Writing Away Refuge Zoom Pitch Retreat

Workshop your pitch. Pitch the agent.

Registration for our September 27-28, 2025

Writing Away Refuge Zoom Pitch Retreat is OPEN!

Agent pitch slots fill quickly, so registering early is recommended.

Workshop your pitch. Pitch the agent.

Ready to meet your new writing community?

At Writing Away Refuge, we are all about support and helping you craft your best book and make solid industry connections. The focus of our virtual pitch retreat on September 27-28th, 2025

is powerful story development and delivering a winning pitch.

We have workshops to help you perfect your craft and time allotted for practice pitch sessions as well.

And, best of all, we have 9 literary agents ready to listen to your pitches!

You'll spend the weekend in the comfort of your own home participating in workshops to make your book the best it can be, getting to know and connect with fellow writers, and pitching your completed book to agents if you're at that level in your writing journey (we have special pricing if you only need the workshops but no agent pitches). The Writing Away Virtual Pitch Retreat has it all. During the virtual retreat, we will have author chats, drawings for incredible prizes (like free services, gift cards, and free memberships to Writing Away), and workshops by amazing industry professionals. Don't miss out!

(You may register for the full retreat that includes agent pitches or for workshops only)

**Please note that pitch sessions with agents are on a first come, first served basis and WILL fill up quickly.

It is best to register early and make your agent selections to ensure you receive your agent preferences. If a desired agent's sessions fill, you will be allowed to submit a written query through our Writing Away Refuge portal that will be reviewed by those agents with priority. Thank you!**

Meet The Workshop Team

Lee Ann Ward

Workshop Leader

USA Today Bestselling Author &

Founder & CEO of Writing Away Refuge

Writing the Perfect Book Villain

Lee Ann Ward is a USA TODAY bestselling and award-winning author of 13 novels, including her international bestseller, GLIMPSES OF WILDERNESS. She is the former senior editor of Champagne Books and the founder of Writing Away Refuge retreats and author services. She is a former journalist and has taught her novel plotting course at workshops across the country. She also offers the How to Write a GOOD Book 12-week writing-course through Writing Away Refuge.

When she's not helping writers or working on a new book, she's spending time with her husband and grown sons, and with her little girl who's the love of her life. And her grandchildren are totally dreamy. Just ask her!

Now Lee Ann brings her workshop "Writing the Perfect Book Villain" to our September Zoom Pitch Retreat!

Joyce Scarbrough

Senior Workshop Leader

Award-winning Author & Editor

Permanent Staff Member, Writing Away Refuge

Writing Strong Female Characters

Joyce Scarbrough is the author of eight novels and numerous short stories featured in multiple anthologies. Joyce is a graduate of the Institute of Children’s Literature, she was the founding senior editor for Champagne Books, and she now works freelance as an editor and book coach. Joyce was president of the Mobile Writers Guild for three years and still serves on its board of directors. She is also a member of the Southern Breeze chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, but she also writes women’s fiction. She has served on the faculty of the Mobile Literary Festival since its inception in 2016 and has given numerous workshops on characterization and editing for writers’ groups, conferences, libraries, colleges, and high schools throughout the Southeast. Joyce has lived all her life in LA (lower Alabama), she is the mother of three gifted, non-conformist children, and she’s been married for 39 years to a superhero who disguises himself during the day as a high school math teacher and coach.

Now Joyce brings her workshop "Writing Strong Female Characters" to Writing Away Refuge in September!

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Shannon Snow

Workshop Leader

Associate Literary Agent

Creative Media Agency

Goals, Motivation, & Conflict in Your Writing

Shannon Snow worked in finance and marketing for 18 years before turning to her childhood first love… books and writers. She started her publishing career in 2018 as an intern with Creative Media Agency, Inc, before moving up in 2020 to an Associate Agent. Shannon has a B.A. in English Language and Literature. Shannon has an eclectic reading taste. She looks for books that have a unique angle, and authors that have a wonderful, engaging voice. Characterization is a top draw for her, so she is looking for vivid, well-developed characters. She loves when an author can make her laugh, make her cry, or just make her feel emotion in general. Shannon manages the Audio rights for CMA.

Now Shannon brings her workshop, "Goals, Motivation, and Conflict in Your Writing" to our September Writing Away Refuge Zoom Retreat!

