Joining SCWC for the first time, author of the wildly popular Jonathan Quinn, Project Eden and Logan Harper series of thrillers, Brett Battles will be with us in Newport Beach. Nominated for a Shamus Award for Best First Novel, The Cleaner, and winner of a Barry Award for its sequel, The Deceived, Brett’s gone on to achieve hybrid-author success like only a handful of others. He’ll be one of our special guest speakers, along with conducting workshops. The Enraged, 7th in his “The Cleaner” series, is out this summer. His most recent novel, written with bestselling novelist Robert Gregory Browne, is Poe, introducing readers to kick-ass female protagonist Alexandra Poe.
Speaking of AMPAS Nicholl award-winning, ITW Thriller Award nominated Robert Gregory Browne, also the author of the Amazon #1 bestselling legal thriller, Trial Junkies, Rob returns to the SCWC after a bit of a hiatus. With so many excellent novels behind him, his first, Kiss Her Goodbye, was just produced as a pilot for a CBS Television by Sony Pictures and Timberman/Beverly Productions (Justified). Fingers crossed on a series pickup.
While we’re still well over three months away from LA11, several terrific authors, editors and agents have already been added to the roster. There’s both familiar friends and new on board, including Janis Thomas, whose Sweet Nothings is out next month from Berkley Books, and Mary Vensel White, whose The Quality of Wood is also out July from HarperCollins imprint Authonomy.
Good “Muse” Going Around
Past SCWC conferees have been busy these past several weeks. . . SD27 award recipient for Outstanding Fiction, Levi Stack has elected to go full-on indie with the publication of The Silent Deal, the first in his “Card Game” YA series. . . Jide Familoni’s, Losing My Religion, his debut novel telling the poignant tale of a Nigerian immigrant’s quest to maintain his identity in the American South after fleeing imminent war back home, is out this week. . . And Ryka Aoki, reported in last month’s update to having just inked a deal for her He Mele a Hilo (A Hilo Song) with Topside Signature, has won the 25th Annual Lambda Literary Award for Transgender Nonfiction for her collection of poems, stories, and essays divided thematically into seasons, Seasonal Velocities. Best of success to all!
Plenty more staff to add to the schedule, as well as the schedule itself. We’ll begin opening up the advance submission readers for selection shortly. Remember that Newport Beach is more limited in attendance than our Winter conference in San Diego. Discounted pre-registration is highly recommended.
Check back soon for all the latest. In the meantime, don’t forget…
