CHARLOTTE ABBOTT

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT particularly for non-fiction authors and journalists on subjects of memoir, business, current affairs, women’s studies, adoption, lesbian and gay studies, African American studies, mind/body/spirit, nature and the environment, and photography.

Charlotte Abbott is a publishing journalist and digital content strategist who has developed a large and loyal online community of authors, publishers, booksellers, librarians, book bloggers, and e-reading innovators, via weekly discussions on Twitter (#followreader). In her 20 years in the book industry, she has been a reporter and editor for Publishers Weekly, a publishing commentator on National Public Radio, a book critic supervising more than 1000 reviews a year, and an acquiring book editor at HarperCollins and Avon Books. Most recently, she has been advising authors and retailers on how to maximize their online visibility through strategic content development, including social media, blogs and traditional media. She is a board member of the Women’s Media Group and has served as a judge of several noted literary awards.

Email: abbcha@gmail.com
Twitter: @charabbott

SUSAN AIKENS

CHILDREN’S BOOKS, YOUNG ADULT & CHAIN RETAIL MARKETING

I’ve always felt that there was something inherently noble about selling books, especially children’s books. I’ve devoted my entire professional career to putting great books into the hands of children. I was Borders’ Senior Buyer for Children’s Books. I bought both fiction & non-fiction for kids, ages 6–teen. Over the last 10 years, I’ve bought thousands of new titles including Harry Potter, the Wimpy Kid series, Rick Riordan’s books, and the A Series of Unfortunate Events books. I worked at the Borders corporate headquarters for 17 years. Prior to joining Borders, I managed a Doubleday Bookshop.

ANNE BARTHOLOMEW

ONLINE RETAIL, MARKETING, and CONTENT DEVELOPMENT
favorite categories include debut fiction, mystery & thrillers, cookbooks & food writing, memoir, young adult

Anne Bartholomew is a writer, editor, and bookseller with particular experience in online retail and content development at Amazon.com. Much of her work over the last five years has been focused on connecting authors with readers via custom marketing, interviews, reviews and social media. She is a graduate of Fordham University in New York, as well as the Denver Publishing Institute, and the Institute of Culinary Education. As a reader, her turn-to categories include debut fiction and mysteries, cookbooks, young adult, and memoir, but she’ll happily read anything that comes with a good recommendation.

LAURIE CHITTENDEN

FICTION, EDITORIAL, AND MARKETING

Laurie Chittenden, currently an Editor-at-Large with Hyperion, began her publishing career as a bookseller with Rizzoli Books in Virginia, but upon moving to New York City she took a position as an Editorial Assistant at Hyperion in 1993. She left to hold the positions of Associate Editor and Editor at Simon & Schuster from 1994 through 1999 where she discovered and launched the careers of best-selling authors Richard Paul Evans and Jennifer Chiaverini. 

During her tenure as Senior Editor at Dutton from 1999 to 2006, Chittenden published fiction and nonfiction by such best-selling authors as Marisa de los Santos, Jenny McCarthy, Governor Ann Richards, Erik Weihenmayer and Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award finalist Diane Johnson. Most recently, Chittenden was Executive Editor at William Morrow, where she published a number of titles including Marisa de los Santos’ New York Times best-selling Belong to Me and IndieNext pick Falling Together; Brunonia Barry’s New York Times best-selling The Lace Reader and IndieNext pick The Map of True Places; national best-seller, IndieNext and Discover Great New Writers pick In the Sanctuary of Outcasts by Neil White; and Conor Grennan’s New York Times and internationally best-selling Little Princes: One Man’s Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal. 

Chittenden is also an adjunct professor at NYU where she has taught the Workshop in Manuscript Editing for the Masters in Publishing program. She has lectured extensively at BEA, book expos, conferences, universities, journalist associations, and on television and radio in the United States, UK, Australia, and New Zealand. She has been featured for her work in the New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, the Observer, Poets & Writers, Kirkus and Publishers Weekly. She is a member of the Women’s Media Group. In addition to her love of publishing, Chittenden is the Special Events Director for the New York Cycle Club and an active volunteer with the Young Professionals Group of the Nature Conservancy.