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Allison Hong Merrill

Workshop Leader

Bestselling & Award-winning Author

Permanant Staff Member Writing Away Refuge

Writing a Nonfiction Book Proposal

Allison Hong Merrill is a Taiwanese immigrant with an MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is a Wall Street Journal best-selling author who writes in both Chinese and English, both fiction and creative nonfiction, for both adult and young readers.

Allison’s work has appeared in the New York Times and the HuffPost, winning both national and international literary prizes. Her debut memoir, Ninety-Nine Fire Hoops, won over 60 book awards, including Grand Prize in Millennium Book Award in the U.K. and Grand Prize in Shelf Unbound Indie Best Award. In 2023, Focus on Women Magazine awarded her the title “Woman of Impact.” Besides sitting on the executive board of the Calliope Writing Coach Program and being a permanent staff at Writing Away Refuge, Allison is a keynote speaker, an instructor, and a panelist at writer’s conferences nationwide and in Asia. She appears on TV, radio, and podcasts; in magazines, newspapers, and journals. She is also available for interviews, teaching, and speaking engagements.

Allison lives in Utah with her husband, their children, and grandchild.

Now Allison brings her workshop

"Writing a Nonfiction Book Proposal" to our Sept. Writing Away Refuge Zoom Retreat.

Meet the Agents

Pitch up to 9 Literary Agents Over Zoom as part of the Writing Away Refuge Virtual Pitch Retreat, September 27-28, 2025. Each one-on-one pitch session lasts 5 minutes

and is included in your registration fee. Be sure to register early before their spaces fill. Registering early ensures that you pitch all desired agents.

Haley Warrington, Junior Agent

The Booker Albert Literary Agency

(Haley's pitch slots are full!)

Haley Warrington has been an avid reader and writer since she can remember. After an internship with the Booker Albert Literary agency, she recently moved into an agenting role on June 1st, 2025. She is eagerly growing her list and hopeful that she will bring talented writers to the forefront of publishing. When she's not reviewing submissions or editing client manuscripts, she is hanging out with her two cats—Sweet Potato and Sugar Cookie. Ultimately, she enjoys fast-paced stories with strong hooks. Whether it's steeped with emotion or scares her socks off, she's looking for commercial genre fiction.

Genres for Adult fiction: Horror, romance, mystery, thriller, suspense, LGBTQ+, family saga, women's fiction, & satire

Genres for Young Adult fiction: Horror, mystery, thriller, suspense, family saga, satire, low fantasy, urban/contemporary fantasy

To view Haley's complete manuscript wishlist, follow this link:

Haley Warrington – The Official Manuscript Wish List Website

Anna Clark, Associate Agent

WoodLink, Inc.

Anna’s passion for a good story started as a child on the theatre camp stage and was nurtured throughout her life by a love of reading and performance. She is a proud Filipino-American born and raised in southern Georgia by her first generation mother and southern grown father. She attended Belmont University, earning a degree in English, Theatre, and Education. She now resides in Nashville where she has worked as a high school teacher and Teaching Artist for a local theater.

Anna is looking for dark fiction such as psychological, gothic, southern gothic, paranormal, and literary horror, as well as new adult fiction about immigrant diaspora, interracial identity, and multi-generational conflict. As a lover of the stage and all things dramatic, she appreciates cinematic writing that paints clear pictures of complex worlds and characters in the reader’s mind. She celebrates own voices, particularly those that are usually overlooked or ignored in traditional spaces.

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Keyanna Davis, Junior Agent

Victress Agency

In 2021, I earned my BA in English–Professional Writing. After ten years working in indie publishing as a freelancer, I began studying for my master’s in library science at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania in 2022 to explore more career options. As my love for libraries grew, so did my appreciation for books—and for the authors who create them. That led me to the idea of becoming a literary agent. It excited me to think I could work with an author to create someone’s favorite book and help get it out into the world.

I joined Victress Literary in January 2025 as an Editorial Assistant Intern, and it felt like the Avengers had assembled. In June 2025, I was promoted to Junior Agent.

To view Keyanna's complete manuscript wishlist, follow this link:

Keyanna Davis – The Official Manuscript Wish List Website

Zeynep Sen, Senior Agent

WordLink, Inc.

