Editors 2016


All faculty are available for free one-on-one 15-minute appointments!

Be sure to complete and return your Appointment Request form that you will receive when you register. For your appointments to be booked in the order that you registered, your form must be submitted online by July 8. That means early registrants do NOT need to rush. It is wise to wait until all the editorial needs are posted. All appointment requests must be received by July 25.
 

Barb Haley, our extraordinary Appointments Coordinator,
has prepared three charts (sample below) of
 
Editorial Needs

Paid Critiques

Areas of Expertise
Note: Info in the Areas of Expertise chart
has not been incorporated into the bios below.

 

Each chart is 9 pages and will help you to determine
which faculty members to choose for your free one-on-one appointments
and (if desired) paid critiques.
 

IMPORTANT
Be sure to also study the helpful info
under the One-on-Ones tab:

Appointments

Preparing for Appointments

Appointments – Making the Best Choices
 

 

Marlene Bagnull

 


Marlene Bagnull

Conference Director, Author
Publisher and Editor, Ampelos Press




Marlene is the director of the Colorado and the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conferences and the publisher/editor of Ampelos Press, a small subsidy house that helps Christians self-publish affordably yet professionally. She has over 1,000 sales to Christian periodicals and is the author of five books including Write His Answer - A Bible Study for Christian Writers. She is also the compiler/editor of four books.

Paid Critiques: Issues fiction.

Editorial NeedsAmpelos Press publishes only one or two titles a year. I am especially interested in helping authors self-publish books about missions and the needs of children such as The Place of the Mourning Doves - Reaching Out to Romanian Orphans and Benard's Vision - The Quest of a Kenyan Pastor. Also interested in publishing issues fiction.



Beth Brubaker  
 
Assistant Editor  
Ruby for Women Magazine

 



Beth is Assistant Editor and columnist at Ruby for Women Magazine. She also is a humorist, poet, and songwriter. Her work has won awards, and her first video was shown at the Colorado Christian Writers Conference as well as the Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference in 2014.            

Beth has worked with several magazines including Crafts and Cotton Spice, with an honorable mention in Writer’s Digest writing prompts. She has also won four awards at the West Branch Writer's Conference for every category she entered, winning two first place slots for Advanced Poetry and Blog Post, second place for Personal Experience, and third place for Children’s Story.            

Beth has been a Christian since her early twenties, and she has been married to her “Knight In Dented Armor” since 1997. Beth is the mother of two teenage children and three cats. (She still hasn’t told the cats they were adopted.) Her oldest child has Aspergers and helps her see things a little differently through his eyes. Beth’s passion is the written word. She shares her brand of humor with the world through poems, songs, and stories. She enjoys sharing her struggles and experiences, encouraging others to find their own passions and attain what they want out of life, and finding joy and humor along the way.

Editorial Needs: Ruby for Women seeks to provide a creative avenue of expression for new and experienced writers as we believe that God has given a voice to every Christian woman. Interesting solutions for family/kid issues, family fun, creative ideas for the home, personal stories of triumph. Also Christian living, Christian ministry and leadership, devotionals, family and parenting, humor, inspirational, marriage, memoir, prayer, and women’s interests. Poetry is accepted, but we prefer articles and stories.



Larry Carpenter

President & CEO
Christian Book Services, LLC
Carpenter’s Son Publishing
Clovercroft Publishing

 

Larry is President and CEO of Christian Book Services. He has served in the Christian publishing industry for almost thirty years, having served as President of Spring Arbor, VP of Thomas Nelson, and President of Standard Publishing. Under his two imprints of Carpenter's Son Publishing and Clovercroft Publishing, Carpenter's company has helped authors independently publish over 400 books. Through independent publishing, authors are able to publish books that are as well designed, edited, and printed as the traditional publishing houses. In addition, books are distributed by the major distributors and sold to the bookstores by their large sales force. But because the author is independently publishing the book, they have complete intellectual, creative, and editorial control over the book – something that they don't get in the traditional publishing model. 

Early Bird Workshop: Indie Publishing 101 (Wednesday, E9, 2:15 – 3:45)
Traditional publishing contracts are hard to get, and the author gives up creative and editorial control and doesn't own the intellectual rights to their book. Independent publishing provides a well designed and edited book, sales into the bookstores but gives the author control of the process.

Workshop: Effective Consumer Marketing (Saturday, 6F)
The hardest part of publishing is creating awareness and demand for your book. Whether you use a traditional publisher, independently publish or self-publish, you will be the one doing the marketing. We'll explore the "four pillars of marketing" – Leveraging Your Platform, Social Media, Publicity, and Paid Advertising.

