Pikes Peak Writers Conference 2025: Full Schedule

Registration for the 2025 Pikes Peak Writers Conference is now open!
The current schedule, like much of our writing, is a work-in-progress and is subject to change.
Sched is sponsored by Reedsy.

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8:30am MDT

Read & Critique Session 1

Friday May 2, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am MDT

Fremont

Mystery/Thriller/Romance

Faculty

John Gilstrap

John Gilstrap is the Thriller Award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of over two dozen thrillers, including Zero Sum, Harm’s Way, White Smoke, Deadly Game, Blue Fire, Stealth Attack, Crimson Phoenix, Hellfire, Total Mayhem, Scorpion Strike, Final Target, Friendly Fire... Read More →

Agents & Editors

Brenna English-Loeb

Agent, Transatlantic Agency

Brenna English-Loeb joined Transatlantic in 2019 after working for several years at Janklow & Nesbit Associates and Writers House, where she had the pleasure of working with New York Times bestselling and award-winning authors across multiple genres. Brenna grew up in beautiful Upstate... Read More →

Leticia Gomez

Editorial Director, Dafina/Kensington Books

Leticia Gomez is the Editorial Director for Dafina Books, an imprint of Kensington Publishing Corp., which focuses on high-quality fiction and non-fiction that centers on race, identity, and its impact on our experiences. Dafina’s carefully curated list is a home for dynamic stories... Read More →

Friday May 2, 2025 8:30am - 9:30am MDT
Fremont

Agent/Editor/Author

9:45am MDT

Read & Critique Session 2

Friday May 2, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am MDT

Fremont

Womens/Romance/Historical

Faculty

Avery Flynn

USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling romance author Avery Flynn has sold more than a million books, which have been translated into multiple languages. She has three slightly-wild children, loves a hockey-addicted husband and is desperately hoping someone invents the coffee... Read More →

Agents & Editors

Christina Lopez

Assistant Editor, St. Martin’s Press

Christina Lopez is an associate editor at St. Martin’s Press, where she started as an intern in 2021. Her first love was romance novels, and she is thrilled that her list consists mainly of romance. However, in her time at SMP, she has worked on a wide array of books in several... Read More →

Jessica Berg

Literary Agent, Rosecliff Literary

Jessica Berg is a literary agent at Rosecliff Literary. She leverages her extensive background as a developmental editor to champion new and emerging authors. She is actively building her list, focusing on compelling character-driven narratives with strong voices and unique settings. Known for her collaborative approach, Jessica works... Read More →

Friday May 2, 2025 9:45am - 10:45am MDT
Fremont

Agent/Editor/Author

11:00am MDT

Speed Pitch

Friday May 2, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm MDT

Fremont

Welcome to Speed Pitch!
Here you are at PPWC 2025 where everybody is curious to learn about you and your book. Nevertheless, people have short attention spans and lots of other writers to meet. Can you explain the highlights of your project without confusing, or worse, boring your listeners? Speed Pitch Practice is here to help.

How the Session Works
Participants will wait “quietly” in line for a turn to speak one-on-one for five minutes with a randomly assigned published author, seasoned writer, or maybe a VIP. You will verbally pitch your book and your coach will ask you questions to refine it. When the time is up, you’re done! But you’re welcome to get back in line for another go.

Faculty

AJ Metzger

AJ Metzger retired from the Navy in 2023 and now plans Wargames for US Space Command. She has been writing all her life and in the last few years published multiple academic papers for law enforcement. She is branching out into fiction writing using some of the more comical and unique... Read More →

Friday May 2, 2025 11:00am - 12:00pm MDT
Fremont

Business of Writing

2:00pm MDT

Read & Critique Session 4

Friday May 2, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm MDT

Fremont

Mystery/Thriller/Kids

Faculty

Alexandra Diaz

Author

Alexandra Diaz is the author of several award-winning books for children and teens, including The Only Road (Pura Belpré Honor and Américas Award), The Crossroads (New Mexico’s Great Read at the National Book Festival), and Santiago’s Road Home (ALA Notable Children’s Books... Read More →

Agents & Editors

Melissa Rechter

Editor and Acquisitions Manager, Crooked Lane

Editor and Acquisitions Manager Melissa Rechter joined Crooked Lane Books in 2019. She has had the pleasure of working with ITW nominees, New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors, as well as a myriad of talented writers.For Crooked Lane, she is looking for cozy mysteries... Read More →

Sheyla Knigge

Agent, High Line Literary Collective

Sheyla Knigge (SHAY-luh KUH-nig-gee)is a budding publishing professional who comes to the industry with a lifelong love of reading under her belt. Having worked under Victoria Marini since 2021 she has had the immense pleasure of perusing a variety of books that have gone on to do... Read More →

Friday May 2, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm MDT
Fremont

Agent/Editor/Author

3:15pm MDT

Read & Critique Session 5

Friday May 2, 2025 3:15pm - 4:15pm MDT

Fremont

SF/Horror/Fantasy

Faculty

David R. Slayton

David R. Slayton (He/Him) grew up in Guthrie, Oklahoma, where finding fantasy novels was pretty challenging and finding fantasy novels with diverse characters was downright impossible. Now he lives in Denver, Colorado and writes the books he always wanted to read. His debut, White... Read More →

Agents & Editors

Caitlin McDonald

Agent, Donald Maass Literary Agency

Caitlin McDonald joined DMLA in 2015, after five years at Sterling Lord Literistic. She represents adult and young adult speculative fiction, primarily science-fiction, fantasy, horror, and related subgenres. She is also seeking graphic novels along the same lines as above. Caitlin... Read More →

Steve Saffel

Editor

STEVE SAFFEL has been an editor at Marvel Comics, Del Rey Books, Perseus Books, and Titan Entertainment, working on science fiction, fantasy, horror, and licensed fiction, with a focus on the author’s voice, pacing, clarity, career path, concept development, and creating fiction... Read More →

Friday May 2, 2025 3:15pm - 4:15pm MDT
Fremont

Agent/Editor/Author

4:45pm MDT

Speed Pitch

Friday May 2, 2025 4:45pm - 5:45pm MDT

Fremont

Faculty

AJ Metzger

Friday May 2, 2025 4:45pm - 5:45pm MDT
Fremont

Business of Writing

9:00pm MDT

Write Drunk Edit Sober

Friday May 2, 2025 9:00pm - 10:00pm MDT

Fremont

The first session Write Drunk has you writing to various prompts while drinking. The follow-up Edit Sober session takes you through examining what you wrote and how to edit it into shape.

Faculty

Deb Courtney

President, Pikes Peak Writers

Deb Courtney holds a degree in Fiction from the University of South Florida, where she was a Saunders Scholar in Fiction. She has had numerous short stories published and has worked as a freelance journalist, creativity coach and freelance editor. Her background also includes more... Read More →

Friday May 2, 2025 9:00pm - 10:00pm MDT
Fremont

Craft of Writing