THE BOOK FAIR
Pitch your novel to an editor or an agent. The Women’s Fiction Festival calls in editors and agents from the US and Europe and the afternoon pitching sessions are part of the conference program.

EDITORS AND AGENTS
We have an exciting range of editors and agent s this year, at the 9th International Women’s Fiction Festival. From the US we have Nina Bruhns, editor of Entangled Publishing and agents Elizabeth Kracht, of the Kimberley Cameron & Associates Literary Agency and Christine Witthohn of the Book Cents Literary Agency. From the UK we have Anselm Aston, editor at AtticaBooks and agent Meg Davis of Ki Literary Agency. From Germany, Alexandra Panz of Lyx Verlag. From France, Stephane Marsan editorial director of Bragelonne, Milady, Castelmore.
From Italy our editors are: Alessandra Bazardi, Harlequin Mondadori; Lara Giorcelli, Piemme; Chiara Ferrari, Newton Compton; Francesca Gagliardi, Ghena Libri; Federica Magro, Mondadori; Stefano Izzo, Rizzoli; Isabella Spanu, Leggereditore and agent Maria Paola Romeo, of Grandi & Associati Literary Agency.

WHAT EDITORS AND AGENTS ARE LOOKING FOR

THE HELP DESK
In the afternoons there are not only the pitching sessions but also a help desk. Make individual appointments with experts who will help you with a number of aspects of publishing. Beth Barany, an expert on social media, will give you the tools in hand to publicize your book, Adam Firestone, weapons and combat consultant will help you in any aspect of your book that requires knowledge of weaponry and combat choreography, whether modern or historical. Jess Potash, of Pubslush, is an expert in crowdsourcing and new methods of indie publishing.

REGISTER SOON FOR THE WRITERS CONFERENCE
The Book Fair and the Help Desk are available to all participants in the Writers Conference of the International Women’s Fiction Festival. Whether you are unpublished or the author of fifty books, whether you write literary fiction or genre fiction or even non fiction, the writers conference is for you.

If you want editor and agent appointments, register for the conference and contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it no later than September 15th, 2012 for your editor and agent pitching session appointments and Help Desk appointments. If you have not registered and made appointments by September 15th, all appointments will be taken on Thursday morning, September 27, by Judith Edge and Bridget Mason.

HOW TO PITCH
Prepare a brief synopsis of your book. You have ten minutes to close the deal so be organized, succinct and persuasive. If you’re interested in the foreign market, you might want to bring a translated synopsis of your book to present to the foreign agent or editor.
It would be helpful to have business cards with your contact info printed up.
The pitching sessions will have interpretation available, make sure you ask for interpretation beforehand. The Festival will do everything in its power to ensure that writers will be able to communicate with foreign editors and agents.
The Book Fair does not issue day passes.
As always with pitching sessions, the Festival makes the sessions possible but is not responsible for delayed or negative responses. In any event, access to top agents and editors from your own country and to top foreign agents and editors is a fabulous opportunity which you shouldn’t miss. You can learn even from a no.
Remember Stephen King’s first book was rejected 30 times and Twilight was rejected 14 times.

SPECIAL PROGRAMS
The afternoon sessions are not only for pitches and the help desk. In the afternoon, Jane Corry (september 27-28) will offer two hour brainstorming sessions in English and Mariangela Camocardi (september 29) will offer one two hour brainstorming session in Italian.
If you want to register, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . 

WOMEN’S FICTION DISCOVERIES
The Women’s Fiction Festival has a great track record in recognizing new talent. This is a list of books discovered in Matera: Margaret Moore, Tuscan Terminator (Worldwide Mystery); Elizabeth Edmondson, Doume (Sourcebooks). Giovanni Ziccardi, L’Ultimo Hacker (Marsilio), Giuseppina Torregrossa, Il Conto delle minne (Mondadori), Emilia Marasco, Famiglia femminile plural (Mondadori), Daniela de Prato, Il Sole negli occhi (Tea Libri), Gabriella Genisi, La Circonferenza delle arrange (Sonzogno) which will be shortly made into a TV series. Many other books are still under consideration by interantional editors and agents.