March 13, 2021
Noon - 2 p.m. Eastern time
(11-1 Central time)
Speaker: Tina Radcliffe
Creating Compelling Scenes
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82602255295
Meeting ID: 826 0225 529
Passcode: 380361
Elmore Leonard once said, “Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.” This workshop will show and tell how to craft page-turning scenes.Tina Radcliffe will discuss scene structure, episodic writing, and share tips to take your writing from tepid to terrific.
A freelance writer for over twenty years, Tina Radcliffe is a
Romance Writers of America and ACFW Honor Roll member, and a four-timeAmerican
Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award finalist. Her Harlequin novels have won
the ACFW Carol Award, the Holt Medallion and appeared on the Publishers Weekly
Bestseller list. Besides her novel-length fiction, and her independent
publishing releases, Tina has sold over three dozen short stories to Woman’s
World Magazine. A US Army Veteran, a former registered nurse, and library
cataloger, Tina resides in Arizona, where she writes fun, heartwarming romance
and cozy mysteries. Visit her on the web at
https://www.tinaradcliffe.com/
January
16, 2021
Noon
until 2 p.m.
View the meeting below at your leisure.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1hlomdxasm9m28x/IN-ACFW_GailKJan162021.mp4?dl=0
Speaker:
Gail Kittleson
Memoir:
Making Meaning of Our Memories
Gail says, “We must step
outside our comfort zone to gain objectivity about our past, but the process
offers personal growth and great satisfaction. This short workshop explores the
genre and delves into some necessary techniques.”
We at ACFW Indiana would add
that whether or not you are interested in writing memoir, many of the
techniques presented will enrich your writing, no matter your genre.
A
rural Iowa baby boomer, Gail Kittleson appeared at the local library counter
every Saturday of her childhood to haul home a new pile of books. Later,
she earned her MA in TESOL and taught English as a Second Language and college
expository writing. She loves cheerleading other writers.
Gail’s
memoir, Catching Up With Daylight, evolved over a period of ten years,
which led to the new adventure of writing World War II fiction. Her Women
of the Heartland brand brings to life this era’s make-do women.
http://www.gailkittleson.com/
www.facebook.com/GailKittlesonAuthor
http://amazon.com/author/gailkittleson
Worldbuilding
Jill Williamson
November 7, 2020
Noon-2:00 p.m. via Zoom
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86940001642?pwd=MXliRGxmaFpLTzVDMFBidDlBUHJOQT09
Meeting ID: 869 4000 1642
Passcode: 6mxjLB
RSVP to acfwindianachapter@gmail.com
Jill Williamson is a chocolate loving, daydreaming,
creator of kingdoms, and the author of 23 books, including the Blood of Kings trilogy and the award
winning By Darkness Hid, which was named a Best Science Fiction,
Fantasy, and Horror novel of 2009 by VOYA magazine. A Whovian, Photoshop addict,
and recovering fashion design assistant, Jill loves drawing her own intricate
book maps and teaching about writing. She blogs at goteenwriters.com (named one
of Writer’s Digest’s “101 Best
Websites for Writers”) and also posts writing videos on her YouTube channel and
Instagram TV where she encourages other writers to respect their dreams. She grew up in Alaska
without running water or electricity and now lives in the Pacific Northwest
with her husband and two kids. You can find her online at jillwilliamson.com,
on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.
August 22, 2020
Preparing for Conferences
Rachael O. Phillips
Agent Critique Panel
June 20, 2020
“The
Slush Pile Revisited”
J.M.
Hochstetler, Tish Martin, Alyssa Roat
Alyssa Roat has worked in a wide variety
of roles within the publishing industry, as an agent, editor, writer, and
marketer. Along with being a literary agent at Cyle Young Literary Elite,
Alyssa is the publicity manager at Mountain Brook Ink, an editor with Sherpa Editing
Services, and a freelance writer with 175+ bylines. She holds a degree in
Professional Writing from Taylor University. Her debut novel, Wraithwood,
releases Nov. 7, 2020 from INtense Publications. She would love to connect on
Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @alyssawrote or on her website alyssawrote.com.
Tisha Martin writes
historical fiction and nonfiction but edits full-time for beginning and
best-selling writers and publishing houses. Since 2017 she has worked on over
250 books. She has a bachelor’s in Professional Writing, a master’s in English
Education, and an editing certificate from the PEN Institute. She enjoys
speaking at writer’s conferences and supporting writers in the self-editing process.
Her nonfiction essay in The Horse of My
Heart: True Stories of the Horses We Love is forthcoming in September from
Revell. Learn more at www.tishamartin.com.
J. M. Hochstetler is the
daughter of Mennonite farmers and a lifelong student of history.
For many years she worked as an
editor for Abingdon Press, and currently she is the publisher and editorial
director for Sheaf House Books located in Elkhart, Indiana. Her award-winning historical fiction has been
endorsed by bestselling authors such as Lori Benton, Laura Frantz, Jocelyn
Green, Michelle Moran, and MaryLu Tyndal.
