Friday, July 18, 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members (Zoom)

Join WMG Membership Co-Chair Georgia McBride for a virtual lunchtime networking event with professionals far and near. Participants will form genuine connections as they engage in "pass the mic" introductions, a "show and tell" to share meaningful stories, and (time permitting) a "pitch and pair" with another member to share information about current or dream projects to see if there is potential for collaboration. This is a cameras-on event that is sure to foster new friendships and enlightening conversation!

WMG’s Small Group Socials are a long-standing tradition and remain one of our most popular program series. This is a wonderful way to facilitate meaningful connections among members. If you have any specific questions, please reach out to the host directly. All member contact information can be found in the Member Directory.

Monday, July 21, 5:30-7:30 p.m. ET

Private Manhattan residence (Upper East Side). Complete address will be provided after registration.

WMG members only; $20 for members (covers cost of refreshments and snacks)

Searching for a way to transform your makeup routine without spending hours in front of the mirror? Emmy-nominated makeup artist and WMG member Janet Flora invites you to her apartment where she will share simple, effective ways to enhance your look using just a few key products. Janet will demonstrate techniques on select participants, as well as lead a short discussion on the pros and cons of drug store versus designer products. Light refreshments and snacks will be provided.

Refunds available up to 48 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 48 hours of the event.

WMG’s Small Group Socials are a long-standing tradition and remain one of our most popular program series. This is a wonderful way to facilitate meaningful connections among members. If you have any specific questions, please reach out to the host directly. All member contact information can be found in the Member Directory.

Tuesday, July 22, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15 for non-members (Zoom)

Audiobooks are the fastest-growing book segment of U.S. book publishing. In 2024, audiobook sales experienced double-digit growth rate, increasing 13% over 2023. And last month, the Audio Publishers Association released its annual consumer survey, showing that 51% of Americans have listened to an audiobook. Those are huge numbers, with the other 49% of readers primed for potential conversion to audiobook listening. The future is very bright for audiobooks!

In this program, we will focus on the various pieces of the audiobook production process: how do successful audiobooks get made? Our panel of accomplished experts will discuss the thought process behind deciding what to produce in audio; how to approach the production design; as well as casting, narrating, immersive audio, bonus content, and marketing assets. This program will be helpful for both publishing professionals in the audiobook world and independent authors and narrators interested in creating audiobook editions for the first time.

Speakers:

Dubbed “the Adele of Audiobooks” by The New Yorker, Julia Whelan is one of the top narrators of audiobooks and long form journalism recording today. She has performed over 700 audiobooks in all genres and has won scores of awards, including the 2025 Audie Award for Best Fiction Narrator for Kristin Hannah’s The Women. She was presented with Audiofile Magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Golden Voice Award in 2020, and this year she received the Gracie Awards’ first-ever audiobook honor. Whelan is also an acclaimed actor and an award-winning author of the international bestsellers My Oxford Year (which will premiere on Netflix next month), and Thank You For Listening, a Best of the Year pick at Amazon, Audible, and NPR. In 2024, she used her latest novel, the audio-first romance Casanova LLC, to launch her own audio publishing company and app, Audiobrary, which seeks to create a sustainable future for human storytelling. 

Julie Wilson is Director of Casting, Digital Production Platforms, and Strategic Partnerships at Penguin Random House Audio. She has worked with worldwide celebrities and bestselling authors on 1,500+ audiobooks across genres. Recent collaborations include working with Adam Grant, Jordan Peele, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Alicia Keys, Brandi Carlile, Seth Rogen, and The Tiny Chef. She created and developed the global voiceover casting platform Ahab Talent, which increases diverse casting options for content creators.

Marnye Young is Founder and CEO of Audio Sorceress (along with Managing Director Denise Black), an audiobook production house. She is also an award-winning narrator for New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling authors. A SAG-AFTRA voice, stage, and screen actor, she earned her MFA from the Geffen School of Drama at Yale University. She is also a member of WMG!

Moderator:

Jennifer A. Perry served as WMG President for three years, WMG Treasurer for one year, and remains an active member of the Board of Directors as President Emerita. She is Director of eCommerce Digital Content at Barnes & Noble and Executive Director of PEP Consulting, a content development company that creates educational content and experiences of all types for publishers, museums, and non-profit organizations.

This is a ✏️WMG Lunch & Learn✏️ event! WMG Lunch & Learns are part of a series of midday events designed to help you learn, grow, and connect in only 60 minutes. This presentation is fully interactive to give participants opportunities to share their voices. 

Refunds available up to 24 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 24 hours of the event.

Tuesday, July 22, 6:00 p.m. ET

M.M.LaFleur, 130 W 42nd St., floor 13, New York

WMG members only; free

Join Jodi Brockington, WMG Co-President, for an exclusive after-hours soirée to sip, style and socialize at M.M.LaFleur’s NYC Flagship. Back by popular demand, this event is about more than just shopping — it’s a style-forward power hour for camaraderie, creativity and closet upgrades.

Guests will enjoy the opportunity to:

• Sip cocktails and mingle with powerhouse WMG members

• Get personalized style advice from M.M.’s expert team

• Try on fabulous pieces designed by and for ambitious women

• Bring an “orphaned item” and receive professional advice on how to revive it.

Come for the fashion, stay for the fun — leave with exciting connections (and maybe a new favorite outfit).

All guests will receive $50 gift cards to use toward their purchase during the event.

WMG’s Small Group Socials are a long-standing tradition and remain one of our most popular program series. This is a wonderful way to facilitate meaningful connections among members. If you have any specific questions, please reach out to the host directly. All member contact information can be found in the Member Directory.

