Blurbing Your Book with Laurie Schnebly Campbell

by Past Events

Join ACFW DFW online Saturday, May 14, 2022 from 10:30 – 12:00, to hear Laurie Schnebly Campbell discuss Blurbing Your Books. You’ve seen them. Online or book-cover blurbs that made you buy immediately, knowing you wanted that book for sure. Others that confirmed you didn’t want that one, and still more that that left you lukewarm. While nobody can (or should) write listings that attract readers looking for a whole different type of book, writing blurbs that turn browsers into buyers is easy to do…with the hands-on techniques from this workshop.

Blurbing Your Books with Laurie Schnebly Campbell

Registration is Required

Blurbing Your Book with Laurie Schnebly Campbell, via TicketLeap - Click here

Note: We are not able to send the online link and invites to anyone not registered through TicketLeap.

Please answer several questions that appear when you register (only an admin can see the answers). Please be aware, the invitation and link are for our members and friends of our group. We request you not share the link with others.

About Our Presenter

Schnebly Campbell loves giving workshops that draw on her background as an advertising copywriter, a counseling therapist, and a romance novelist who beat out Nora Roberts for “Best Special Edition of the Year.” Her favorite books are those created in the email classes she teaches at WriterUniv.com, with 52 first sales so far. After losing her husband to cancer last winter, she moved in with their son and his wife, and marvels that, “it’s even more fun being a grandma than a mom.”

Laurie Schnebly Campbell's Contact Info:

Laurie Schnebly Campbell’s Contact Info:

Website: https://booklaurie.com/

Follow Schnebly Campbell at:  facebook.com/laurieschneblycampbell

Her work can be seen at:
Believable Characters: Creating with Enneagrams by Laurie Schnebly

 

ACFW DFW MEETING and MEMBERSHIP Info

Guests to ACFW-DFW regular monthly meetings may attend for free for the first two visits. After that, per ACFW national guidelines, guests must become national and local members for continued participation.

If you’re a national ACFW member and a member of your local ACFW that is not ACFW-DFW, you can also become an affiliate of ACFW-DFW (Affiliate Membership = $5 per year). Affiliate membership allows you to attend the full year of our monthly meetings. All affiliate and local ACFW-DFW participants pay a $3 attendance fee per meeting. If you do not have a local chapter, you are welcome to join ACFW-DFW as a full-fledged member. Plans are in the works for hybrid meetings (a mix between online and in-person) once we start meeting back face-to-face.

Contact acfwdfw@gmail.com for further info. Yearly local dues and monthly meeting fees can be paid at https://acfwdfw-109619.square.site/. (For meeting fees, click on “more/monthly meeting”).

For further information about this and other ACFW DFW events, visit our other social media sites: ACFW DFW Facebook, ACFW DFW Twitter, and ACFW DFW Instagram.

ACFW DFW Mini Conference – Diving Deep

by Past Events
Writing Conference Information

Join ACFW DFW on Saturday, April 9, 2022, from 9a-2:30p for the Annual Writers Mini conference, Diving Deep. This is an online event. Registration is required – click the button below to register via TicketLeap.

Four speakers, five presentations. Loads of information for your writing journey, swag mailed (if registered by March 31), door prize drawings (must be present to win), community connections, and so much fun! 

  • $30 for ACFW DFW members
  • $35 for ACFW members
  • $40 for non-members
  • $25 for students (w/ student ID)
CLICK HERE to register for Diving Deep - ACFW DFW Annual Writers Mini Conference

4 Speakers - 5 Presentations

Hallee Bridgeman will be presenting, Writing Quickly With Layers. In this presentation, Bridgeman will take attendees through her process of writing a full-length novel very quickly by layering in different elements at a time.

Bridgeman is the USA TODAY bestselling author of several action-packed romantic suspense books and series. An Army brat turned Floridian, she settled with her husband in central Kentucky, where they have raised their three children.

When she’s not writing, Bridgeman pursues her passion for cooking, coffee, campy action movies, and regular date nights with her husband. An accomplished speaker and active member of several writing organizations, Bridgeman can be found online at www.halleebridgeman.com.

