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Lit Fest 2024
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Welcome to Lit Fest, eight days dedicated to you, our literary community.
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Friday, June 7
 

12:00pm MDT

Lunchtime Business Panel: Agents 101
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Have you ever wondered how an agent reads the slush pile? Are you querying to no avail? Or just curious about how it all works? Join four agents as they tell the candid story of what they do. They’ll share tips and strategies for successfully targeting and querying agents and give you insights into what not to do. Each agent will share one thing you absolutely must know; you’ll leave with an understanding of the inner workings of publishing and how you can best begin your publishing journey.
Speakers
avatar for Paige Terlip

Paige Terlip

Agent
Paige Terlip represents all categories of children’s books from picture books to young adult, as well as select adult fiction, including thrillers/psychological suspense, fantasy/sci-fi, horror, upmarket fiction, romance, and mysteries. Regardless of genre, she is seeking inclusive... Read More →
avatar for Mira Landry

Mira Landry

Agent
Mira Landry is an Associate Literary Agent with Corvisiero Literary Agency. She’s dedicated to building writing and literary communities through events and educational programming, and co-hosts a podcast analyzing recently published books using Literary Forensics called Writers... Read More →
RS

Rebecca Shaevitz

Agent
Rebecca Shaevitz is a literary agent at Verve Talent & Literary Agency, a full service Entertainment and Publishing agency with offices in New York and Los Angeles. On the nonfiction side, Rebecca specializes in narrative and platform-driven works, and on the fiction side she’s... Read More →
avatar for Renée Jarvis

Renée Jarvis

Agent
Renée Jarvis is an agent at Triangle House Literary. Born and raised in New York City, she graduated from Brooklyn College with a BFA in Creative Writing. She previously worked as an assistant and agent at MacKenzie Wolf Literary and spent two years as a writing teacher at the non-profit... Read More →
avatar for Shana Kelly

Shana Kelly

Instructor
Shana Kelly started her career as a literary agent at the William Morris Agency in New York and London, where she sold foreign and British rights for the agency for ten years. Shana was the signing agent for many successful authors, including New York Times bestseller Curtis Sittenfeld... Read More →

Friday June 7, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Beacon Hall
  Fiction   Nonfiction/Memoir   Hybrid   YA/Children's   Publishing/Career

12:00pm MDT

Lunchtime Business Panel: Agents 101 (Livestream)
Register
Have you ever wondered how an agent reads the slush pile? Are you querying to no avail? Or just curious about how it all works? Join four agents as they tell the candid story of what they do. They’ll share tips and strategies for successfully targeting and querying agents and give you insights into what not to do. Each agent will share one thing you absolutely must know; you’ll leave with an understanding of the inner workings of publishing and how you can best begin your publishing journey.
Speakers
avatar for Paige Terlip

Paige Terlip

Agent
Paige Terlip represents all categories of children’s books from picture books to young adult, as well as select adult fiction, including thrillers/psychological suspense, fantasy/sci-fi, horror, upmarket fiction, romance, and mysteries. Regardless of genre, she is seeking inclusive... Read More →
avatar for Mira Landry

Mira Landry

Agent
Mira Landry is an Associate Literary Agent with Corvisiero Literary Agency. She’s dedicated to building writing and literary communities through events and educational programming, and co-hosts a podcast analyzing recently published books using Literary Forensics called Writers... Read More →
RS

Rebecca Shaevitz

Agent
Rebecca Shaevitz is a literary agent at Verve Talent & Literary Agency, a full service Entertainment and Publishing agency with offices in New York and Los Angeles. On the nonfiction side, Rebecca specializes in narrative and platform-driven works, and on the fiction side she’s... Read More →
avatar for Renée Jarvis

Renée Jarvis

Agent
Renée Jarvis is an agent at Triangle House Literary. Born and raised in New York City, she graduated from Brooklyn College with a BFA in Creative Writing. She previously worked as an assistant and agent at MacKenzie Wolf Literary and spent two years as a writing teacher at the non-profit... Read More →
avatar for Shana Kelly

Shana Kelly

Instructor
Shana Kelly started her career as a literary agent at the William Morris Agency in New York and London, where she sold foreign and British rights for the agency for ten years. Shana was the signing agent for many successful authors, including New York Times bestseller Curtis Sittenfeld... Read More →

Friday June 7, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT
Zoom
  Fiction   Nonfiction/Memoir   Hybrid   YA/Children's   Publishing/Career

1:30pm MDT

Slaying the YA Novel (V)
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What is the difference between writing for adults and young adults? The answer you often hear is voice. However, even after nailing voice, you still have to contend with a faster pace, engaging plot, and powerful character arc that will keep your audience riveted. In this session, we’ll get down to brass tacks and talk about the basics, from voice to story structure and worldbuilding in all genres.
Speakers
avatar for Olivia Chadha

