Name: Allen Arnold Organization: Thomas Nelson Publishers Position: Sr. Vice President & Publisher Website:
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CE Session 4: The University of Fiction "5 Hour Degree" Author Advances: A Publisher's Perspective (WS10)
Allen Arnold is Publisher and Senior Vice President of Thomas Nelson Fiction. Having launched the Fiction group in 2004, Allen's goal is to deliver the best stories to the broadest possible audience in the most entertaining, relevant, and God-honoring manner. Current authors include Colleen Coble, Lis Wiehl, Ted Dekker, Lisa Samson, Stephen Lawhead, Andrew Klavan, Neta Jackson, Beth Wiseman and many others. A veteran of the publishing industry since 1992, he's overseen the marketing and branding campaigns of many best-selling Christian authors utilizing the skills learned while working for some of the world's largest advertising agencies. His favorite way to spend the day is with his wife and children - preferably with a C.S. Lewis book or Superman comic close at hand as well!
CE Session 4: The University of Fiction "5 Hour Degree"
Karen Ball considers it a gift that for the last twenty-five-plus years she’s been able, both as an author and an editor, to use her deep love of story to bring wonderful novels to readers. Currently the Executive Editor of fiction for B&H Publishing Group, she learned her craft while heading up fiction for Tyndale House , Multnomah, and Zondervan. Another inexplicable blessing is the fact that she’s acquired and worked with such notable authors as Francine Rivers, Karen Kingsbury, Gilbert Morris, Liz Curtis Higgs, Angela Hunt, and Robin Jones Gunn.
Karen's latest full-length novel, What Lies Within, has been nominated as the Best Inspirational Novel of the Year. Readers regularly call Karen's writing powerful, uplifting, and fun.
Name: Sue Brower Organization: Zondervan Position: Executive Editor Website:
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Profiling Characters (WS7) Working with Your Publishing Partner (WS16)
Sue Brower is Executive Editor for Fiction at Zondervan. It is a pleasure to work with such bestselling authors as Karen Kingsbury, Terri Blackstock, Robin Jones Gunn, Brandilyn Collins, and many others. Prior to taking on this role, she was Sr. Director of Marketing for Fiction and Inspirational product for over thirteen years. Fiction is business as well as pleasure for Sue as she is an avid reader of both inspirational and mainstream novels. Early in her career with Zondervan, Sue's focus was on book and Bible research and store research for Family Christian Stores. Sue is on the Advisory Board for the Christy Awards and a member of ACE (Academy of Christian Editors. She lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with husband, Todd, and "kidz", Pepper and Shep.
Colleen Coble has sold more than a million books, with her titles appearing frequently on the CBA Bestseller List. Her thirty-five novels and novellas have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Romance Writers of America prestigious RITA award, the Holt Medallion, the ACFW Book of the Year, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers' Choice, and the Booksellers Best awards. She writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail and love begin with a happy ending.
CE Session 2: Piecing Together of the Novel into a Salable Product
Margaret Daley is an award winning, multi-published author in the romance genre. One of her romantic suspense books, Hearts on the Line, won the American Christian Fiction Writers' Book of the Year Contest for 2007. This year she placed second in the Short Contemporary category for the Book of the Year Contest for Heart of the Family. Recently she has won the Golden Quill Contest, FHL's Inspirational Readers' Choice Contest, Winter Rose Contest, and the Barclay Gold Contest. She wrote for various secular publishers before the Lord led her to the Christian romance market. She currently writes inspirational romance and romantic suspense books for the Steeple Hill Love Inspired lines. She has sold sixty books to date. She currently serves as Volunteer Officer for ACFW.
Jeff Gerke (a.k.a. Jefferson Scott) is a published novelist, award-winning editor, and small press publisher with more than 15 years experience in Christian publishing. Jeff is best known for his love of Christian speculative fiction (fantasy, SF, time travel, etc.) and has been called the de facto gatekeeper of Christian spec-fic. His www.WhereTheMapEnds.com site is a popular repository of all things pertaining to Christian speculative fiction. And Marcher Lord Press, Jeff's indie publishing house, is dedicated to the creation of the finest in Christian science fiction and fantasy. Jeff has been a staff editor for Multnomah Publishers, Strang Communications (where he helped spearhead the launch of the Realms fiction line), and NavPress, where he ran the fiction imprint. Novels Jeff has editing and/or acquired have won or been nominated for many awards, including the Christy Award, the ACFW Book of the Year Award, and the Foreword magazine Book of the Year Award. Jeff and his wife and three children (including their new baby girl just adopted from China) live in Colorado Springs, where Jeff works full-time as a freelance book doctor, editor, writer, and writing coach.