She invites readers to sign up for her newsletter (and receive a free book) at: https://www.halleebridgeman.com/newsletter

Deb Haggerty will be presenting, Publishing 101, discussing what goes on behind the scenes once you sign a publishing contract, plus tips to get ready to submit to an acquisitions editor or publisher.

Haggerty has been involved in Christian speaking and writing since 1995. She is well known in the industry for her teaching at Christian writers’ conferences such as Glorieta, Blue Ridge Mountains, Florida, Montrose, Mt. Hermon, and NCWA. Her workshops on publishing, communication, networking, topic development, and the business of writing are popular with conferees.

Haggerty took a hiatus from speaking when she was diagnosed and treated for breast cancer in 2000. Led to stay home and care for her family, she soldiered through the death of her mother-in-law, her stepson, and her mother. In 2016, Haggerty and her husband bought the assets of Elk Lake Publishing, Inc.

Since then, the company has gained a reputation for publishing positive books, encouraging new and experienced authors alike, and participating in the education of upcoming writers. Haggerty’s mission is to come alongside the authors God gives her to ensure their work is produced professionally to bless readers. Several Elk Lake books have won awards.

Prior to her speaking and writing endeavors, Haggerty worked in corporate America for almost twenty-five years in a variety of assignments from sales, marketing, consulting, recruiting, and management.

Elk Lake Publishing, a traditional, royalty-paying publisher, acquires a variety of books in all genres of fiction from children’s to adult. They also publish nonfiction “with a twist.” At this juncture, they’re looking primarily for fiction—especially mystery/suspense, contemporary women’s, romance, and speculative along with selected nonfiction. No cozy Amish, cowboy westerns, memoirs, devotionals, Bible studies, or poetry.

For further info about Haggerty, visit her at the following: Deb Haggerty-Facebook, Positive Grace, Positive Hope, Positive Connect, and Pinterest.

Haggerty will take a limited number of appointments for authors to pitch their books. First come, first served, so sign up now!

Sandra Merville Hart, will be discussing, Tracking your Writer Income & Expenses. Ever wonder how to track your conference fees, mileage to meetings, or marketing costs? Hart’s accounting background gave her a great foundation for setting up a system to track her writing income and expenses. She’ll show writers an organized method of tracking income and expenses on spreadsheets. As a bonus, learn how to maintain an inventory of your own books and an easy way to calculate your cost and income on books sold. 

*NOTE: This presentation is not intended to be tax advice. Attendees should ask their Tax Consultant for allowable tax expenses.

Hart, an award-winning and Amazon bestselling author of inspirational historical romances, loves to discover little-known yet fascinating facts from American history to include in her stories. Wild Heart Books published Avenue of Betrayal, Book 1 in her “Spies of the Civil War” series in February of 2022. Boulevard of Confusion, Book 2, releases in May.

Hart’s next series with the same publisher, as yet unnamed, begins in the decade following the Civil War. She loves to highlight American history in her novels. In addition to writing, she is also a blogger, speaker, teacher, and past Executive Editor for DevoKids.com. She serves on the Planning Committee for Faith & Fellowship Book Festival and as Treasurer for ACFW Ohio Chapter. She has taught at writers’ conferences, women’s retreats, writers’ groups, and spoken at book clubs.

Connect with Hart on her blog, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Goodreads, Amazon Author Page, and BookBub.

Kimberley Woodhouse, Our Keynote Speaker for the event, will be presenting twice during the conference. Her first presentation, Deep POV, will explore how writing with deep point of view can improve character depth. 

Woodhouse will also present her keynote address, Spiritual Depth in our WIP (Work in Progress), in which she’ll delve into how a writer’s own spiritual depth affects our Works In Progress. 

Woodhouse is a devoted wife and mother, and a third generation Liszt student.  She has passed down her love of music and the arts to hundreds of students over the years, recorded three albums, and appeared at over 2,000 venues to more than a million people. Her quick wit, enthusiasm, and positive outlook through difficult circumstances have gained her audiences at conferences, retreats, churches, military functions, and seminars all over the country.

