St. Davids Christian Writers' Conference

Editors & Agents
Jana Carman, editor of the annual devotional, Penned from the Heart, will offer free editorial appointments. Diana Flegal, an agent with Hartline Literary Agency will offer free appointments on Friday only. Holly Miller, a contributing editor to The Saturday Evening Post will offer free editorial appointments. Kathy Carlton Willis of KCW Communications will offer free consultations with writers and speakers looking for direction in branding, platform, publicity, etc. Lora Zill, editor of the Christian poetry journal Time of Singing will offer free editorial appointments.

Comments from Previous Conferences:

"I thoroughly enjoyed everything I participated in. It has been an affirming, encouraging, fun, inspiring and challenging week. I can’t wait til next year!"

"Loved – more than I could ever have imagined."

"I only attended a single workshop each day but had such a wonderful exper-ience! So much wonderful info & people!"

"Thank you so much! I love this conference!"

"I was encouraged and energized by the program. . ."

"A great learning envir-onment. Great new friends."

"I had a beautiful week and hope I’ll be able to return another year. Thank you!"

"I have been to other writers' conferences, "but this one is unique because of the atmosphere that demonstrates Christian writers as members of a living spiritual community.

"Everyone is extremely friendly and supportive of others, which successfully models Jesus' love and grace. For that reason I have been truly blessed by the efforts of all of you who planned and prepared this special experience."

"I truly feel each part of the conference I was blessed to be in was excellent. The speakers, instructors, and leaders are held to such a high standard, and I learned in every part of the conference. Thank you all for a beautiful and special week."

"The classes were great. Tutorials were great. The warm, friendly atmosphere, the talented people sharing their talents, and the love flowing were beyond fantastic. I felt very welcomed."

"It was all too wonderful to rate anything as most valuable. It altogether had such a great synergistic effect."

"I thought the conference was great. I appreciated the expertise and professional- ism of the speakers and teachers, but was also blessed by their openness and willingness to help, share, and encourage. The fellowship was beyond description. Everyone was so nice, helpful, loving."

"For me this was a refreshing experience. To have people openly talk about God and their passion to get his message to a hurt and dying world was awesome. If anyone asked me where to start, my answer would be, 'St. Davids Christian Writers' Conference.'"

2011 Faculty

*You may click on a faculty member's name or photo to be taken to that person's web site. For a printable PDF file of the faculty and workshops, click on the link below:*

**2011 St. Davids Christian Writers' Conference**
	Karen Blomain earned her M.F.A. at Columbia University, and has authored six books of poetry, including Normal Ave. and Borrowed Light. The film rights for her first novel, A Trick of Light, were purchased by Barbara Streisand's production company, and her second, The Season of Lost Children, will be released in 2011. Karen will lead a Wednesday through Friday continuing morning workshop on Where Poems Come From--with topics including "As the Poem Turns," "Poem as Praise," and "Writing without Our Eyes." She will also lead individual sessions on "Inventing and Sustaining Your Creative Life" and "Tidying Up after the Muse: Strategies for Self Editing."
	Diana Flegal is an agent with the Hartline Literary Agency and editorial assistant to its founder, Joyce Hart. Diana has also served as a medical missionary to Haiti and a women's speaker and bible study leader. One of her chief joys has been teaching apologetics to high school students. Diana represents inspirational fiction and nonfiction in both the CBA and general markets. Diana will lead Friday sessions on "Do I Need an Agent?" and "How to Write an Attention-Grabbing Proposal."
	Carol Hamilton writes for Examiner.com as the Pittsburgh Christian Living Examiner. Her work has also appeared in Vista, Women Alive!, Shepherdess Journal, and many other publications. She presents anti-bullying programs with Bucketfillers for Life, Inc. and speaks to rejuvenate women. She is marketing/PR director board member for National Speakers Association Pittsburgh and president of New Castle’s First Toastmasters. Carol will lead a Wednesday through Friday continuing morning workshop for beginners titled "From A Hobby to Career: Turn Doing What You Love into Income." She will also teach an afternoon session on "Sell Your Writing through Professional Presentations."
	Holly Miller has authored or co-authored 14 books and thousands of articles and short stories that have appeared in Today's Christian Woman, Reader's Digest, Writer's Digest, etc. A contributing editor to the Saturday Evening Post, she is also a judge for Evangelical Press Association writing competitions. Her most recent book is Feature & Magazine Writing: Action, Angles, and Anecdotes. Holly will lead a Wednesday through Friday continuing morning workshop on "Magazines: the Quickest Path to Publication." She will also lead an afternoon general session on "Where Do You Go from Here?"
	Bob O'Connor, a self-published author, now has six titles in print plus an audio book. At least three of them will soon be available as e-books as well. He has sold almost 6,000 copies of his books, when the average self-published author sells 100 copies in a lifetime. Among his titles are two historical novels, including The Virginian Who Might Have Saved Lincoln and three nonfiction books, including The U.S. Colored Troops at Andersonville Prison. Bob will lead two Wednesday afternoon sessions on "How to Successfully Self-Publish" and "The True Grit of Writing Historical Fiction."
	Trish Perry has had five romantic comedy novels--including The Perfect Blend and Sunset Beach--published by Harvest House, with another--Tea for Two--to be released in 2011. Sunset Beach won the 2010 Greater Detroit RWA Booksellers Best Award. Trish wrote a column for Christian Fiction Online Magazine, and has also had numerous essays, short stories, devotionals, and poems published. Trish will lead a Wednesday through Friday continuing morning workshop on "Creating Stories Your Readers Will Love."
	Melanie Rigney, a past editor of Writer's Digest, has also served as edi- torial director of Writer's Digest Books. Currently a freelance editor with editorforyou.com, she has edited and evaluated manuscripts for dozens of clients. Melanie is also a writer-editor with the Department of the Treasury and oversees content on 25 of its web sites. Melanie will lead the Writers' Retreat.
	Nancy Skultety is the author of the picture book From Here to There from Boyds Mills Press and two books in the Barron's Educational Series: 101 Words Your Child Will Read by the End of Grade 1 and 101 Words Your Child Will Spell by the End of Grade 1. Formerly a first-grade teacher, she now holds a Masters of Reading degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and works as a reading specialist in a pubic school district. Nancy will lead a Wednesday through Friday continuing morning workshop on "Getting From Here To There: Writing For Children."
	Kathy Carlton Willis is an editor, publicist, and book doctor, who established Kathy Carlton Willis Com- munications as a way to help get the word out about the work of writers, speakers, and conferences. She passionately seeks creative ways to get her clients media attention. Kathy also "gets jazzed" serving as a speaker/ singer for faith-based and secular groups, as well as writers' conferences. Kathy will deliver the keynote address "Reinventing Life in the Middle: You Can Survive a 'Do Over' and Live to Tell About It." She will also lead a Wednesday through Friday continuing morning workshop for advanced writers titled "Shine On! and individual sessions on "What's God Got To Do with It? Following God's Direction in Your Writing Career," and "You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover."