In addition to our regular instructors, The Author Conservatory also brings in special guests to speak to our students. These professionals range from the owner of a literary agency and publishing house to New York Times bestselling authors. 

The upcoming roster of visiting experts ranges from bestselling authors to marketing experts in the publishing industry.

In January, Author Conservatory students will get the privilege of hearing from author June Hur. A New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-winning author of YA Korean historicals, Hur has been featured in Forbes, NPR, The New York Times, Vogue Korea, and more. Her first novel, released in 2020, was recognized as a Junior Library Guild Selection, 2021 Edgar Allan Poe Award nominee, ABA Indies Introduce Selection, and other acclaimed recognition. A trademark of Hur’s writing is her love for Korean history and culture, which she has explored in all of her four novels.

Charlie Holmberg, bestselling author of over twenty fantasy novels, visit Author Conservatory students this November. Holmberg is a Wall Street Journal and Amazon Charts bestselling author of fantasy and romance fiction. She has been recognized with the Goodreads Choice Award and is an ALA and RITA finalist. 

In February, Sandy and Mary K. visit Author Conservatory students for an hour of Q&A. They are the founders of Writing Off Social, a platform and podcast dedicated to helping authors build platforms outside of common social media platforms.

Mary Weber, Sandy, and Mary K. are just three of the many experts visiting Author Conservatory students in the next six months.

The full roster of visiting experts includes:

• October 22 | Arnée Flores (author of the critically acclaimed middle grade fantasy The Firebird Song)
• November 4 | Mary Weber & C.J. Redwine (bestselling authors and co-founders of The Writer’s Sanctuary)
• November 5 | Sara B. Larson (author of the acclaimed YA fantasy Defy trilogy and Dark Breaks the Dawn duology)
• November 17 | Charlie Holmberg (Wall Street Journal bestselling author of fantasy and romance fiction)
• January 21 | June Hur (NYT-bestselling and Edgar Award-winning author of YA Korean historicals, including The Silence of Bones)
• January 29 | Autumn Krause (YA author of A Dress for the Wicked)
• February 12 | Sandy and Mary K (writers and co-hosts of the Writing Off Social podcast)

Unlike our instructors, visiting experts don’t always share The Author Conservatory’s faith background since we also want to provide opportunities for students to learn from the experience of industry professionals in the broader publishing world.

Each visiting expert spends an hour with Author Conservatory students, answering a wide range of questions, from writing craft to marketing advice to the philosophy behind being a writer. Replays are also available so no student misses out.

The Author Conservatory exists to help writers turn their publishing dreams into realities. We do this not only with our professional team of instructors but also with visiting experts throughout the entire publishing industry.