Rene Gutteridge is the author of 14 multi-genre novels, including the Boo Series, The Occupational Hazards Series, The Storm Series, as well as My Life as a Doormat (Women of Faith) and the novelization for the motion picture The Ultimate Gift. Her current novel, Never The Bride, is a full-length novelization published by WaterBrook Press. Her forthcoming title, Listen, a thriller, is due out early 2010 from Tyndale House Publishers
CE Session 3: Pinpoint, Diagnose, and Heal the Broken Places in Your Novels
Florida based Rachel Hauck is a best selling and award winning novelist with over ten books in print. She is a worship leader and conference speaker, and the vice president of My Book Therapy, a boutique craft service. Married to Tony for almost seventeen years, she is active in ministry and the mother of two pets. She currently serves ACFW as a past president and an advisor.
Randy Ingermanson is the award-winning author of six novels and has taught at many writing conferences around the country. He is the editor of the Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine, the world's largest electronic magazine on how to write fiction, with over 12,000 readers. Randy holds a Ph.D. in theoretical physics from UC Berkeley and often writes about issues in faith and science. He is known around the world as "the Snowflake Guy" because of his Snowflake Method of designing a novel.
Ronie Kendig has a BS in Psychology and is a wife, mother, and avid writer. She has found her voice in writing fast-paced fiction. Ronie's espionage thriller Dead Reckoning is slated for a March 2010 release. An active member of ACFW, Ronie serves as the Book of the Year coordinator and past List Hostess for the main e-loop. She also volunteers on the ACFW conference committee for the national conference, as assistant to the conference appointment coordinator, and judges in the Genesis contest.
Natasha Kern has personally sold more than 900 books and is committed to finding new voices especially in inspirational fiction. Her list includes: all inspirational fiction, including women's fiction, romantic suspense and romantic comedies; contemporary and historical romances; ethnic fiction and thrillers. Her clients include several New York Times best-selling authors, USA Today Best Sellers; RITA winners and Christy winners Robin Lee Hatcher, Michael Joens and Tamera Alexander; ACFW Women's Fiction winners Nikki Arana and Mary Connealy; as well as Christy finalists Angela Benson and Harry Kraus. The agency has sold books to every major publisher and to many medium-sized presses.
Steve Laube, a literary agent and president of The Steve Laube Agency, has been in the book industry for over 28 years, first as a bookstore manager and book buyer for a major national chain. While manager, his store was named National Store of the Year by the Christian Bookstore Association (CBA) in 1989, out of 4,000 eligible stores. He spent 11 years with Bethany House Publishers, rising to the position of Editorial Director/Adult Nonfiction. In 2002 he was named the Editor of the Year by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. He has edited over 150 books, wrote one, produced numerous articles, and has agented over 500 new books. He has taught at writer's conferences in more than 50 cities. The agency represents accomplished novelists such as Cindy Woodsmall, Lisa Bergren, Tracey Bateman, Susan May Warren, Judith Pella, David Gregory, Michael Phillips, John Olson, Vicki Hinze, Ginny Aiken, Sara Mills, Margaret Daley, Julie Carobini, Tosca Lee, Deborah Raney, Kelly Hake, Tracy Higley, Meredith Efken, Karen Hancock, Michael Snyder, Erynn Mangum, Chuck Black, Karen Ball, Ronie Kendig, Stacy Hawkins Adams, Andrea Boeshaar, Pamela Ewen, Sharon Hinck, and many more. His office is in Phoenix, Arizona.
How You Say It: Powering Up With Dialogue Cues (WS12)
Margie Lawson: psychotherapist, writer, and international presenter--applied her psychological expertise to analyzing novel structure and writing craft. A former university professor, Margie taught psychology and communication courses at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. Her resume includes adjunct professor, clinical trainer, facilitator of trauma response sessions, and director of a hospital-based counseling center.
Margie focuses her analytical skills on writing craft, developing innovative editing systems and deep editing techniques. Her deep editing tools are used by all writers, from beginners to multi-award winners. She teaches writers how to edit for psychological power, how to immerse the reader in the fictional world, how to write page turners.
