Julie Stevenson is a literary agent with Massie, McQuilkin & Altman in New York. She represents literary and upmarket fiction, suspense, memoir, graphic novels, narrative nonfiction, young adult fiction. She is drawn to storytelling with unforgettable characters, an authorial command... Read More →
Tuesday June 10, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Zoom
  Publishing/Career

1:30pm MDT

The Art of Literary Submission
Tuesday June 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT
Lighthouse
Register
You've been polishing your writing and you're ready to submit it to literary journals, but just how do you do that? In this seminar, we'll learn about many of the journals waiting for your work. We'll discuss cover letters, tracking your submissions, useful websites, how to gauge whether you received a "good" rejection, and how to know when to keep submitting a piece, pull it for revisions, or put it in the recycle pile. By the end of this seminar, you'll be armed with a thick-anti-rejection hide and a list of journals to submit your work to.
Speakers
avatar for Jenny Shank

Jenny Shank

Instructor
Jenny Shank's short story collection, Mixed Company, won the George Garrett Fiction Prize and is a finalist for the Colorado Book Award (General Fiction). Jenny Shank's novel, The Ringer, won the High Plains Book Award in fiction, was a finalist for the Mountains & Plains Independent... Read More →
Tuesday June 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm MDT
Lighthouse 3870 York Street Denver, CO 80205
  Fiction   Nonfiction/Memoir   Poetry   Hybrid   Publishing/Career
 
Wednesday, June 11
 

12:00pm MDT

Lunchtime Business Panel: Book Launch, Behind the Scenes
Wednesday June 11, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Lighthouse
Register
A book launch is thrilling, terrifying, heartwarming, stress-inducing, satisfying, exhausting—literally everything, everywhere, all at once. In this panel, authors with books scheduled to release near June 2025 break down how they prepared (or are preparing) for their launch, what they hoped/hope happens, what they know of how publishers evaluate launches, and more. Come prepared to take notes and ask questions.
Speakers
avatar for Gloria J. Browne-Marshall

Gloria J. Browne-Marshall

Instructor
Gloria J. Browne-Marshall is an Emmy Award-winning writer, a professor of Constitutional Law and Africa Studies at John Jay College (CUNY), civil rights attorney, and playwright. She is the author of She Took Justice: The Black Woman, Law, and Power; Race, Law, and American Society... Read More →
JT

Jan Thomas

Instructor
J.E. Thomas spent her early summers stuffing grocery bags with books at the local library, reading feverishly, then repeating the process week after week. So it's not surprising that she thinks books and imagination are the best streaming service around. J.E. is an award-winning writer... Read More →
avatar for Samantha Shea

Samantha Shea

Agent
After graduating from Colgate University, Samantha Shea joined Georges Borchardt, Inc. in 2010 and was made a Vice President in 2016. Her list includes literary fiction, memoir/narrative nonfiction, journalism, popular culture, essays, cultural criticism, and history. Samantha’s... Read More →
Wednesday June 11, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Lighthouse 3870 York Street Denver, CO 80205
  Publishing/Career

12:00pm MDT

Lunchtime Business Panel: Book Launch, Behind the Scenes (Livestream)
Wednesday June 11, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Zoom
Register
A book launch is thrilling, terrifying, heartwarming, stress-inducing, satisfying, exhausting—literally everything, everywhere, all at once. In this panel, authors with books scheduled to release near June 2025 break down how they prepared (or are preparing) for their launch, what they hoped/hope happens, what they know of how publishers evaluate launches, and more. Come prepared to take notes and ask questions.
Speakers
avatar for Gloria J. Browne-Marshall

Gloria J. Browne-Marshall

Instructor
Gloria J. Browne-Marshall is an Emmy Award-winning writer, a professor of Constitutional Law and Africa Studies at John Jay College (CUNY), civil rights attorney, and playwright. She is the author of She Took Justice: The Black Woman, Law, and Power; Race, Law, and American Society... Read More →
JT

Jan Thomas

Instructor
J.E. Thomas spent her early summers stuffing grocery bags with books at the local library, reading feverishly, then repeating the process week after week. So it's not surprising that she thinks books and imagination are the best streaming service around. J.E. is an award-winning writer... Read More →
avatar for Samantha Shea

