Presenters and Instructors for the 2026 Online Ohio Writing Workshop
Aimee Hardy is an editor for Running Wild Press and the author of Pocket Full of Teeth, which won a Silver Falchion in 2025.
She has a passion for storytelling and has been published in various literary magazines, including Writer’s Digest, Killer Nashville Magazine, and Stone Coast Review.
She has a B.A. and M.A. in English from National University. When she’s not editing or writing, she loves traveling and hanging out with her family.
At the 2026 event, Aimee is offering add-on manuscript critiqued for attendees.
———————–
Jillian Boehme is an author. (See her books here.)
Jillian was known for many years to the online writing community as Authoress, hostess of Miss Snark’s First Victim, a blog for writers. She is an author of YA fantasy and science fiction, a freelance editor, and a staunch defender of the Oxford comma.
In the past, she has been a choir director, a music teacher, and a singer with the Nashville Symphony Chorus. She’s been married to her husband for over three and a half decades and absolutely loves to encourage and inspire other writers. At the event, she is offering add-on manuscript critiques for attendees.
Chuck Sambuchino (@chucksambuchino) is a freelance editor, bestselling book author, and former longtime staffer for Writer’s Digest Books.
For many years he edited the GUIDE TO LITERARY AGENTS and the CHILDREN’S WRITER’S & ILLUSTRATOR’S MARKET. His Guide to Literary Agents Blog was one of the largest blogs in publishing, and he wrote the platform guidebook CREATE YOUR WRITER PLATFORM.
He is the lead director of Writing Day Workshops writers conferences, and he has taught at more than 175 writers conferences throughout his career. He is the co-coordinator of the Ohio Writing Workshop.
His humor book, HOW TO SURVIVE A GARDEN GNOME ATTACK, was optioned by Sony Pictures. Chuck’s books have been mentioned in Reader’s Digest, USA Today, the New York Times, The Huffington Post, Variety, New York Magazine, Buzzfeed, Mental Floss,New York magazine, and many more media outlets.
All his latest books are about pickleball, including ULTIMATE PICKLEBALL, a 2026 tear-off desk calendar due out in August 2025 (Sellers Publishing). His picture book, GOODNIGHT, PICKLEBALL, released from Hachette in August 2025, as was carried in Target, and hit the USA Today bestseller list.
He is a successful freelance editor of queries, synopses, and manuscripts—seeing dozens of clients get agents or book deals following his consultations/edits. He loves meeting new writers.
—————————————-
Brian A. Klems (@BrianKlems) is the former online editor of WritersDigest.com. He is the current co-director of Writing Day Workshops.
His blog during his tenure there, The Writer’s Dig—which covered everything writing and publishing—was one of the largest blogs in the writing community. He is the co-coordinator of the Ohio Writing Workshop.
Brian’s first book, Oh Boy, You’re Having a Girl: A Dad’s Guide to Raising Daughters (Adams Media) was released in 2013. It received high-level buzz and praise from some of the funniest writers alive, including Dave Barry and Bruce Cameron.
Brian is also a proud graduate of the Ohio University E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, a husband, softball infielder, perennial fantasy sports underachiever, and father of three lovely girls.
——————————–
Paul S. Levine is a literary agent and the founder of Paul S. Levine Literary. He is also an attorney.
His fiction interests include adventure novels, mainstream fiction, mysteries, romance, thrillers, and women’s fiction.
His nonfiction interests include business/commerce, pop culture, how-to, self-help, politics/law, relationships, and sports.
Paul has sold more than 250 fiction and nonfiction books.
As an entertainment lawyer, Levine has written the legal contracts for several books adapted as movies-for-television. With over thirty-seven (38) years of experience in the entertainment and book industries, Levine is one of the few lawyers on the West coast who also understands the world of book publishing; as such, he is able to act as both literary agent and publishing attorney for his clients.
———————————-
Victoria Griffin is an author and developmental editor.
Victoria is an East Tennessee author and freelance editor. She loves dark chocolate, dark coffee, and darker literature.
At the event, she is offering add-on manuscript critiques for attendees.
————————–
Ismita Hussain is a senior literary agent & social media manager with Great Dog Literary.
Ismita is a Georgia native and graduate of Emory University, where she studied Human Health and Italian. During college, she also worked for various Atlanta area hospitals in departments ranging from neonatal to geriatric care. In her Desi household, she grew up speaking Bangla, Hindi, and Urdu.
Ismita is a founding member of Disability in Publishing and currently serves on their Board of Directors. She also participated in the 2022 Literary Agents of Change Mentorship Program.
Some of her favorite authors are Flannery O’Connor, Cormac McCarthy, Oscar Wilde, and Tom Perrotta. Ismita is especially drawn to fiction with a Southern setting, gritty realist writing, and any books that explore health or disability. Ultimately though, she’s a sucker for writing with a great sense of humor. Member: AALA
——————————
Ava Roberts is a clinical psychologist turned author who knows that the most unsettling things often lurk just beneath the surface. (See all Ava’s books here.)
