Meet the folks who MAKE IT ALL HAPPEN

 

THE BOOK INCUBATOR is more than just Mary & Rufi!

 
 
 

We’ve got an entire team of experienced writers, support staff, and artistic geniuses who help us help you during your 12 months in our program.

LET’S MEET THEM, SHALL WE?

 

LEAD INSTRUCTORS

Greg Marshall

  • Hi, I’m Greg! I’m the author of Leg: The Story of a Limb and The Boy Who Grew from It (2023) and The Book Incubator’s current memoirist-in-residence. I’m a National Endowment for the Arts Fellow in Prose and graduate of the Michener Center for Writers. My work has appeared in The Best American Essays and been supported by MacDowell and the Corporation of Yaddo. I live with my husband, our son, and our dog in Austin, TX.

Mary Adkins

  • Mary bio

Rufi Thorpe

  • Rufi bio here

 

EDITORS

Emma Dries

  • Hello! I am a writer and editor, and an agent at Triangle House Literary. I have worked in editorial at several Big Five publishers, including Alfred A. Knopf, Doubleday Books and Ecco. I have a BA in History from the University of Chicago and an MFA in Fiction from Johns Hopkins.

    I write about travel, climate and books, and am at work on a novel. My writing has been published in Outside, Lit Hub, Bookforum, Dwell and I was the finalist for the Boston Review 2021 Aura Estrada Short Story Contest.

    I grew up in Lower Manhattan, above the Fulton Fish Market, and now live in the Hudson Valley.

Ashley Strosnider

  • I’ve edited dozens of titles across genres for numerous presses, and I’m the former Managing Editor of the literary journal Prairie Schooner. I received my MFA in Creative Writing from the University of South Carolina, where I was a James Dickey Fellow. My own work has appeared in Monkeybicycle, Joyland, and New South, among others. When I’m not editing or writing, I’m probably watering any of my 40+ houseplants or watching hockey.

Lucas Schaefer

  • My debut novel The Slip (Simon & Schuster) was the winner of the 2025 Kirkus Prize for Fiction. It was also a national bestseller, one of Washington Post’s 10 Best Books of 2025, one of New York Times Book Review’s 100 Notable Books of 2025, and a NBCC John Leonard Prize Finalist, among other honors. I earned an MFA in Creative Writing from UT Austin and a BA from Duke, where Mary and I met as freshmen and began a lifetime of mischief. I live in Austin with my husband, the writer Greg Marshall, our son Oscar, and our dog Zeus, who is tied with Alle’s dog for best dog in the world.

 

Andrea Robinson

  • A freelance editor based in New York, I spent over a decade as an acquiring editor at Penguin Random House, where I worked on bestselling titles such as Samantha Irby's We Are Never Meeting in Real Life and Jennifer McMahon's The Winter People. Before that, I was part of the team at The Book of the Month Club, where I evaluated thousands of titles for club inclusion. Books I’ve edited have appeared on the bestseller lists of ThNew York Times, USA Today, and ABA IndieBound.

Alle Mudrick

  • I’m the Founder and Chief Publisher of Third Rail Press, an independent publishing house devoted to sharing the untold stories from women’s lives. I’m the author of the memoir Blue Hour Homecoming: Finding Life on the Fringes of Reproduction, which is a 2026 finalist for the Independent Book Publishers Association Bill Fisher Award for Best First Book. I live in New Mexico with my three children and the best dog in the world.

Lindsay Ribar

  • I spent nearly a decade with literary agency Sanford J. Greenburger Associates, where I worked with a wide range of clients from Big Five authors and self-published authors. As an author myself, I have also published four YA novels: The Art of Wishing duology (Penguin Random House); The Pros of Cons (Scholastic); and Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies (Penguin Random House), which was nominated for an Andre Norton Nebula Award. HarperCollins will publish my next book, a queer YA horror novel, in summer 2027. While I have worked editorially across a wide range of genres, my sweet spots are Sci Fi, Fantasy, and anything Young Adult. 

 

Hannah Brattesani

  • Hi, I’m Hannah! I’ve spent my career advocating for authors; first as a literary agent, and now at Simon & Schuster, where I help bring overlooked and out-of-print books to new generations of readers.

    As Backlist Manager at Simon & Schuster, I oversee the flagship imprint’s celebrated library of backlist titles, including works by Ray Bradbury, Larry McMurtry, and Hunter S. Thompson. I also acquire and publish adult fiction and nonfiction, with a special interest in rediscovering overlooked or out-of-print books. Before joining Simon & Schuster, I was a literary agent and Director of International Rights at The Friedrich Agency. Earlier in my career, I led the foreign rights team at Folio Literary Management and got my start at the Emma Sweeney Agency.