Samantha Shea

Agent
After graduating from Colgate University, Samantha Shea joined Georges Borchardt, Inc. in 2010 and was made a Vice President in 2016. Her list includes literary fiction, memoir/narrative nonfiction, journalism, popular culture, essays, cultural criticism, and history. Samantha’s... Read More →
Wednesday June 11, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Zoom
  Publishing/Career

4:00pm MDT

Freelance Writing: Getting Started and Building your Career
Wednesday June 11, 2025 4:00pm - 6:00pm MDT
Lighthouse
Register
How do you query editors at websites, magazines, and newspapers to achieve your first assignment, and what habits can help the first one lead to more? We'll discuss ground rules for freelance writers, learn how to find venues open to new writers, study examples of query letters and write our own. We'll discuss useful resources for freelancers, including newsletters and websites that list venues open to pitches, and share info about pay rates and writer’s guidelines. Jenny has been a freelance writer of essays and articles about books, music, sports, and travel for decades, and looks forward to addressing the particular interests of each student.
Speakers
avatar for Jenny Shank

Jenny Shank

Instructor
Jenny Shank's short story collection, Mixed Company, won the George Garrett Fiction Prize and is a finalist for the Colorado Book Award (General Fiction). Jenny Shank's novel, The Ringer, won the High Plains Book Award in fiction, was a finalist for the Mountains & Plains Independent... Read More →
Wednesday June 11, 2025 4:00pm - 6:00pm MDT
Lighthouse 3870 York Street Denver, CO 80205
  Fiction   Nonfiction/Memoir   Hybrid   Publishing/Career
 
Thursday, June 12
 

12:00pm MDT

Lunchtime Business Panel: Late-Breaking Publishing World
Thursday June 12, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Lighthouse
Register
Publishing was a fast-changing industry even before consolidation, a global pandemic, and the advent of AI, so what does the publishing landscape look like now? Join four industry experts as they discuss how publishing has changed, what remains standard practice, what today’s landscape means for writers, and more.
Speakers
avatar for Paige Terlip

Paige Terlip

Agent
Paige Terlip represents all categories of children’s books from picture books to young adult, as well as select adult fiction, including thrillers/psychological suspense, fantasy/sci-fi, horror, upmarket fiction, romance, and mysteries. Regardless of genre, she is seeking inclusive... Read More →
avatar for Paloma Hernando

Paloma Hernando

Agent
Paloma Hernando got her start at Einstein Literary Management in 2020, where she built a list focusing on graphic novels and illustrated books, and joined APL in the fall of 2024. Coming from a background of independent comics and the DIY scene, Paloma has always been attracted to... Read More →
avatar for Elizabeth Pratt

Elizabeth Pratt

Agent
Elizabeth Pratt joined Trellis Literary Management after 1.5 years at Park & Fine Literary and Media. Prior to that, she worked at Universal McCann and The Wylie Agency. A graduate of the University of Michigan, where she studied history and English, and the Columbia Publishing... Read More →
avatar for Jennifer Chen Tran

Jennifer Chen Tran

Agent
Jennifer Chen Tran is a literary agent at Glass Literary Management. With over a dozen years of experience in the publishing industry, Jennifer is passionate about nurturing and championing the creative lives of the authors and artists she is honored to represent. She works with a... Read More →
avatar for Jenny Chen

Jenny Chen

Agent
Jenny Chen (she/her) is an executive editor at the Ballantine Books Group acquiring mysteries, thrillers, suspense, crime fiction. She joined Ballantine in 2020 and has since published various New York Times bestsellers, book club picks, award-winning mysteries, and critically acclaimed... Read More →
avatar for Clare Mao

Clare Mao

Agent
Clare was born and raised in Queens, NY, went to college in Iowa, and now lives in Brooklyn. Prior to joining Greenburger in 2023, she worked at Europa Content and Janklow & Nesbit.Clare represents adult fiction and nonfiction writers and creators who are poets, musicians, journalists... Read More →
Thursday June 12, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Lighthouse 3870 York Street Denver, CO 80205
  Publishing/Career