She is the author of The Vanishing Neighbor, Juniper Isle, the Thistler Thrillers series, and The Summer House Murder (2026). Kirkus Reviews called The Summer House Murder “a whirlwind domestic thriller that’s also a pitiless anatomy of the costs of motherhood and sisterhood.”
Her books are published by Severn River Publishing and Crooked Lane Books. Ava is represented by Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, two kids, and an overactive imagination.
Rosie J. Pova is a multi-published and award-winning children’s book author, poet, writing coach, and speaker.
Her picture book, Sunday Rain, was featured in The New York Times and recommended by Parents magazine. The School of Failure: A Story About Success is a Readers’ Favorite Awards silver medal winner and is now available in both China and the USA.
Her latest picture book, Sally’s Musical Tale will be released in the spring of 2025. Rosie loves doing school visits to encourage kids to read, write, create and inspire them to follow their big dreams. In her role as a Writing Coach, Rosie’s has helped many aspiring picture book authors advance their careers and reach their publishing goals through her popular mentorship programs and signature Picture Book Mastery course.
Originally from Bulgaria, Rosie now lives in Texas with her family.
At the 2026 event, she is offering add-on manuscript critiques.
Katherine Monasterio is speaking at the event.
As an editor, author, and Oxford comma advocate, Katherine lives for strengthening the written word. Her favorite: developmental editing. Character arcs, pacing, themes—that’s where she thrives. She’s a line editor, too, which means she loves helping writers shine not just through their plot and pacing, but through their prose. She hails from Cincinnati, Ohio, where her non-wordsmithing hobbies include playing video games and thinking about fictional characters a normal amount.
———————————
Rachel Estep is a literary agent with D4EO Literary Agency.
Rachel brings a passion for sharp storytelling, vibrant voices, and fierce author advocacy. A lifelong book lover, Rachel’s path to publishing began with a pandemic-era BookTok and led to her role as a bookseller, event coordinator, and now agent. She lives on a small Ohio homestead with her husband, two kids, her parents, and an entire animal kingdom that includes dogs, cats, ducks, and a turkey. As a Jewish and Bisexual woman raised in the Midwest, and now a mom to a disabled and medically fragile child, Rachel is deeply committed to uplifting underrepresented voices and helping storytellers thrive.
——————————
Sara Megibow is a literary agent and founder of Megibow Literary.
Sara is the President and Senior Literary Agent of Megibow Literary Agency. She has worked in publishing since 2006 and represents New York Times bestselling authors including Margaret Rogerson, Roni Loren, Jason M. Hough and Jaleigh Johnson. Sara specializes in launching debut authors and working on long-term career development and profit strategy with them. She is a graduate of Northwestern University with degrees in Women’s Studies, Gender Studies and American History. Always LGBTQIA+ Friendly!
“I represent authors who write picture books (fiction and nonfiction/ all sub-genres), middle grade (all sub-genres), young adult (all sub-genres), adult romance (all sub-genres) and science fiction/ fantasy/ horror for the adult market.”
—————————
Angie Hodapp is a literary scout for Nelson Literary.
As an active member of the Denver literary community, Angie has served as a board member for Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and she regularly teaches highly regarded writing and publishing workshops, including at Denver’s prestigious Lighthouse Writers Workshop.
She is the author of two nonfiction books for writers: Do You Need a Literary Agent? and Query Craft. She began her career at NLA in 2011, where she has worked as a reader, contracts manager, and royalties auditor. Currently, she devotes most of her time to literary development. In partnership with the agents, she edits client material, prepping and polishing manuscripts before they go out on submission. She also works one-on-one with clients to develop new story ideas and directions, and she screens manuscripts requested by the agent team.
When not working, she writes a little fiction of her own (mostly of the dark variety), teaches and practices Pilates (she’s a Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher with a specialization in exercise for people with neurological conditions), knits (she can’t stop buying yarn), waits on her cat (an adorable tabby named Pluma), and travels the world with her husband.
—————————–
Ritu Anand is a literary agent with D4E0 Literary.
Ritu has been a passionate storyteller since childhood. As a writer herself, she is on the same page with other writers and applauds their creativity.
Because she believes no good story should ever be filed away in a drawer but be shared with the world, she wishes to represent debut voices as an agent.
——————————
Swati Hegde is a romance and YA author, as well as a freelance editor, mindset coach, and self-proclaimed coffee shop enthusiast. She lives in Bangalore, India, and can often be found at the nearest café with a hot mug of tea or singing her favorite songs off-key at karaoke night. She looks forward to a long career bringing Indian stories and voices to light.
Swati is represented by Rachel Beck at Liza Dawson Associates. Her debut romance novel Match Me If You Can is out now from Penguin Random House, with forthcoming books Can’t Help Faking in Love releasing in February 2025 and As Long as You Loathe Me releasing in 2026.
Find her on Instagram @SwatiHegdeAuthor and Twitter @SwatiHWrites.
At the workshop, Swati is offering add-on virtual manuscript critiques for attendees.