Paid Critiques: Nonfiction (most genres), fiction (any genre), marketing plans.

Services: Cover design, layout, printing, independent publishing, marketing.

Editorial Needs: Nonfiction (most genres); fiction (any genre); children’s, tweens, YA, older teens (most genres).



Terrence Clark

Minister/Elder/Author/Cartoonist
Founder & Chief Editor
The Glory Cloud Publications, LLC
Voice of One Online 

Club K4C

Terrence is a also a certified Life Coach specializing in Christian coaching. He is the founder of The Victorious Life Coach. He received his coaching certificate from the Orange County School of Life Coaching. Terrence is an ordained minister and elder. He has been in ministry for over 33 years. He also served in corporate America at a major utility company in the northeast for 28 years. He did not seek to serve in the upper echelon of management because of ministry calling. However, he was named a part of that level of leadership in 1997 for godly and positive influence.

Terrence has been an inspiration to many people and is known by his faith-filled insight into the Word of God and the anointing to translate that into tangible revelation for those who desire to advance in their heavenly relationship. He publishes a news magazine that interviews church leaders and everyday Christians in their personal life impact to the church and community. He is also a music vocalist, playwright, and author. He has written and directed multiple skits and plays. He is the founder of a universal kids club. He is Prayer Director of the Breath of Life Prison Ministries; serves as an associate pastor, minister, and elder at two churches; and is in association with other like organizations.

Workshop: Reaching Kids with the Gospel (Thursday, 1D)
Only the Holy Spirit can reveal Jesus. We’ll explore our need to tap into the power, person, and presence of the Parakletos Himself in ministering to the needs of kids of all ages.

Editorial Needs: Nonfiction – testimonies over 500 words. Events, noteworthy causes, incidents, or personalities which would be informational to the church at large. 



Tamara Clymer

Founder & Publisher, CrossRiver Media Group
Award-winning Television and Newspaper Journalist
Speaker




Tamara is an award-winning television and newspaper journalist as well as a speaker and publisher. Born and raised in the Midwest, she earned a journalism degree from Kansas State University. After working for fifteen years in the television and newspaper industries, she felt it was time to use her writing skills to glorify God. In 2010, she founded CrossRiver Media Group – a Christian publishing company which has gone on to produce award-winning books including Christian Small Publishers of the Year and SELAH Award winners. Tamara encourages her authors to use social media as an important tool in placing their books in front of a new audience. She teaches writers to do the same at Christian writers conferences all across the country. Tamara has been married to her high school sweetheart, Shad, for more than twenty-five years. They have four children and live in western Kansas where they keep busy with their kids’ high school sports, church activities, and family camping trips to the mountains.

Workshop: Creative Marketing Plans (Thursday, 1F)
When publishers look at your proposal they want to know what you plan to do to market your book. They aren’t so much interested in your 500 Facebook friends or the 800 members of your local church. They need to know what you will do after you work through those lists to keep your book moving. Tamara will offer some specific ideas to move you outside of your marketing box and get your book noticed.

Workshop: Working Smarter with Social Media (Saturday, 5F)
With Facebook, Twitter, Pinterst, Google+, and Instagram all vying for our social media attention, it is easy to get caught up spending too much time marketing and not enough writing. Tamara will show you how to be more efficient and effective with your social media time. That way you can get back to doing what you love - writing.

Paid Critiques: Bible studies; book proposals; nonfiction (Christian living, devotionals, family and parenting, marriage, memoir, spiritual growth, women’s interests); fiction (biblical fiction, contenmporary, contemporary romance, historical, romance, romantic suspense, women’s fiction); blogging; creating a brand; marketing plans; website evaluation.

Editorial Needs: Nonfiction – We publish books for women on Christian living, family and parenting, marriage, spiritual growth, and Bible studies. Fiction – Biblical, contemporary (including contemporary romance), historical, romance, romantic suspense, women’s fiction. We are not taking children or YA at this time and are not considering memoir.



Cheri Cowell 

Owner & President of EABooks Publishing
Author, Speaker, and Sidewalk Theologian
www.CheriCowell.com

 

 

As owner and publisher of EABooks Publishing Cheri brings a unique blend of publisher and author experience to her company which benefits new, aspiring, and accomplished authors. As an author and speaker herself, with four traditionally published books including Parables and Word Pictures, a Bible study by AMG, and 365 Devotions for Peace by Thomas Nelson, she understands the traditional publishing world. She also has several books published by EABooks Publishing, including See For Yourself and Living the Story: Reaching Outside the Church Walls, so she is well versed in both sides of the partnership publishing world. Cheri is also a frequent contributor to several writers' magazines and blogs–Google her name.

