Savvy Authors Summer Symposium 2012 Partial Manuscript Critiques

Register here for the 2012 Summer Symposium and automatically be entered to win one of these prizes!

All prizes are donated, and the best way to thank our sponsors is to visit their websites and spread the word about their books, workshops or services.

Also, don't forget, for extra entries in the raffles follow us @_sass12 and use the #sass12 hashtag to help us promote.


Partial Manuscript Critiques



Angela Knight Angela Knight is the New York Times bestselling author of books for Berkley, Red Sage, Changeling Press, and Loose Id. Her first book was written in pencil and illustrated in crayon; she was nine years old at the time. A few years later, she read The Wolf and the Dove and fell in love with romance. Besides her fiction work, Angela's publishing career includes a stint as a comic book writer and ten years as a newspaper reporter. Several of her stories won South Carolina Press Association awards under her real name.

In 1996, she discovered the small press publisher Red Sage, and realized her dream of romance publication in the company's Secrets 2 anthology. She went on to publish several more novellas in Secrets before editor Cindy Hwang discovered her work there and asked her if she'd be interested in writing for Berkley. Not being an idiot, Angela said yes.

Whatever success she has enjoyed, she attributes to the marvelous editors she's had over the years. David Anthony Kraft and Dwight Zimmerman at Comics Interview taught her the nuts and bolts of fiction writing. Alexandria Kendall of Red Sage discovered her talent for romance writing and encouraged her to believe in herself. And she will be forever grateful to Berkley editor Cindy Hwang, who has been unfailingly supportive.

Angela lives in South Carolina with her husband, Michael, a polygraph examiner and hostage negotiator for the county's Sheriff's Office. The couple have a grown son, Anthony.

Prize Donation: First Chapter Critique


Donna Shields

I’m Donna Shields, author of paranormal romance and romantic suspense – published with Soul Mate Publishing, mom of six, gramma of two precious cuties and wife to an imperfect, yet amazing husband of fourteen years and counting (He’ll say a hundred, roll his eyes, and smile). Psss…I’m imperfect too.

We call the beautiful state of South Carolina my home where there isn’t much hustling and bustling going on, where people are friendly (for the most part-it’s called that Southern Hospitality), strangers wave and say hello with a smile. And it doesn’t hurt being centrally located where the ocean is a mere three hour drive and the mountains no more than an hour and a half away.

I’ve been writing for five years steadily, but have always dabbled with writing short stories here and there. I’m a sucker (no pun intended) for all sorts of paranormal. And when suspense and adventure is thrown in the mix, I’m a truly happy girl. I enjoy writing both genres and at times the lines between the two blur, combining to make paranormal romantic suspense. My heroines are strong, even if quiet. They are independent, yet scarred and in need of a true love. A real hero, one who understands they need their space, but will love them fiercely. The hero may have a hard exterior, but inside he’s a mush ball. And the hero needs that woman who can tame him down a little and love with all her heart and soul.

Prize Donation: Three Chapter Critique


Cindy Brannam

Cindy is an acquiring editor for Soul Mate Publishing.After nineteen years of analyzing, selling, and marketing books within the wholesale industry, Cynthia turned her love for reading into writing and now editing. She’s looking for fresh voices in Chick Lit, Women’s Fiction, Contemporary and Historical romance - all heat levels. (No erotica, F/F, M/M or multiples.)

Prize Donation: 5 – First 15 pages of a completed Contemporary or Historical



Libby Murphy

Libby is an associate editor for Entangled Publishing. Libby Murphy’s true love has always been books. As the Managing Editor for Entangled Publishing’s Indulgence category romance line, she has the pleasure of working with the written word every day and has edited authors such as NY Times bestseller Jennifer Probst and bestselling authors Melissa Bourbon Ramirez and Nicola Marsh. She is also an acquiring editor for Entangled’s main lines, including Entangled Books, Entangled Select, and Entangled Teen. Libby’s love of quirky characters and plots translates into all genres. Before joining Entangled, Libby worked as a freelance editor and
writer, and has experience in news radio. Find her on Twitter at @Libby_Murphy.

Libby would like to see submissions for adults and young adults written with a killer voice, and she especially loves quirky characters and plots. She loves sci-fi with aliens, robots, and high tech; urban fantasy and time travel; contemporary romance; women’s fiction with a strong romantic element; and suspense and mysteries. She craves humor, anti-heroes, and underdogs, and strong, capable heroines are a must.

Prize Donation: Three Chapter (up to 50 pages) + Synopsis Critique


Gina Maxwell

Gina is a shameless romance addict with no intentions of ever kicking the habit. Growing up she dreamed of entertaining people and taking them on fantastical journeys with her acting abilities, until she came to the realization as a college sophomore that she had none to speak of. Another ten years would pass before she discovered a different means to accomplishing the same dream: writing stories of love and passion for addicts just like her.

A member of the Romantic Writers Association (RWA), San Antonio Romance Authors (SARA), and Rose City Romance Authors (RCRA), she recently signed with Entangled Publishing to write for two of their imprints.

Her Fighting for Love series with MMA heroes debuted July 20, 2012 for the Brazen imprint with the first book in the series, Seducing Cinderella. The first book in her Prophecy of Souls trilogy, Desires of the Soul, is set to release in mass trade paperback in Summer 2013 for the Entangled Select imprint.

When she’s not writing or wrangling plot bunnies, Gina keeps busy with her wonderful family and their ever-growing extracurricular activities. Thanks to their immense patience and support, she’s able to live her dream of bringing a little romantic fantasy to the world, even if only in the pages of a good book.

Prize Donation: Three Chapter Critique



Susan Sipal
Published in fiction and non-fiction through essays, short stories and a novel, Susan has presented multiple workshops, both at home and abroad, to help writers develop their craft as they analyze the mysteries of Harry Potter. She is now thrilled to be an editor with Musa Publishing. As an author, her most recent release is “Running Raw” in Sweeter Than Tea from BelleBooks and has an upcoming story, "Lighting the Sacred Way" appearing in Journeys of Wonder, vol 2, from Fuzzbom Publishing in the fall. She Tweets at @HP4Writers and blogs at Myth, Magic, and Mystery (http://harrypotterforwriters.blogspot.com/)

Prize Donation: Three Chapter Critique


Jenn Fitzpatrick
From the moment she tenderly ripped the pages out of the back of her copy of Little Women, and righted Louisa May Alcott’s tragic misstep of marrying Laurie off to Amy March, Jenn has been reading, enjoying, and editing stories in every form.

Prize Donation: First 15 Pages Critique