BWG 2010 Conference "A Bridge to Publication"

Good Morning Friends,

Well it's conference week here in SW LA and the Bayou Writers' Group annual "Bridge to Publication" conference is underway!

Scheduled for this Saturday - November 13th - we've got a great lineup of speakers!  Here are the details:

At the Door Registration 8:00 – 8:45


Announcements 8:45 – 9 am

9-10 am – Harold Underdown – Preparing Children’s or YA book for Publication
     Children’s Book Editor Harold Underdown is a freelance editorial consultant. He has worked at Macmillan, Orchard, and Charlesbridge, and has experience in trade and educational publishing. Harold enjoys teaching, and in that role wrote The Complete Idiot's Guide to Children's Book Publishing, now in its third edition. He founded and runs "The Purple Crayon," a respected web site with information about the children's publishing world at www.underdown.org. Mr. Underdown will be happy to answer questions between critique/consultation appointments – please check his sheet to see what time your evaluation is and if you have basic questions, sign up in any available time slot.

Break/Announcements 10:00 – 10:15 am

10:15 – 11:15 Chere’ Cohen – Developing the NF book proposal/selling ideas to the NF market
     Multi-published Author, Cheré Dastugue Coen is an award-winning journalist and author living in Lafayette, Louisiana. She has worked or written for many publications and currently works as a freelance travel and food writer, plus pens the weekly books column and newsletter, Louisiana Book News. Her fiction includes Kensington historical romances under the pen name of Cherie Claire. Her nonfiction books include the cookbook travelogue “Cooking in Cajun Country” (2009) and the upcoming “Magic's in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris and Sachets.” (2010) She is currently at work on the “Historic Guide to Cajun Country,” scheduled for release in 2011.

11:15 – 12:45 Lunch

12:45 – 1:45 Gary Goldstein – What Editors/Kensington Expect
     Gary Goldstein, Sr. Editor, Kensington started his editorial career at Crown Publishing in 1986. He spent two years at Bantam Doubleday Dell (now Bertelsmann AG) from 1988-1990. He joined Putnam Berkley Publishing (now Penguin USA) in May 1990. Following his stint at Berkley, in 1997 he moved on to Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Books division (where he signed up a then-unknown author named Dan Brown and his novel ANGELS AND DEMONS). He rejoined Penguin USA in 2000 (Alpha Books division, publisher of the Complete Idiot’s Guides.) In October 2003, he joined Kensington Publishing Group, where he acquires and edits both non-fiction for Kensington’s Citadel Press imprint and fiction (military and political thrillers, westerns, suspense), among them NY Times and USA Today bestselling authors William W. Johnstone and Michael Walsh.

1:45 – 2:00 Break/Announcements

2:00 – 3:00 Self/E/Small Press Published Author Panel - The INS & OUTS of Self, Electronic, & Small Press Publishing.
     Lesa Boutin is a children’s author who discovered a love for every aspect of a book’s life, from concept to completion. With a background in education, Lesa started her own publishing company, Boot in the Door Publications, in 2006, followed by the release of her YA novels, Amanda Noble, Zookeeper Extraordinaire in 2007, and Amanda Noble, Special Agent in 2008. Currently a writer with Writers in the Schools Houston, Lesa enjoys sharing her imagination and passion for storytelling with her students.

     Wendy Lanier is a Texas author whose writing includes book for Lerner Books, Capstone Press, Lucent Books, Kid Haven Press and contributions to: Focus on the Family’s Clubhouse, CBN.com, MOPS.org, Devokids.com, and The Amazing Bible Fact Book for Kids. Her educational and professional background includes a BS in Speech Communication Disorders and a M.ED in Elementary Education and over 18yrs in TX schools. She is a member of SCBWI and Bayou Writers’ Group.

     Curt Iles is a Southern writer with a warm style that makes one glad to be alive and wish to enter his world. He and his wife DeDe live in Dry Creek, Louisiana. Curt is a graduate of Louisiana College (B.S. 1979) as well as McNeese State University (M.Ed. 1985 and 1987). After fulfilling careers as a teacher/coach, school principal, and outdoor camp director, Curt began writing full time in 2006. The author of seven books, he speaks at over one hundred events yearly and can be reached at curtiles@aol.com. He recently released his seventh independent book, A Good Place. His previous six books have sold a cumulative 20,000 copies. Curt’s mission in life is “to be walk closely with Jesus, be a man God can use, and be respected by my wife and family.” His life verse are the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:33, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”

     Award-winning author, Pamela S. Thibodeaux is the Co-Founder and a lifetime member of Bayou Writers Group. Multi-published in creative non-fiction and romantic fiction Pamela has five novels available in Ebook & Print (4 part Tempered Series ~ Com Star Media & The Inheritance ~White Rose Publishing) and six short stories (all available at White Rose Publishing) as well numerous articles, essays, & devotions to her credit. Her writing has been tagged as “Inspirational with an Edge!”™ and reviewed as “steamier and grittier than the typical Christian novel without decreasing the message.”

3:00 – 4:30 Door Prizes/On the Wall/Reception/Author Signing


As you can see there is something here that will benefit nearly EVERY writer so if you're in the area - drop on by and join us for a fun-filled/informative day!

Download the brochure HERE!

Hope to see you there!

Until later...take care & be blessed!
PamT