Holly Root

Holly Root has launched over two dozen New York Times bestsellers before founding Root Literary in 2017, where she represents authors of fiction for adults, teens, and children, along with select nonfiction.

The Root Agency’s clients benefit from our agents’ proven skills in identifying talent, negotiating advantageous deals, and advocating for our books all the way from submission to publication.

Holly and her team of top associate agents offer their clients their broad-based industry insights as well as individualized strategic thinking to empower each author to define and pursue their own unique path to success.

Check out her “wish list” as well as the other Agents’ wishlists at her agency website at Rootliterary.com.

Ken Sherman

Ken Sherman is President of Ken Sherman & Associates, a Los Angeles based literary agency. The company was established in 1989, and handles film, television, and book writers, as well as selling film and television rights for books and life-rights. He worked with John Updike for 30 years before Updike’s death in early 2009, and represents the estates of legendary authors like H.L. Mencken, Franz Kafka, Simon Wiesenthal, Randy Shilts, Willa Cather, and Eleanor Roosevelt.

An agent for more than twenty years, Ken has taught and lectured extensively at venues including UCLA, USC, Loyola Marymount University, both in New Orleans and Los Angeles, The Santa Barbara Writers’ conference, the American Film Institute, The San Francisco Writers Conference, The Maui Writers Conference, The University of Oklahoma, Sherwood Oaks Experiment College, The Santa Fe Writers Conference, The Novelists, Inc. Conference in San Diego, The Aspen Institute, the Aspen Summers Words Writers Conference and The Eugene International Film Festival, where he just received a lifetime achievement award.

Steve Hutson

Steve Hutson, WordWise Media Services, is a native of Los Angeles, a child of the sixties, and a storyteller almost from birth. (He’s convinced that the Wimpy Kid books are based on his childhood, but he can’t prove it.) After several years of freelance editing and directing a writers’ conference, he branched out as a literary agent in early 2011.

Steve has placed his clients’ works with Dutton, Thomas Nelson, Tyndale, Potomac, David C. Cook, Praeger, Writer’s Digest Books, and others. Several clients have won prestigious awards for their works. He speaks frequently at writers’ events and writes an eclectic blog.

Steve’s areas of interest are:
Anything except erotica, picture books, poetry, and short stories.

Steve’s website is: WordWiseMedia.com.

Sherry Robb

Sherry Robb is a television producer and personal manager who is considered an expert in Book Rights. A Woman’s Movement activist with an MSW from Smith College, she survived a decade long battle with heart disease.

Within the first year of operation with Bart Andrews of Love Lucy, they had their first New York Times Bestseller, Mary Wilson’s globally recognized Dreamgirls. Michael Jackson’s biography, Michael!, by Mark Bego, came on the heels of this success, selling three million copies worldwide. This was followed by the launch of Betty White’s book career. She also accompanied Ms. White to Canada for her book promotion.

She shepherded Robert Graysmith’s The Zodiac Killer, and quickly shepherded nine national bestsellers.  She expanded to film and TV with a staff of literary agents, a talent agent and associate and ten interns from around the world.

Their literary division launched the film and television careers of new writers, including Ronald D. Moore. His first scripts sold to Star Trek: Next Generation which lead him to create and produce “Battlestar Galactica.”

Considered an expert in the area of Book Rights, she was called into to consult with the legendary CAA Agent, Roland Perkins, on his potential book adaptations and deals.

Telly Davidson — moderator

Telly Davidson is IWOSC’s Director Of Programs and a frequent Moderator of IWOSC Panels.

Telly Davidson’s newest book, Culture War has attracted rave reviews from critics.

Telly was senior film and TV reviewer for bestselling pundit David Frum’s FrumForum from 2009-12, has written about movies, TV, and music for FilmStew, 213 Magazine, iF Monthly, Entertainment Today, Guitar Player, AllAboutJazz, The American Conservative, and Attn.com.

He also wrote the Emmy-cited media tie-in TV’s Grooviest Variety Shows, works alongside top indie film producer’s rep Jeff Porter of Porter Pictures on the placement of independent films, and worked in the past on TV specials for NBC and PBS, including the Emmy-nominated Pioneers of Television.