Email: Lauriechittenden@gmail.com
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/laurie-chittenden/12/38a/694

KAYLEE N. DAVIS

CHILDREN’S BOOKS, YOUNG ADULT BOOKS, MARKETING, PUBLISHING, RETAIL BOOKSELLING, PUBLISHED AUTHOR

Kaylee N. Davis is a publishing and marketing consultant specializing in children’s publishing, entertainment, editorial and marketing, with experience in bookselling and retail marketing, book buying, as well as development of Author Care programs and working as a literary agent for children’s books.

Kaylee’s history in publishing includes: Senior Author Promotions Manager, Barnes & Noble, V.P, Marketing, Children’s at HarperCollins Children’s Books, Editor-In-Chief, Children’s Book of the Month Club at Bookspan , V.P. Marketing, Golden Books Family Entertainment, and Director of Marketing, Adult Books William Morrow & Company. She also works as a literary agent at Screenland Literary Associates, a literary agency committed to discovering new voices in children’s literature.

A true children’s book lover, Kaylee has edited the title selections for and wrote reviews for 85 of the titles included in the American version of 1001 Children’s Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up packaged by Quarto, and published in the U.S.A. by Rizzoli in 2009.

Kaylee’s next book is The Barnes & Noble Guide to Children’s Books in which she selected and reviewed over 1000 children’s titles for ages newborn to twelve years-old, across ten categories  including: Newborn – 2, Picture Books, Beginning Reader, First Chapter Books/Series, Poetry, Middle Grade Reader, Fairy Tales – Folk Tales & Anthologies, Growing Up, Non-fiction & Reference, Innovative formats. She has solicited guest essays from twenty authors & illustrators for inclusion in the book as well.  It will be published by Sterling Publishing (Fall River Press) in April of 2013.

Email: kndavis@optonline.net
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/kaylee-n-davis/5/2b4/82

RICH KELLEY

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT with special interest in science and technology, American literature; EMAIL MARKETING; SEO; SEM; SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING, SYSEMS INTEGRATION, WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT

Rich is President, Rich Performance Marketing and Strategic Partner, VP of YOUR EXPERT NATION

Rich’s thirty years in publishing include stints as editor, editorial director, director of subsidiary rights, marketing director, director of online services, and general manager. Having spent more than twenty years marketing books directly to consumer and specialty audiences, both in print and online, Rich specializes today in consulting in online marketing (including email, SEO/SEM, and analytics), social media marketing, and content development/marketing. Reader’s Almanac, the blog he currently curates for The Library of America regularly appears among the top 100 of the 16,000+ book blogs ranked by Technorati. Rich also frequently reports on trends at the intersection of tech and marketing for Publishing Trends.     READ MORE

Twitter: @rpmkel
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/richkelley
Facebook: facebook.com/richkelley

DAVID KENER

EVENTS, ADULT, YA, ARTS, EDUCATION, LITERATURE, POETRY, LITERACY

David Kener has enjoyed an expansive career in Theatre, Arts and Education, with a significant focus on underserved youth communities. David was just appointed Director, NYC Project Hope for Counseling in Schools. This FEMA funded initiative offers Crisis Counseling and Creative Arts services to students and school communities in the hardest hit areas of Hurricane Sandy.

David worked as an actor for many years following his graduation from The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater, studying with the legendary Sandy Meisner.” He has appeared on many stages in the US and internationally including The Signature Theater, where he worked with Arthur Miller, and The American Place Theatre, working with Wynn Handman.

While working as a professional actor in all media, he began his teaching artist career and spent many years working in leadership roles for The Creative Arts Team, The Henry Street Arts Settlement, and Colors United. He then held the position of Executive Director of The Leadership Program, creating an arts focused methodology and establishing partnerships with institutions such as New York University and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. His most recent position, held for over fifteen years was as Executive Director of The American Place Theater where he pioneered the Literature to Life Program serving over 20,000 students annually across twenty-five states, working to improve literacy and cultural awareness.