Olivia Chadha

Instructor
Olivia writes science fiction, fantasy, comic books, and literary novels for MG, YA, and adult audiences. She has a Ph.D. in literature and creative writing. The Balance of Fragile Things is her debut adult literary novel. Rise of the Red Hand, her YA debut, was awarded the Colorado... Read More →

Friday June 7, 2024 1:30pm - 3:30pm MDT
Zoom
  Fiction   YA/Children's
 
Saturday, June 8
 

1:00pm MDT

Two-Day Intensive: Two-Day Story/Essay
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Ready, set, write! In this generative intensive, we’ll write a short story or essay over two days. Using targeted exercises and a few insider tricks, we’ll work on particular elements of short stories/essays (both traditional or nontraditional) to form new characters, settings, story arcs, dialogue, action, interiority, and more! Come with a basic story idea and leave with a complete(ish) story to continue perfecting on your own. Open to all short prose genres.
Speakers
avatar for Erika Krouse

Erika Krouse

Instructor
Erika Krouse has taught at Lighthouse since 2008; she is a Book Project mentor and a winner of the Lighthouse Beacon Award. Erika's recent memoir, Tell Me Everything: The Story of a Private Investigation, won the 2023 Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime and the 2023 Colorado Book Award... Read More →

Saturday June 8, 2024 1:00pm - Sunday June 9, 2024 4:00pm MDT
304
  Fiction   Nonfiction/Memoir   Hybrid   YA/Children's

4:00pm MDT

Voice, Motivation, and Plot in KidLit
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There was a time when literature for tweens focused on riding horses or finding lost pets and books for teens involved pining for a date for the summer dance. But today's tweens and teens are looking for books that help them navigate a complex and challenging world. In this session, we'll examine the way middle grade and YA novels tackle plot and character. Exercises in voice, motivation and plot will help you find your kidlit comfort zone—and pressure test your work-in-progress if you have a manuscript underway.
Speakers
avatar for Jan Thomas

Jan Thomas

Instructor
J.E. Thomas spent her early summers stuffing grocery bags with books at the local library, reading feverishly, then repeating the process week after week. So it's not surprising that she thinks books + imagination are the best streaming service around.  J.E. is an award-winning... Read More →

Saturday June 8, 2024 4:00pm - 6:00pm MDT
315
  YA/Children's
 
Monday, June 10
 

1:30pm MDT

Bad to the Bone: Writing Villains and Nefarious Characters
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Ahab, Nurse Ratched, Kurtz, Professor Moriarty, Cruella DeVil, Voldemort, Satan...No matter the genre, a great villain is a key ingredient to a badass story. But what if you don’t know who your villain is, or if it’s even a person at all? This class will outline types of villains and tips for creating the best (yet worst) ones. We’ll explore adversarial “worth,” antagonist agency and power, alternative value systems and character motivations, and villainous codes, quests, and wounds. Prepare to get bad so your story can get good. Open to all prose writers.
Speakers
avatar for Erika Krouse

Erika Krouse

Instructor
Erika Krouse has taught at Lighthouse since 2008; she is a Book Project mentor and a winner of the Lighthouse Beacon Award. Erika's recent memoir, Tell Me Everything: The Story of a Private Investigation, won the 2023 Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime and the 2023 Colorado Book Award... Read More →

Monday June 10, 2024 1:30pm - 3:30pm MDT
216
  Fiction   Nonfiction/Memoir   Hybrid   Dramatic Writing   YA/Children's

4:00pm MDT

Time Travel: Writing Flashback and Backstory
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Every character has a past, and often a troubled one. But how (and where, and when) do you bring that past to the page without slowing the story down? Through lecture, discussion, examples, and exercises, we’ll study techniques for using backstory and flashback and create a question-driven past narrative that actually drives your story forward. Open to all genres
Speakers
avatar for Erika Krouse

Erika Krouse

Instructor
Erika Krouse has taught at Lighthouse since 2008; she is a Book Project mentor and a winner of the Lighthouse Beacon Award. Erika's recent memoir, Tell Me Everything: The Story of a Private Investigation, won the 2023 Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime and the 2023 Colorado Book Award... Read More →

Monday June 10, 2024 4:00pm - 6:00pm MDT
304
  Fiction   Nonfiction/Memoir   Hybrid   Dramatic Writing   YA/Children's

4:00pm MDT

Tackling the “S” Word: Writing Your Book’s Synopsis
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A task that few writers savor is writing a synopsis for their novel or memoir. While the process might feel daunting (or even unpleasant), writing a one or two-page synopsis can be constructive, especially during revision. Why? Because even if no one ever asks you for it, your synopsis can help you spot structural issues, undeveloped characters, and plot holes in your narrative. In this seminar, we’ll look at the nuts and bolts of a synopsis, how to whittle our stories down to the basics, and what we can learn from synopsis development.
Speakers
avatar for Cynthia Swanson

Cynthia Swanson

Instructor
Cynthia Swanson writes literary suspense, often using historical settings. Cynthia’s debut novel, The Bookseller, was a New York Times best seller, an Indie Next selection, the winner of the 2016 WILLA Literary Award for Historical Fiction, and is translated into 18 languages. The... Read More →