Cheri began EABooks after learning how to get her own materials into e-book format.  With her passion of helping others see God’s Word come alive, she is excited to expand that mission by helping fellow authors take advantage of all the new publishing trends. Says Cheri, “Whether your vision is e-books, print, or audiobooks, we can help you expand your reach with the message God gave you.” Recently EABooks added editing and author marketing services to enhance the publishing experience and expand the reach of God’s messengers into the world. 

To date, EABooks Publishing has published 86 projects representing 46 authors. Cheri looks forward to meeting you to hear about your book and show you how EABooks Publishing can help make your publishing dreams come true. [email protected]  

Early Bird Workshop: Top 20 Tips for Dynamic Devotional Writing (Wednesday, E18, 4:45 – 5:45)
Are you presently writing devotionals for your friends or church and want to turn those into published pieces? Have you read a published devotion and thought, “I could have written that.” Having written over 600 devotions, Cheri will share her top twenty tips for developing and writing dynamic devotions that will sell.

Workshop: Mapping a Great Article (Saturday, 5B)
Learn the writer’s secret to article success—mapping. It’s a tool all good writers use when drafting their manuscripts to create one wining article after another. After this workshop, you will be one of those writers, too.

Paid Critiques: Nonfiction – most genres. Fiction – any genre. Children/YA –  activity books, articles, biographies, chapter books, devotionals, drama, early readers, graphic novels, memoir, middle grade fiction, nonfiction books, novels, picture books, short stories, tweens & older teens fiction. Other – creating a brand, skits and plays, poetry, screenplays, website evaluation.

Editorial Needs: Nonfiction and fiction – most genres. Children/YA – activity books, biographies, chapter books, devotionals, drama, early readers, graphic novels, memoir, middle grade fiction, nonfiction books, novels, picture books, short stories, tweens & older teens fiction. We specialize in – poetry, devotional, story collections, Bible study, children’s books (print & KDP if illustrated), young adult, drama, novella, memoir, out of print books.

EABooks Publishing is an ebook, short run print on demand, and audiobook partner for authors looking for a way to keep more of their profits and to capitalize on the growing do-it-yourself, Partnership Publishing model. EABooks Publishing does all of the technical and behind the scenes work so authors can focus on what they do best—writing. Whether an author wants an ebook on a Kindle, a few print copies to sell to family and make  available on Amazon, or an audiobook for iTunes, we are the premier partner in making those dreams come true. We also offer editing, illustrating, and marketing services. 



Amy Deardon
?
Author, Scientist, Former Skeptic
www.amydeardon.com
Publisher, Taegais Publishing LLC

 

 

Amy is an award-winning author, publisher, and budding online entrepreneur. She is eager to help writers take their words to the next level through story or nonfiction coaching/editing and guiding them through the self-publishing minefield. In her life B.C. (before children) she was a Ph.D. scientist under a different name who did bench research. Now married, she lives with her husband and two children near Washington D.C. 

Continuing Session: Indie Publishing
Hands-on workshops that walk you through the self-publishing process! Keep all rights and profits while you design and market your stunning new book…and keep your costs low. We’ll look at the process and pieces: interior formatting, where to find a cover designer, why POD printing is best, understanding ISBNs and CIP data, how to list your book on Amazon, and should you form your own publishing company. We’ll also review tips for marketing including Facebook and Twitter, good niche identification, and SEO optimization. Bring your back cover copy and a logline (15-25 word book description) to work on in class. You can do it!

Paid Critiques: Nonfiction – most genres. Fiction – any genre. 

Editorial Interests: We’re a small press and fairly full. Appointments and paid critiques can give feedback for manuscript organization and marketability (both fiction and nonfiction).


Catherine DeVries


Catherine DeVries
 
Publisher, Children’s Resources
David C. Cook
TheActionBible.com
Representative, Power for Living

Author

 

Catherine has spent over 20 years in Christian publishing. She was recently promoted to Publisher over children’s resources (books and curriculum) at David C. Cook. Formerly associate publisher and brand manager for the Action Bible series, Catherine is now publisher of Tru, Bible in Life (children), Echoes, Scripture Press, the Action Bible Collection, and all children’s books. She is also a bestselling author. Her books include Storytime: a 52-week Bible Storybook for Families, Let’s Learn about the Lord’s Prayer, and Let’s Learn about Psalm 23

Workshop: How to Get a Publisher to Notice Your Children’s Book Proposal (Thursday, 2E)
Sometimes the hardest part about getting a book off the ground Is making that initial contact with the publisher. Find out what publishers look for in a proposal, along with tips for what to avoid.