David has recently been a featured writer for The New York Times, penning a weeklong Drama series for the Learning Network on drama strategies using the Times. He now heads up his own consulting firm Education Development Unlimited (EDU) working with mission driven organizations such as Counseling In Schools, where Caring Inspires Success and Power Writers, helping launch powerpoetry.org, the world’s first transmedia mobile poetry community for youth.

David lives on the upper west side of NYC with his wife, the Costume Designer Michelle Matland and his son Marcus, a sophomore at The Beacon High School, where David serves on the Executive Board as Vice President, Arts Liaison.

Email: david@counselinginschools.org; davidbkener@gmail.com
Website: www.counselinginschools.org

VICTORIA MEYER

MEDIA, PUBLICITY with special interest in LITERARY FICTION, NARRATIVE NONFICTION, POLITICS, CURRENT EVENTS, HISTORY, BIOGRAPHY, MEMOIRS

Victoria is an experienced public relations and communications specialist who has spent her entire professional career in book publishing, most recently as VP, Executive Director of Publicity for Simon & Schuster’s flagship imprint (1990–2010). In 2011 she became an independent publicist and established VM/PR. Known for her energy, creativity, strategic planning, and commitment to excellence, she has worked with countless best-selling, prize-winning and high-profile authors, consistently securing top national media attention. She has strategized with public figures, experts and writers to identify promotable aspects of their work and target opportunities, as well as to hone their message and strengthen their presentation.

She has also worked with many emerging writers to help them gain recognition and further their careers. Notable campaigns and NYT best-sellers include David McCullough’s John Adams, Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Team of Rivals, Walter Isaacson’s Einstein, Bob Woodward’s State of Denial, Chris Cleave’s Little Bee, A.J. Jacobs’ The Year of Living Biblically, and Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Living History.

In a Publishers Weekly column (8/23/10), Victoria’s former colleague Beth Wareham wrote: “She has shaped the best of a generation of book promoters . . . . an iconic, singular intelligence that challenges and inspires all her publicists, authors, and colleagues.” Gerald Howard, Executive Editor of Doubleday, commented: “I worked with Victoria Meyer for 8 years at Viking Penguin, and with a sincere nod to all the great publicists I have had the privilege of working with since, she is unmatched in the industry in terms of cool and class and effectiveness.”

E-mail: vmeyer@nyc.rr.com
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriameyer33

JENNIFER NORTHCUTT

FICTION including COMMERCIAL, AFRICAN AMERICAN, LITERARY and YA FICTION

Jennifer Northcutt is a former Senior Book Buyer for Borders Group Incorporated. In the 14 years that she worked for the company she bought a variety of book categories from contemporary and literary fiction to young adult fiction. Within each category she implemented marketing strategy surrounding such book brands as The Twilight Saga as well as popular authors such as Lisa Genova, Jodi Picoult, and Nicholas Sparks. Jennifer is also known for the various author interviews that she conducted with such names as Richard Russo, Stephenie Meyer and Jeanette Walls.

Email: northcutt10@gmail.com

NANCY QUINN

INDIE RETAILING/MARKETING, NONPROFIT, SOCIAL MEDIA with special interest in DEBUT/WOMEN’S/LITERARY FICTION

For 20 years, Nancy served as Marketing Director at the Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops, where she helped create national buzz for such books as Astrid & Veronika and Girl with a Pearl Earring. Now Nancy works with hundreds of independent retailers through Local First Milwaukee, networking both locally and nationally. At Third Sector Creative, she aids local nonprofits with marketing strategy, public relations and social media. Passionate about women’s and literary fiction, Nancy uses social media to share the love of reading good books. You can take the girl out of the bookstore, but not the bookseller out of the girl!

Twitter: @nancyquinn
Linked-In: http://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyquinnmilw