Faculty

AGENTS AND EDITORS

Lanie Davis is a senior editor at Alloy Entertainment, a company that creates concepts for books, film, and television. In her time at Alloy, she’s edited middle grade, YA, and adult novels, including Pretty Little Liars, The Lying Game, Vampire Diaries, Veronica Mars, Private, Privilege, The Clique, The Blonde, and How to Rock Braces and Glasses. Lanie is heading up a new digital program at Alloy, and is looking for strong concepts and fresh voices. Lanie will be offering a limited number of one-on-one manuscript critiques.

Carter Hasegawa, assistant editor at Candlewick Press, came to children's publishing in a roundabout way. After a decade of working in grocery, followed by a two-year stint in textbook publishing, he left everything behind to follow his passion for children's books and earned his MA in Children's Literature from Simmons College. Since 2008, he's been a children's bookseller at various independent bookstores in Seattle and in Cambridge, which he still continues to do part-time when not at Candlewick. Some of his favorie, non-Candlewick books include: The Notorious Benedict Arnold, Jellicoe Road, Eleanor & Park, Ready Player One, Three Times Lucky, and many, MANY others. Basically anything that has a great voice, is a good story, and is "unputdownable." Carter will be offering one-on-one manuscript critiques.

Tricia Lawrence is the "Pacific Northwest branch" of EMLA–born and raised in Oregon, and now lives in Seattle. After 18 years of working as a developmental and production-based editor (from kids books to college textbooks, but mostly college textbooks), she joined the EMLA team in March 2011 as a social media strategist. An associate agent, Tricia represents picture books/chapters books that look at the world in a unique and unusual way, with characters that are alive both on and off the page  and middle grade and young adult fiction and nonfiction that offers strong worldbuilding, wounded narrators, and stories that grab a reader and won't let go. Tricia loves hiking, camping out in the woods, and collecting rocks. She loves BBC America and anything British. She has way too many books and not enough bookshelves. You can find Tricia writing about blogging, tweeting, facebook, and other social media topics (for authors and the publishing industry at large) at http://www.authorblogger.net and her writing on creativity at http://www.tricialawrence.com.  Tricia will be offering one-on-one manuscript critiques.

Sarah Miller, editor at Sleeping Bear Press, published her first (and only) children's story in the Glengary Elementary School newsletter at the age of ten. Since then, however, she's decided she's much happier letting others tell the stories. A graduate of Boston University's College of Communications, Sarah spent several years in New York City with Puffin Books and is currently an editor with Sleeping Bear Press in Michigan. Sara will be offering one-on-one manuscript critiques. 

Terrie Wolf, AKA Literary Management represents children's fiction and nonfiction projects ranging from picture books to young adult. She likes humorous (not gross), honest (not mean), and adventurous fiction for all ages. She's in search of contemporary, real and thoughtful YA, MG that dares to stand up and be recognized, beautifully depicted and illustrated picture books and insightful and entertaining nonfiction. Current items on her wishlist: knock-your-socks-off alternate historical fiction, picture books that celebrate the dance between words and pictures, and a contemporary Western that doesn't necessarily take place in the western United States. Terrie will be offering one-on-one manuscript critiques.

AUTHORS, ILLUSTRATORS AND MARKETING PROFESSIONALS

Debbie Maxwell Allen drank the Scrivener kool-aid and never looked back. When not devoting her time to revolutionizing other writers' lives with the wonders of Scrivener, she writes young adult historical fantasy in the Rocky Mountains. She blogs about free resources at http://www.writingwhilethericeboils.blogspot.com

Avi was born and raised in a city of eight million (NYC) and now resides in a Colorado Rocky Mountain community of 13. He has published more than 70 books, and has many awards, including the Newbery award, two Newbery honors, Horn Book Award, Horn Book honors, and the Scott O'Dell Award, among many other awards. He maintains Wordcraft, a blog about writing at www.av-writer.com. Traveling widely, he visits schools, speaks at conferences, and conducts weekly Skype visits to classes. His most recent book is Sophia's War (S&S). Next year: Catch You Later, Traitor (Algonquin) and Old Wolf (A Richard Jackson/Atheneum Book). Avi will be doing a limited number of one-on-one manuscript critiques.

Donna Cooner is a former teacher and school administrator, who now directs the teacher preparation program at Colorado State University. Donna's debut novel, SKINNY, was named an ALA's Best Young Adult Fiction Award, BEA's Young Adult Buzz Book, and a Bankstreet College's Best Children's Book of the Year. Her new book, CAN'T LOOK AWAY, was released this fall. 

