A Rountable with Karen Schechner of Kirkus Reviews

Karen Schechner of Kirkus Reviews will lead a roundtable discussion on Thursday, July 17 at 1 p.m. at the Sagebrush Conference Center in Taos, NM. This event is free and open to the public.

We asked Karen a few questions about what the roundtable will cover:

For participants who aren't familiar with Kirkus, can you describe it? What all is encompassed under Kirkus Media?

Kirkus has been an authoritative voice in book discovery for more than 80 years. Kirkus Reviews gives booksellers, librarian, publishers, and editors a sneak peek at notable books being published weeks before they’re released. When the books become available for purchase, Kirkus serves the reviews to consumers in a weekly email newsletter and on kirkus.com, giving readers unbiased, critical recommendations.

Your roundtable is going to focus on self-publishing. Can you give us a little preview of Kirkus Indie and what your roundtable will be focusing on specifically with in the self-publishing world?

Kirkus also has a full suite of professional services, including Kirkus Indie, a review service for self-publishers; Kirkus Editorial, book editing services for publishers as well as unpublished and self-published authors; and Kirkus Marketing, services that help authors get discovered by consumers as well as industry influencers, such as publishers, agents and film executives.

The roundtable is less a how-to—platforms including BookBaby, IngramSpark and Smashwords already make that easy enough to do—than a “why-to.” Topics include how self-publishing can fast-track building a readership and foster participation in local book culture. On the other hand, if an author would rather aim for publishing traditionally, self-publishing can be a creative, effective way to catch an agent’s or editor’s attention.

Do you see the hour-long roundtable as more of a lecture or a conversation? Who should come to the roundtable?

The roundtable will start with an overview of the advantages of Indie publishing and include an open conversation and Q&A with attendees. Authors who are considering publishing their work themselves or authors looking for resourceful strategies to publish traditionally should consider attending.

Any other issues you may want to address? I know that there seems to be mixed feelings about self-publishing and you say in your description that you are going to talk about the "pluses" of self-publishing. 

The boom in self-publishing (according to Bowker’s latest figures, 391,000 books were self-published in 2012, a 59 percent jump from 2011) has launched a revolution in writing. Self-pubbed authors have been signed by agents, publishers and film executives, and they’ve sold millions of books. This trend is only going to continue. Also, navigating the traditional world of publishing can be so daunting that it blocks progress; self-publishing allows writers to focus on writing and set their own pub date.

Meet the Agents: A Roundtable with Allison Hunter and Alexis Hurley from Inkwell Management

Allison Hunter and Alexis Hurley will lead a roundtable discussion on Wednesday, July 16th at 1 PM at the Sagebrush Inn Conference Center in Taos, NM. This event is free and open to the public.

In this round table, two seasoned Manhattan literary agents will lead a discussion about the basics of agenting and publishing, including what exactly an agent does and how you can find one. Allison and Alexis will discuss the all-important query letters, and will follow with a description of what writers can expect through the submission, negotiation, and publication process. They will also offer an analysis of self publishing and a glimpse into the future of the changing landscape of book publishing.

Want to know more? Allison and Alexis both have a few publishing consultation spots open. Snag one before someone else does!

Alexis Hurley has worked with authors Sister Wendy, Claire LaZebnik, Helen Benedict, Robert Boswell, Sharon Oard Warner, John O’Donohue, Thomas Moore, Pamela Ribon, RO Blechman, Sadhguru, Sarah Miller, Diane Williams, Anna David, Clotaire Rapaille, Mia March, Melissa Senate and more.


Allison Hunter has worked with authors Katie Heaney, Anne Helen Petersen, Megan Mulry, Ryan Winfield, L. Alison Heller, Cynthia Rowley, Emily Matchar, Kelsey Miller, Jen Chaney, Tiffany Beveridge, Anne-Marie Casey, Iris Smyles, Jessica Pan, Rachel Kapelke-Dale, Ina Yalof, Dvora Meyers, Stacy Adimando, chefs Greg and Gabrielle Denton and more.