Paid Critiques: Children – activity books, devotionals, picture books.

Editorial Needs: Nonfiction – articles, poetry. Children/YA – activity books, devotionals, picture books. 

Looking for devotionals for children ages 6-10 and ages 12-15 (David C Cook Children’s Resources). Looking for illustrators of children’s books. For Power for Living quarterly publication looking for poetry and writers of feature articles. Click here for Writer’s Guidelines.



Pam Halter

Children’s Book Editor
Fruitbearer Kids
Freelance Editor, Author
www.pamhalter.com



Pam was a home-schooling mom for nine years and has been a children’s book author since 1995. She has published two picture books, Beatrice Loses Her Doll and Beatrice’s New Clothes (Concordia, 2001); articles (The War Cry, Fandangle Magazine); and devotions (three Cup of Comfort books, The Secret Place, For Better, For Worse, Making Eye Contact with God.) Pam is a member of ACFW and two writers groups. She is the children’s book editor for Fruitbearer Kids, and also does freelance editing. She received Writer of the Year in 2014 at the Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference and won the 2015 Reader’s Choice Award in the short story contest hosted by Realm Makers and Brimstone Fiction. 

In the ten years Pam has been editing picture books, several of the authors she's worked with have won awards. Most recently, Nickerbacher the Funniest Dragon by Terry Barto, won a Storymonsters Award and a Gold Mom's Choice award.

She enjoys quilting, reading, gardening, cooking, and playing the piano. Pam lives in Salem County, New Jersey, with her husband, daughter, and mother-in-law. 

First-Timer’s Orientation (Wednesday, 4:00 – 4:30)

Picture Book Mentoring Clinic – Read It Again, Please with Kim Sponaugle
Writing for kids is not easy.

*Authors have to keep kids interested and entertain the adult who will be reading to them.
*Authors need to write in such a way as to inspire an illustrator they may never meet.
*Illustrators need stories that create pictures in their minds.

Award-winning author/illustrator team, Pam Halter and Kim Sponaugle, love picture books! This clinic will break down the picture book process in such a way that participants will leave with a manuscript that is ready to submit to a traditional house or to self publish with confidence.

Paid Critiques: Picture books.

Editorial Interests: ?Fruitbearer Publishing LLC –  an independent publisher, is currently accepting fiction and nonfiction. For children: biographies, chapter books, early readers, graphic novels, middle grade fiction, nonfiction books, novels, and picture books. Distribution through Amazon and/or Ingram available. 

Fruitbearer Kids – Welcomes books for children that include faith, family, friends, and anything that relates to them. They don’t have to be overtly Christian, but they should have good morals from a Christian worldview and be well-crafted stories that teach children without them being aware they are learning and that have truth and faith woven within them and lots of fun and action. Our goal at Fruitbearer Kids is to produce stories that will engage, encourage, and entertain.

For our books that aren't overtly Christian: Life and Truth. Beauty and Goodness. Fun and Friendship. These are things which should be taught and celebrated. Children’s stories that don’t mention God by name, but show these things in an engaging way, are welcome at Fruibearer Kids.

We also love beautiful bedtime story books, and we welcome fresh, inventive story ideas. See http://fruitbearer.com/how-fruitbearer-kids-works/.


Marlene Bagnull



Rev. Rebecca Irwin-Diehl

Editor, Judson Press

 



Rebecca develops new book projects and loves the creative process involved. She works with an in-house team and, as she says, “inspiring and passionate authors who love the Word and words.”

Since earning her undergraduate degree in English writing she has worked in various capacities in publishing. As she explains, “Ever since I completed my master’s degree in theological studies, I have found an even more ideal niche in Christian publishing. Again, it is the wedding of my love for the Word with my love of words!”

“I’m excited about seeing increased synergy,” she continues, “between American Baptist Home Mission Societies’ vision of ‘Transforming Leadership, Transforming Lives’ with Judson’s longstanding commitment to equipping pastors and lay leaders to effect personal and congregational change—in the church and in the world.”

Ordained in 2009 to the American Baptist publishing ministries, Rebecca is committed to seeing Judson Press thrive as a leading publisher of practical and inspirational resources, especially for pastors and for the multicultural church.

Other than work interests, she enjoys viewing her extensive DVD collection, reading, attending Broadway and regional theatre, and collaborating with her musician husband, Nathan, on their own original musicals. A member and associate minister with Second Baptist Church of Germantown, Philadelphia, Pa., Rebecca is involved in teaching ministries and the gospel choir. She and Nathan have three sons, Ryan, Christopher, and Jackiel, and one cat, Tameeka Joy.