The Woodhouse family’s (rare medical) story has been on the front page of newspapers, in magazines, articles, medical journals, and most famously featured on ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. They were also asked to share their story on The Montel Williams Show and Discovery Health Channel’s Mystery ER along with hundreds of other TV appearances and radio interviews.

Woodhouse has been writing seriously for more than twenty years. Songs, plays, short stories, novels, picture books, articles, newsletters – you name it – she’s written it. It wasn’t until a dear friend challenged her to “do something with it” that she pursued publication. Now, she is a best-selling author of more than two dozen books, with more on the way. She has won The Carol Award, The Reader’s Choice Award, The Holt Medallion, and was a finalist in the Selah Awards and the Spur Awards.

She is passionate about Bible study, reading, music, cooking, and pretty-much-all-things-crafty. Woodhouse has been married to her incredible husband for twenty-nine years and counting and they have two married adult children.

More can be learned about Woodhouse by visiting her at any of the following: kimberleywoodhouse.com, bookbub, Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. 

ACFW DFW REGULAR MONTHLY MEETINGS and MEMBERSHIP Info

Please note: The annual mini conference is classed as a special event. However, in general, Guests to ACFW-DFW regular monthly meetings may attend for free for the first two visits. After that, per ACFW national guidelines, guests must become national and local members for continued participation.

If you’re a national ACFW member and a member of your local ACFW that is not ACFW-DFW, you can also become an affiliate of ACFW-DFW (Affiliate Membership = $5 per year). Affiliate membership allows you to attend the full year of our monthly meetings. All affiliate and local ACFW-DFW participants pay a $3 attendance fee per meeting. If you do not have a local chapter, you are welcome to join ACFW-DFW as a full-fledged member. Plans are in the works for hybrid meetings (a mix between online and in-person) once we start meeting back face-to-face.

Contact acfwdfw@gmail.com for further info. Yearly local dues and monthly meeting fees can be paid at https://acfwdfw-109619.square.site/. (For meeting fees, click on “more/monthly meeting”).

For further information about this and other ACFW DFW events, visit our other social media sites: ACFW DFW Facebook, ACFW DFW Twitter, and ACFW DFW Instagram.

Creating Memorable Characters with Kate Breslin

by Past Events

Join ACFW DFW online Saturday, March 12, 2022 from 10:30 – 12:00, to hear Kate Breslin discuss Creating Memorable Characters. Learn how to develop complex, engaging characters in your work of fiction or memoir that will help your readers invest in your characters’ journey, and keep them turning the pages.

Kate Breslin will present
Creating Memorable Characters

REGISTRATION

Registration is required. Click the button below to be taken directly to TicketLeap for registration.

Creating Memorable Characters with Kate Breslin

Note: We are not able to send the online link and invites to anyone not registered through TicketLeap.

Please answer several questions that appear when you register (only an admin can see the answers).

Questions? email acfwdfw@gmail.com. A board member will contact you by Friday prior to the event with instructions for Saturday.

Please be aware, the invitation and link are for our members and friends of our group. We request you not share the link with others.

ABOUT OUR PRESENTER

Former bookseller-turned-author Kate Breslin enjoys life in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and family. A writer of travel articles and award-winning poetry, Breslin received Christian Retailing’s 2015 Best Award for First Time Author and her novel, For Such A Time, won the 2015 Carol award for Debut Novel. Breslin’s fifth novel, As Dawn Breaks, released in November 2021.

When she’s not writing inspirational fiction, Breslin enjoys reading or taking long walks in Washington’s beautiful woodlands. She also likes traveling to new places, both within the U.S. and abroad, having toured Greece, Rome, Barcelona, and much of Western Europe. New destinations make for fresh story ideas. For more information, visit her at www.katebreslin.com.

(Breslin’s other social media contact points are listed at the bottom of this article.)

ACFW DFW MEETING and MEMBERSHIP Info

Guests to ACFW-DFW regular monthly meetings may attend for free for the first two visits. After that, per ACFW national guidelines, guests must become national and local members for continued participation.