Zeynep is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College with a B.A. in Literature and Creative Writing, and she has worked as a foreign rights agent at the Jennifer Lyons Literary Agency in New York. Her own writings have appeared in publications such as the United Nations accredited The Society and Diplomatic Review, Culture Limited, the New York Journal of Books, and other literary journals. Fluent in English, Turkish, and Spanish, she is an experienced translator of fiction and nonfiction. She is based in Istanbul, Turkey.

Zeynep is looking for literary and historical fiction, literature in translation, and narrative nonfiction.

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Terrie Wolf, Owner & Agent

A.K.A. Literary Management

(Terrie's pitch slots are full!)

Dedicated to passionate and effective representation of authors at all stages of the writing journey, including bestselling and debut authors alike, AKA Literary Management maintains a strong presence in traditional publishing and globally focused subsidiary rights opportunities. The agency is honored to focus on the whole enchilada, including career-building and multi-platform opportunities for diverse clients and their endeavors.

After nearly two decades of interaction with authors, musicians, and dignitaries in publishing, international media, and large-scale events, Terrie founded AKA (Also Known As) Literary Management (AKALM) in 2009. As a full member of the Association of American Literary Agents (AALA), she received the Agent of the Year Award in 2021 from American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), was named a “Top 20 of 2020 Agent” by Writer’s Digest magazine and has sold rights in over forty countries and thirty languages.

Terrie is a member of the Cambridge University Alumni Association, Ringling Bros. Blue Unit, International Publishers Association, and several writing organizations, including American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), International Thriller Writers (ITW), Sisters in Crime (SiNC), Sisters in Crime – Colorado (SiNC-CO), and Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). She is a member of the board of the Colorado Independent Publishers Association Education and Literacy Foundation (CIPA ELF). She has served as a board member of the Colorado AIDS Project, Project Angel Heart, Colorado Cattlewomen, and Colorado Youth Rodeo Association.

See Terrie's Manuscript Wishlist here:

Terrie Wolf – The Official Manuscript Wish List Website

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Vicky Weber, Associate Agent

Creative Media Agency

(Vicky's pitch slots are full!)

I’m a former elementary school teacher turned children’s book author and literary agent. I represent commercial fiction – board books through adult – and love stories that are standout, weird, and quirky.

In all manuscripts, I want intensity in the writing. (Give me all the feels!) I want to be dropped into the moment and experience the story alongside the characters. Character development and emotional arcs go hand-in-hand with the plot. If a book is high-concept, commercial fiction with beautiful, literary-leaning prose, it’s probably up my alley.

I’ve recently had lots of authors confused about this so here’s an analogy I came up with:

- Commercial is like popular music you’d hear on the radio: designed to entertain. It is catchy, has mass appeal, and follows familiar structures and themes that resonate with a wide audience.
- Upmarket is like indie pop music. It blends the accessibility of mainstream concepts with a touch of artistic flair and originality. These appeal to both general listeners and those who appreciate a bit more depth by balancing engaging stories with a higher level of writing quality and thematic complexity or statements.
- Literary is like opera or a symphonic orchestra. It prioritizes artistic expression and innovation over broad appeal, often challenging the audience with its complexity and depth. These may not be for everyone, but they are deeply appreciated by those who seek a rich, contemplative experience, profound themes, and connections beyond the book, often involving social commentary.

See Vicky's Manuscript Wishlist is here:

Vicky Weber – The Official Manuscript Wish List Website

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Alicia Brooks, Senior Agent, Martin Literary Management

(Alicia's pitch slots are full!)

Alicia Brooks began her publishing career over twenty five years ago as an editorial assistant at Penguin USA (Dutton/Plume). She advanced to an assistant editor position at Nan A. Talese/Doubleday where she worked with groundbreaking authors, including Margaret Atwood, Pat Conroy, and Ian McEwan. She then became an editor at Picador/St. Martin's Press where she edited over 40 hardcover titles and several trade paper original titles, including Good Morning America Book Club Pick Noelle Howey's Dress Codes: Of Three Girlhoods--My Mother's, My Father's, and Mine, Nega Mezlekia's award-winning Notes from the Hyena's Belly, and Jaclyn Moriarty’s FEELING SORRY FOR CELIA, an ALA Best Book of the Year and YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers.