Workshop: Publishing for African American Christians (Thursday, 1E)
Explore current trends in African American publishing and in the black church, and discuss the options and opportunities for African American authors. Presented by the acquiring editor for Judson Press, which Publisher’s Weekly observes “has long been the publishing authority on the lived experience of African American Christianity.”

Pastors Write: Reduce, Recycle, and Reuse! (Friday, 2:15 – 4:15)
Reduce your lengthy sermon illustration to an inspirational devotion. Recycle your biblical research or powerful exhortation in an article for magazines, websites, and journals. Reuse your sermon or series in a journal or compilation. For preachers and other speakers, offering tips for repackaging practical wisdom and creating resources for Christian education, discipleship, worship, and more! 

Editorial Needs: No fiction, poetry, memoir, personal experience, or biography. Christian living, Christian education and curriculum, Christian ministry and leadership, cultural and contemporary issues, devotionals, evangelism, family and parenting, inspirational, marriage, prayer, spiritual growth, and women’s issues. Primary interest in pastoral resources, discipleship, social justice, Baptist identity, multicultural (African American, Latino, Asian).



Eddie Jones

Founder and CEO
Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas
Co-founder, Christian Devotions Ministries
Author, www.EddieJones.org

 

Eddie is Founder and CEO of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas and co-founder of Christian Devotions Ministries. He is also an award-winning novelist of middle-grade fiction for boys with HarperCollins.

Workshop: Using Goodreads for Book Promo (Friday, 4F)
Announce your book launch and giveaways, showcase positive reviews, build a tribe of readers, and expand your brand. How to set up your account, post ads, and more.

Editorial Interests: LPC Books launched its general book publishing division in 2007. Our authors include Christy Award winners, debut novelists, and nonfiction writers. When our fiction titles project an agenda (and all novels have some agenda), they point to moral truths and characters with strong beliefs about what’s right and wrong. Our imprints include: Heritage Beacon Fiction (historical fiction); Firefly Southern Fiction (southern fiction); Bling! Romance (clean romance with something extra); Candlelight Romance (contemporary inspirational romance); Guiding Light Fiction (women’s fiction); Brimstone Fiction (speculative fiction/fantasy); Straight Street Books (general nonfiction including Christian living, culture and contemporary issues, family and parenting, humor, inspirational, marriage, prayer, spiritual growth, spiritual warfare, and women’s issues); and SonRise Devotionals. In 2016 we plan to launch our Lamplighter Mysteries imprint, so if you have a cozy mystery or general murder mystery we’d love to meet with you.

We’re actively seeking cozy murder mysteries and Christian suspense. Please, no Amish. I see a lot of memoirs and stories of individuals wounded and overcoming adversity. Projects like this make great self-published books, but unless you’re well known (think Beth Moore), books of this nature are hard to sell into the general market.

Additional fiction interests include action and adventure, contemporary, contemporary suspense, futuristic, issues fiction, legal and political thrillers, literary fiction, novellas, romantic suspense, science fiction, suspense, suspense and thriller, thriller and mystery, thriller and spernatural. 

Children & YA – devotionals, nonfiction books, novels, tweens fiction, YA fiction.



Susan King      

Associate Editor
The Upper Room magazine

 

 

Susan has been with The Upper Room magazine for over twenty years while at the same time teaching English at Lipscomb University. Formerly she taught English and feature-writing classes at Biola University and Abilene Christian University, served as book editor and radio-program producer/on-air talent for The Institute of Scriptural Psychology, and wrote magazine features as a freelance writer. Susan and husband, Joe, have three adult children and two young grandsons (both perfect, of course!)

Continuing Session: It’s All About Style – Achieving Excellence in Writing
A crash course in excellent writing for any genre, this class focuses on the essential elements of good style: using concrete, specific language that is clear, concise, and direct and increasing the impact by creating memorable sensory images. You will leave with tools for self-editing to produce polished works that editors will happily publish. Plus you’ll learn to apply the techniques of excellent style to writing a devotional for The Upper Room.

Paid Critiques: Book proposals, devotionals.

Editorial Needs: Christian living, devotionals, personal experience, and poetry. The Upper Room is a global ministry dedicated to supporting the spiritual formation of Christians seeking to know and experience God more fully. From its beginnings as a daily devotional guide, The Upper Room has grown to include publications, programs, prayer support, and other resources to help believers of all ages and denominations move to a deeper level of faith and service.



Tracey M. Lewis-Giggetts
Writer, Educator, English Professor
Founder & Publisher, New Season Books

?