Name: Donald Maass Organization: Donald Maass Literary Agency Position: President Website:http://www.maassagency.com/
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Early Bird Session: Writing the Breakout Novel
Donald Maass is president of the Donald Maass Literary Agency in New York, which he founded in 1980. He represents more than 100 fiction writers and sells more than 100 novels per year to top publishers in America and overseas. Recently he has obtained six- and seven-figure advances from publishers such as Warner, Ballantine, G.P. Putnam's Sons, Harcourt Brace, Penguin Canada and others for authors like mystery writer Anne Perry, thriller writer Gregg Keizer, historical novelist Jack Whyte and science fiction writers Diane Duane and Todd McCaffrey. He is himself the author of fourteen pseudonymous novels and of the books The Career Novelist (Heineman, 1996), Writing the Breakout Novel (Writers Digest Press, 2001) and the forthcoming Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook (Writers Digest Press, 2004). He is a past president of the Association of Authors' Representatives, Inc. (AAR).
Medical Details In Your Fiction: Get Them In, But Get Them Right (WS14)
Dr. Richard Mabry retired from medicine in 2002 after more than 35 years in practice as an ear, nose & throat specialist, the last ten of them spent as a professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. During his medical career, Dr. Mabry lectured all over the world and held the office of president or vice-president of every major organization in his specialty. He has written or edited eight best-selling medical textbooks, and well over 100 of his papers were published in medical journals. Dr. Mabry entered the field of non-medical writing after the death of his first wife, writing The Tender Scar: Life After The Death Of A Spouse, which was published by Kregel in 2006. The Tender Scar is now in its third printing and is in use by numerous pastors, counselors and seminary professors, as well as providing a tool for healing for thousands of people who have lost a loved one. His first novel of medical suspense, Code Blue, will be published by Abingdon Press in early 2010. He has completed the second novel in the Prescription For Trouble series and is now at work on the third. Dr. Mabry's work has also appeared in Christian Communicator, In Touch Magazine, Upper Room Devotional Guide, and Grief Digest, as well as a number of online ezines.
The Future Of Publishing (WS4) Passing the Publishing Torch (WS17)
Chip MacGregor has been involved in the world of publishing for nearly three decades. Starting as a copy editor with a small magazine while in college, he has worked as an editor for numerous publishers, was a Senior Editor with both Harvest House and Vision House, and served as Associate Publisher with Time-Warner Book Group. He also made his living as a writer and collaborator for several years, co-authoring books with the likes of Bruce Wilkinson, Bruce Waltke, and Phil Downer, and worked with Dr. David Jeremiah's ministry to create their long list of Bible studies. Chip is the author or co-author of dozens of titles, has spoken at more than 100 writing conferences, and is well known among authors and publishers. For several years he was a high-profile literary agent at Alive Communications in Colorado Springs, where he worked on numerous award-winning books, including a #1 New York Times bestsseller. Three years ago he began his own literary agency, MacGregor Literary, which represents many ACFW members. One of the few agents who is known to work in both CBA and the general market, Publishers Marketplace listed him as the second busiest agents in all of publishing last year. Chip and his wife live on the Oregon coast.
Gail Gaymer Martin, writes women’s fiction romance and romantic suspense for Steeple Hill and Barbour Publishing. Beginning to write fiction in 1997, she sold her first novel in 1998 and now has signed forty fiction contracts and has more than two and a half million books in print. Gail’s books have been honored with seven national awards, including the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice. She is the author of Writing the Christian Romance released by Writers Digest. This book is a comprehensive textbook for anyone including romantic elements in Christian fiction. Gail is a keynote speaker and workshop presenter across the U.S. She has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. Before writing, she was a high school English and public speaking teacher, later a guidance counselor and finally an adjunct instructor of English and public speaking at Davenport University.
Deepening Characterization (WS3) Plots that Dance Across A Reader's Heart (WS11)
DiAnn Mills believes her audience should Expect an Adventure. Her sincerity and humor have made her a popular speaker at writing conferences across the country. She is passionate about teaching the craft of writing and is dedicated to excellence in the industry. All of her workshops are hands-on. DiAnn encourages listeners to participate in craft discussions with the goal of professionalism and publication.
Six of her anthologies have appeared on the CBA Best Seller List. Three of her books have won the distinction of Best Historical of the Year by Heartsong Presents. Five of her books have won placements through American Christian Fiction Writer's Book of the Year Awards 2003 - 2008, and she is the recipient of the Inspirational Reader's Choice award for 2005 and 2007. She was a Christy Awards finalist in 2008.
