By Jeff Yocum, Chair

This year's Novels in Progress Workshop provided the usual mix of instruction, collaboration and camaraderie for the more than 40 writers who converged on the campus of Spalding University the week of March 11 to 18.

Participants enjoyed a week of breakout sessions and one-on-one mentoring under the distinguished faculty of Elaine Fowler Palencia, Kit Ehrman, Elizabeth Bevarly, William Cobb and Jeanne M. Dams. The week's educational sessions concluded on Friday, when literary agent and attorney Paul S.Levine delivered the Featured Speaker presentation on "The Legal and Business Aspects of Writing Fiction."

Closing weekend activities highlighted agent and editor guests from literary agencies and publishing houses across the country. Saturday morning kicked off with a rousing Agent & Editor panel discussion that provided an insider's perspective of the publishing industry. Later that afternoon, conference participants engaged panelists in one-on-one pitch meetings that lead to many requests for partial and full manuscripts. This year's Agent & Editor panel included Paul S. Levine, of Paul S. Levine Literary Agency, Laurie McLean, from Larsen Pomada Literary Agents, Bob Sanders, representing Mundania Press, Uwe Stender, of TriadaUS Literary Agency, and Karen Syed, from Echelon Press.

Special thanks go out to the Novels in Progress Workshop volunteers whose help before and during the conference made it a success. Much kudos to Jerry Bratten, Brenda Ellis, Julie Kagawa, Cate Pearson, and David Snell.