If you’re a national ACFW member and a member of your local ACFW that is not ACFW-DFW, you can also become an affiliate of ACFW-DFW (Affiliate Membership = $5 per year). Affiliate membership allows you to attend the full year of our monthly meetings. All affiliate and local ACFW-DFW participants pay a $3 attendance fee per meeting. If you do not have a local chapter, you are welcome to join ACFW-DFW as a full-fledged member. Plans are in the works for hybrid meetings (a mix between online and in-person) once we start meeting back face-to-face.

Contact acfwdfw@gmail.com for further info. Yearly local dues and monthly meeting fees can be paid at https://acfwdfw-109619.square.site/. (For meeting fees, click on “more/monthly meeting”).

For further information about this and other ACFW DFW events, visit our other social media sites: ACFW DFW Facebook, ACFW DFW Twitter, and ACFW DFW Instagram.

KATE BRESLIN’S Contact info:

Newsletter sign up:  https://katebreslin.com/newsletter/     

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KateBreslinAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Kate_Breslin

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/katelbreslin/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorkatebreslin

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kate-breslin

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7115378.Kate_Breslin

Linked In:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-breslin-87531b61

Using the Enneagram to Develop Compelling Characters with Ashley Rescot

by Past Events

Join ACFW DFW online on Saturday, February 12,  from 10:30 am-noon for our monthly meeting as Ashley Rescot presents, “Using the Enneagram to Develop Compelling Characters.” We begin our meeting with thirty minutes of business discussions, prayers, and praises, followed by our speaker’s presentation. 

Ashley Rescot discusses the Enneagram, a personality typing system used by counselors, companies, and churches. It is also a powerful tool in the hands of a writer. With its in-depth analysis of each personality’s strengths and weakness, authors can develop well-rounded, relatable characters. Like their real-life counterparts, these fictional characters must confront their basic fears and overcome “fatal flaws” in order to grow and become the best versions of themselves. Authors can also use the Enneagram to advertise their characters to potential readers via sketches, video clips, and even merchandise to help their audience better connect with these fictional friends.

Registration is required for this event through TicketLeap: Register HERE

Rescot’s background could rival that of any character build. At the tender age of two, she began violin under her mother’s tutelage. Family performances with her mom, four sisters, aunts, cousins, and grandmother comprise her fondest childhood memories.

In her senior year in high school, Rescot served as concertmaster of her youth symphony in Kansas and won the youth talent concerto competition to solo with the orchestra. Afterward, she moved to Texas for college where she received a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance and minors in French and English.

In addition to violin, Rescot developed a passion for French, especially French music. She spent a year abroad in Paris, France as a Fulbright scholar where she taught English and collaborated with local musicians. The experience opened her eyes to another culture which influenced her perspective as a creative artist and educator.

She returned to the Midwest to teach collegiate French language courses and earn a Master of Arts in French literature. After graduation, she moved to the greater Chicago area where she taught French at a regional university and grew her private violin studio. She was a participant on a reading committee and voted in the Prix Roblès, an award for first-time French novelists. Rescot enjoyed attending the award ceremony in Blois, France in 2013 where she met the winning author who had written a music novel set in Europe during World War II.

Today, Rescot loves to work with her students, perform with family and friends, and write about all things music and French. She especially enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. She is a member of her family group Uptown Violins, the Blackwater String Ensemble, the SSA music teachers’ society, the ACFW writers’ association, and is an active musician at her church. As a veteran performer and pedagogue, she strives to pass on her love of music and language to the next generation.

You can find out more about Rescot by visiting her social media sites: Website_Rescot Creative, FB_Ashley Rescot, or Instagram_Ashley Rescot.

Note: We are not able to send the online link and invites for the meeting to anyone not registered through TicketLeap.

Please answer several questions that appear when you register (only an admin can see the answers).

Questions? email acfwdfw@gmail.com. A board member will contact you by Friday prior to the event with instructions for Saturday. Please be aware, the invitation and link are for our members and friends of our group. We request you not share the link with others.