She became a literary agent at The Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency in 2019. Her client list included categories such as Memoir, Narrative Nonfiction from writers with diverse backgrounds, Self-Help, Pop Culture, Literary Fiction, Fantasy, Book Club Fiction, YA Fiction, Horror, and Historical Fiction.She represented Boyah J. Farah, author of the earth-shattering memoir AMERICA MADE ME A BLACK MAN (Harper/Nominated for the NAACP Image Award and NPR Best Book of the Year), renowned author Nahid Rachlin, author of the novel MIRAGE (Red Hen Press), Kathleen S. Allen, author of the YA Gothic Horror novel THE RESURRECTIONIST (Roaring Brook) Jennifer Sherman Roberts' THE VILLAGE HEALER'S BOOK OF CURES: A Novel (Lake Union/Named an Editors' Choice by the Historical Novel Society and Named a First Reads Editors' Pick by Amazon) and Sofia Romero, author of the linked story collection WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN WHO WE ARE (Blackstone/Shortlisted for the Massachusetts Book Award for Fiction)

Her wishlist for Martin Literary Management includes the following:

Narrative Nonfiction from writers with diverse voices
Memoir with big concepts
Self-Help
Pop Culture
Social Justice
Literary Fiction
Book Club Fiction
Jewish Fiction and Nonfiction
Historical Fiction
Horror
Romance
YA Fiction and Nonfiction “Closed to YA fiction”
Thrillers

Haley Casey, Associate Agent

Creative Media Agency

(Haley's Pitch Slots are Full!)

I’ve always had a special place in my soul for stories, but it was when I wrote my first chapter book in fifth grade that my true love of literature was realized!

As an associate agent, I’m looking to fall in love with your engaging writing; your complex, flawed, and dynamic characters; and your plot, which should breathe new life into your favorite clichés. Tell me what makes your manuscript different! I’m especially interested in loose ends that are all tied up at the end, lyrical prose that makes me stop to reread sentences again and again, and characters that make me laugh, cry, and reevaluate what I think I know.

My heart is in YA, first and foremost, and I would love to build my list in that area across genres! However, I’m always looking for that next book club read or MG novel that’ll get someone new into reading, and my personal tastes are varied.

See Haley's complete Manuscript Wishlist here:

Haley Casey – The Official Manuscript Wish List Website

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Lesley Sabga, Agent

The Seymour Agency

Lesley has been working for The Seymour Agency since 2014.

Starting out as an eager intern, she worked her way up to being a literary assistant and in the fall of 2017, Lesley became an agent. And in 2022, Lesley accepted the position handling media rights for the agency's catalog, helping to option and place titles with numerous production companies to date.

Lesley loves intricate and vivid world-building and character-driven plots with commercial pacing. She is currently acquiring young adult and adult fiction. She is always down to read a dark and twisty suspense/thriller featuring strong, female protagonists or mysteries where there is a large cast of characters and all the pieces slowly fall into place. She loves big, sweeping love stories that give you all the feels and she's particularly interested in voice-driven fiction for millennial women that focus on the real-life romantic, humorous, and professional experiences they go through. Always open to diversity, Lesley is actively looking for marginalized authors to bring into the literary world.

Workshop and Pitch Session Schedules for
September 27-28th, 2025 Zoom Pitch.

Registration for the September 27-28, 2025
Writing Away Refuge Zoom Pitch Retreat is OPEN!
Register Early to ensure you get to pitch to all of your desired agents!
Our pitch slots fill quickly!

Discounted Early Bird

Registration (includes all workshops & agent pitches)

$75.00

WORKSHOPS ONLY!

No agent Pitches! $49.95

$49.95

Writing Away Refuge Zoom Pitch Retreat

Workshop your pitch. Pitch the agent.

Meet The Workshop Team

Meet the Agents

I’ve recently had lots of authors confused about this so here’s an analogy I came up with:

​

Workshop and Pitch Session Schedules for September 27-28th, 2025 Zoom Pitch. Registration for the September 27-28, 2025 Writing Away Refuge Zoom Pitch Retreat is OPEN! Register Early to ensure you get to pitch to all of your desired agents! Our pitch slots fill quickly!

Workshop and Pitch Session Schedules for
September 27-28th, 2025 Zoom Pitch.

Registration for the September 27-28, 2025
Writing Away Refuge Zoom Pitch Retreat is OPEN!
Register Early to ensure you get to pitch to all of your desired agents!
Our pitch slots fill quickly!