2016 Conference Faculty
Main Stage Speakers
 |
Bodie and Brock Thoene (pronounced Tay-nee) have written over 65 works of historical fiction. Over thirty-five million of these best-selling novels are in print. Eight ECPA Gold Medallion Awards affirms what millions of readers have already discovered–the Thoenes are not only master stylists but experts at capturing readers minds and hearts.
Bodie began her writing career as a teen journalist for her local newspaper. Eventually her byline appeared in prestigious periodicals such as U.S. News and World Report, The American West, and The Saturday Evening Post. She also worked for John Waynes Batjac Productions (she is best known as author of The Fall Guy) and ABC Circle Films as a writer and researcher. John Wayne described her as a writer with talent that captures the people and the times! She has degrees in journalism and communications. |
|
|
Lynn Vincent is the New York Times best-selling writer of 10 nonfiction books with more than 14 million copies in print. Her best-known titles are Same Kind of Different as Me (with Ron Hall and Denver Moore) and Heaven is for Real (with Todd Burpo.)
Heaven has spent more than 200 consecutive weeks on the NYT bestseller list. In 2014, the book became a Sony major motion picture. The book has sold more than 10 million copies, and in 2015 became one of the top 20 bestselling books in Amazon.com’s 20-year history. Same Kind of Different as Me spent three years on the NYT list. In February 2017, Paramount will release the major motion picture, starring Greg Kinnear, Renee Zellweger, Djimon Hounsou and Jon Voight. On Veterans Day 2017, Simon & Schuster will publish INDIANAPOLIS: The True Story of the Worst Disaster in U.S. Navy History and the Fifty-Year Fight to Exonerate an Innocent Man. Lynn is writing INDIANAPOLIS with filmmaker and honorary Indianapolis survivor, Sara Vladic. A veteran journalist and author of more than 1,000 articles, Lynn’s investigative pieces have been cited before Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court. She has been profiled in major media outlets, including Newsweek and The New Yorker. She is an accomplished writing instructor and public speaker. Lynn lives in San Diego with Danny Vincent, her husband of 27 years (and counting), and their three Labrador retrievers, Riggs, Abby and Treasure. |
Agents |
|
 |
Blythe Daniels: The Blythe Daniels AgencyAs president of The Blythe Daniel Agency, Inc., Blythe Daniel is a literary agent and publicist. In addition to representing authors to publishers as a literary agent, she conducts publicity campaigns for authors and organizations. Daniel was the publicity director and then marketing director for Harper Collins Christian Publishing. She has been a news reporter, radio host, and freelance writer for magazines and newspapers. She was the product development manager for New York Times bestselling author John Eldredge. www.theblythedanielagency.comConsultation signups with Blythe require a pre-approved project one-sheet.Blythe is looking for:Non-fiction: Christian living, spiritual growth, current events, inspirational, memoirs, business/leadership, church leadership, marriage, parenting, apologetics, political, social issues, women’s issues, new voices (ministry leaders, pastors, journalists, and other professionals), and some gift and cookbooks. Also looking at books for Millennials.Devotionals: Will look at uniquely themed and creative devotional concepts. Children’s: Will consider children’s proposals but the author must have a strong platform.Fiction: Our agency is not taking any debut fiction but will look at previously, traditionally published fiction authors. Not acquiring poetry or short stories. We review Bible studies on a limited basis. |
|
|
Laura Rothschild: Agent, RO Literary Agency
Laura Rothschild is a founding partner of RO Literary. Before becoming an agent, she worked with writers as a book coach and publishing consultant helping fiction and non-fiction clients develop their stories, polish their manuscripts, and create a book plan to guide them from representation to publication. As a writer herself, Laura understands first hand what it takes to go from idea development to published author. She is certified as a Gateless writing teacher and has spent the past five years being mentored as a writer and teacher in this ground-breaking method. Laura also brings her years of working in marketing and media to RO Literary. She was head of post-production for one of the largest editorial companies in Santa Monica. Her clients included the Rolling Stones, Matchbox-Twenty, Sony, TBWA/Chiat/Day, Macy’s and Foodmaker (Jack In The Box) to name a few. Laura is actively seeking the following: Fiction Well written novels with unforgettable characters and settings. Historical fiction, women’s fiction, upmarket fiction, and family/friend sagas that make her laugh one minute and ache the next. Non-Fiction Narrative, memoir, cultural studies, popular culture, mind/body/spirit. Currently, she is not accepting submissions for poetry, science-fiction, paranormal, fantasy fiction and non-fiction titles on the topics of religious studies, military and political science, or books on business. Consultation signups with Laura require a pre-approved project one-sheet. |
Publishers & Editors |
|
 |