Guests may attend for free for the first two visits. After that, per ACFW national guidelines, guests must become national and local members for continued participation. If you’re a national ACFW member and a member of a local ACFW that is not ACFW-DFW, you must also be an affiliate of ACFW-DFW ($5 per year). All affiliate and local ACFW-DFW attendees must also pay a $3 meeting fee per meeting. Contact acfwdfw@gmail.com for further info. Yearly local dues and monthly meeting fees can be paid at https://acfwdfw-109619.square.site/. (For meeting fees, click on “more/monthly meeting”).

For further information about this and other ACFW DFW events, visit our other social media sites: ACFW DFW Facebook, ACFW DFW Twitter, and ACFW DFW Instagram.

Write Men Right with JP Robinson and ACFW DFW

by Past Events

ACFW DFW welcomes JP Robinson on Saturday, November 13, 2021, 10:30a-12p CST (online) to hear his presentation, “Write Men Right.

Robinson, an award-winning author of historical/political suspense, will discuss how to create balanced male characters that appeal to both male and female readers.

In addition to his work as an author, Robinson is also a full-time minister and the president of Lancaster Christian Writers Association.

With a tagline of “Unforgettable drama, Undeniable Truth, ” Robinson’s high-adrenaline novels often mesh real-world marriage and parenting scenarios with vivid fiction. His books have been praised by industry leaders such as Publishers Weekly. Robinson often speaks to writers and church groups within the United States and internationally.

He has been happily married for over fifteen years to his high school sweetheart with whom he runs Fearless Marriage, an international marriage ministry.

Two of Robinson’s latest novels include In the Dead of the Night and In the Midst of the Flames. You can find him online at: FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE |LinkedIn

Registration is required through TicketLeap.

Click Here for TicketLeap Registration

Guests may attend these meetings for free for the first two visits. After that, per ACFW National guidelines, guests must become national and local members for continued participation. Contact acfwdfw@gmail.com for further info. (An affiliate membership of $5 per year is available to members of other ACFW groups). Meeting fee: $3 for ACFW DFW or affiliate members, paid to acfwdfw square.site/. (Click on “more/monthly meeting”).

For further information about this and other ACFW DFW events, visit our other social media sites: ACFW DFW Facebook, ACFW DFW Twitter, and ACFW DFW Instagram.

Writing With Diversity with Toni Shiloh and ACFW DFW

by Past Events

*Note: due to an unfortunate circumstance, Toni Shiloh’s presentation information did not originally make it to our website in time. ACFW DFW would like to thank Toni for her time and informative discussion.

ACFW-DFW was pleased to host multi-published author, Toni Shiloh, Saturday, October 9, 10:30 AM – noon, CST discussing “Writing With Diversity.” 
 
Our writing should reflect the diversity around us. In this session, attendees discussed why representation matters and the transformative power of reading diverse fiction. Her presentation touched on how to write characters of differing ethnic backgrounds and how to celebrate our characters’ uniqueness without falling into stereotypes. 
 
As is current practice for our online meetings, registration was through Ticketleap. 
 
For more information about Shiloh, visit @tonishilohwrite, Instagram.com/tonishiloh/ or at Toni Shiloh’s website. 

Guests may attend these meetings for free for the first two visits. After that, per ACFW National guidelines, guests must become national and local members for continued participation. Contact acfwdfw@gmail.com for further info. (An affiliate membership of $5 per year is available to members of other ACFW groups). Meeting fee: $3 for ACFW DFW or affiliate members, paid to acfwdfw square.site/. (Click on “more/monthly meeting”).

For further information about this and other ACFW DFW events, visit our other social media sites: ACFW DFW Facebook, ACFW DFW Twitter, and ACFW DFW Instagram.