Monday June 10, 2024 4:00pm - 6:00pm MDT
204
  Fiction   Nonfiction/Memoir   Publishing/Career   YA/Children's
 
Tuesday, June 11
 

4:00pm MDT

In Other Words: Narrative Styles
Register
Sometimes we show, and sometimes we tell. Sometimes we’re interior, and sometimes we’re exterior. Sometimes, we describe, and sometimes we imply. But when do we use which styles, and why? In this class, we’ll explore six types of narrative styles: scene, exposition, description, interiority, dialogue, and “voiceyness.” We’ll talk about the assets and challenges of each style and explore techniques to use them to their best advantage in your writing. Writers can expect discussion, examples, and writing exercises. Open to all prose writers.
Speakers
avatar for Erika Krouse

Erika Krouse

Instructor
Erika Krouse has taught at Lighthouse since 2008; she is a Book Project mentor and a winner of the Lighthouse Beacon Award. Erika's recent memoir, Tell Me Everything: The Story of a Private Investigation, won the 2023 Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime and the 2023 Colorado Book Award... Read More →

Tuesday June 11, 2024 4:00pm - 6:00pm MDT
216
  Fiction   Nonfiction/Memoir   Hybrid   YA/Children's

4:00pm MDT

Getting to the Finish Line
Register
All writers, from beginners to professionals, go through periods when it seems impossible to complete a project, no matter how much we love it and want to see it out in the world. In this seminar, we’ll explore what holds us back, the reasons we have trouble focusing on our writing projects (even when we easily check other items off our “to-do” list), and how to prioritize writing with a goal toward project completion. We’ll also do some exercises to help you address your specific barriers and overcome them.
Speakers
avatar for Cynthia Swanson

Cynthia Swanson

Instructor
Cynthia Swanson writes literary suspense, often using historical settings. Cynthia’s debut novel, The Bookseller, was a New York Times best seller, an Indie Next selection, the winner of the 2016 WILLA Literary Award for Historical Fiction, and is translated into 18 languages. The... Read More →

Tuesday June 11, 2024 4:00pm - 6:00pm MDT
304
  Fiction   Nonfiction/Memoir   Poetry   Hybrid   Dramatic Writing   Publishing/Career   YA/Children's

4:00pm MDT

A KidLit Publishing Practicum (V)
Register
Come discover how to navigate the kidlit industry like a pro! Students will begin to chart a course toward their publishing goals via writing prompts and brainstorm exercises which will explore cultural sensitivity and authentic representation, in addition to querying agents; submitting solo; self-publishing; and marketing a title for children or tweens. "Lesser-known" paths to becoming a published author like IP work—plus the pros and cons of these types of book deals—will also be discussed.
Speakers
avatar for Rachel Werner

Rachel Werner

Instructor
Rachel Werner is the author of the picture books Floods (Capstone 2022), Moving and Grooving to Fillmore's Beat (Capstone 2023), and The Glam World Tour (Capstone 2024) as well as the nonfiction middle grade title Glow & Grow: A Brown Girl's Positive Body Guide (Free Spirit... Read More →

Tuesday June 11, 2024 4:00pm - 6:00pm MDT
Zoom
  YA/Children's
 
Wednesday, June 12
 

9:00am MDT

Children's Picture Books: Using Dummies/Storyboards (V)
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Through examples, exercises, and hands-on activities, you’ll explore book dummies and storyboards and how they can improve your story's pacing and page turnability. To participate, you will need: A published picture book that is a “mentor” text for your own story and TWO copies of your COMPLETED picture book story formatted as follows: one copy single-sided in standard manuscript format (1" margins, double-spaced, 12pt font) and one copy single-sided, single-spaced with 2.5” left & right margins (this will look odd but is perfect for our purposes).
Speakers
avatar for Denise Vega

Denise Vega

Instructor
Denise Vega is an author, writing coach, and “creative cheerleader,” exploring and supporting the many ways we pursue our dreams both through her books and in her interactions with the writers she works with in class and one-on-one. She is the award-winning author of seven books... Read More →

Wednesday June 12, 2024 9:00am - 11:00am MDT
Zoom
  YA/Children's
 
Thursday, June 13
 

1:30pm MDT

Children’s Picture Book Story vs Short Story (V)
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Using published short stories and picture books, along with discussion and activities, we’ll explore the differences between the two forms and what writers need to consider when creating either short stories for magazines or picture book stories.
Speakers
avatar for Denise Vega

Denise Vega

Instructor
Denise Vega is an author, writing coach, and “creative cheerleader,” exploring and supporting the many ways we pursue our dreams both through her books and in her interactions with the writers she works with in class and one-on-one. She is the award-winning author of seven books... Read More →

Thursday June 13, 2024 1:30pm - 3:30pm MDT
Zoom
  YA/Children's
 
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