DO I NEED AN AGENT?
Advisor, confidante, career-shaper, editor, marketer, deal-maker, rights negotiator, hand-holder and more, the literary agent can often be the most important person in an author’s life.  Is having an agent necessary for the self-published author?  What specific roles do they play?  Learn how to go about searching for one, finding the right one for your work, and getting them to pay attention to your submission.  Hear what doors they can open for you and why it could be beneficial for you to add this essential person to your team.  Find out the answers to your agenting questions from this distinguished group of panelists who represent a wide variety of fiction and nonfiction writers.

Moderator - Victoria Skurnick has been an agent at the Levine Greenberg Literary Agency for three years.  Before that, she spent almost twenty years at the Book-of-the-Month Club, where, for the last five, she was editor-in-chief.  She was a senior editor at St. Martin's Press and Pocket Books, and has co-written seven novels under the name Cynthia Victor. 

Panelist - Brian DeFiore, President of DeFiore and Company is President of DeFiore and Company, a literary agency founded in 1999, based in New York’s Flatiron district. He previously held several executive positions in corporate publishing, including as Senior VP and Publisher of the Villard Books division of Random House, and before that as the founding Editor-in-Chief of Hyperion, the book publishing division of the Walt Disney Company.

Panelist - Laurence J. Kirshbaum,  President, LJK Literary Management, has been involved in publishing for nearly 40 years as an author, publisher and agent.  He worked for Random House until 1974 when he joined Warner Books as vice-president of marketing.  He remained at Warner for over 30 years, spending his last 10 as CEO and Chairman of the Time-Warner Book Group.

WORKING WITH YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE
Unlike traditionally published books, self-published books are not automatically sold into bookstores.  So how can you work effectively with your local bookseller to get your book in stores and plan booksignings and events?  Meet some of the top independent booksellers in the country and learn how and when you can work together to get your book in and out of the bookstore

PANELISTS: Julianne Wernersbach, Publicist, Book Revue Bookstore

FROM 0-60: DRIVING ONLINE BOOK SALES FAST!
Fasten your seatbelts for the fastest hour of your life!  Ernst & Young "Entrepreneur of the Year" Semi-Finalist Brent Sampson will offer you 60 highly effective marketing tips and promotional practices that you can implement right now to put your online marketing efforts into high gear and rapidly kick start your book sales.  Learn essentials about efficiently managing various social networking sites, sprucing up your Amazon presence to compete with the top sellers in your category, producing a video trailer and distributing it affordably and effectively, uncover the power of book title optimization, and much more.

Speaker - Brent Sampson, is the award-winning author of Self-Publishing Simplified and Sell Your Book on Amazon. As the President and CEO of Outskirts Press, Brent is actively involved with the Independent Book Publishers Association, the Small Publishers Association of North America, the Florida Writers Association, and the Colorado Independent Publishers Association

FLYING SOLO
With all the choices indie authors have these days - from deciding how to print, price, package and distribute, right on through coming up with a good marketing plan - writing a book is sometimes the easy part.  For some, the most difficult decision is whether or not to go it totally alone and be your own independent publisher.  How to decide which way to go?  Learn the facts beforehand about the advantages and disadvantages to flying out there in the “wild blue yonder” on your own.

Moderators - Amy Edelman created IndieReader.com to showcase great books that don't make it into the traditional publishing system.  She founded IR Publishing Services to help writers produce and launch those books.  Edelman is the author of three books (one self-published; two traditionally published) and has over 20 years experience in public relations and marketing.

Moderators - Claire McKinney, a founding partner of IndieReader.com has been in the publishing industry in publicity and marketing, working with a range of childrens’ and adult trade titles.  Her most recent posts were at Henry Holt & Company and Miramax Books where she ran their respective publicity departments 

Panelist -- Alisa Fleming, author of Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook
Panelist -- Isobella Jade, author of Almost 5'4"
Panelist -- Randy Kearse, author of Changin’ Your Game Plan

SOCIAL NETWORKING
If you thought writing that book was the hard part, think again. Marketing a book takes as much, if not more, planning, energy, strategy and know-how. Get ready to jumpstart your on-line marketing strategy!

In this session you’ll learn: The top four online platforms every author should be using and how to use them, how to create your own online “tour,” the secret weapon for driving visits to your website, simple strategies for creating a multi-media campaign, including creating your own book trailers, strategies for creating friends, fans and followers to help you promote your book.

Join us for this information packed session and you’ll walk away from this session with a comprehensive checklist of things you can and must do to create a rock star book campaign.