Hochstetler is the author of the
American Patriot Series, the only comprehensive historical fiction series on
the American Revolution. One Holy Night, a contemporary retelling of the
Christmas story, was the Christian Small Publishers 2009 Book of the Year and a
finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Carol Award.
ACFW Indiana 2020 Calendar
All Meetings will begin at 11:30 a.m. and finish by
3:00 p.m.
March
14
Author
Panel
Abbey
Downey
“Preparing
for Contests”
Marion,
Indiana
June
20
Agent
Critique Panel
“The
Slush Pile Revisited”
J.M.
Hochstetler, Hope Bolinger, Alyssa Roat
Plainfield
August
(date to be determined)
Speaker
to be determined
“Preparing
for Conferences”
North
Indianapolis
November
7
Jill
Williamson live streamed
“Worldbuilding”
Avon or ? (If anyone who lives further north can host
this meeting through their church, please contact Linda at: Indiana@acfwchapter.com)
Race to Publication:
Proposals and Queries
When: August 17th
Where: MCL Township Line, 2370 W. 86th St. Indianapolis. Indiana 46260
Time: 11:30-2:30
Cost: Members Free +the cost of lunch
Non-Members: $10.00 + the cost of lunch
Annual Membership: Indiana ACFW $15.00
Please RSVP to acfwindianachapter@gmail.com
Jay Faubion is a former 30-year missionary in the Orient, living in Danville, Indiana for the last twenty years.
He lives with his wife Beth, with five grown children out of
the house. His day job is working from home, doing full-time
software development for the dairy industry. His hobby is
working on old cars, particularly British Triumph Spitfires. Saturdays
are consumed preparing for his adult Bible class at Faith Baptist
Church in Avon. Currently a year and a half into the Book of
Revelation.
He has one published book, Friend Me, through Howard
Books (Simon & Schuster imprint). He enjoys writing suspense
novels, as witnessed by the two incomplete novels he will likely
never get back to. If he ever retires, he will likely write actively
again.
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Cara Putman is
a woman of many talents. Currently, she serves on the executive board
of ACFW, but she's also a practicing attorney, has earned her MBA,
and teaches at Purdue University's Krannert School of Management.
Cara started writing to publish in 2005 after she met Colleen Coble at a
book-signing. Colleen encouraged her to follow that dream, and over
twenty-five books later, Cara is enjoying her dream come true. Add
homeschooling her four children to the above accomplishments, and you
can see why she calls herself an "all-around crazy woman!" Check out
more details at www.caraputman.com.
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Candice Sue Patterson
studied at The Institute of Children’s Literature and is an active
member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives in Indiana
with her husband and three sons in a restored farmhouse overtaken by
books. When she’s not tending to her chickens, beekeeping, or sharing
her passion for reading with students as an elementary school
librarian, she’s working on a new story.
Candice writes Modern-Vintage Romance—where the past and present collide with faith.
Marissa Shrock
is a survivor of many awkward blind dates and many years of teaching
middle school. Both provide excellent inspiration for her fictional
yarns.
Since childhood, she’s loved to read a variety of genres, so her
own work includes dystopian thrillers and cozy mysteries. She’s the
author of the Emancipation Warriors Series and the Georgia Rae Winston
Mystery Series. Her debut novel, The First Principle, was a Carol Award Finalist.
Marissa enjoys playing golf, building elaborate LEGO creations,
and traveling to new places. Her home is in Indiana, where she’s
surrounded by corn and soybean fields. Visit her at www.marissashrock.com.
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That All-Important First Page
ACFW Indiana's June 15th meeting gives you
the opportunity to have your first page critiqued by professional editors!
NO WORRIES THOUGH-
All submissions will be anonymous.
The meeting will take place from 11:30 until 3:00
at Martino’s Italian Villa
1929 North Washington St. Kokomo, Indiana (765) 457-9181.
http://martinositalianvilla.net/
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Here’s what you do BEFORE the meeting:
1. Prepare the first page of your work in progress or
the first page of a book that you are currently pitching to editors and
agents. The header can be completely blank unless you’d like to include
genre.
2. Make four copies of the page, four for the editors and one for the emcee.
3. Take the four pages with you to the meeting where one of the board officers will collect them.
Here’s what will happen AT the meeting:
1. After our lunch, the emcee will read each submission out loud. Again, no names/authors are never mentioned.
2. As the emcee reads, the editors also have a copy in front of them.
Each raises a hand if she decides the submission would not be
suitable for them. If two out of three raise their hands, the emcee
stops reading.
3. Once the emcee stops reading—either because two hands were raised
or she finished the page—the panel members explain why they rejected the
submission. They also will comment upon what they liked about the
piece.
Here’s the Take-Away:
1. A better understanding of the average day in the life of an agent or editor as they work through their slush pile.
2. Tips on how you can improve that all-important first page!
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On March 16, 2019, Hallee Bridgeman came to speak on platform, particularly newsletters. Her talk was filled with so much excellent information that she offered to provide us with her slides so we could be reminded of all we had learned.
Click on the link below if you would like access to the slides from her presentation.
