Saturday, January 28
Saturday, January 28
via Zoom - Noon - 2 pm
Branding Explained
with James L. Rubart
The best-selling, Christy Hall of Fame, Carol, INSPY, and RT Book Reviews award winning author of ten novels loves to send readers on mind-bending spiritual journeys that they'll remember months after they finish one of his stories. He’s the co-author of the time traveling detective series, The True Lies of Rembrandt Stone, as well as an audiobook narrator. He lives with his amazing wife on a small lake in eastern Washington. Learn more about James on his website or connect with him on Facebook.
Iron Sharpening Iron
Saturday, November 5 --
Noon -- via Zoom
Several of our own will share the opportunities and resources
they’ve discovered and utilized to:
- grow their craft
- set and reach toward writing goals
- ignite and maintain inspiration
RSVP to
acfwindianachapter@gmail.com
ACFW Indiana
Pitch Party
And
First Page Follies
Our much-anticipated, Gong Show-style meeting is upon us!
This has become a favorite for members who participated in the past. However, unlike the past, we’ve added a “pitch party” to make this a full-day event. We want to make your travel time worthwhile. So, YOU get to pitch your book and submit the first page of your book, and you’ll do it anonymously.
Pitch Party starts at ten a.m.
Lunch is scheduled for noon, catered by Mancino’s (sub sandwiches.) We will send a Google Form to take your lunch order by the 18th of June. Price for sandwich and sides is $10.
First Page Follies will begin at
one p.m.
Here are the basics for the day.
What: ACFW Indiana Meeting in Person
Pitch Party and First Page Follies
When: June 25, 2022 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Where: Kokomo Public Library – South Branch, 1755 E. Center Rd. in Kokomo
Who: Cara Putman evaluates your pitches.
Tish Martin, Linda Taylor and Jim Watkins join us on the agent/editor panel
for First Page Follies.
Cost: Lunch $10
Writer Guests $10
In addition, since this is our only in-person meeting of the year, if you wish to use the day as an opportunity to sell your books, bring them along. We will have a book table available. Unless you have the means for credit cards, these will be cash transactions, so plan accordingly.
You can RSVP via this email or future emails regarding June 25th, or do the same on our Facebook page.
We’re looking forward to the fellowship with all of you!
Our Pitch Expert
Cara Putman
Since the time she could read Nancy Drew, Cara Putman wanted to write mysteries. In 2005she attended a book signing at her local Christian bookstore. The rest, as they say, is history. There she met Colleen Coble and shared her dream. Since those infamous words, Cara has been writing books.
In addition to writing, she is an attorney, lecturer at a Big Ten university, active in women’s ministry, and all around crazy woman. Crazy about God, her husband and her kids. Cara graduated with honors from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Go Huskers!), George Mason Law School (JD), and Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management (MBA). You can learn more about her books at http://www.caraputman.com.
Our First Page Follies Panel
Tisha Martin writes historical fiction and nonfiction but edits full-time for beginning and best-selling writers and publishing houses. 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. Learn more at www.tishamartin.com.
Linda Taylor directs the Taylor U writers' conference and
has been working in publishing for the last three decades. She’s been an
editorial director, freelance editor, and currently is an assistant professor
in the professional writing major at Taylor University. She has an MA in
English from Ball State and an MFA in creative nonfiction from Ashland
University. Her book Word by Word: An Editor Guides Writers in the Self-Editing
Process was published by Bold Vision Books. She blogs about writing, editing,
and teaching at www.lindaktaylor.com. And she has way too many cats.
Linda does freelance copyediting and proofreading. If you’re interested in her services, check out the Editing Services page on this website.
Jim Watkins
First and foremost, Jim is a writer saved by grace. Of much lesser importance, he’s the author of 20 books and over 2,500 articles which have won numerous national awards. He has worked as a magazine and book editor since his sophomore year in college and taught writing for fifteen years at Taylor University. Jim has spoken around the world in churches, colleges and conferences. But mostly, he's a writer saved by grace!
Heart, home and faith have always been important to Lisa Jordan, so writing stories with those elements come naturally. Represented by Cynthia Ruchti of Books & Such Literary Management, Lisa is an award-winning author for Harlequin’s Love Inspired imprint, writing contemporary Christian romances that promise hope and happily ever after. Happily married to her own real-life hero for over thirty years, Lisa and her husband have two sons. By day, she is the content manager for Novel Academy, an online writing academy powered by My Book Therapy. When she isn't writing, Lisa enjoys quality family time, being creative with friends, or getting lost in a good book. Learn more about her at lisajordanbooks.com.
November 2021
Our Editor Panel
Writers write what’s burning inside them, and editors edit to show the flames through the smoke. From writing back-cover copy to editing fiction and nonfiction, Tisha Martin develops the story's crackles and pops to stoke a beautiful fire readers will enjoy.
Visit www.tishamartin.com.
Jean Kavich Bloom has been in the publishing industry for thirty-four years. For twenty-four years she worked at Zondervan publishing house, finishing her career there as an executive managing editor. In late 2011 she took her freelance editorial services full-time when she and her husband returned to Central Indiana to be near family.