Moderator - Cindy Ratzlaff is responsible for the marketing and communications campaigns of more than 100 New York Times bestselling books. Cindy specializes in integrated multi-platform marketing strategies.  A certified Social Media Marketing Professional, Cindy helps authors and publishers create conversations and buzz about their work utilizing a combination of traditional and new social media tactics.  

Panelist – Lisa McKenzie Lisa McKenzie is a certifiedsocial media expert, speaker, trainer, serial entrepreneur and author. She's co-creator of Red Carpet Strategies™- Bold Business Solutions for Women business owners and the founder of Deserving Divas™, an online community showcasing lifestyle events and networking opportunities for women. Having an intuitive passion for community and building strategic relationships has contributed to Lisa's success as a Certified Social Media Strategist and Joint Venture Specialist.

WHY A PROFESSIONAL EDITOR CAN BE YOUR BEST FRIEND
Your best friend isn’t your best friend when it comes to your manuscript. A best friend can't be objective, and most likely isn’t a publishing professional with years of experience. Even the most seasoned writer needs an editor—a knowledgeable stand-in for the reader who can pinpoint strengths and weaknesses of your work and assist you in achieving your literary goals. In addition to helping you develop, revise, and line-edit your manuscript, a professional editor can help you choose a publisher, provide cover art advice, write copy, and recommend other professionals (proofreaders, indexers, marketing experts). This editors’ panel of industry veterans reveals how to make sure you put your best book forward!

Moderator – Toni Sciarra Poynter is a nonfiction editorial consultant and published author with more than 25 years’ publishing experience, including senior positions at HarperCollins, William Morrow, and Simon and Schuster.

Panelist – Danelle McCafferty  edits thrillers, mysteries, women's fiction, and memoirs. She works with first-time authors and authors who are self-published.

Panelist – Joan Sanger specializes in mainstream commercial fiction, including mysteries, medical and legal thrillers and contemporary women's fiction. She has been a senior editor at Simon & Schuster, New American Library and G.P. Putnam prior to setting up her own editorial consultancy.

Panelist – Nan Satter has been an independent editor for the past 20 years, and edited the New York Times best-selling memoir Chosen By a Horse by Susan Richards and its sequel Chosen Forever.  Other notable books edited include Returning to My Mother’s House by Gail Straub and Social Change 2.0 by David Gershon, both award-winning and both self-published.

THE 7 SECRETS TO EBOOK PUBLISHING SUCCESS: How to Publish, Price, Distribute and Market an Ebook
Books are moving to a screen near you, making it possible for authors to reach more readers than ever before.  Ebooks now account for nearly 10% of book sales, and will likely surpass print within the next five years. What are the 7 secrets to ebook publishing success?  In this fast-paced session, Mark Coker shares his expert advice on how to publish and distribute your ebook to a worldwide audience. Learn how to make your books available on all popular e-reading devices including the iPad, Kindle, Sony Reader, B&N nook, and on all major mobile phone platforms.

Speaker - Mark Coker is the founder of Smashwords, a publisher and distributor of more than 10,000 ebooks from nearly 5,000 self-published authors around the world. Smashwords has gained international attention for its simple but radical idea: Provide a free service that enables any indie author or publisher to publish their ebook in seconds, making it available for immediate sampling, sale and distribution to a worldwide audience.  Mark is a contributing blogger (ebooks and the future of publishing) on the Huffington Post’s book section. 

COSTLY PUBLISHING MISTAKES TO AVOID: How To Use Front-End Planning For Long-Term Profit With Your Book
This session will teach self-publishers how to avoid the most common (and costly) planning errors and maximize their chances for a profitable book. From choosing a format and price point to running the numbers on distribution options, we'll tackle the business side of publishing with plenty of time for Q&A.

Speaker - Tanya Hall, Business Development Manager, Greenleaf Book Group, is a seasoned media veteran, recognized in the fields of business development, distribution and publishing. In her current role, Tanya drives Greenleaf’s business development efforts, working with authors to strategize their publishing programs and developing strategic partnerships to grow Greenleaf’s reputation as a leading independent publisher. She built Greenleaf's distribution organization, working directly with retailers and wholesalers to become one of the fastest growing distribution businesses in the industry.

PUBLICITY: Targeting The Right Media For Your Book
Everyone knows the impact publicity can have on a book.  A booking on a national television or radio show, or a feature in a magazine or newspaper can make your sales rise to a new level!  But not every show is right for every book so how do you determine the right media outlets to target for your title?   Learn from seasoned PR pros how to choose the right media to reach your specific audience. 