Fiction Trends with Carolyn Curtis and ACFW DFW

by Past Events

Fiction Trends with Carolyn Curtis and ACFW DFW

Join ACFW-DFW Ready Writers on Saturday, September 18, 2021, 10:30 am – noon, to hear Carolyn Curtis discuss n “Current Fiction Trends.” Registration is required for the online event with the link below: 

Fiction Trends with Carolyn Curtis

Curtis has worked as a Christy Award judge for many years. This, in addition to many other writing contests has provided her with unique insights into current fiction trends.

Curtis holds numerous places in the writing community in addition to judging. She is the author or collaborator of seven books with her most recent being, Women and C.S. Lewis: What his Life and Literature Reveal for Today’s Culture, published 2015 by Lion Hudson. She is a veteran journalist with awards from The Wall Street Journal, the Evangelical Press Association, Society of Professional Journalists, and others. She has reported from daily newsrooms and from Capitol Hill in Washington D.C.

She has been published in On Mission, Christianity Today, Facts & Trends, By Faith, Sports Illustrated, The Saturday Evening Post, and numerous other publications. Her professional life has also included work in communications management for Fortune 50 companies and at domestic corporate headquarters for two major church denominations.

Curtis’s love for the craft has included teaching journalism at a college and speaking at numerous conferences.

She holds a Bachelor of Journalism degree from The University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Arts degree in communication from Stephen F. Austin State University. She lives in Fort Worth, Texas.

Questions? Email acfwdfw@gmail.com. A board member will contact you by email prior to the event with instructions for Saturday, September 18. (Note: this event is being held during a different time than our usual monthly meetings, which are generally the second Saturday of each month.) Please be aware, the invitation and link are for our members and friends of our group. We request that you not share the link with others.

Guests may attend these meeting for free for the first two visits. After that, per ACFW National guidelines, guests must become national and local members for continued participation. Contact acfwdfw@gmail.com for further info. (An affiliate membership of $5 per year is available to members of other ACFW groups). Meeting fee: $3 for ACFW DFW or affiliate members, paid to acfwdfw square.site/. (Click on “more/monthly meeting”).

For further information about this and other ACFW DFW events, visit our other social media sites: ACFW DFW Facebook, ACFW DFW Twitter, and ACFW DFW Instagram.

Your Writing Voice with Chris Bohon and ACFW DFW

by Past Events
Chris Bohan, Associate Pastor with Pathway Church, to speak at ACFW DFW monthly meeting

Join ACFW-DFW Ready Writers on August 14, 2021, 10:30am – 12:00pm, to hear Chris Bohon, associate pastor at Pathway Church, when he presents, “Your Writing Voice.” Registration is required. Save your spot by registering through Ticketleap for this Zoom meeting. Click the button below:

ACFW DFW with Chris Bohon, “Your Writing Voice”

Chris Bohon describes his talk as “The beauty of scripture is, it provides us with many voices, many points of view to understand how God has related to us and continues to relate to us over generations. The uniqueness in how God creates each of us tenors how we read, how we hear, how we interpret, and how we write. This workshop will be a dive into some different points of view looking at the scripture passage of Luke 15 (the parable of the father and the two sons).”

Bohon has worked at Pathway since 2003 where he started as the guitar player in the contemporary worship band. He was promoted to the position of Director of Fine Arts Academy, then Director of Music, then director of Music and Worship. In 2019, he was ordained and assumed the position of Associate Pastor. Bohon is currently writing his first book, a study of ten different teachings of Jesus.

Fun facts about him: He is an extremely talented guitar player. As a side gig, he offered guitar lessons. He plays in The Dolan Band, and they have recently opened for Wiz Khalifa. Chris also opened for .38 Special and Diamond Rio. He is married to Kristen, and they have two children.

Questions? email acfwdfw@gmail.com. A board member will contact you by Friday prior to the event with instructions for Saturday, August 14. Please be aware, the invitation and link are for our members and friends of our group. We request that you not share the link with others.

Guests may attend these meeting for free for the first two visits. After that, per ACFW National guidelines, guests must become national and local members for continued participation. Contact acfwdfw@gmail.com for further info. (An affiliate membership of $5 per year is available to members of other ACFW groups). Meeting fee: $3 for ACFW DFW or affiliate members, paid to https://acfwdfw-109619.square.site/. (Click on “more/monthly meeting”).