12:00pm MDT

Lunchtime Business Panel: Late-Breaking Publishing World (Livestream)
Thursday June 12, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Zoom
Register
Publishing was a fast-changing industry even before consolidation, a global pandemic, and the advent of AI, so what does the publishing landscape look like now? Join four industry experts as they discuss how publishing has changed, what remains standard practice, what today’s landscape means for writers, and more.
Speakers
avatar for Paige Terlip

Paige Terlip

Agent
Paige Terlip represents all categories of children’s books from picture books to young adult, as well as select adult fiction, including thrillers/psychological suspense, fantasy/sci-fi, horror, upmarket fiction, romance, and mysteries. Regardless of genre, she is seeking inclusive... Read More →
avatar for Paloma Hernando

Paloma Hernando

Agent
Paloma Hernando got her start at Einstein Literary Management in 2020, where she built a list focusing on graphic novels and illustrated books, and joined APL in the fall of 2024. Coming from a background of independent comics and the DIY scene, Paloma has always been attracted to... Read More →
avatar for Elizabeth Pratt

Elizabeth Pratt

Agent
Elizabeth Pratt joined Trellis Literary Management after 1.5 years at Park & Fine Literary and Media. Prior to that, she worked at Universal McCann and The Wylie Agency. A graduate of the University of Michigan, where she studied history and English, and the Columbia Publishing... Read More →
avatar for Jennifer Chen Tran

Jennifer Chen Tran

Agent
Jennifer Chen Tran is a literary agent at Glass Literary Management. With over a dozen years of experience in the publishing industry, Jennifer is passionate about nurturing and championing the creative lives of the authors and artists she is honored to represent. She works with a... Read More →
avatar for Jenny Chen

Jenny Chen

Agent
Jenny Chen (she/her) is an executive editor at the Ballantine Books Group acquiring mysteries, thrillers, suspense, crime fiction. She joined Ballantine in 2020 and has since published various New York Times bestsellers, book club picks, award-winning mysteries, and critically acclaimed... Read More →
avatar for Clare Mao

Clare Mao

Agent
Clare was born and raised in Queens, NY, went to college in Iowa, and now lives in Brooklyn. Prior to joining Greenburger in 2023, she worked at Europa Content and Janklow & Nesbit.Clare represents adult fiction and nonfiction writers and creators who are poets, musicians, journalists... Read More →
Thursday June 12, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Zoom
  Publishing/Career
 
Friday, June 13
 

12:00pm MDT

Lunchtime Business Panel: Lit-Mag Landscape
Friday June 13, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Lighthouse
Register
Countless writers have gotten their start by publishing in literary magazines, from university-run journals to flagship publications. How do you join their ranks? Our panel of editors will survey the state of lit mags and how you can navigate the landscape confidently, and with hope. You’ll learn about the submission process, how to choose the right publications and deal with rejections, and ways to improve your chance of getting noticed. You’ll leave better informed and ready to submit.
Speakers
avatar for Alexander Lumans

Alexander Lumans

Instructor
Alexander Lumans was awarded a 2018 NEA Creative Writing Grant in Fiction. He received fellowships in 2015 and 2024 for expeditions with The Arctic Circle Residency and he was the Spring 2014 Philip Roth Resident at Bucknell University. His fiction and nonfiction have appeared in... Read More →
avatar for Paul M. French

Paul M. French

Editor
Paul M. French is the editor and founder of Denverse Magazine, a local print and online quarterly dedicated to showcasing Mile High arts and culture. He is the former executive editor of Innovation & Tech Today, and his work has been featured in Wired and the Denver Quarterly... Read More →
avatar for Hillary Brenhouse

Hillary Brenhouse

Instructor/Editor
Hillary Brenhouse is a Montreal-based writer and the editor and publisher of Elastic, the print magazine of psychedelic art and literature, which debuted in March 2025 with support from Harvard and UC Berkeley. She was previously the editor-in-chief of Guernica magazine and the editorial director of Bold Type Books. Much of her career in books and magazines has... Read More →
avatar for Lena Valencia