Moderator – Diane Mancher, Co-Founder, Self-Publishing Book Expo, President, One Potata Productions, Inc.  In addition to founding the Expo Diane has owned One Potata Productions, a boutique publicity firm catering to books and authors for the past 18 years.  Prior to owning her own firm, Diane was the Associate Director of Publicity at Avon Books and held executive publicity positions at Delacorte Books and St. Martin’s Press.

  Panelist -- Corinne Liccketto, Sales & Marketing Manager, Smith Publicity, devises strategic plans and works closely with a wide variety of authors and publishers.  Prior to joining the sales side of the business, she led many of Smith’s high profile campaigns as a Publicity Account Executive.

Panelist -- Penny C. Sansevieri, CEO and founder of Author Marketing Experts, Inc., is a best-selling author and internationally recognized book marketing and media relations expert. She is an Adjunct Professor teaching Self-Publishing for NYU. Her company is one of the leaders in the publishing industry and has developed some of the innovative Social Media/Internet book marketing campaigns. She is the author of five books, including Red Hot Internet Publicity, which has been called the "leading guide to everything Internet.”

Panelist -- Sally Shields is the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show Blurb. Shields is a frequent contributor to various magazines, and has been featured in Star Magazine, Obvious, My Day, Girlfriendz, For the Bride and many others. Endorsed by Dr. Laura Schlessinger and Martha Stewart, she has appeared on Fox and Friends, Rachel Ray, Tyra, and is a repeat guest on the nationally syndicated The Daily Buzz with her Wedding Showers #1 Amazon.com bestseller, The Daughter-In-Law Rules!

THE SMARTEST THINGS I LEARNED FROM SELF-PUBLISHING: TIPS FOR SUCCESS FROM AUTHORS WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE YOU
Join us fora panel discussion featuring several successful authors who have used a variety of DIY publishing tools, including Kindle Self-Publishing, CreateSpace, and Amazon’s Author Central as a launching pad for success.

Speaker -- Jon Fine, Director of Author and Publisher Relations for Amazon.com, coordinates outreach to the author and publishing communities, including the company’s author giving program for non-profit literary organizations. He joined the company as Associate General Counsel for media and copyright in January 2006, and subsequently led business development for Brilliance Audio following its acquisition in 2007.  Previously, he directed legal affairs for the Alfred A. Knopf division of Random House; served as counsel at NBC, handling content and associated issues for “NBC News,” “Dateline NBC,” “Saturday Night Live,” and other divisions; and was a litigation associate at Debevoise & Plimpton in New York, where he focused on copyright, libel and media-related matters.
AUTHORS TBA

DESIGN AND ILLUSTRATION: How Your Cover Can Sell Volumes
While most authors are so concerned with the writing of their books, not many concern themselves with the look and design.   Meet some of the top designers in the industry to learn why the right cover and a well-designed interior can make a tremendous difference for your book and serve as your best advertising and promotion tool. 

Panelist -- Andy Carpenter, Principle ACD & Co., formerly VP & Art Director St. Martin’s Press, Art Director Random House, and VP Art & Design, Rodale.

Panelist -- Eric Baker, Design Director of O Design and contributing editor, The Design Observer, past principle of Eric Baker Design.

HELP! I NEED SOMEBODY
You are a writer and spend your time putting words on the page, but suddenly you get stuck and need help in a variety of areas.  Where can you get the best advice and help with questions about promotional and jacket copy, editing, design, permissions, the marketing plan or publicity campaign?  Discover how to recognize when you need help and where to get what you need from this group of panelists who have extensive editorial and marketing experience.

Moderator - Laura Dawson has been in the book industry for over 20 years in editorial, bookselling, libraries, and as an independent consultant. Her clients include McGraw-Hill, Barnes & Noble.com, Baker & Taylor, Ingram, Bowker, Harvard University Press, and many other book industry corporations. In addition to her corporate work, Laura also works with individual self-published authors and small presses through her Authorweb service, which provides digital marketing consulting. She helps authors and small publishers navigate the quickly evolving online world, and make sense out of new tools that help promote book discovery.

Panelist - Shel Horowitz. Award-winning author of Grassroots Marketing for Authors and Publishers, Shel Horowitz just published his eighth book, Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green (co-author: Jay Conrad Levinson). Shel helps authors, publishers, and entrepreneurs with marketing plans, book jackets, website copy, press releases, etc., and turns unpublished writers into published authors. Shel's been quoted repeatedly in the NY Times, Wall Street Journal,  and Entrepreneur. An expert on affordable, ethical, and effective marketing, he's been using social media marketing since 1995.

