Carol Baldwin

Carol Baldwin is a freelance writer in Charlotte, NC; her most recent book is Teaching the Story: Fiction Writing in Grades 4-8 (Maupin House, 2008). She has presented at library, writing, and reading conferences; taught at her local community college; and coordinated the Charlotte SCBWI critique group for more than 15 years. She co-authors Talking Story, a newsletter devoted to literacy; and is writing her first historical mid-grade novel. You can read her book reviews and thoughts about writing at www.carolbaldwinblog.blogspot.com. The three Gs in her life are gardening, grandchildren, and learning how to golf.

Robbie Goodall Boman

Tennessee native Robbie Goodall Boman is a longtime Upstate South Carolina resident. Her first book Miracles of South Carolina – True Stories of Grace in the Palmetto State is now in its third printing. More Miracles of South Carolina – New Stories of Grace in the Palmetto State released in 2010.

For almost 15 years Mrs. Boman was an adjunct English instructor at North Greenville University. Earlier, she wrote for The Orangeburg Times & Democrat and The Greenville News.

Once agnostic, she now serves in lay prayer ministry at Buncombe Street United Methodist Church and Triune Mercy Center, an outreach to the homeless in Greenville. She and husband Harold have been married 35 years and have two children.

Carol Crane

Carol Crane lives in Holly Springs, North Carolina. As a historian, she loves looking through the kaleidoscope of the past and present. She has taken writing and visual journeys through many states. She enjoys imagining her Swedish ancestors coming to this country on the Kalmar Nyckel, building log cabins and starting the first Swedish church in Wilmington, Delaware.

Carol also writes about our 50 United States. She explores the flora and fauna, the geography, the history, the symbols of each state, and the heroes and patriots of this great country. She also loves to stop at historical markers reading and writing about the events that have taken place there so she can weave them into her manuscripts.

Engaging children and adults to look beyond the obvious to learn and write what they see, feel, and hear has been the focal point of her speeches at national and state conventions. Carol especially enjoys speaking at nursing homes and churches where her senior citizen audiences can say, “I remember that.”

Joyce Hostetter

Joyce Moyer Hostetter is an educator who has worked with children in a variety of settings – public school, camp, church, and homeschool groups. She began her freelance career by writing Sunday School and Vacation Bible School Curriculum for both adults and children. Combining love of story with her fondness for young people; she now writes juvenile novels.

Joyce also co-publishes Talk Story, a newsletter about reading and writing for teachers, librarians and readers in general. She lives with her husband in North Carolina where they enjoy their two adult children and seven grandchildren. When she’s not writing she’s usually researching or learning to use the web as a marketing tool! You can visit Joyce at www.joycemoyerhostetter.com or www.joycemoyerhostetter.blogspot.com.

Kay Mortimer

Kay K. Mortimer is a freelance writer and licensed tax professional who lives in Aiken, SC with her husband. She writes for a local newspaper, as well as nonfiction devotions, meditations, and Bible studies. She is a member of the SC Writers Workshop. Kay is a deacon at River of Life Church in Aiken, serves as chairman-elect of the Midland Valley Chamber of Commerce, is the accountant for the Aiken Community Playhouse, and serves on the Board of Directors of SCNATP. Her greatest passion is teaching and sharing the Word of God, helping Christians to grow and be encouraged in the faith.

Kim Peterson

Kim Peterson is writer-at-large for Bethel College in Mishawaka, Indiana. She has taught writing for 18 years, mentoring students who seek careers in writing, editing and publishing. She also leads a productive online writers group affiliated with the college.

Kim mentors writers through the Jerry Jenkins Christian Writers Guild, and she reviews books for CBA Retailers+Resources, Salem Press and Young Adult Books Central.

Working as a freelancer for 32 years, Kim has written for several Indiana newspapers and various periodicals, including AppleSeeds, Encounter, Evangel, Vista and devotional markets. Her work has been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul, Rocking Chair Reader, and other anthologies. She loves writing for children.

Kim says of her own childhood, “My mom made reading a priority. She surrounded me with books… When my morning chores were finished, she let me disappear up our cherry trees with a good book and a thermos of juice. I don’t climb trees to read any more, but I can still disappear into a great story.”

Cheryl Reid

For several years Cheryl Reid taught elementary grades in various Christian schools in the Southeast. She then began writing for A BEKA Book as an elementary language arts writer/editor. While serving as writer/editor for middle-age curriculum (3^rd and 4^th grades) Cheryl helped research and write a new Sunday school curriculum called Joyful Life. For the past nine years Cheryl has been employed as a lyricist at Majesty Music, a Christian music company in Greenville, SC. Majesty Music produces choral music for adults and children, as well as Patch the Pirate Adventure CDs.