 

As a writer and educator, Tracey offers those who hear her speak and read her work an authentic experience; an opportunity to explore the intersection of identity (race, class, and culture) and faith at the deepest levels. She is a professor of English at the Community College of Philadelphia, a highly sought after speaker, and the Founder/Publisher of NewSeason Books (NSB), an independent publisher of what Tracey calls  “transformational literature."

As a writer, Tracey is the author of nine books including The Integrated Church: Strategies for Multicultural Ministry (Beacon Hill). Additionally, her writing on race and faith has been published in local, regional, and national print and online publications such as The Guardian, UrbanFaith.com, The Chronicle for Higher Education, Ebony.com, Ministry Matters, TheRoot.com, and more.

Pastors Write: Reconciled One to Another – Ministry in the Age of #BlackLivesMatter (Friday, 10:45 – 11:45)
The Body of Christ is most effective when all its parts are working at its maximum potential. As a result, we should be the greatest advocate for cultural and racial diversity and reconciliation in all of society. In the age of social media and digital publication, it is increasingly becoming the responsibility of the church to voice its role in social justice and political issues and to do so in a way that doesn’t compromise the Gospel but actively inserts a Christ-centric perspective into the global conversation. This workshop will equip pastors and ministers with the necessary practical and spiritual tools to appropriately and effectively extend both their evangelism and ministry efforts beyond conventional boundaries—particularly as it relates to the intersectional issues of race and faith.

Workshop: Reconciled (Friday, 4G)
How to give voice to the Church’s role in social justice and political issues in a way that doesn’t compromise the Gospel but actively inserts a Christ-centric perspective into the global conversation.

Paid Critiques: Nonfiction – most genres. Fiction – any genre. Blogging. 

Editorial Needs: Currently seeking boundary breaking fiction and nonfiction (especially memoir) for publication. 



Jeff McDonald

Managing Editor
Salvation Army National Publications

 




Jeff has been involved in the publications ministry of The Salvation Army for 30 years. In addition to serving as the managing editor of the Salvation Army’s national publication he has contributed features, articles, and interviews while taking part in ancillary projects such as website development and the Army’s book publishing ministry. He has been recognized by the Evangelical Press Association for reporting/interviewing. He has also worked as a freelance writer, editor, designer, and is the author of a series of nonfiction books for preteens.

Workshop: What Would God Have Us Say? Values for the 21st Century (Thursday, 2G)
How do we respond to God’s calling to communicate truth in a postmodern world marked by a confluence of forces including pluralism, syncretism, and doubt? This workshop will focus on trends, themes, ideas, and points of view with which the Christian can actively engage the culture.

Paid Critiques: Nonfiction – apologetics, articles, culture and contemporary issues, humor, inspirational, spiritual growth.

Editorial Needs: Articles and short stories (up to 1200-1500 words). Looking for manuscripts that are not overtly moralistic or manipulative, but that demonstrate how faith and life intersect. Nonfiction topics: Christian living, culture and contemporary issues, evangelism, family and parenting, humor, inspirational, marriage, spiritual growth, and women’s issues. Fiction topics: most any genre including contemporary, issues, and women’s. Articles for children, YA, and older teens.



Nina Newton

Senior Editor
Ruby for Women Magazine

 

 

 

When all of Nina’s four older children were in school, she returned to college as a “non-traditional student.” Eventually, she earned degrees in Classics and Philosophy, and a graduate degree in Medieval Studies: History of Theology.

After teaching at a small community college in Michigan for seven years, Nina and her husband were blessed with the adoption of two beautiful daughters, Gracie and Annie. Gracie is 15 years old and Annie is 13. They were both born in China. Nina and her husband were able to travel to China two times to bring their daughters home. They live in northern Indiana in a small farming community where Nina works on Ruby for Women in her home office. As Senior Editor for Ruby for Women blog and magazine, she offers an opportunity for new and aspiring writers to share their stories. She also offers freelance editing services through Creative Life Editing. As a teacher, her editing approach is to provide guidance and instruction for her writers so that they can develop confidence to find their own voice and tell their stories.

For several years Nina has offered her handmade and refashioned garments and accessories in a local boutique under the creative name of “Vintage Mama’s Cottage.” Her personal blog is at www.mamaslittletreasures.com.  

Workshop: Telling Your Story, Right from the Heart! (Thursday, 2D)
Guidance and encouragement for new writers or writers who have been searching for opportunities to tell their stories. Ruby for Women is a place for story telling, and every story is important. have a story to tell.

Workshop: Digital Publishing (Friday, 3E)
Learn how to take your manuscript from a Word document to a digital document that can be published online, including sources for images, formatting information, and conversion to digital publishing.