    Originally from Edinburgh, Scotland, I graduated from the University of St Andrews, where I received the Douglas Dunn Award for Creative Writing.

    From scouting writers and selling translation rights to reissuing decades-old novels, I’ve had the privilege of supporting authors at every stage of their publishing journey.

 

SUPPORT TEAM

Liz Pickart

  • Hi! I am a published author of 25 children's stories and 2 Chicken Soup for the Soul stories. My debut middle-grade novel, Premonition: The Gift, was released in May 2024 under my pen name, E.C. Quinn. I’m currently querying my first adult novel, a psychological thriller.

    When I’m not writing or working with writers in The Book Incubator™️, I enjoy reading, running, traveling with my husband to visit our kids and extended family, and hanging out with our menagerie of pets, including one energetic rescue dog and three cats (two sweet as pie, one naughty as can be).

Stephanie Webb

  • Hi! My debut novel, MAGGIE MAYBE, will be published by Gallery Books (an imprint of Simon & Schuster) in early 2028.

    I have my BA in English Literature and my MS in Holistic Nutrition, and I wrote my first novel In The Book Incubator before joining the team.

    I live with my husband and three teenage kids in New Mexico. I’m obsessed with good books, and I share everything I read on Instgram @heystephwebb.

Connie Richardson

  • Hi! I write middle grade and young adult fiction. My debut young adult novel, Rapid City Summer, was released on May 1, 2025. As a middle school English teacher and cross country/track coach, I love writing for these age groups.

    I’ve published articles and blog posts for the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and Scribbler.

    While a member of The Book Incubator™, I won Scribbler’s Synopsis competition.

    When I am not working or writing, I enjoy reading, running, fishing (especially fly fishing and ice fishing!), and making delicious meals for my friends and family. I love sharing what I’ve learned with writers.Hi! I write middle grade and young adult fiction. My debut young adult novel, Rapid City Summer, was released on May 1, 2025. As a middle school English teacher and cross country/track coach, I love writing for these age groups.

    I’ve published articles and blog posts for the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and Scribbler.

    While a member of The Book Incubator™, I won Scribbler’s Synopsis competition.

    When I am not working or writing, I enjoy reading, running, fishing (especially fly fishing and ice fishing!), and making delicious meals for my friends and family. I love sharing what I’ve learned with writers.

Joèl Adrienne Amzil

  • Hi! My name sounds like "Joelle" and I graduated from The Book Incubator in September of 2023. I'm very happy to join as Writer Support Specialist and mentor.

    I have a bachelor's degree in sciences and a master's degree in the arts and I've worked in an almost comically diverse range of fields over the last 3+ decades. I'm currently a business owner, mom of two dancers, and a servant of two needy, but glorious, pugs.

    I am an enthusiastic reader and writer of YA novels, and I enjoy that the genre helps make me feel younger than I actually am. With the wisdom and support of The Book Incubator, I actually have a real book completed that is ready to go out into the world.

    When I'm not working, writing, or driving my girls to the dance studio, I love to plan and take vacations. My favourite places are Hakodate, Ubud, Essaouira, and the 5th arrondissement of Paris. I also make sure to appreciate the fact that my little spot in the Vancouver, BC area pretty much feels like a permanent vacation with the mountains and sea always in view.

Stephanie Gray

  • Hello! I’m a writer and journalist, getting my start as a magazine editor back in the aughts! The Book Incubator™ program helped me immensely as I navigated the challenges revising my first manuscript, and I’m thrilled that I now get to help other aspiring authors.

    I have a bachelor’s of journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University, completed two certifications in Mindfulness Meditation from the University of Toronto, and a certificate in Wellness Counseling from Cornell.

    I write a Substack about mindset for writers and have written for Glamour, Elle Canada, Chatelaine, Toronto Life and more. I live in a small town just outside of Toronto with my husband and our daughter, and in my spare time you’ll likely find me in nature, baking, or planning my next trip.

Israt “Izzy” Pasha

  • Hi! I produce Mary’s podcast, The First Draft Club. As passionate media production specialist, I’ve spent over a decade creating, producing, and consulting on educational content for all ages.

    My work includes brand design, graphic design, motion graphics, interactive ed-tech, podcast production, and video production.

    With a BS in Web Design and a BA in English Writing, I love to use both my technical and creative skills to bring new ideas to life.

    When I’m not working, you'll find me rearranging my home for the hundredth time.

 

We’d love to support you in writing your book. Come join us inside The Book Incubator™!

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