Cheryl is also a freelance writer for God’s World News. God’s World Publications provides current events newspapers written with a Christian world-view for kindergarten through high school ages.

Gloria Repp

Adventure, mystery, and wild creatures all play a part in Gloria Repp’s books for children. While she was teaching school, she began writing stories for her three children, and God used that experience to kindle a life-long interest in story craft. While working for many years as a juvenile fiction editor and writing instructor Gloria continued to write on her own. Her current series, Tales of Friendship Bog, was inspired by the matchless New Jersey Pine Barrens, its warm-hearted people, and its frogs. Visit Gloria at http://gloriarepp.com/.

Mitzi Smith

Mitzi Smith lives in Burnettown, South Carolina with her husband Daniel, sons Caleb and Elijah, and their dog, Millie, who’s currently queen of the castle. With a master’s degree in elementary education, she now uses her classroom experience to write supplemental resources for church and school settings. She also presents writing workshops and provides creative lesson plans through her “Wordsmith Wisdom” blog. Mitzi writes picture books, Bible studies, devotionals, and magazine articles. Her work has been published in several publications, including Appleseeds, Boys’ Quest, and The Upper Room.

Vonda Skelton

Vonda Skelton is the author of four books, including a children’s mystery series, The Bitsy Burroughs Mysteries. In each book, 12-year-old Bitsy visits a southern island where mystery and adventure combine for an exciting read. The most recent book in the series, Bitsy and the Mystery at Hilton Head Island, was nominated for a SIBA Book Award. Other books include Bitsy and the Mystery at Amelia Island (FL) and Bitsy and the Mystery at Tybee Island (GA).

Vonda is also a national women’s event speaker. Her women’s book, Seeing through the Lies: Unmasking the Myths Women Believe, “takes a hilarious journey through all things female as we search for truth in a counterfeit world.” Appropriate for small group or individual study, the book is published by Regal/Gospel Light

Vonda is a retired RN and a freelance writer. Her articles frequently appear in magazines such as HomeLife, Christian Single, and Focus on the Family publications. Vonda is also a playwright and lyricist, and her scripts have been performed in churches around the country. She is a frequent instructor at writer’s conferences and enjoys mentoring and encouraging new writers through her Christian Writer’s Den blog at www.VondaSkelton.com.

Chris Schweizer is the cartoonist behind the Crogan Adventures, a historical fiction graphic novel series.  He grew up in Louisiana and Kentucky, and now lives in Atlanta with his wife and daughter.  When he’s not making comics, he teaches how to make them at the Atlanta campus of the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Jim and Violette Burger – The Kid’s Ark Magazine

Jim Burger is founder and publisher of The Kid’s Ark which seeks to provide children with an encouraging source of educational, Bible-based fun. Having overcome a lifestyle of drugs and alcohol Jim is able to see how the problems of adulthood are rooted in childhood difficulties.

Violette Burger, the magazine’s sales and subscriptions executive, has an extensive and successful sales background.

Both Jim and Vi are graduates of Destiny Bible Institute. They have served faithfully as leaders at Faith Family Church in Victoria, Texas for the past 16 years. They met in 1985 and have been married for 25 years. Jim and Violette came to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior in 1990. Their heart is to touch children with the gospel and to reach the next generation for Christ.

Linda Gilden – WinePress

Linda Gilden is an author, speaker, editor, and writing coach. She is the author of hundreds of articles as well as the Love Notes series, Mommy Pick-Me-Ups, and has ghostwritten or contributed to over three dozen books. Directing the CLASS Christian Writers Conference in Abiquiu, NM, is one of her favorite things to do as she encourages others to clearly communicate God’s love to the world. Linda has been in the publishing and writing business for over twenty years and represents WinePress Publishing. Linda lives in South Carolina with her family – a great source of speaking and writing material!

Nancy Lohr – JourneyForth Books

Nancy Lohr, Acquisitions Editor at JourneyForth Books, acquires for both the youth and adult markets. Nancy has fifteen years of experience in book publishing and was an educator and children’s librarian for two decades before moving to publishing.

On the editor’s side of her desk, her responsibilities range from acquiring manuscripts and illustrations, editing the manuscript, and managing book production. As an author, her personal writing resumé includes a number of published pieces, including two historical novels for children, curriculum stories, Newbery book reviews, and numerous articles for parents and educators.