Lena Valencia

Editor
Lena Valencia is the author of the short story collection Mystery Lights (Tin House Books). Her fiction has appeared in BOMB, The Baffler, Electric Literature, Ninth Letter, Epiphany, the anthology Tiny Nightmares, and elsewhere. She is the recipient of a 2019 Elizabeth George Foundation... Read More →
avatar for Wendy Chen

Wendy Chen

Editor
Wendy Chen is the author of the novel Their Divine Fires (Algonquin) and the poetry collection Unearthings (Tavern Books). Her poetry translations of Song-dynasty woman writer Li Qingzhao are published in The Magpie at Night from Farrar, Straus & Giroux. She is the editor of Witness... Read More →
Friday June 13, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Lighthouse 3870 York Street Denver, CO 80205
  Publishing/Career

12:00pm MDT

Lunchtime Business Panel: Lit-Mag Landscape (Livestream)
Friday June 13, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Zoom
Register
Countless writers have gotten their start by publishing in literary magazines, from university-run journals to flagship publications. How do you join their ranks? Our panel of editors will survey the state of lit mags and how you can navigate the landscape confidently, and with hope. You’ll learn about the submission process, how to choose the right publications and deal with rejections, and ways to improve your chance of getting noticed. You’ll leave better informed and ready to submit.
Speakers
avatar for Alexander Lumans

Alexander Lumans

Instructor
Alexander Lumans was awarded a 2018 NEA Creative Writing Grant in Fiction. He received fellowships in 2015 and 2024 for expeditions with The Arctic Circle Residency and he was the Spring 2014 Philip Roth Resident at Bucknell University. His fiction and nonfiction have appeared in... Read More →
avatar for Paul M. French

Paul M. French

Editor
Paul M. French is the editor and founder of Denverse Magazine, a local print and online quarterly dedicated to showcasing Mile High arts and culture. He is the former executive editor of Innovation & Tech Today, and his work has been featured in Wired and the Denver Quarterly... Read More →
avatar for Hillary Brenhouse

Hillary Brenhouse

Instructor/Editor
Hillary Brenhouse is a Montreal-based writer and the editor and publisher of Elastic, the print magazine of psychedelic art and literature, which debuted in March 2025 with support from Harvard and UC Berkeley. She was previously the editor-in-chief of Guernica magazine and the editorial director of Bold Type Books. Much of her career in books and magazines has... Read More →
avatar for Lena Valencia

Lena Valencia

Editor
Lena Valencia is the author of the short story collection Mystery Lights (Tin House Books). Her fiction has appeared in BOMB, The Baffler, Electric Literature, Ninth Letter, Epiphany, the anthology Tiny Nightmares, and elsewhere. She is the recipient of a 2019 Elizabeth George Foundation... Read More →
avatar for Wendy Chen

Wendy Chen

Editor
Wendy Chen is the author of the novel Their Divine Fires (Algonquin) and the poetry collection Unearthings (Tavern Books). Her poetry translations of Song-dynasty woman writer Li Qingzhao are published in The Magpie at Night from Farrar, Straus & Giroux. She is the editor of Witness... Read More →
Friday June 13, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Zoom
  Publishing/Career

1:30pm MDT

How to Publish A Book While Staying (Reasonably) Sane
Friday June 13, 2025 1:30pm - 3:30pm MDT
Lighthouse
Register
If you’re ready to publish your book, but have no idea how do that, this is the class for you. We'll discuss different pathways for publishing a book; including finding an agent or working without one, submitting your manuscript to publication contests, or self-publishing. We'll learn how to query agents and publishers, how to find comp titles for your book, when you need to write a book proposal, and share useful websites and resources that will support you along your journey to publication.
Speakers
avatar for Jenny Shank

Jenny Shank

Instructor
Jenny Shank's short story collection, Mixed Company, won the George Garrett Fiction Prize and is a finalist for the Colorado Book Award (General Fiction). Jenny Shank's novel, The Ringer, won the High Plains Book Award in fiction, was a finalist for the Mountains & Plains Independent... Read More →
Friday June 13, 2025 1:30pm - 3:30pm MDT
Lighthouse 3870 York Street Denver, CO 80205
  Fiction   Nonfiction/Memoir   Publishing/Career
 
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