Editorial Needs: Ruby for Women seeks to provide a creative avenue of expression for new and experienced writers as we believe that God has given a voice to every Christian woman. Nonfiction – articles, Bible studies, Christian living, culture and contemporary issues, devotionals, familiy and parenting, inspirational, marriage, poetry, prayer, spiritual growth, women’s interests, blogging. Fiction – biblical fiction. Children & YA – biographies.                 


Chris Richards
Young Adult Managing Editor
Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas
Author
www.passingthequill.com

 

Chris is the Young Adult Managing Editor for Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. She has been writing all her life for both herself and others. In her debut novel, Shattered Trust, she combines her years as a police and Army wife with her belief anything is possible if people work together to fulfill God’s will for their lives. Several of her short stories have appeared in anthologies including “Steps to the Abbey” in Whitby Abbey – Pure Inspiration published by English Heritage and “New Matters” in Lift As You Climb published by Regal Innovations.

Chris is the founder of WAY – Words and Youth, conferences for teenage writers. These quarterly events encourage young writers and help them build a writing community among their peers.

She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Words for the Journey, Colorado Independent Publishers Association, and Writers on the Rock. When speaking at conferences and for writers groups she includes the craft of writing and getting published as well as the importance of writing the message on an author’s heart to share with readers.

Her hobbies include photography, reading, needlework, and experimenting with painting and drawing. She likes to spend time with her family traveling throughout her home state of Colorado as well as exploring the rest of the United States and other countries as she searches for story ideas and characters.

Chris’s passion is to encourage and uplift others, especially writers and military/paramilitary spouses.

Early Bird Workshop: Journaling Your Story (Wednesday, E4, 1:00 – 2:00)
Creatives are touched by many types of art. Join me in trying to build your story and boost your creativity using other arts in combination with writing.

Paid Critiques: Fiction – all genres. Children/YA – middle grade fiction, children/YA novels, tweens & older teens fiction.

Editorial Needs: Children/YA – middle grade fiction, novels, tweens and older teens fiction.

Looking for well written stories to entertain and encourage both middle school and teen readers.


Cindy K. Sproles      
Executive Editor, Christian Devotions.us
Managing Editor, SonRise Devotionals & Straight Street Books,
Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas
Editor, www.DevoKids.com
Representative, Kregel Publications     
Author, Speaker
www.cindysproles.com


Cindy is the Executive Editor for ChristianDevotions.us, Inspireafire.com and is the managing editor for Straight Street Books and SonRise Devotionals, both imprints of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. Cindy speaks and teaches across the country at writers conferences and women’s conferences. She is the director of the Asheville Christian Writers Conference in Asheville, NC.

Cindy is also a best-selling author and speaker whose dream is to do nothing more than craft words that speak from the heart. God’s plan seems to be for her to write email devotionals, but God is expanding her horizons. In the meantime . . . she writes and speaks.

She’s a mountain gal, born and raised in the Appalachian Mountains where life is simple, words have a deep southern drawl, and colloquialisms like, “well, slap my knee” and “corn pone” seem to take precedence over proper speech. Apple butter, coal mining, the river, pink sunrises, and golden sunsets help you settle into a porch swing and relax. Family, the love of God, and strong morals are embedded into her life in the mountains.

Teaching writers, spinning fiction tales about life in the mountains, history, and down home ideas find their way into all she does. She loves to write devotions, to seek after the deeper side of Christ, and to share the lessons He teaches her from life in the hills of East Tennessee. She is a writer. A speaker. A lover of God’s Word and friend to all.

Early Bird Workshop: Ten Most Common Writing Blunders (Wednesday, E16, 4:45-5:45)
This workshop teaches new writers how to look for and how to correct the ten most common errors in writing. Covering point of view, resist the urge to explain, dialogue, and more, The Ten Most Common Writing Blunders is the perfect way to hone your writing.

Paid Critiques: Nonfiction – Christian living, devotionals, inspirational. Fiction – historical, southern.

Editorial Needs:  ChristianDevotions.us is always looking for good writers. One of our goals as a ministry is to offer the opportunity to be published to new writers.

Devokids.com: Devotionals. See http://devokids.com/write-for-us/

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas: Nonfiction – Christian Living, Devotionals, Inspirational. Fiction – Historical, southern, women’s fiction. 

Kregel Publications: Non-Fiction – Apologetics, Bible Studies, Biographies, Christian Living, Culture/Contemporary Issues, Devotionals, Evangelism, Family/Parenting, Inspirational, Marriage, Memoir, Spiritual Growth, Women’s Interests. Fiction: Biblical fiction, Historical, Issues Fiction, Romance, Romantic Suspense. Children/YA: Activity Books, Biographies, Chapter books, Devotionals, Middle Grade Fiction, Novels, Tweens Fiction, Older Teens/YA Fiction.