For further information about this and other ACFW DFW events, visit our other social media sites: https://www.facebook.com/DFWReadyWriters, https://twitter.com/acfwdfw, and https://www.instagram.com/acfwdfw/

February 2021 – Instagram & Twitter for Authors

by Past Events

Join ACFW DFW on Saturday, February 13, 2021, from 10:30a-12:00p, for “Instagram & Twitter for Authors” with Lori Z. Scott and Paula Peckham.

The first half of the presentation will explore the use of Instagram for authors, showing ways to use the app to promote author platforms. Presenters will include a description of Instagram and walk through the steps to create an account. Learn how to add followers, use hashtags, and engage author audiences.

The second half of the workshop will explore Twitter as the presenters Introduce the app for new users and explain vocabulary. The presentation will Include tips on how to use Twitter for author promotion, and how to keep author engagement in front of our readers. 

Presenters: Elementary school teacher Lori Z. Scott usually writes fiction because, like an atom, she makes up everything. Her downtime is filled with two quirky habits: chronic doodling and inventing lames jokes. Neither one impresses her principal (or friends/parents/casual strangers), but they do help inspire her writing. Somehow, her odd musings led her to accidentally write a ten-title bestselling chapter book series and on purpose write over 150 short stories, articles, essays, poems, and devotions. In addition, Lori contributed to over a dozen books, mostly so she would have an excuse to give people for not folding her laundry. (Hey! Busy writing here!) She has served as a speaker or workshop leader at several conferences and has visited local elementary schools to share her writing journey. Most days, she’s fully immersed in teaching, but nights find her behind the keyboard. Since Batman didn’t want a sidekick, she teamed up with super-agent Cyle Young at the C.Y.L.E. Literary Agency. 

Paula Peckham is a retired high school math teacher. She splits her time between her beloved Texas and Rio Bravo, Mexico, where she serves in a ministry through her church. She lives in Burleson, a suburb of Fort Worth, Texas. A 5th-generation Texan, she imbues her stories with Texas pride. She has a poem published in the inaugural edition of Awake our Hearts, an online magazine. Women of Spirit, a Christian magazine, also published an article she wrote. She was a  semi-finalist in the 2020 ACFW Genesis contest. She is a member of American Christian Fiction  Writers http://www.acfw.com/ and the local chapter, ACFW DFW, where she serves as treasurer.  

 
Registration is required to receive the Zoom link:

ACFW DFW Feb. '21 - Twitter & Instagram for Authors

For more information about this and other ACFW DFW programs, follow along at:

  • https://www.facebook.com/DFWReadyWriters
  • https://www.instagram.com/acfwdfw/
  • https://twitter.com/acfwdfw

 

ACFW DFW Annual Mini Conference via Zoom

by Past Events

Join ACFW DFW for our annual mini-conference on Saturday via Zoom on August 8, 9a-3p CDT, for “Love this Writing Life.” Interact with four speakers as they present on five different topics. We’ll also have breakout rooms during lunch where you can interact with like-minded writers and some of our speakers.

ACFW DFW Annual Mini Conference
August 2020
Love This Writing Life
Get your tickets here!

Our keynote, Lena Nelson Dooley, will present on “The Wonderful Plans our Marvelous God has for Us,” and “Layering Pizzazz.” Melanie Stiles will speak on “Delivering a Devotional Message.” Jessica White will share tips on “Finding Your Ideal Audience,” and Joy Massenburge will provide help on what to do… “When the Honeymoon is Over: Providing a Finished Manuscript.” We will also have themed giveaways!

The cost is $20 if registered by Friday, August 7 at noon CDT. If you wait until Friday, August 7 after 12pm, the cost is $30. After 6pm Friday, August 7, you will only receive the link to attend, no extras.

REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. To attend this event, go

http://acfw-dfw.ticketleap.com/acfw-dfw-love-this-writing-life/

A board member will contact you by Friday prior to the event with instructions for Saturday, August 8.

