Our Faculty: Summer 2026

Workshop Leaders

  • Stephen Markley
    Fiction Workshop Leader

    Bestselling, award-winning novelist, NYT Editors’ Choice author, and writer for Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building.

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  • Peter Godwin
    Non-Fiction Workshop Leader

    Bestselling and award-winning nonfiction author, former professor of writing at Wesleyan and Columbia, Orwell fellow and Guggenheim fellow.

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  • Stephanie Gangi
    Late Bloomers Workshop Leader

    Award-winning poet and novelist published by major presses with work widely featured in top literary journals.

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    Learn about Late Bloomers

  • Jennifer Hillier
    Mystery/Thriller Workshop Co-Leader

    Internationally bestselling and award-winning author with novels translated into twenty-four languages.

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  • Alex Finlay
    Mystery/Thriller Workshop Co-Leader

    Bestselling novelist with books translated into twenty-six languages, all optioned or in development for film and television, ITW and MWA mystery/thriller writing teacher.

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Distinguished Guest Literary Agents

  • Amy Bishop-Wycisk
    Trellis Literary Management

    Literary agent championing upmarket and speculative fiction, underrepresented voices, bestsellers, and major award winners.

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  • Lisa Erbach Vance
    Aaron Priest Literary Agency

    Top literary agent representing #1 bestselling and award-winning authors, including Harlan Coben and Alex Finlay.

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  • Sharon Pelletier
    Dystel, Goderich & Bourret literary agency

    Literary agent and VP representing bestselling, book club–favorite authors across upmarket fiction and nonfiction.

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Distinguished Guest Editors

  • Sarah Pekkanen
    Distinguished Guest Editor

    #1 NYT bestselling author with global hits and film/TV adaptations; Amblin Entertainment collaborator.

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  • Ben Ryder Howe
    Distinguished Guest Editor

    Former senior editor at The Paris Review, Town & Country, the New York Observer, NYT bestselling memoirist.

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  • Rob Spillman
    Distinguished Guest Editor

    Former editor of Tin House, recipient of the PEN/Nora Magid Award for Editing, guest teacher at writing workshops and universities around the world.

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Staff

  • Thomas Cooney
    Conference Founder & Director

    Writer, critic, and educator; former MFA director, published essayist, and Graham Greene scholar.

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  • Dianna Cannizzo
    Assistant Director

    Memoirist and essayist exploring trauma and disability; bilingual speaker with clinical psychology background.

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  • Alex Finlay
    Associate Director

    Bestselling novelist with books translated into twenty-six languages, all optioned or in development for film and television.

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  • Tracy Franze
    Participant Coordinator & Excursions

    Former educator and reading teacher serving as conference liaison and participant support resource.

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Previous Faculty