OWL Fall 2019 Conference Speaker Lineup

Kortney Price, 

Corvisiero Agency

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Reading Your First Five Pages Like an Agent

Kortney was (and still is) that person in the bookstore who recommends books to strangers based on what they're buying. When she realized that she could make a career out of helping authors and getting excited over books, she decided to pursue a career in agenting. So, after graduating with a B.A. in English from Greenville University in 2014, she started out with her first agency internship. Since then she has interned with Andrea Hurst & Associates, Amphorae Publishing Group, and Inklings Literary Agency. She was an associate agent at Holloway Literary before finding her home with Corvisiero. 

Outside of her world of books and publishing, Kortney can typically be found attending musicals, meandering through art museums, watching an absurd amount of movies, pretending she understands and can teach sports at her aunt's special needs nonprofit, exploring the city, catering to her diva dog's every whim, and trying to rein in her corgi puppy.
 

She's accepting pitches in the following genres:

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Middle Grade: 

• Adventure or Survival stories

• Mysteries –The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin or 39 Clues

• Historical

• Science Fiction – shenanigans on the space station or a space colony please!

• Steampunk

• Fantasy

• Contemporary – Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff

• ​Graphic Novels

Young Adult: 

• “Geeky” or “artsy” romance

• Magical realism that is just dripping with atmosphere

• Historical

• Psychological thrillers- The Cellar by Natasha Preston 

• Fantasy of any kind – Atmospheric historical or retellings of unique myths, culture based high fantasy are her favorites

• Science fiction – especially near future, but space opera is also welcome

• Steampunk -Airborn by Kenneth Oppel and The Finishing School series by Gail Calliger

Kaitlyn Johnson,

Corvisiero Agency

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How to Structure Your Synopsis

She's accepting pitches in the following genres:

​​- upper MG, YA, NA/A are her main interests
- Kaitlyn adores fantasy works (yes, that very much includes urban!) and time travel
- General Romance (erotic elements OK) and Contemporary Romance
- Historical Fiction: anything other than Henry VIII, Shakespeare, American Civil War, Greek gods/myths
- Contemporary can grab her attention only if the concept is unique and well-executed
- LGBT (as well as characters questioning their sexuality) welcome in all above genres

 

After receiving a BA in Writing, Literature, and Publishing from Emerson College, Kaitlyn refused to leave the concept of nightly homework behind. As well as being an associate agent for Corvisiero Literary Agency, she is also a freelance editor at her own company, K. Johnson Editorial, and has worked as a copyeditor for academic publisher code Mantra, a YA editor for Accent Press, and a Conference Assistant for GrubStreet, Boston. She has written various articles for Writer's Digest and has had a flash fiction story published in the anthology A Box of Stars Beneath the Bed.

Stephanie Hansen,

Metamorphosis Literary Agency

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How to Successfully Pitch

She's seeking: Romantic comedies YA & Adult and YA contemporary with unexpected antagonists. She is intrigued by prose that flows as smoothly as poetry, unforgettable plot twists & well-rounded characters.

Stephanie Hansen represents debut to New York Times bestselling authors. She's signed authors with small press to major publishing house. She holds a master’s degree and Creative Writing Specialization. Predominately she represents YA SF/F but has a secret addiction for romance. While these are her favorite, she handles everything fiction from children's books to adult thrillers. Previously an editor for Mind’s Eye Literary Magazine, she became a part of Metamorphosis July 2016. Originally looking to help Midwest authors garner the attention of major publishing houses, despite residing in "flyover states," she found camaraderie with multiple agents and editors. Stephanie is unilaterally deaf with 90 dB tinnitus. She's dedicated to elevating voices that often go unheard. 

Regina Riney Williams,

Mockingbird Lane Press 

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What Publishers Look For and What Makes Them Stop Reading

Ms. Riney is an award winning author with publications in the following magazines and anthologies: Midwest Literary Shorelines Literary, Horse & Mule, Black Powder Annual, Rural Arkansas, Black Petals, Futures Mysterious Anthology, Ozarks Monthly, and Dead Mule. She’s also been published in the following anthologies: Smile: American Short Humor, Writing on Walls I, II, and III, Echoes of the Ozarks I, II, III, IV, and V, Tales of the South, Cuirve River, Shadows After Midnight, Voices I, II, and III, Fifty Shades of Santa, and Cupid’s Quiver. Her work has also appeared online at Fiction Addiction. Tales of the South is also a radio program on NPR in Little Rock, Arkansas, where she read her stories to be included on the program.

Ms. Riney is the past vice-president and past-president of the Ozarks Writers League.