Publishing Consultations Now Available with Allison Hunter & Alexis Hurley from InkWell Management

We are so pleased to welcome back Allison Hunter and Alexis Hurley to the 16th annual Taos Summer Writers' Conference. Both literary agents, from InkWell Management in New York City, have 10 publishing consultation spots available. If you've always wanted a seasoned literary agent to look at your work and give you focused, practical feedback, this is your chance.  

"The publishing consultation was wonderful! Very organized and personable with a lot of specific information about the practical side of writing. " - 2013 Workshop Attendee

Allison Hunter began her publishing career in 2005 working for the Los Angeles-based literary publicity firm, Kim-from-L.A. She then spent three years in law school, during which she was a summer associate at the global law firm Latham & Watkins and the head writer of the law school musical. After practicing pro bono family law at a San Francisco Bay Area nonprofit, Allison returned to the publishing world at InkWell, where she is actively acquiring fiction (particularly women’s fiction and romance), memoir, narrative nonfiction, cultural studies and prescriptive titles, including cookbooks. She has a B.A. in American Studies and Creative Writing from Stanford University and a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School.

Alexis Hurley started her career in 1998 and has been at InkWell since its inception in 2004. Alexis works in the dual capacity of Co-Director of Foreign Rights and agent of domestic works in the areas of literary and commercial fiction, memoir, narrative non-fiction and more. She is a native of the Berkshires and a graduate of Dickinson College where she received her BA in English and Art History and a minor in Italian.

Making Sense of Today’s Publishing Landscape: A Round Table You Don't Want to Miss

Making Sense of Today's Publishing Landscape with Jane von Mehren

Sunday, July 14th from 5-6 pm in Chamisa I of the Sagebrush Inn Conference Center

Don’t miss the first event of the fifteenth annual Taos Summer Writers’Conference! Veteran editor and publisher Jane von Mehren will lead you through changing landscape of contemporary publishing. With the rise of e-books, independent authors, and consolidation in the publishing industry it's the best and worst of times for publishers, booksellers, and authors. Jane von Mehren, a veteran editor and publisher, will walk you through what is happening in the industry and what that means for you as a writer. What are the challenges to traditional publishing, the new opportunities for self-publishing and the necessary work you need to do whichever path you decide is right for you? Attend and find out!

Jane von Mehren spent more than 25 years as an editor and publisher at Random House, Penguin, Houghton Mifflin, and Crown Publishers. In response to the rapidly developing e-book marketplace she conceived and spearheaded Random House Readers Circle Deluxe e-books, an innovative e-book program targeted to the book club market. In addition to her editorial experience, Jane's expertise is in helping authors position themselves and their work for today's challenging marketplace.

Faculty Feature: Allison Hunter & Alexis Hurley from InkWell Management

Allison Hunter & Alexis Hurley

"The publishing consultations offered a great deal of useful information. They gave great general knowledge (with many specifics) but also took the time to respond to the interests and needs of every participant." - 2012 Workshop Attendee

Allison Hunter began her publishing career in 2005 working for the Los Angeles-based literary publicity firm, Kim-from-L.A. She then spent three years in law school, during which she was a summer associate at the global law firm Latham & Watkins and the head writer of the law school musical. After practicing pro bono family law at a San Francisco Bay Area nonprofit, Allison returned to the publishing world at InkWell, where she is actively acquiring fiction (particularly women’s fiction and romance), memoir, narrative nonfiction, cultural studies and prescriptive titles, including cookbooks. She has a B.A. in American Studies and Creative Writing from Stanford University and a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School.
Alexis Hurley started her career in 1998 and has been at InkWell since its inception in 2004. Alexis works in the dual capacity of Co-Director of Foreign Rights and agent of domestic works in the areas of literary and commercial fiction, memoir, narrative non-fiction and more. She is a native of the Berkshires and a graduate of Dickinson College where she received her BA in English and Art History and a minor in Italian.

Allison and Alexis will be co-teaching a Publishing Intensive Weekend Workshop at the Taos Summer Writers' Conference this year. It is a unique opportunity to find out all you've ever wanted to know about publishing. Learn more here.