Brett Burner (*): Publisher, Lamp Post Publications. Brett Burner is a Publisher, Speaker/Bible Teacher, and author from San Diego, CA. His dynamic, energetic, in-depth — and sometimes loud! — teaching style has been well-received by his audiences, and he has preached and taught in numerous churches and publishing events throughout San Diego and Riverside Counties in California. Brett is also the Publisher of Lamp Post, a CBA publisher of Christian fiction and non-fiction titles. Beginning as a book design and layout company in 1995, Lamp Post quickly expanded into printing services for the same materials. With a growing catalog of classic Christian works, Lamp Post began to help published authors re-release their backlists into print and e-Book format. Today, Lamp Post is a publisher of both classic and current fiction, memoirs, non-fiction works, and graphic novels. Lamp Post continues to accept submissions, seeking authors who agree with our mission of publishing works that edify the readers. Now, after nearly a two decades, HUNDREDS of publications and MILLIONS of copies later, Lamp Post is serving the public’s growing need for excellent works both in print and downloadable to a multitude of electronic reading devices. Brett has created and written on several graphic novel series, most notably the hit youth series, The Hand of the Morningstar, co-published by Harper Collins/Zondervan and Lamp Post.Web site: LampPostPubs.com
Consultations: Nonfiction and fiction. Consultation signups with Brett require a pre-approved project one-sheet. |
Authors |
|
 |
Susan Meissner: Award-winning novelist (The Shape of Mercy, Lady in Waiting, the Girl in the Glass, Fall of Marigolds and more), began writing for a county newspaper in 1995 as a part-time reporter . She was soon given her own column, and in 1998, was named editor of the town’s weekly paper Mountain Lake/Butterfield Observer Advocate. In 2002, the Minnesota Newspaper Association named her paper the Best Weekly Newspaper in Minnesota. The death of her beloved grandfather in 2002 somehow gave her an incredible urge to write a novel. She says: “I knew I didn’t want to come to the end of my life having only dreamed of writing one. I resigned as editor of the newspaper, which was a very hard decision to make, and set out to write Why the Sky is Blue.” It took four months to write and ten months to be accepted by a publisher, and Susan has been writing novels ever since. Her favorite genre is contemporary fiction with a historical thread running through it. She and her husband Bob, an associate pastor at their church and a chaplain in the Air Force Reserves, have four children. Susan also speaks, directs the small groups ministries at The Church at Rancho Bernardo and teaches workshops on writing.Web site: SusanMeissner.com Consults: Fiction only |
|
|
Diana Taylor Diana Wallis Taylor, an award-winning author, has published five books of Biblical Fiction and has just completed her sixth. She has written three other books of fiction, a book of poetry and a book on Halloween. Along with her books, her writing has appeared in various compilation books and magazines. Diana recently completed an Easter cantata, “Glorious”, with her fellow collaborator, Carolyn Prentice, who wrote the music. She enjoys speaking and sharing her heart with women of all ages. Diana lives with her husband, Frank, in San Diego, California. Between them they have six grown children and nine grandchildren.Consultations: Beginning writers, historical fiction. |
Photojournalists & Editors |
|
|
|
Dr. Vicki Hesterman Editor, author, photographer, book collaborator, writing teacher. Consults: Book proposals, articles, photojournalism. All levels, including beginners, welcome. Non-Fiction only. |
Dr. Rebecca Laird, professor of Christian ministry at Point Loma Nazarene University is the author or co-author of more than a dozen books (including The Heart of Henri Nouwen: His Words of Blessing and Discernment and Reading the Signs of Daily Life, with Henri Nouwen) plus 75 magazine articles. As Developmental Editor for Laird/Christensen Associates, she served as a book project editor for Abingdon Press, HarperSanFrancisco, Guideposts Books, Crossings Book Club, Point Loma Press, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Zondervan and other publishers. Prior to that, she was Associate Editor with Harper One, a division of Harper Collins Publishing House, and responsible for acquisition, editing, and oversight of religious trade books and education curriculum for the Christian book market. Consultations: Non-fiction
Anita Palmer Anita’s years of experience include: being a freelance editor for 70-plus book manuscripts for both Christian and general houses working with authors like Cloud and Townsend, George Barna, and Lynn Vincent; managing editor of a national monthly magazine, a reporter and assistant news editor at a metropolitan newspaper, and a university media relations officer.
Consultations: Fiction, nonfiction, magazine writing
(*): Signups for consultations with agents and editors REQUIRE a completed one-sheet form to be submitted no later than the Monday before the conference. A form will be emailed to you when you register or you can obtain one here. The One-Sheet Form
Looking for manuscript editor for completed draft in need of extensive review and changes, suggestions, etc. Publish planned for Jan. 2015. Cooperative effort desired in all aspects of completing manuscript for publication world-wide.
Unable to be at your conference. Please suggest a contact for hire in the completion of my manuscript.
Thank you,
Greg Lobdell
watchbeready2007@yahoo.com
760-445-2788
We are both editors, with primary experience in nonfiction books and articles. We have sold more than 200 articles for publication, and have published 26 books to date, none self-published. Tell us more about your project.
SDCWG Conference is the BEST Writer’s Conference because God sets up Divine Appointments there. I credit it with my becoming a published author and selling 100,000 books! I signed up for a Saturday Consultation with Chip McGregor and boom – my writing and publishing journey began that moment. You must be at the Conference if you have a message to write and share.