General Conference Testimonials

Janet Belsky

"The conference was WONDERFUL!!!!!! I love everything — from the outstanding quality of the presenters, to the creative special features (roundtables; having an expert from the region come in to talk; the mentoring sessions etc). My absolute favorite however, is the sense you guys create of everyone coming together as a real family. It's been only two years and I already feel that I'm attending a not-to-be missed annual family reunion."

— Janet Belsky, author of Experiencing the Lifespan, which won a 2008 Textbook Excellence Award

Mary Ellen Lepionka

"I thought it was a good conference — very productive because of all the interactivity and spontaneity, such as having the award winners answer questions about their textbook writing and publishing experiences. There were real working sessions in direct response to the needs of the people who attended and excellent opportunities for networking."

— Mary Ellen Lepionka, publisher, Atlantic Path Publishing

"I am very pleased to have found TAA and did enjoy the conference. I learned a lot and folks were so very nice. I have been energized to work on a longstanding project and have a new idea percolating. I am looking forward to next year."

— Lorna Lueker Zukas, PhD, Associate Professor Sociology, National University, LaJolla, CA

"Thank you for taking the time to urge me to attend the TAA Conference. Thank you also for the reduced fees that made it possible. The event was very well organized and most informative. Everything was first rate."

— Jane Olive, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Anthropology

"I think one helpful aspect of the conference was that I could see what I had in common with most of the members/attendees and, perhaps even more valuable, where I thought I differed. I am still trying to figure out why, when every yet-to-be-tenured faculty member needs all the help they can get, there were not HOARDS of folks there, especially from Las Vegas institutions. This is a common phenom for me — I worry that everyone in town will want to attend what I am eager to attend because, sheesh, why would they pass up this fantastic opportunity?? Just goes to show I am in the minority — among those on the right track! :) Thanks for the shove! Just what I needed."

— Jane Karwoski, Adjunct Professor, Health Services Research, Psychology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Paul Krieger

"I really like the roundtable discussions and the Awards Ceremony Q&A. Next year, add more open forums. Brainstorming as a group is stimulating."

— Paul Krieger, Professor of Biology, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids, MI

"I loved the session information on social networking, web 2.0, AuthorBound, and how authors can start marketing themselves and their books."

— Denise Robichaud, Associate Professor of Mathematics, Quinsigamond Community College, Worchester, MA

"I really like how you open the conference on something about the area."

— Andreana Grimaldo, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, Quinsigamond Community College, Worchester, MA

Karen Timberlake

"Really like the increase in presentations dealing with new/updating technology."

— Karen Timberlake, Professor Emeritus Chemistry, Los Angeles Valley College, Valley Glen, CA

"The conference was very interesting. I was interested in both of the workshops on Thursday, but could only attend one of them, since they met at the same time. My workshop was great, but I was very curious about the other one. I thought the lunch roundtables were a good idea since it allowed us a chance to get to know people on a more informal basis."

— Mark Graham, Associate Professor, Visual Arts, Brigham Young University

"My first conference. It offered an amazing amount of information. Thanks for all the efforts in the organization of the conference."

Here's what 2008 TAA Conference attendees had to say about their mentoring sessions with Authoring Attorney Stephen Gillen and/or Authoring Attorney and Literary Agent Michael Lennie:

Guesna Dohrman

"I met with Michael Lennie because my Project ABOUT MONEY is a commercial enterprise and I wanted to make a decision as to whether I should go through an agent. After talking with him I made the decision that I was not far enough along with my project to decide about the agent issue. He was very patient, answered my questions, and was very insightful. It was a great experience."

— Guesna Dohrman, Professor of Mathematics, Tallahassee Community College

"Lorna and I found Stephen Gillen and Michael Lennie to be wonderful legal resources. They both took a no-nonsense approach to issues of contracts, royalties, and author's rights and provided us with good practical information that we could use right away. They answered all of our questions completely and helpfully. Stephen sent us a paper he had written on author's rights, so he provided good follow-up to our talk promptly. They were both consummately professional and even "fun" to work with."

