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Simone Elkeles is the NY Times & USA Today bestselling author of over seven teen romance novels. She has won various awards and recognition for her books, including the coveted RITA award from the Romance Writers of America for her book Perfect Chemistry and being named Author of the Year by the Illinois Association of Teachers of English. She was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. Her funny way of looking at life and the world around her has an effect on the people she hangs out with. If you hear people laughing, you'll probably find Simone not far away. Simone writes about teens because she was a teen in the 80's (when spiked hair and blue eye shadow were "rad") and she loves writing about those exciting teen relationships and romances. For more information on Simone and her books, check out her website at: http://www.simoneelkeles.net.

Kristan is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of Contemporary Romance Novels and two-time winner of RWA's Rita award. started writing romance novels when her kids were little. She'd always been a writer of some type-public relations, advertising, research-but wanted to stay home with her bunnies. She'd been reading romance novels ever since she swiped Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss from her grandmother's night table. So, she sat down every afternoon when her kids were napping, took her lifelong love of romance novels and tried to make a career out of it. They've been living happily ever after since.

Kristan lives in a small town in Connecticut-a pretty place in where there's a beautiful library and a wicked good ice cream stand. Find out more about Kristan at her website: http://www.kristanhiggins.com

Joanna is a nationally bestselling author and double Rita winner. She lives in the foothills of the Blue Ridge with her family, a medium-sized mutt and a faux Himalayan cat. She writes Historical Romances set in England and France during the Napoleonic Wars. She's fascinated by that time and place - such passionate conviction and burning idealism...and really sexy clothes.

Kristin is the President and Senior Literary Agent of Nelson Literary Agency (NLA). Before opening her own agency, she learned the ropes working for another literary agent. As for her previous work history, Kristin has been a college English teacher, a freelance writer, and a corporate trainer for business communication topics before embracing her true passion of agenting. She has her B.A. from the University of Missouri at Columbia and is a graduate of the nationally respected University of Denver Publishing Institute. In the early nineties, she studied creative writing with National Book Award Nominee Patricia Henley at Purdue University where she earned her M.A. This makes her particularly interested in representing fiction.

Kristin established the NLA in 2002. In such a short period of time, NLA built a solid reputation as a full-service agency by aggressively pursuing print, film/TV, foreign, and subrights sales on behalf of their impressive list of clients. Their goal is to sign, nurture, and build their authors for the duration of their careers. She is a member of: The Association of Authors' Representatives (AAR), Romance Writers of America (RWA), Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), and Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI). For more information on Kristin and the NLA, go to their website: http://www.nelsonagency.com

Whitney Ross is an Assistant Editor at Tor. She edits YA, Sci fi, urban fantasy, fantasy, romance and historicals. She likes books that are "not entirely dark" with hopeful endings. To learn more about TOR books and Whitney, visit www.tor.com

Writing Workshops by Industry Guests and Speakers

Learn more about the craft of writing, the art of promotion and the business of the publishing industry at our many workshops!

Book Sale / Author Signing on Friday and Saturday-Open to the public!