Whether you’re trying to sell your first book or your fortieth, the road to publication is never an easy one to navigate. Let Liberty States Fiction Writers guide your way. A multi-genre organization, the Liberty States Fiction Writers is dedicated to the education and support of all fiction writers. We provide workshops, networking events and promotional opportunities to aid both published and yet-to-be-published writers.
March 14, 2026
**This meeting will be held at the Clara Barton Branch of the library.**
PITCHING YOUR WORK
with Gwen Jones, Gretchen Weerheim, and Linda J. Parisi
Everyone wants to sell their work. In April, Liberty States Fiction Writers offers a unique opportunity to do so at their Annual Conference. Whether you’re in a ten minute pitch session, creating a query letter, or speaking to someone at a readers/writers event, trying to condense what took months or years to put down on paper is a major challenge.
Let Gwen Jones, Gretchen Weerheim, and Linda Parisi explain how in real time. They will listen to actual member pitches and help to make them pop. Remember, if an editor or agent asks, they WANT to know. They’re looking for new authors and new ideas. So, let’s help them help us and give them the best pitches ever!
About the Presenters:
Gwen Jones, MFA, is a Professor of English at Mercer County College in West Windsor, NJ, and a mentor in Western Connecticut State University’s MFA in Creative and Professional Writing program. Her work has appeared in Writers Digest, The Connecticut River Review, Pearl Street Press, and Kelsey Review where she is now the co-editor. She is also the author of three books for Avon/HarperCollins, one of which Wanted:Wife, actually rose to number 15 on Amazon for a nanosecond of internet glory. A frequent contributor in the “Comments” section for too many New York Times articles, she is a staunch supporter of the Oxford comma and all things satirical.
Gretchen Weerheim is a nonprofit professional who has written many a successful grant that has funded the arts, social services and local history. In addition, she’s written blogs, web content, press releases and children’s activity books for the Met Opera Guild. Her essay, “This Old House,” appeared in the compilation book, Rising From the Ashes, published by Pearl Street Press. She is a speculative science fiction writer and is currently writing a roman a clef, based on event surrounding her life and helicopter rescue from a Hawaiian jungle.
Linda J. Parisi enjoys creating unforgettable characters and putting them in untenable situations, much to their dismay. She is the winner of many awards for her paranormal romances, including the NJRW Golden Leaf Award and the HOLT Medallion for Speculative Fiction. She has fulfilled a lifelong dream and released her debut novel with Harlequin Heartwarming. She is the current President of Liberty States Fiction Writers, has served on the boards of other writing organizations, and is currently a Mentor for RWA. She loves to travel, tries to bake, and lives in New Jersey with her son Chris, daughter-in-law Sara, and Audi and Archer, a pair of pooches who had her at woof!
Conference Registration is Now Open!
Join us on April 11, 2026, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Hamilton, New Jersey for the 15th Annual Liberty States Fiction Writers Conference. This is a great opportunity for published and aspiring authors to network and learn from a fantastic line-up of industry professionals. The conference will feature a dozen workshops that cover various aspects of writing including craft, business, promotion, and indie-publishing. Don’t miss out on a full day of education and networking!
You can register for the conference at https://www.libertystatesfictionwriters.com/conference-registration/.
Keynote Presenter
Jane Porter
NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author
Founder Tule Publishing
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Jane Porter holds an MA in Writing from the University of San Francisco and has written 75 novels since getting her first sale to Harlequin Presents in 2000. Jane’s runaway bestseller, Flirting with Forty, became a Lifetime movie starring Heather Locklear in 2008, and in 2021 Jane had two of her Tule Publishing romances adapted for GAC TV movies. A six time RITA finalist, and RITA winner in July 2014 for Take Me, Cowboy, Jane founded Tule Publishing in 2013 and is known for her passionate, powerful stories and relatable heroines. You can find more about Jane at www.janeporter.com.
Not a Member? Join us!
The Liberty States Fiction Writers welcome pre-published writers at all levels as well as e-published, small press and traditionally published authors.
Yearly dues for new members are $50 and include attendance at monthly workshops, reduced conference rate, access to Members Only section with videos/podcasts of past workshops, monthly newsletters, promotional opportunities and more.