Wednesday, July 23, 6:30 p.m. ET

Private Manhattan residence (Upper West Side). Complete address will be provided after registration.

WMG members only; $10 for members (covers cost of refreshments)

The world of writing is constantly shifting, making it difficult to gain and sustain traction among audiences. Substackers, columnists, and essayists are invited to discuss the current literary landscape at the Manhattan apartment of WMG member and former Bloomberg columnist Vivia Chen while enjoying drinks and networking among fellow writing professionals. Refreshments will be provided.

Refunds available up to 48 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 48 hours of the event.

WMG’s Small Group Socials are a long-standing tradition and remain one of our most popular program series. This is a wonderful way to facilitate meaningful connections among members. If you have any specific questions, please reach out to the host directly. All member contact information can be found in the Member Directory.

Thursday, July 24, 5:00 p.m. ET

Red Horse by David Burke, 221 Main St., White Plains

WMG members only; cash bar, guests are responsible for their own food and drink

Join WMG member Catherine Cioffi for an evening of connection and conversation at the stylish and welcoming Red Horse by David Burke, where great food, creative cocktails, and even better company await! Whether you’re a longtime WMG member or new to the group, this is a perfect opportunity to catch up with colleagues, make new connections, and share a few laughs as we toast to summer.

Casual vibes, meaningful conversations, and a few surprises are in store. We can’t wait to see you there!

WMG’s Small Group Socials are a long-standing tradition and remain one of our most popular program series. This is a wonderful way to facilitate meaningful connections among members. If you have any specific questions, please reach out to the host directly. All member contact information can be found in the Member Directory.

Wednesday, August 6, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET

Free for WMG members; $15 for non-members (Zoom)

Writers, Journalists, Editors: AI is scary–we're worried about its impact on creativity, jobs, and copyright. But it can be a powerful tool for enhancing productivity, it's revolutionizing content creation, and it's here to stay. If used smartly, AI offers new possibilities for storytelling and content development, tools that enhance creativity and productivity, and provides practical application for workflow automation and efficiency.

How can you tap into AI as a collaborative tool that complements human skills in the editorial process? Here's your chance to hear from industry expert Erin Servais and ask her anything! Please submit your questions by July 30, 2025 and she'll answer them live! 

Bonus: Erin will share a discount code to her AI for Editors courses with all attendees. And she'll be raffling off a free enrollment in her Introductory AI for Editors class to one lucky guest!

About the speaker: 

Erin Servais helps editors upskill with artificial intelligence. She is the founder of AI for Editors, featured in Jane Friedman’s The Hot Sheet and Mignon Fogarty’s AI Sidequest newsletters. Erin has written about AI and editing for the Editorial Freelancers Association and the Independent Book Publishers Association, taught copyediting for the University of California, San Diego, and served on the board of ACES: The Society for Editing. A frequent speaker about AI in content development, Erin has presented for the Book Industry Study Group, the Center for Information-Development Management, the Canadian Association of Learned Journals, the Professional Editors Network, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Journalism and Media, among others. Since launching the AI for Editors courses and Servais Strategic Business Solutions AI education programs, Erin has trained more than 1,000 editors across 20+ countries on how to use AI tools safely and effectively in their publishing workflows.

This is a ✏️WMG Lunch & Learn✏️ event! WMG Lunch & Learns are part of a series of midday events designed to help you learn, grow, and connect in only 60 minutes. This presentation is fully interactive to give participants opportunities to share their voices. 

Refunds available up to 24 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 24 hours of the event.

Tuesday, August 12, 12:00 p.m. ET

Beasts & Butterflies (2nd floor of the M Social Hotel), 226 W. 52nd St., New York

WMG members only; cash bar, guests are responsible for their own food and drink

Don't miss this marvelous, memorable meetup where we connect, inspire and rise! Hosted by WMG President Emerita Kathy Sandler at the quirky Beast & Butterflies overlooking Times Square, this social is guaranteed to build and deepen meaningful connections with fellow members of the WMG community. Please bring cash or be prepared to Venmo to cover your portion of the bill.

WMG’s Small Group Socials are a long-standing tradition and remain one of our most popular program series. This is a wonderful way to facilitate meaningful connections among members. If you have any specific questions, please reach out to the host directly. All member contact information can be found in the Member Directory.

Friday, August 22, 11:49 a.m. ET

LIRR Long Beach Train Station, Long Beach

WMG members only; each guest is responsible for their own train fare, beach entry ($15), and any food or drink purchases

Let's enjoy the sunshine, books, and each other’s company this summer with a beach day at Long Beach, Long Island! Attendees will join WMG Co-President Jodi Brockington and Membership Co-Chair Jodie Cohen just a short train ride from the city for a day of tanning, swimming, and ice cream at Marvel on the boardwalk. We recommend you bring a towel, sunscreen, picnic lunch, and your favorite summer book.

Getting There from Manhattan: The Long Island Rail Road offers a 10:54 a.m. departure direct trip from Penn Station to Long Beach. You can also catch the 10:45 a.m. from Grand Central that includes a transfer at Jamaica. The cost is $21.50 roundtrip.

Getting There from Brooklyn: There is a 10:17 a.m. train from Atlantic Terminal with a transfer at Jamaica. The cost is $21.50 roundtrip.

WMG’s Small Group Socials are a long-standing tradition and remain one of our most popular program series. This is a wonderful way to facilitate meaningful connections among members. If you have any specific questions, please reach out to the host directly. All member contact information can be found in the Member Directory.