Mary Kellogg-Joslyn

How One Letter Changed My Life

Mary Kellogg-Joslyn

One of the most successful and respected women in the television and entertainment industries, Mary Kellogg-Joslyn, co-owner, President and COO of the Titanic Museum Attractions in Branson, Missouri (12 years) and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee (8 years), is credited with having spearheaded strategic planning, development, producing and marketing of major national and international productions for the CBS Television Stations during her 10 years with the company.

As Senior Executive Vice President of Productions and Programming for the Walt Disney Company (and ABC), she developed and produced hundreds of television shows and created television productions for the Parks, including the Paris Disney opening.  Her 20 years with the company helped set the course of television programming for the company. 

Mary was responsible for “Who wants to be a Millionaire”   She wrote the

first Million Dollar check for the show.  As Mary remembers “I didn’t know

my signature was worth a million dollars.”  And she brought the Regis & Kathie Lee

(Kelly) show to National Television.  She helped to develop and was the executive overseeing the show for 20 years.  

Mary was in New York working when 911 happened.  She was the executive in the control booth at the time, and was responsible for identifying what camera shots were to be shown to the public, and during that time was advised by the news department - America had been attacked.  She stayed with the events that day until late into the evening.

Kellogg-Joslyn is a strategy-minded and results-producing national and international entertainment programing professional, skilled at opportunity identification, competitive analysis, creative project development and market positioning.

Mary has received many recognitions & awards including a Daytime Emmy.

Diane Yates, OWL Member Extraordinaire

What Came First Pros or Prose? 
Pros of an Agent/Prose Strengthening

Let’s examine the pros of having an agent and working to strengthen your prose.

Diane is the author of Pathways of the Heart and All That Matters, published by W&B Publishers. Her short stories have been published in anthologies and journals. Her third novel, Melissa’s Fate, won first place in OWL’s 2017 unpublished manuscript category. Diane’s love for romantic fiction fuels her passion for writing. She believes she should write with purpose. She loves creating a story where characters receive strength and hope amidst real-life struggles. As a past president of Ozarks Writers League for two consecutive terms, she understands the benefits of such organizations to foster growth and success in writers. Besides OWL, she is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, the Columbia Writers Guild, Boonslick Creative Writers, and Clean Fiction Writers. She is currently writing an historical fiction. Diane works in youth and adult ministries at her church and has written plays and skits, as well as Sunday School curriculum and Bible studies. She and her husband, Rick, spend winters in Florida and summers in Missouri. She has three children and eight grandchildren who are the crown of her life. 

Check out the Camden Hotel and Conference Center 

She's accepting pitches in the following genres:

Non-Fiction:

​Adventure

Biography/autobiography

Contemporary

Health & Fitness

Humor

True Crime

Historical

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Fiction:

​Adventure

Fantasy

Historical Fiction

Humor

Mystery

Thriller/Suspense

Horror (soft)

Science Fiction

Short Story Collection

Young Adult

Romance

Literary

OWL September 2019 Agenda

Ballroom Grand C

OWL September 2019 Agenda

Friday, September 20, 2019

7:00 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. Awards Banquet

7:45 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Awards Ceremony  

Saturday, September 21, 2019

8:30 to 9:00 a.m. Registration and OWL Coffee Social. Browse book tables and Purchase Raffle Tickets

9:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. Greetings from OWL President Margarite Stever

9:15 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Kortney Price, Corvisiero Agency “Reading Your First Five Pages Like an Agent”

9:45 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Kaitlyn Johnson, Corvisiero Agency “How to Structure Your Synopsis”

10:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Book Table Browsing and Purchase Raffle Tickets, T-shirts, and Tote Bags

10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m Stephanie Hansen, Metamorphosis Literary Agency “How to Successfully Pitch”

11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Regina Riney Williams, Mockingbird Lane Press “What Publishers Look For and What Makes Them Stop Reading”

11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Time Built in to Cover Overages

12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Lunch. Enjoy our Build-Your-Own Sandwich Bar, bring your lunch, or enjoy one of the many restaurants Branson offers.

1:00 to 1:30 p.m. Mary Kellogg-Joslyn “How One Letter Changed My Life”

1:30 to 1:45 p.m. Book Table Browsing and Purchase Raffle Tickets, T-shirts, and Tote Bags

1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. Diane Yates, OWL Member “What Came First Pros or Prose? Pros of an Agent/Prose Strengthening. Let’s examine the pros of having an agent and working to strengthen your prose.

2:45 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. OWL Officer Elections, Annual Business Meeting and Raffle Drawing

OWL Special rates start at $75 for one person. Call: (417) 334-8404