Jean is engaged primarily by Christian publishing houses, offering several levels of editing for both fiction and nonfiction books: substantive/developmental, line, and copy—the latter two often in combination. Several of her clients request that she work directly with their authors, and some engage her to perform all three stages of editing for a single book, providing unique continuity. In addition, she offers non-byline writing services upon request. Among Jean’s clients are Harvest House, Bethany House Publishers, Kregel Publications, and HarperCollins Christian Publishing. She’s worked with several other publishers as well, and in the last decade she’s provided editing for more than 125 nonfiction titles and more than 100 novels and novellas, including a Christy Award winner and three Carol Award winners. Professional and author recommendations are conveniently located on Jean’s website, bloominwordseditorial.com.
Thirteen years
teaching college composition and communication has provided plenty of voices
and material to polish. The art is in keeping their voice cohesive,
grammatically correct, and readable.
My background
allows me a different perspective when I am editing. Copy editing and
proofreading intermingle, while line editing and content editing sit on the
sidelines, coaching and cheering.
I work mostly in
fiction and creative fiction including fantasy, science fiction, mystery, and
combinations. And I have worked with non-fiction in the form of memoir and
devotionals.
Contact me and we
can talk about your project, your goals, and how I can help. Kim@kautrey.com.
Jessica
Brodie is an award-winning journalist, author, blogger, editor, writing coach, and
devotional writer with thousands of articles to her name. Since 2010, she has
served as the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist
Advocate, the
oldest newspaper in Methodism, which has won 123 journalism awards during her
tenure. She is the author of Feed My Sheep: A 40-Day Devotional to Develop a Heart
for Hunger Ministry
(2019) and More Like Jesus: A Devotional
Journey (2018) and
the editor of a number of other books from her newspaper’s Advocate
Press, which she
helped found in 2017.
Brodie has
written several novels and is actively seeking publication through her agent Bob Hostetler of The
Steve Laube Agency.
Her novel The Memory Garden won the 2018 Genesis
contest for Contemporary Fiction from American Christian
Fiction Writers, and her novel Tangled Roots won a third place Foundation Award
in Contemporary Romance at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers
Conference in 2019. She is finishing the third in the series, Hidden Seeds,
now.
Beyond writing, Brodie’s other great passion is helping to edit works by fellow writers and coach people on their path to achieving their own writing dreams. She has a heart for helping people tell their stories and offers several services for manuscripts and other writing projects, including copyediting, proofreading, content editing, and writing coach services.
October 9, 2021
Noon-2 p.m.
Online via Zoom.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/
Speaker: Gail Kittleson
Memoir: Making Meaning of Our Memories, Part 2
The members of ACFW Indiana enjoyed Gail's presentation of Part 1 so much, we made room for Part 2 in our 2021 calendar!
View the link to our January 16 meeting below before October 9 if you want to see what Gail already covered.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1hlomdxasm9m28x/IN-ACFW_GailKJan162021.mp4?dl=0
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. Land That I Love, releasing in
September 2021 and set in Texas Hill Country, took Gail back into
using memoir’s first person for the first time with a fiction book.
www.facebook.com/GailKittlesonAuthor
http://amazon.com/author/gailkittleson
July 17, 2021
Michelle Weidenbenner
In-Person Meeting!
Learning the Basics of Self-Publishing
MCL Cafeteria
2370 W 86th St
Indianapolis, IN
(317) 334-1875
11:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Michelle Weidenbenner is an Amazon #1 Best-Selling and Award-Winning author and speaker. She’s spent years writing fiction, but when God called her to take guardianship of her grandkids due to addiction, she refocused her work to serving moms of addicted loved ones.
Her sweet spot is the center of her pickleball paddle, but it’s also empowering moms to regain their identity and purpose in order to live a life that matters and positively influence others. Her energy is contagious and focuses on unlocking the self-advocate in moms and encouraging them to dream big.
As the mother of a recovering addict, she spends most of her time supporting and coaching moms of addicted loved ones. She podcasts at Moms Letting Go Without Giving Up. If you’re a mom of an adult addict, find her free guidebook, at MomsLettingGo.com. Link to Moms Letting Go podcast: https://anchor.fm/michelle515.
Michelle is published in nonfiction as well as several genres of fiction.
Proposals:
Remarkable and Relevant
Linda Glaz
Noon - 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Proposals.
Authors are terrified to write them. Agents and editors dread reading
them, especially when the proposal doesn't provide key information a
publisher needs to project sales. As a literary agent with Hartline,
Linda Glaz reads hundreds of proposals every week. Join her for tips on
how to make your proposal remarkable and relevant!
Linda S. Glaz, married with three grown children and four grandchildren, is a complete triple-A personality. How else would she find time to write as well as be an agent for Hartline Literary Agency?
She loves any and every thing about the written word and loves when families pass stories along through the generations as her mother did with her. She’s a speaker, presenter, and searches her emails each day to find that one nugget of gold just “ready” for a publisher—writing so stellar and from a teachable spirit that no one would dare say no. What more could she ask for?
March 13, 2021
Noon - 2 p.m. Eastern time
(11-1 Central time)
Speaker: Tina Radcliffe
Creating Compelling Scenes
Zoom Meeting
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.
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.
www.facebook.com/GailKittlesonAuthor
http://amazon.com/author/gailkittleson
Worldbuilding
Jill Williamson
November 7, 2020
Noon-2:00 p.m. via Zoom
Watch the Zoom recording:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iC2LGcjHj2bSAV-LHOaRgE7mHCLIVV_R/view
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
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.
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MARCH 16
11:30 to 3:00
Plainfield, IN (southwest)
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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.
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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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