Works that address a popular audience by relating the Bible to everyday life. Prominent on this list are works for moms and women, Bible studies or other books that relate truth to life, fiction, and books for young readers. We’re also looking for books that will help 20-something Christians and “seekers” relate to the culture around them.

A category that does particularly well for us is self-help. Two examples of books that are selling well are Hope After Betrayal by Meg Wilson, which deals with a husband’s sexual addiction; and Autism’s Hidden Blessings: Discovering God’s Promises for Autistic Children and Their Families by Kelly Langston.

Fiction should be fresh, have a believable story line, and feature characters who engage life realistically and biblically. In something of a departure for us, we are looking for historical fiction that features a romantic element. We also will consider romantic suspense. We aren’t looking for contemporary fiction at this time.

While it would need to be exceptionally strong, we are willing to consider fiction for older teens and young adults.

We are not interested in receiving picture-book proposals.

For our Kregel Ministry line we are looking for works that facilitate the study and teaching of the Bible. These books should reflect the needs and interests of a broad evangelical audience.



Marjorie Vawter

Representative, Wings of Hope Publishing
Editor & Proofreader, The Writer’s Tool Editing
Assistant to Conference Director
Author
www.marjorievawter.com 

 

Marjorie is a full-time freelance editor and writer. She is the author of many published devotionals, several devotional books, articles, and book reviews, plus three novellas and a full-length nonfiction book. As the assistant to the conference director for the Colorado and Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conferences, Marjorie has to opportunity to work with publishers, editors, agents, and publicity directors, as well as other writers. She is Mom to two adult children and a daughter-in-love and Grandma to a granddaughter and a grandson (both perfect!!), Marjorie recently moved back to Colorado and lives with her husband, Roger, and cat, Sinatra, in the Denver metro area (near those two perfect grandchildren!). 

Workshop: Confusing Commas and Other Puzzling Punctuation (Friday, 3B)
Have you give up trying to understand the rules . . . and the exceptions? A hands-on workshop to equip you to self-edit your work.

Paid Critiques: Nonfiction – articles, Bible studies, books, book proposals, Christian living, devotionals, personal experience stories and articles, prayer, spiritiaul growth, spiritiual warfare, women’s interests. Fiction – any genre. YA & older teens fiction.

Editorial Needs: Historical fiction (I will look at most nonfiction and fiction genres, children’s & YA).



Bill Watkins
Author
Senior Editor
BroadStreet Publishing Group
President, Literary Solutions

 

 

Bill is is the president of Literary Solutions and senior editor at BroadStreet Publishing Group. He is an award-winning author with 7 published books and about 150 other kinds of writing, including essays, articles, dictionary entries, booklets, pamphlets, study guides, book reviews, and opinion pieces. In his editing work, which has often included book acquisitions, he has worked with Thomas Nelson, Marvel, Bethany House, Baker Books, Chalice Press, Moody Press, NavPress, Broadman & Holman, Authentic, BroadStreet, Servant, and the American Center for Law and Justice. He loves to teach and mentor aspiring writers, and he has worked with hundreds of writers, helping a large number of them find publishing homes for their manuscripts. In his 35-plus years in publishing, he has worked with such authors as Mike Huckabee (the former governor of Arkansas), William Bennett (the former US Secretary of Education), Charles R. Swindoll, Josh McDowell, Norman L. Geisler, Leslie Vernick, Paula Rinehart, William Lane Craig, J. P. Moreland, Dallas Willard, Peter Kreeft, Gary Habermas, Cecil Murphey, Jo Kadlecek, and George Grant. Bill is married and has 7 adult children and 6 grandchildren. He enjoys reading, movies, deep conversations, dating his wife, playing with his grandkids, and teaching every chance he gets.

Clinic: Developing Your Nonfiction Book
In this hands-on clinic, you will learn the 6 most important questions to ask in developing a nonfiction book and get the help you need to answer those questions. We’ll work on your book’s focus, table of contents, and opening chapter to help ensure that your book will reach its intended audience with the message you wish to present.

Paid Critiques: Nonfiction – academic, apologetics, book proposals, culture/contemporary issues, spiritual growth, history.

Editorial Needs: Nonfiction – Most genres including apologetics, Bible studies, biographies, Christian living, culture/contemporary issues, devotionals, family/parenting, gift books, health, humor, inspirational, marriage, memoir, prayer, spiritual growth, women’s interests. Fiction – Any genre.

Must be stellar story-telling and excellent writing.
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