Mindy
Reed holds a Master of Library and Information Science degree
from the University of Texas at Austin, a Master of Liberal Arts degree
in Humanities from Southern Methodist University, and a Bachelor of Arts
degree in English and Business from Kansas State University. As well as
being the owner of The Authors' Assistant, Ms. Reed is a part-time reference
librarian for Austin Public Library. Prior to becoming a librarian, editor
and indexer, she was Director of Procurement and Marketing for Dell Computer
Corporation and Director of Corporate Re-engineering for Compaq Computer
Corporation.
She designed process flow and implementation for supply chain integration, managed the supplier base and negotiated high dollar contracts for the computer industry. She has traveled extensively in Europe and Asia and lived overseas from 1990-1992.
Ms. Reed is a member of the American Society of Indexers (ASI); Women in Scholarly Publishing (WISP); The Small Press, Artists and Writers Network (SPAWN); The American Book Cooperative, and The Writers’ League of Texas. She is a certified trainer for the National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI). For the last ten years she has been the facilitator for Writing From the Heart, a writing collective here in Austin. She leads a book club for the Austin Public Library and is a volunteer at the National Library Service, Recording for Blind Studio at the Texas State Library in Austin.
Mindy Reed has worked for private corporations and city government. She is a successful entrepreneur and accomplished writer. Her skills and experience in the workforce and her success in writing and publishing benefits her clients and students in their professional pursuits.
Stephanie Barko, Literary Publicist, is characterized by her authors as “tireless, meticulous, professional, friendly, effective, and impressive”. Her award-winning clients include traditional publishers and their authors, small presses, and independently published authors.
Ms. Barko was invited into the publishing industry after many years in high tech marketing. Stephanie’s education includes a BBA in Marketing from The University of Texas at Austin and a BA in Sociology from the University of St. Thomas in Houston. Ms. Barko is a member of the Writers’ League of Texas and Story Circle Network. In addition to serving clients, she presents at national conferences, moderates a book group, and participates in several writing circles.
Among Stephanie’s clients are 2009 Spur Award Winner John Nesbitt, 2008 Southwest Book Award Winner Paul Cool, Christy & 2008 Willa Award Winner Jane Kirkpatrick, and 2008 Book of the Year Winner Sandra Worth. Publishing partners include Random House, Penguin, Tor/Forge, Henry Holt, Dorchester, McFarland, Texas A&M Press, Truman State University Press, iUniverse and more.
Her own writing has been published in Western American Literature, Roundup Magazine, Hill Country Sun, The Animal Companion, Releasing Times, Story Circle Journal, Scribe, Kundalini Buzz, Book Marketing MattersTM and Texas Book Marketing Directory. A native Texan, Stephanie Barko has made Austin her home since 1990.