Lindsay Eland knew she wanted to be a writer ever since the fifth grade, when she won an honorable mention for her book What Can You Learn From A Giflyaroo. Now, twenty-plus years later, she is the author of two middle grade novels, SCONES AND SENSIBILITY (Egmont USA) and A SUMMER OF SUNDAYS (Egmont USA) which is a finalist of the 2014 Colorado Book Award. A true romantic, an avid espresso drinker, and a lover of all that can make her laugh, Lindsay lives in Breckenridge, Colorado, with her husband, their four kids, three dogs, one chameleon, and the various bears and foxes that venture into their yard. 

Jen Halligan, Literary Publicist and owner of Jen Halligan PR, has experience working at both a publicity firm and small press. A lifetime reader, she loves working one-on-one with authors to help them build their platform and get their books into readers' hands. Authors are her rock stars, and books are her passion! She works with all children's writers but specializes in YA. Find out more at JenHalliganPR.com or connect with Jen on Twitter @JenHalligan. Jen is a graduate of the Denver Publishing Institute. 

Jeannie Mobley writes middle grade and YA fiction. Her debut novel, KATERINA'S WISH (Margaret K. McElderry Books), won the 2013 Colorado Book Award, is on the 2014-2015 William Allen White Award Master List, and represented Colorado at the 2013 National Book Festival. Her second novel, SEARCHING FOR SILVERHEELS, will be released September 2, 2014. When not writing or reading fiction, Jeannie is a mother, wife, lover of critters, and an anthropology professor at Front Range Community College, where she teaches a variety of classes on cultures, past and present. Jeannie is represented by Erin Murphy of the Erin Murphy Literary Agency. 

Cheryl Reifsnyder has her PHD in modular and cell biology but she writes about anything that tickles her fancy. Whether the subject is prairie dog communication, Greek Mythology, or the Voyager Interstellar Mission she loves to dive into research and discover stories that will engage young readers. Her articles and short fiction have been published by magazines such as American Girl, Cricket, Highlights for Children, Science World, and Spider Magazine. She has four books forthcoming from Reading A-Z. You can check out her blog at www.cherylreif.com. Follow her on twitter at @CherylRWrites, and explore her foray into transmedia storytelling at www.merlinstaxonomy.com.

Award-winning author, Wendi Silvano, would rather be writing children's books than even eating banana cream pie or chocolate cake! A former teacher and mother of five, she has published 7 picture books (including Children's Choise Award Winners TURKEY TROUBLE and JUST ONE MORE), more than a dozen emergent and early readers, numerous stories in prominent children's magazines and a variety of educational materials. Her newest picture book, TURKEY TRICK OR TREAT will be out next summer. She lives in Grand Junction, Colorado, and loves reading, hiking and playing the piano.

Denise Vega is the award-winning author of six books for kids, from toddler to teen, including her “blog” books: Click Here (to find out how i survived seventh grade) – a Colorado Book Award winner – and Access Denied (and other eighth grade error messages) as well as Fact of Life #31 (Colorado Book Award winner) and Rock On. Her picture books include Build a Burrito, and the award-winning Grandmother, Have the Angels Come? and her latest: If Your Monster Won't Go to Bed (Knopf/Random House, 2017). Denise is on faculty at Lighthouse Writers Workshop, teaching a range of classes on children's books and is a Co-Regional Advisor of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of SCBWI. She lives in Denver with her family, and can’t stand cheese, so hey, no cheese, please. Find out more at www.denisevega.com.

  Karen Windness studied illustration at the Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design (RMCAD) and was a valedictorian graduate in 2002. She has since been published as both a middle grade writer and picture book illustrator, and teaches children's book illustration at RMCAD in addition to volunteering as the Illustrator Coordinator for RMC-SCBWI. Karen also has a pet portrait business and licenses her artwork on greeting cards, children's apparel and other products. Her artwork has been featured in over 50 gallery shows. 

Stan Yan is a veteran writer/illustrator/instructor of the comics and graphic novel industry, whose credits include works for "Vincent Price Presents," "Show Devils," "SubCulture," The Westword, Kaiser Permanente, and The Melting Pot Restaurant among others. He's probably better known for being a zombie caricature artist, though. His current projects-in-progress include a picture book entitled "There's a Zombie in the Basement," and a graphic novel called, "Regret: A Cancer Survivor's Story." Find Stan at http://stanyan.me.

Salina Yoon is an award-winning author/illustrator and designer of over 150 books for children. She is the creator of the Penguin picture book series that includes PENGUIN AND PINECONE, PENGUIN ON VACATION, PENGUIN IN LOVE, PENGUIN AND PUMPKIN and the forthcoming PENGUIN'S BIG IDEA (Bloomsbury). She is also the creator of the picture book series featuring Bear, that includes FOUND, STORMY NIGHT, and untitled Book #3 (Bloomsbury), and a new early reader series: DUCK DUCK PORCUPINE (Bloomsbury) debuting in 2015. In addition, her interactive picture book TAP TO PLAY, is forthcoming from HarperCollins in October. www.salinayoon.com