Author of five books, including the game changing publishing guide BEFORE AND AFTER THE BOOK DEAL and the memoir, THE YEAR OF THE HORSES, (chosen by The Today Show as the best read for mental health awareness), Courtney is a writer and book coach hellbent on preserving the joy of art-making in a culture obsessed with turning artists into brands. Courtney’s essays and articles on creativity have been widely published in outlets like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Guardian. A frequent interviewer of high-profile writers Courtney is also the founder of the learning collaborative, The Cabins.
We are thrilled to have Courtney as our keynote speaker at this year’s conference. With her vast knowledge and experience with all aspects of publishing, our attendees will leave with way more than they bargained for! To prepare for the conference, read her guide ahead of time and bring your questions! We will also be selling Courtney’s book at the conference. Either way, the road to publication can be long and windy but our conference and Courtney’s wisdom are both here to help educate and inspire you along the way! If you want to learn more about the conference, click here. To read more about Courtney and her services, visit her website.
Madelin Parsley grew up in the panhandle of Nebraska. She holds an M.F.A. in fiction from Vanderbilt University, and her short stories have appeared in Ploughshares and Narrative Magazine. She’s currently working on a novel about five siblings, two small towns, and a family dynamic that is shaped and reshaped
Instructor Michael Belanger is an author and high school history teacher. His debut novel, The History of Jane Doe, was a finalist for the Connecticut Book Award and received a Kirkus starred review. More recently, his writing has appeared in Flash Fiction Magazine, Pigeon Review, Bright Flash Literary Review, and the 2025 Connecticut Literary Anthology.