Tim Lowry – Ambassador International

Timothy Lowry grew up in Northern Ireland and in 2005, moved to the US to oversee operations in the company’s Greenville office. Timothy’s focus has been on enhancing the company’s partnership with both experienced and first-time authors, increasing circulation and expanding distribution of the hundreds of titles Ambassador International currently prints. Timothy can be contacted at tlowry@emeraldhouse.com

Sam Lowry – Ambassador International

As a young man in Northern Ireland, Samuel Lowry determined to establish a Christian publishing company dedicated to magnifying the Lord through books and materials. So in 1980 Samuel founded Ambassador International. The company soon became well known for its extensive series of Christian biographies and Classic Christian reprints. Each year, the company began printing and releasing more and more new titles including theological, devotional, inspirational, and historical works. Through the years the company has also produced videos, calendars, cards, magazines and pictures for the Christian marketplace. In 1995, Ambassador International opened offices in Greenville, South Carolina to better serve the US market. Samuel can be contacted at publisher@emeraldhouse.com

Joanna Lutz Echols– Focus on the Family Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr.

Joanna Lutz Echols, associate editor of Focus on the Family Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr. magazines, grew interested in the publishing world at age eight. When a children’s magazine printed her story about rescuing a baby squirrel, Joanna knew the first thrill of seeing her work in print. After adding a couple of other “publishing credits” to her portfolio, she took a correspondence writing course. The skills Joanna learned in that course and in college have served her well in various editing roles, including six years of working with children’s magazines at Focus on the Family. Joanna’s favorite parts of editing include fine-tuning fiction and making deep truths understandable for children.

Terry Burns – Hartline Literary Agency

Terry Burns is an agent with Hartline Literary (http://www.hartlineliterary.com) as well as a writer of inspirational fiction. As a writer he has over 40 books in print including ten novels. He has a new series from Port Yonder Press entitled “The Sagebrush Collection” of his collected short works. The first book in the series was released March 2010, and was entitled “On the Road Home.” A Young Adult novel entitled Beyond the Smoke won the Will Rogers Medallion. Terry’s new book “A Writer’s Survival Guide to Publication” (also from Port Yonder Press) was developed out of the month long writing course he taught for ACFW.

Terry is a popular speaker at writer’s workshops across the country. Terry’s bookstore of his available works as well as his blog can be found at www.terryburns.net.

As an agent Terry says “I’m looking for a good book, well written in a unique voice, aimed at a market that looks promising, and where I feel I have the contacts appropriate to be able to sell the book in that market. I’m pretty open as to genre. I do represent YA, but I don’t represent children’s books, sci fi or fantasy.”

Terry is a member of the Association of Author’s Representatives (AAR).

Bill Reeves – Working Title Agency

Bill Reeves began his career in the Christian product industry in 1988 as a music buyer at A Christian retail store in Orlando, FL. After 5 years, he joined Word Music, supporting artists like Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith and Sixpence None the Richer within the sales and distribution company.

In 2000, Bill joined Big Idea Productions, known for their kid’s brand VeggieTales®. He served first as Brand Licensing Manager, working with such companies as Fisher-Price and Haddad Apparel, then overseeing all Christian retail operations for the brand. After that came Thomas Nelson Publishers, where Bill oversaw audio/video acquisitions and licensing for the kid’s division, Tommy Nelson. It was here that Bill served as Executive Producer of Max Lucado’s “Hermie & Friends” video series for 8 episodes.

In 2006, Bill joined Propeller Consulting, a leader in faith-based marketing, as Vice-President of Marketing. During that time, Bill started Working Title Agency, a product development company and literary agency, which he still runs today.

Working Title Agency (www.workingtitleagency.com) has been blessed to have represented such authors as Stephen and Alex Kendrick, Michael Catt and Jim McBride (all creators of such films as “Courageous” and “Fireproof”), Randy Alcorn, Cheri Hamilton (mother of surfer Bethany Hamilton), and Coach Gene Chizik (head coach of Auburn University’s National Championship football team). Working Title Agency has also been blessed with best-selling books, such as the #1 New York Times best-seller, “The Love Dare”.

Bill has a B.S.B.A. in Marketing from the University of Central Florida. He considers his greatest blessing to be his wife of 18 years, Heidi, and their three children Julianna (14) , Jon Jr (12), and Denham (6). They live outside Nashville, TN.

Les Stobbe 

Les Stobbe has authored or co-authored 14 books. He is also an editor, consultant, and literary agent. He has provided editorial leadership at six publishers. He is currently the Christian Writers Guild’s Executive Editor. During Les’s career in publishing he served as president of Here’s Life Publishers, the book publishing arm of Campus Crusade for Christ and as acquisitions editor for Moody Press in the 1970s. He was responsible for a full line of children’s books including board books, coloring books, story books, mid-grade books, and books for early teens and young adults.

Most of Les’s publishable proposals come to him via recommendation from clients, well-known authors, and editors, and often at Christian writers’ conferences. Les is looking for fresh voices who above all know how to tell a story with truth embedded in it. In non-fiction he is looking for clients who already have a significant platform.

Les lives in Tryon, North Carolina.