This page will be updated as more faculty members are confirmed
for the 2026 in-person Carolina Writing Workshops.
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 coordinator of the Carolina Writing Workshops.
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, 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.
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Vicky Weber [BOTH CHARLOTTE & RALEIGH] is a literary agent with Creative Media Agency.
At the 2026 event, she is teaching a class, and offering one-on-one meeting opportunities for attendees.
“I’m a former elementary school teacher turned children’s book author and literary agent. I represent commercial fiction – board books through adult – but specialize in children’s literature. In all manuscripts, I want intensity in the writing. (Give me all the feels!) I want to be dropped into the moment and experience the story alongside the characters. Character development and emotional arcs go hand-in-hand with the plot.
“If a book is high-concept, commercial fiction with beautiful, literary-leaning prose, it’s probably up my alley. In adult and young adult fiction, she seeks: horror, psychological suspense, thrillers, commercial, upmarket, historical, women’s fiction, romance, fantasy (dark/high/epic), magical realism, speculative, and paranormal/supernatural. In middle grade and picture books, she seeks highly giftable, commercial fiction with a strong voice—stories that feel like they always should have been on the shelf.”
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Erica Bauman [CHARLOTTE & RALEIGH] is a literary agent with Aevitas Creative Management.
At the 2026 event, she is teaching a class, and offering one-on-one meeting opportunities for attendees.
Erica represents a wide variety of authors across middle grade, young adult, and commercial adult fiction, including acclaimed YA author Andrew Auseon and Broadway performer Tiffany Haas. Erica is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and has worked in the publishing industry since 2012. Prior to Aevitas, she worked at Spectrum Literary Agency.
Based in New York, Erica is most interested in commercial novels that feature an exciting premise and lyrical, atmospheric writing; imaginative, genre-blending tales; speculative worlds filled with haunting, quietly wondrous magic; fresh retellings of mythology, ballet, opera, and classic literature; sharply funny rom-coms; graphic novels for all ages; fearless storytellers that tackle big ideas and contemporary issues; and working with and supporting marginalized authors and stories that represent the wide range of humanity.
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Sarah N. Fisk (BOTH CHARLOTTE & RALEIGH) is a literary agent with The Tobias Literary Agency.
At the 2026 event, Sarah is teaching a class, and offering one-on-one meeting opportunities for attendees. (See Sarah’s wishlist here)
Sarah is a former mechanical engineer who made the switch to publishing in 2011. They have worked in the publishing industry as an editorial assistant, author’s assistant, publicist, and art director. Sarah is a former Pitch Wars mentor, board member, and Agent Liaison. They host the podcast Queries, Qualms, & Quirks and have a passion for spreadsheets.
They love books that challenge societal norms, especially gender norms. They have a personal interest in stories featuring queer characters or characters with disability, neurodiversity, chronic illness, or mental health challenges. Great or complicated sibling relationships are their kryptonite. They also enjoy intriguing villains, mysteries woven into other genres, characters they can’t get out of their head, and smart heroines.
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Kelly Dyksterhouse (CHARLOTTE) is a literary agent with The Tobias Literary Agency.
At the 2026 event, she is teaching a class, and offering one-on-one meeting opportunities for attendees. (See her wishlist here.)
I am looking to acquire middle grade and young adult novels and narrative nonfiction, as well as author-illustrator created picture books. I am especially looking for high-concept middle grade and young adult novels with high-level writing. For picture books, I am drawn to books that are character driven and have a strong narrative arc, and I particularly love stories with a surprise or subversive twist to them that make me laugh. In terms of nonfiction, I am looking for books about a little known period of history or that focus on the natural world and STEAM concepts. For both MG and YA, I am drawn to high concept, character driven books with a strong hook, a compelling plot, and strong writing. I am looking for books that stay with the reader long after they’ve turned the last page.
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Sorche Fairbank [BOTH CHARLOTTE & RALEIGH] is a literary agent and the founder of Fairbank Literary.
At the 2026 event, she is teaching a class, and offering one-on-one meeting opportunities for attendees. See her wishlist here.
A small, selective agency and member of AAR, the Author’s Guild, the Agents Round Table, PEN, and Grub Street’s Literary Advisory Council, Fairbank Literary Representation is happily entering its nineteenth year. Clients range from first-time authors to international best-sellers, prize winning-journalists to professionals at the top of their fields.
They can be found with all the major publishers, as well as in the New York Times, The Boston Globe, Harper’s, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, Granta, Best American Short Stories, McSweeney’s, Tin House, Glimmertrain, and more.
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Rossana Corniel (aka R.C. Luna) is a Puerto Rican author, speaker, and former global marketing executive whose work spans empowering children’s books and emotionally rich romantasy novels centered on identity, healing, and transformation. Writing under both her name and her pen name, R.C. Luna, she’s known for crafting magical, multicultural stories where readers can see themselves reflected, powerful, and central to the narrative. At the event, Rossana is teaching a class in Charlotte.
At the event, Rossana is teaching a class.
A U.S. Air Force veteran and mom of three, Rossana’s global perspective is shaped by her Puerto Rican heritage and a life lived across six countries before the age of 20. Her main characters often mirror that journey, like her morally complex Puerto Rican romantasy heroine, who has quickly become a fan favorite.
In July 2025, Rossana was honored by Telemundo as one of its Mujeres Imparables—a national recognition spotlighting unstoppable women breaking barriers and uplifting their communities through creativity, leadership, and service.
With a background leading brand strategy for global giants like Christian Dior and DHL, Rossana brings a rare blend of emotional intelligence and data-driven insight to fiction. After studying thousands of reader reviews, she now helps fellow authors craft stories that resonate deeply and stay with readers long after the last page.
Find her at thesecretplanbooks.com and rclunabooks.com or connect on socials: TikTok @author_rcluna IG: @author_r.c.luna
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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.
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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.
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.
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.