— Dr. Alex Zukas, Professor of History, Department of Social Sciences, College of Letters and Sciences, National University

"I wish I had spoken to Steve instead of to our local IP lawyer!"

— Mary E. Edwards, Ph.D., Director, Minnesota Economic Development Center, Professor of Economics, St. Cloud State University

Mary Ellen Lepionka

"My mentoring session with Stephen Gillen was great."

— Mary Ellen Lepionka, publisher, Atlantic Path Publishing

Laura Taalman

"The free appointments with authoring attorneys have been very useful. I've met with Steven Gillen at two conferences, and with just a very short meeting his advice nudges me in a smarter direction. If/when the time comes to need actual representation, I know exactly who I will ask, and how to contact him. I really appreciate Stephen Gillen taking the time to hold these appointments."

— Laura Taalman, Associate Professor of Mathematics, James Madison University

"I am happy to report that thanks to the advice that I received from numerous people at the TAA conference (Stephen Gillen, Michael Lennie, Bill Pasewark, Richard Hall, and especially the encouragement from Janet Belsky and Molefe Kete Asante, I have contacted my publisher and they are still very interested in publishing my long stalled manuscript. We have agreed upon an October 2008 submission date. I've put off contacting them for four years (I know it's crazy) and your conference gave me the spark and confidence to restart this project. Thank You."

— Lorna Lueker Zukas, PhD, Associate Professor Sociology, National University, LaJolla, CA

Veteran Mentoring Session Testimonials

Here's what 2008 TAA Conference attendees had to say about their mentoring sessions with veteran authors:

Guesna Dohrman

"I met with Andy Johnson and he was terrific. His advice was very practical and full of lots of down to earth ideas about doing a proposal of a commercial nature. I realized how awful my proposal (of which I was very proud) actually was. In trying to conform to standards for an academic proposal, I had actually made my project and me seem dull and uninteresting. He gave me many ideas for how to correct it."

— Guesna Dohrman, Professor of Mathematics, Tallahassee Community College

"I met with Andy Johnson from Mankato, MN. It was helpful. I heard from him a very basic message: What is it you wish to communicate? When you sit down to write, you need to have something to say. What is that? What is it that you think that the people you are writing for need to know that you know? What's your message?

You have to WANT to say that somthing. And you have to know just what it is. This came up time and time again during the conference, so I know it will guide my thoughts and approach to writing."

— Jane Karwoski, Adjunct Professor, Health Services Research, Psychology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

"My mentor session was fine, Fred Klein was very helpful and generous."

— Mark Graham, Art Education, Brigham Young University

"Lorna and I found value in the encouragement we received in the mentors telling their stories as writers who became successful. Work habits and motivation were also topics of discussion. Both mentors were very knowledgeable about getting published as textbook and academic authors. One even offered us some publishing opportunity in the near future. Unfortunately (!?), we can't think of anything that could be improved."

— Dr. Alex Zukas, Professor of History, Department of Social Sciences, College of Letters and Sciences, National University

"I really enjoyed the conference and very much benefited from my mentoring sessions. Ken Henson —15 minutes — was super helpful. He is so knowledgeable about all facets of academic authoring and so willing to share. I enjoyed his group session but really wanted to ask him some questions that I didn't think were a good use of group time. During the individual session, he answered a lot of questions that I had specific to my personal situation as a relatively new assistant prof. The one hour session with Tara Gray was also extremely helpful. She actually went over part of a paper draft that I brought to the session and showed me how to make it more cohesive and better organized. She also gave me a copy of her book which I love (compliments of TAA). They both gave me great tips and — more importantly — gave me hope that I can increase my productivity and the quality of my writing. I'd like to add that I really liked the lunch round table discussion — I sat with others who are new to higher ed and our facilitator was Andrew Johnson, also a very prolific and knowledgeable author. I learned a lot from him and others at the table during that informal session. Thanks for arranging groups and individual sessions to address so many different needs. Great conference!"

— Patricia Casey, Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership Program, Department of Teacher Education, College of Professional Education, Texas Woman's University