August 2024 Dante’s Old South
Serene Hakim: Serene Hakim is an agent at Ayesha Pande Literary where she has been since 2015. She represents authors in a variety of genres, from MG fantasy to adult literary fiction to contemporary YA. Serene is interested in both YA and adult fiction that has international themes, highlights a variety of cultures, and focuses on underrepresented voices. Specifically, she's looking for writing that explores identity, home, and family and is currently prioritizing children's books. She loves books that are heartwarming as well those that are heart wrenching. Serene is a member of the Association of American Literary Agents and serves on the DEI committee.
DeeDee Cummings is a professional dreamer. She is also an author, therapist, attorney, and mom from Louisville, Kentucky. Cummings founded Make A Way Media in 2014 after struggling to find books with characters who looked like her own children. Books published by Make A Way focus on hope, diversity, social justice, and therapeutic skills for children and adults. Her work has been featured in HuffPost, Forbes, NPR, USA Today, Essence Magazine, Psych Central, Well+Good, and The EveryGirl, among other media outlets. In 2021, she was appointed to the Kentucky Early Childhood Advisory Council by Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear. Deedee is also the founder of The Louisville Book Festival Cummings believes literacy is a fundamental human right. She is currently working to adapt her latest children’s series inspired by the life of her daughter, Kayla Pecchioni (a Broadway actress) to a Broadway musical. Deedee recently founded the Make A Way Mindset program. Her next book is called How To Dream and will be release in October 2024.
Deedee Cummings, M.Ed., LPCC, JD
Visibility, Marketing, and Dream Consultant
Motivational Speaker and Expert on Adversity & EmpathyAuthor of seventeen award-winning books
Make A Way Media, Abi Behavioral Health
Robert Dean Johnson directs Eastern Kentucky University's low-residency MFA in creative writing program, Bluegrass Writers Studio. He is the author of a novel, Californium (Plume-Penguin) and a story collection, Delicate Men (Alternative Book). Recent work appears in Baltimore Review, Evening Street Review, and is forthcoming is Permafrost. He lives in Kentucky with his wife, the writer Julie Hensley, their children, and some urban chickens.
Bluegrass Writers Studio: https://www.eku.edu/creativewriting/
R Dean Johnson:https://rdeanwriter.com/
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/rdeanwriter/
FaceBook:https://www.facebook.com/delicatemen/
Threads:https://www.threads.net/@rdeanwriter
Brick Lohr is a passionate co-founder of the Ramble Festival, where the spirit of community and live music thrives. An advocate for the live music scene and the community around music, Brick’s vision has transformed Ramble into a vibrant gathering that feels like a celebration of the good old days. Alongside his festival work, Brick manages the up-and-coming artist Natalie Brooke, guiding her rising career with the same dedication and enthusiasm that fuels his love for live music.and building community.
Music Provided By: Pat Metheny: www.patmetheny.com
Special Thanks Goes to Our Sponsors:
Lucid House Press: www.lucidhousepublishing.com
Whispers of the Flight: whispersoftheflight.com/book/
The Crown: www.thecrownbrasstown.com
The Red Phone Booth: www.redphonebooth.com
Bright Hill Press: www.brighthillpress.org
UCLA Extension Writing Program: www.uclaextension.edu
Mercer University Press: www.mupress.org
NPR: https: www.npr.org
WUTC: www.wutc.org
The host, Clifford Brooks’, The Draw of Broken Eyes & Whirling Metaphysics, Athena Departs, and Old Gods are available everywhere books are sold. Find them all here: www.cliffbrooks.com/how-to-order
Check out his Teachable courses, The Working Writer and Adulting with Autism, here: brooks-sessions.teachable.com