For more information about ACFW DFW, visit us at: https://www.facebook.com/DFWReadyWriters/
https://www.instagram.com/acfwdfw/
https://twitter.com/acfwdfw

Keynote Speaker, Lena Nelson Dooley, will present two talks. The first one, The Wonderful Plans Our Marvelous God has for Us, is an inspirational program. “God has a plan your life and your writing. His plans are always perfect and timely. Do you really know how much He loves you?” Her second presenation, Layering Pizazz, shares her process of writing a novel that has helped many writers dig deeper and make their work more interesting.

She is a published, award-winning author with more than 950,000 copies of her 50+ books sold. Her novels have appeared on the CBS, Publisher’s Weekly, and ECPA bestseller lists. Her latest book, Four Seasons of Love: Clean Millionaire and Billionaire Novellas came out in June 2020. As of this month, she’s signed a contract with Wild Heart Books for her next historical series, “Texas Lone Star Hearts.”

Lena is also on the Board of Directors for Higher Ground Films and is one of the screenwriters for their upcoming film, Abducted to Kill. And, is a member of ACFW-DFW’s chapter.

Joy Massenburge will present “When The Honeymoon is Over: Producing a Finished Manuscript.” The presentation will equip you with craft practices that will produce a finished manuscript in sickness, and in health, richer, or poorer until you with The End.Author and speaker, Joy Massenburge is a contemporary romance novel, her debut novel, A Heart Surrendered is a top seller. She’s also written A Cry for Independence: Life After Abuse. Joy also is the voice of Beatrice “Mama B” Jackson in author, Michelle Stimpson’s Mama B Book series.Joy is a founder and the current President of ACFW-East Texas chapter.

Melanie Stiles is presenting “Delivering a Devotional Message.” Hear her discuss how to break into print while connecting with God on an intimate level. She will explore the core components involved in formatting, writing, and selling these short, impactive messages that have the power to reach God’s people everywhere.She dubs herself a “Life Coach in Blue Jeans,” not only is she a life coach, but also an award-winning author, and speaker. Three of her numerous books include, The Heart of a Ready Scribe:52 Reflections for Writers, Let’s Write Devotionals! A Non-Nonsense Manual, as well as, And She Shall be Called Woman: A Bible Study on Less Known Women of the Bible.Melanie believes we are better together and work to help others become the best they can be.

Jessica White will present “Finding Your Audience.” She explains that finding your ideal audience can often feel like searching for your soulmate. Come learn how to identify the qualities of your ideal reader, where to find them, what you need to do to woo them, and how to build lasting relationships.Jessica is a prayer warrior who loves to encourage and create safe spaces for the hurting and lost. She’s committed to living out God’s love and standing for equality, diversity, and justice in her community and publishing. Her Christian historical fiction books include, Surviving the Stillness, and Bound by Brokenness. Her latest novel, Song in the Dark, a contemporary Christian romance, came out June 2020.

Find out more about our presenters with social media:

Lena Nelson Dooley
website: http://www.lenanelsondooley.com/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lena-Nelson-Dooley/e/B001JPAIDE
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lenandooley
Facebook Author Pg: https://www.facebook.com/Lena-Nelson-Dooley-42960748768/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmMImXr00OS8bO4FnT-yhVw

Joy Massenburge
website: https://www.joykmassenburge.com/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Joy-Massenburge/e/B073PB5ZCG?ref_=dbs_p_ebk_r00_abau_000000
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joymassenburge/
Facebook Author Pg: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJoyMassenburge/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwLR179ejdvuK056W6yWySQ

Jessica White
website: https://authorjessicawhite.com/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jessica-White/e/B076JJZZD3?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1596657022&sr=1-1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjessicawhite/
Facebook Author Pg: https://www.facebook.com/authorjessicawhite/

Melanie Stiles
website: https://melaniestiles.com/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Melanie-Stiles/e/B008EKT7WA?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3&qid=1596656927&sr=1-3
Facebook: https://www.alignable.com/houston-tx/melanie-stiles-christian-life-coach