Panelist - Jeff Reich, Editor, The Writer magazine has been with The Writer for 10 years, most of them as Editor and Managing Editor. The Writer, a seven-time winner of Folio magazine’s prestigious Eddie Award for Editorial Excellence, is the oldest and most respected monthly for writers; its mission is “to inspire, instruct and inform writers at all levels.” Authors recently featured in its pages include Audrey Niffenegger, Tracy Chevalier, Zoë Heller, Edmund White and John Berendt.  Jeff has also worked on publications in both Mexico and the U.S., and has managed independent and foreign-language bookstores in Milwaukee.

WHAT MAKES A BOOK MARKETABLE?
You are the director of your own show, but you will need to understand the marketplace if your production is to be a hot ticket.  Learn how to be a category killer and beat your competition by taking some key basic steps to position, price, and package correctly inside and out.  Most authors are so focused on the writing end of their work, that they don’t devote the proper amount of time to planning how to achieve the maximum for making their book sell as well.  Come learn from the experts about setting realistic and achievable goals.

Moderator -- Sheryl Stebbins, Editorial Director, Kaplan Publishing, began her career with Waldenbooks where she managed her local Waldenbooks store.  She then moved to the home office to become Book Buyer, Merchandise Manager, and then Director of Buying for the chain. From there she went on to Random House as Marketing Director for the Random House Group and then as Publisher for the Random House Reference and Value Group. She also worked with Author Solutions as the Director of Author Marketing Services. 

Panelist -- Liz Perl, Senior VP, Marketing, Simon & Schuster.  Prior to joining Simon & Schuster, Ms. Perl served as VP and Publisher of Rodale Books and Director of Rodale DVD where she published more than 20 New York Times bestsellers.  She has also held a variety of executive marketing and publicity positions at the Penguin Group (USA) where she worked with many bestselling authors including Khaled Hosseini, Nick Hornby and Nora Roberts. 

Panelist -- Jennifer S. Wilkov, host and producer of the popular talk show “Your Book Is Your Hook!” on the WomensRadio Network.  Jennifer is a best-selling award-winning author and freelance writer and business consultant.  She has both self-published and been published by a traditional publisher.  In addition to writing her bestselling Your Book is Your Hook and Dating Your Money: How to Build a Long-Lasting Relationship with Your Money in 8 Easy Steps, she is the author of The Green Guide Girls and Boys Before Bus.

A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE
Today’s readers buy books in store, online, on their mobile phone, and on eReaders.  More and more, buyers want to instantly purchase books in their favorite format. The old rules of publishing and distribution are rapidly changing.  How do aspiring and even experienced authors make sure their book is available in the format reader’s want? And is it necessary to be available in all formats?  And if so, must they all be simultaneously available?  What will tomorrow’s marketplace look like?   Learn about emerging trends in print-on-demand and eBook distribution in order to be properly distributed moving into the future

Moderator - Jon Fine, is the Director of Author and Publisher Relations for Amazon.com, coordinating outreach to the author and publishing communities, including the company’s author giving program for non-profit literary organizations. He joined the company as Associate General Counsel for media and copyright in January 2006, and subsequently led business development for Brilliance Audio following its acquisition in 2007.  Previously, he directed legal affairs for the Alfred A. Knopf division of Random House; served as counsel at NBC, handling content and associated issues for “NBC News,” “Dateline NBC,” “Saturday Night Live,” and other divisions; and was a litigation associate at Debevoise & Plimpton in New York, where he focused on copyright, libel and media-related matters.

 Panelist - Michael Ashley (a.k.a. "Mash") is Founder & Chief Technology Officer at FastPencil, Inc. which helps authors connect, write, publish and distribute books with just a few clicks. He is a successful entrepreneur with over 12 years’ experience in web applications and Internet publishing. Mash is responsible for innovation and product strategy at FastPencil. In this role, Mash has transformed the company from an online writing tool, to the only end-to-end social self-publishing platform with multi-channel, multi-format distribution.

 Panelist - Mark Coker is the Founder of Smashwords, a publisher and distributor of more than 10,000 ebooks from nearly 5,000 self-published authors around the world. Smashwords has gained international attention for its simple but radical idea: Provide a free service that enables any indie author or publisher to publish their ebook in seconds, making it available for immediate sampling, sale and distribution to a worldwide audience. Mark is a contributing blogger (ebooks and the future of publishing) on the Huffington Post’s book section. 

 Panelist - Danny Snow, Founder of U-Publish, has been widely quoted about new publishing and communication technologies by major broadcast, print, and online media coast-to-coast, including AP, NPR, UPI, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal and others. He founded Unlimited Publishing LLC, “The Professional POD Book Publisher™,” in 2000. He serves as a Senior Fellow of the Society for New Communications Research (SNCR.org), and on the board of directors of The Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA-online.org).