DiAnn is a mentor for Jerry B. Jenkins' Christian Writer's Guild, Advanced Women Speakers and Authors, a founding board member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America - Faith, Hope, and Love Chapter, and a graduate of Christian Leaders and Speakers (CLASS).
Tracie and Jim Peterson have been married for 29 years and make their home in Montana. Tracie is the bestselling author of over 80 books. Jim is a historian who helps Tracie, and often other authors, with historical research.
DEBORAH RANEY is at work on her 18th novel. Her books have won the RITA Award, HOLT Medallion, National Readers' Choice Award, Silver Angel, and have twice been Christy Award finalists. Her first novel, A Vow to Cherish, inspired the World Wide Pictures film of the same title. Her newest books, the Clayburn Novels, are from Howard/Simon & Schuster. She and her husband, Ken Raney, have four children and enjoy small- town life in Kansas.
Since 1994 Jim Rubart has worked with and trained clients such as AT&T/Cingular, RE/MAX, ABC and Clear Channel Radio though his company Jr2 Marketing. He also co-owns He Blogs, She Blogs, a company that designs, develops, and implements blogs and Web sites for businesses and individuals.
He's written more than 1,000 radio and TV spots as well as developed and written numerous Web sites, sales letters, one-sheets and articles.
He writes a monthly column, Quantum Marketing for Christian Fiction Online Magazine, and his first novel, ROOMS, will published by B&H in January 2010.
He has been a professional speaker and marketing trainer for more than twenty years and will be speaking at the Florida Christian Writer's Conference in February and the Northwest Christian Writer's Renewal in May.
Jim is also a photographer, guitarist, golfer, water skier, and semi-pro magician. He lives in the Northwest with the world's most perfect wife and his two almost-perfect sons. No, he doesn't sleep much.
Make A Plot, Make It Work (WS6) See It, Smell It, Taste It, Feel It, Hear It (WS13)
Gail Sattler is a an experienced public speaker, workshop leader, teacher, and was keynote speaker for the Oregon Christian Writers Winter 2008 conference. Rather than present my own conceptions of how effectively I reach my listeners, here are a few snippets from the evaluations I received at OCW. "Down to earth; helpful information, interactive." "Good speaker, down to earth, 'real' and she presents good information in an easy to use manner." "I learned so much and got inspired in only an hour!" "Good hands on session." "Very practical and well presented." "It was nice to pick up some of the writing basics and to see a plot forming." "Well done; pulling audience into plot building" "Very organized; lots of classroom involvement; Gail is very amusing and most definitely a people person." "Excellent and clear." Gail has also successfully taught a writing course for beginners for her local Continuing Education program through the Maple Ridge Arts counsel for a number of years. Gail even won an award for public speaking back in high school, but we won't say how long ago that was.
Virginia Smith is a writer of humorous novels, a speaker, and an avid scuba diver. Since launching her writing career in 2006, she's received contracts for ten books. Her novels include Just As I Am, A Taste of Murder, Stuck in the Middle, and her most recent, Age before Beauty. In March of 2008 Ginny was honored to receive the Writer of the Year award at Mt. Hermon Christian Writers Conference. She serves on the board of directors for the Christian Authors Network, Inc. She and her husband, Ted, divide their time between Kentucky and Utah, and escape as often as they can for diving trips to the Caribbean.
Camy Tang is a loud Asian chick who writes loud Asian chick-lit. She just released the novels in her Sushi series, Sushi for One?, Only Uni, and Single Sashimi. She grew up in Hawaii, but now lives in San Jose, California, with her engineer husband and rambunctious poi-dog. In her spare time, she is a staff worker for her church youth group, and she leads one of the worship teams for Sunday service. On her blog, she gives away Christian novels every Monday and Thursday, and she ponders frivolous things like dumb dogs (namely, hers), coffee-geek husbands (no resemblance to her own...), the writing journey, Asiana, and anything else that comes to mind.
CE Session 3: Pinpoint, Diagnose, and Heal the Broken Places in Your Novels
Susan May Warren is the best-selling author of more than 20 novels and novellas with Tyndale, Barbour and Steeple Hill. A three time Christy award finalist, and three time winner of the Inspirational Readers Choice contest, as well as a RITA finalist, Susan currently has over 500,000 books in print. A seasoned women's events speaker and writing teacher, she's taught at the American Christian Fiction Writer's conference for the past four years.
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