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James Dalessandro has been a professional writer for more than 40 years.  At age 23, he founded the Santa Cruz (California) Poetry Festival with Ken Kesey and Beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti.   He is the best selling author of 1906: A Novel, about the great San Francisco Earthquake, and the true crime "Citizen Jane."   He is a screenwriter, producer and director who has sold more than 30 films and television projects. He recently wrote the Pillot for the Stan Lee series "THE CHOSEN" and for a series called "PETROSINO" based on the life of New York's legendary Detective Joseph Petrosino, who almost stopped the American Mafia from becoming the world's most powerful criminal empire.   He has lectured on writing for film and literature for more than 30 years.

Passionate about literature since childhood, Sandra Lonchamp completed first a Master’s degree in Modern Literature, then in Communication and Publishing from the Sorbonne University. She started her career as a Publishing and Press Relations Assistant. She then worked as a journalist for French TV for several years, before spending a few months working for an online newspaper in Padova (Italy). Her last job was Communication Manager for the Paris City Hall of Paris for 4 years, before joining Kobo as European Coordinator for Kobo Writing Life in March 2017. Available in Italian only.

As Kobo Writing Life European Manager, Camille Mofidi’s role is to help independent authors make their publishing journey with Kobo a true success. Whether it’s answering author questions about the Kobo Writing Life portal, or helping authors promote their books in Europe, Camille’s knowledge of digital publishing and international markets is key in her relations with authors.

Camille began her publishing career as an editor within the Hachette Book Group in Paris for 10 years, before becoming the French Publishers’ Association Digital Counsellor.

She has an MA in publishing from ESCP in Paris and her favourite book is Romain Gary’s La Promesse de l’Aube.

Marco Ragaini is the editorial head of Storytel Italy. Storytel is an app for the subscription streaming of audiobooks. It was founded in Sweden in 2005 and is now in 12 countries. Marco Ragaini's background is in publishing, as a marketing expert.

Orna is a bestselling and award-winning novelist and poet and founder of two influential online creative communities: the Alliance of Independent Authors and The Creativist Club. A storyteller, word lover and creative connector, she shows indie authors and other creative entrepreneurs how to make a living doing the work they love… the creative way. “One of the 100 most influential people in publishing.” The Bookseller.

Elena Tafuni has a double major in Modern Philology and Publishing. Her first job was in the marketing department of the Mauri Spagnol Publishing Group. She has worked for Grandi & Associati Literary Agency since July 2016, where she works in the rights department, specializing in entertainment rights, particularly cinema and TV rights, and where she is in charge of social media.

Christine Witthohn is a U.S. literary agent and the founder of Book Cents Literary Agency (opened in 2005), as well as the U.S. Sales and Licensing Agent for Spanish publisher, Grupo Edebé (Barcelona, Spain). She represents women’s fiction, upmarket fiction, romance, young adult, mysteries, and thrillers. You can also find her teaching brainstorming, branding, and social media workshops in various cities around the U.S., U.K., and Italy.  She is member of AAR, RWA, MWA.

Educated in English at Oxford, York and Connecticut Universities, Reg was first employed as writer-editor then executive editor at Marshall Cavendish Partworks. Reg then became managing director of Marshall Cavendish Books before moving into continuity publishing. Following an MSc in International Business on the Sloan Fellowship at London Business School, Reg set up and founded Planet Three, first as a packaging company then as a partwork publisher. In 2008 Reg set up and founded Hothouse Fiction which went on to create 38 highly successful kids’ fiction series – including Darkside, Secret Kingdom, Secret Princesses, Zoe’s Rescue Zoo and Fairy Animals of Misty Wood – before selling the company to Coolabi in April 2018. Reg continues to create kids’ fiction series and partworks.