Two Talks By Literary Agents Aug. 17 and 19

Writers in this region have been asking for information on literary agents for more than a year and on August 17 and 19 in Roanoke, they’ll have an opportunity to hear three agents speak and chat with them afterwards.

The first class, part of the Arts Council of the Blue Ridge’s Writers Workshop Series, takes place Tuesday August 17 at Center in the Square and features agents Joan Timberlake (fiction, right photo) and George Oliver (non-fiction, left) who will speak together. The class runs 6-7:30 p.m. and costs $10 for non-members, members free. For more details, get in touch with Rhonda Hale (540-224-1205 or e-mail Hale@theartscouncil.org) at the Arts Council to reserve your spot.

Timberlake and Oliver will also teach separate classes at January 28-29 Roanoke Regional Writers Conference at Hollins University. Timberlake has an M.A. in English Literature from Long Island University and a law degree from West Virginia University. She is founder of Timberlake-Oliver Literary Services. She has taught nonfiction disciplines including legal, business, technical, and grammar/editing and fiction disciplines including novel, short story, essay, mystery, and humorous writing at the Maryland University and Johns Hopkins University, has worked as a writer/editor in many large corporations.

Valley Writers, a chapter of Virginia Writers Club, is sponsoring discussion with Lynchburg literary agent Dawn Dowdle, founder of Blue Ridge Literary Agency, Thursday, August 19 at 7 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church on Grandin Road in Roanoke.

Dowdle founded a literary agency in Lynchburg in 2009 and caters to both established and new authors. She represents fiction in most genres. She has worked as a freelance copy editor, facilitates a writers group in Lynchburg, and works closely with new authors to help prepare their novels for publication.

The discussion is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. You can e-mail Betsy Ashton at betsy_ashton2005@yahoo.com or call at 540.297.3585 to reserve a seat.