Topic: How to Build a Platform
Hallee Bridgeman
With
more than half a million book sales, Hallee Bridgeman is a best-selling
Christian author who writes action-packed romantic suspense focusing on
realistic characters who face real-world problems. Her work has been
described as everything from refreshing to heart-stopping exciting and
edgy.
An
Army brat turned Floridian, Hallee finally settled in central Kentucky
with her family so that she could enjoy the beautiful changing of the
seasons. She enjoys the roller-coaster ride thrills that life with a
National Guard husband, a college student daughter, and two pre-teen
sons delivers.
A
prolific writer, when she’s not penning novels, you will find her in
the kitchen, which she considers the ‘heart of the home’. Her passion
for cooking spurred her to launch a whole food, real food “Parody”
cookbook series. In addition to nutritious, Biblically grounded recipes,
readers will find that each cookbook also confronts some controversial
aspect of secular pop culture.
Hallee
is a member of the Published Author Network (PAN) of the Romance
Writers of America (RWA) where she serves as a long time member in the
Faith, Hope, & Love chapter. She is a member of the American
Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the American Christian Writers
(ACW) as well as being a member of Novelists, Inc. (NINC). An
accomplished speaker, Hallee has taught and inspired writers around the
globe, from Sydney, Australia, to Dallas, Texas, to Portland, Oregon, to
Washington, D.C., and all places in between.
Hallee
loves coffee, campy action movies, and regular date nights with her
husband. Above all else, she loves God with all of her heart, soul,
mind, and strength; has been redeemed by the blood of Christ; and relies
on the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide her. She prays her work
here on earth is a blessing to you and would love to hear from you. You
can reach Hallee at hallee@halleebridgeman.com
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Please join us on:
MARCH 16
11:30 to 3:00
Plainfield, IN (southwest)
Coachman Restaurant
6112 Cambridge Way, Plainfield, Indiana 46168, United States
Getting Pitch Ready
August 2018
Sarah Forgrave is
an author and speaker who loves encouraging others. Her writing career
began in fiction, where she achieved multiple contest wins, signed with
her agent, and garnered interest from publishing houses. After eight
years, however, God led her into the world of non-fiction and opened
doors for her book, Prayers for Hope and Healing, to be published with Harvest House Publishers in October 2017. Her second book, Prayers of Hope for Caregivers, releases in Spring 2019. Her other writing credits include contributions to Guideposts' A Cup of Christmas Cheer, the e-devotional Arise Daily, and The Gift of Friendship.
Outside of writing and teaching, Sarah is the busy mom of two preteen
kids and the wife of an entrepreneurial husband. When she has a moment
to herself, she loves to shop the aisles at Trader Joe's or curl up with
a good book and a cup of tea. Visit Sarah at www.sarahforgrave.com. |
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Michele Israel Harper is an author, editor, publisher,
wife, and mom to three little ones. Whew! When she's not wearing one of
those hats, she loves to scrapbook. A true Francophile, ask her anything
about France, and she'll love you forever!
Michele has published four books with a fifth ready to go. Her boutique
publishing company, L2L2 , specializes in the speculative, but she'd
love to expand into other genres someday. You can learn more at www.MicheleIsraelHarper.com. |
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Cara Putman is a woman of many talents. Currently, she
serves on the executive board of ACFW, but she's also a practicing
attorney, has earned her MBA, and teaches at Purdue University's
Krannert School of Management.
Cara started writing to publish in 2005 after she met Colleen Coble at a
book-signing. Colleen encouraged her to follow that dream, and over
twenty-five books later, Cara is enjoying her dream come true. Add
homeschooling her four children to the above accomplishments, and you
can see why she calls herself an "all-around crazy woman!" Check out
more details at www.caraputman.com. |
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What you need to know:
- MCL Township Line, 2370 W. 86th St. Indianapolis. Indiana 46260
- 11:30-2:30
- Cost: Members Free +the cost of lunch
- Non-Members: $10.00 + the cost of lunch
- Membership to Indiana ACFW is $15.00 for the year.
This
session will be a panel discussion on how to prepare a one sheet, what
happens in a pitch session, how to move towards publication with an
agent/publishing company.
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Gail Gaymer Martin, June 20, 2015, Fort Wayne, Indiana |
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Gail Gaymer Martin, June 20, 2015, Fort Wayne, Indiana |
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Gail Gaymer Martin speaks on "The Sagging Middle" |
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Gail Gaymer Martin, Fort Wayne, Indiana, June 20, 2015 |
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Gail Gaymer Martin, co-founder of ACFW |
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Linda Glaz, June 20, 2015, Fort Wayne, Indiana |
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Linda Glaz, Literary Agent, Harline Literary Agency |
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Linda Glaz speaks to ACFW-Indiana Chapter
in Fort Wayne, Indiana, June 20, 2015 |
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ACFW-Indiana Chapter |
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Gary Hensley (May 2013) |
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Holly Miller (August 2012) |
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Jim Watkins (2011) |
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Amanda Luedeke (2011) |
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Caleb Sjogren speaking in Merrillville, August 2013 |
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Travis Thrasher speaking in Merrillville, 2012
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