Leslie Truex is an author and literary agent with Blue Ridge Literary Agency, and separately, an author coach. She began her writing career by accident after starting a telecommuting/home business website in 1998 that resulted in freelance writing work and two traditionally published non-fiction books. She continues to write fiction and is the author of a dozen romance and mystery novels using a pen name. She enjoys sharing her insights and experiences to help emerging authors get their books published. She also supports authors through her online community for romance writers, and coaching to both fiction and non-fiction authors. She has spoken and provided workshops as an author and agent at a host of events, including The Virginia Festival of the Book, Malice Domestic, Maryland Writers Association, The Virginia Writers Club, as an adjunct at Piedmont Virginia Community College, and more. Leslie is the former president of The Virginia Writers Club.
April Michelle Davis is a freelance editor, indexer, and proofreader. She is the coordinator of the Virginia chapter of the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA); executive director for the National Association for Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE) (and former Social Media Marketing Expert); and a lifetime member of ACES: The Society for Editing. April Michelle teaches courses through her own company, Editorial Inspirations, as well as for associations and colleges, on topics such as editing, indexing, grammar, writing, and creating macros.
Before founding Editorial Inspirations in 2001, April Michelle was an assistant editor at the National Society of Professional Engineers and a program assistant for the American Prosecutors Research Institute. Her credentials include a master’s degree in publishing from George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Messiah College, as well as certificates in editing (University of Virginia), book publishing (University of Virginia), and professional editing (EEI Communications).
April Michelle is an expert in the publishing industry. She takes this status seriously and pays it forward by sharing her knowledge with others. April Michelle has had the privilege to present sessions on various editorial topics, such as what an editor does and the steps to becoming an editor, tips for and the benefits of working with an editor, indexing, creating macros, grammar, marketing, developing multiple streams of income, and Microsoft Word to many groups, including the Be a Better Freelancer conference, NAIWE, Randolph-Macon College, the Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network, the EFA, RavenCon, and the Hanover Book Festival.
April Michelle also has shared her insights about her career development by contributing quotes and vignettes to several books: When Talent Isn’t Enough: Business Basics for the Creatively Inclined; Ease into Writing; The Indie Author Revolution: An Insider’s Guide to Self-Publishing; and Juggling on a High Wire: The Art of Work–Life Balance When You’re Self-Employed.
April Michelle has taken her role full circle by publishing her own books — the nonfiction A Guide for the Freelance Indexer, nonfiction Editorial Services: What You Need to Know, and novel A Princesses in Disguise — and is currently writing two more technical books.
April Michelle Davis is originally from northern Virginia and has lived in Richmond, Virginia, since 2007.
More about Leslie Truex and April Michelle Davis
FREE WORKSHOPS OFFERED AT THE HANOVER BOOK EXPO 2023!
Pre-registration Not Required for Workshops
WORKSHOP #1: (Open to everyone at no charge.)
10:30 - 11:30 AM
More Than Writing: Paths To Publication
Author Harry Heckel gives insights into how to be published, beyond only writing, with specific examples from his career. Getting published can take luck - this workshop helps you be ready for opportunities.
WORKSHOP #2: (Open to everyone at no charge.)
12:00 - 1:30 PM
Critiquing Your First Pages
Presenter: April Michelle Davis, Editor
Are you capturing your readers’, agent’s, or publisher’s attention in your first few pages? This interactive lecture provides exercises reviewing the importance of dialog, scene structure, creating unique worlds for readers, the importance of the first line, and more.
WORKSHOP #3: (Open to everyone at no charge.)
2:15 - 3:30 PM
Market Share, Make It Work For You
Presenter: Sylvia Wright
Are you and or your products or services an easily recognized Industry entity? Do you stand out in the crowd or simply blend into others? These are a few questions asked and answered in a workshop style presentation designed to enable your visibility as an Industry presence. For details of Wright's Industry presence, visit www.TheWrightScoop.com.
Instructor Bios:
Harry Heckel: Harry Heckel writes science-fiction and fantasy. His latest work
is The Darkest Lord, the final novel in a comedic fantasy trilogy, which he co-
authored as Jack Heckel. He has also written novels for Warhammer 40k, along
with a number of roleplaying and tabletop games. You can find him at
both www.harryheckel.com and www.jackheckel.com. Every November, he
religiously participates in Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month). He lives
in Mechanicsville, Virginia with his wife, daughter, two cats, and a very
excitable Yorkipoo.
April Michelle Davis: April Michelle Davis is a freelance editor, indexer, and proofreader. She is the coordinator of the Virginia chapter of the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA); executive director for the National Association for Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE) (and former Social Media Marketing Expert); and a lifetime member of ACES: The Society for Editing. April Michelle teaches courses through her own company, Editorial Inspirations, as well as for associations and colleges, on topics such as editing, indexing, grammar, writing, and creating macros.
Sylvia Hoehns Wright: Wright, consultant, lecturer & wordsmith, specializes in
eco biz, communications and environmental theories.
AGENT AND EDITOR CONSULTATIONS!
In addition to the workshops, we have an agent and an editor ready to help you with your writing projects.
Leslie Truex, Agent: Leslie is an author, an author coach, and a literary agent with Blue Ridge Literary Agency, representing mostly romance and YA fiction. She enjoys sharing her insights and experiences to help emerging authors get their books published and will be available at the book expo to meet with you for a 10-minute consultation to give advice on query letters or elevator pitches. Make an appointment to meet with her at the expo, bring your query letter for review, or give her your best elevator pitch for your book. She will give you advice on how you did and let you know if she is interested in your project. Even if she cannot represent your work, her advice will be valuable in helping you pursue other representation. To make your appointment, send an email to joliggan@gmail.com.
April Michelle Davis, Editor: April Michelle is a professional editor with Editorial Inspirations, providing exceptional editing, indexing, and proofreading to both publishers and authors. The scope of services includes book editing, copyediting, line editing, developmental editing, manuscript submissions, and critiques. She will be available at the book expo to meet with you for a 10-minute consultation. To obtain your consultation, send your first 1,000 words of your manuscript to april@editorialinspirations.com. There is a $25 fee for the editing and consultation which she will collect from you after receiving your email. She will then edit your work and give you a time during the expo to meet with you for the consultation.
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