Meet Our Workshop Speakers

Lori Copeland is a popular best selling contemporary and historical Christian author. Her books have been nominated for the prestigious Christy Award and received two Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Awards. Lori makes her home in Missouri with her husband Lance, three sons and ever growing family. Her hobby is knitting prayer and friendship shawls, and baking chocolate chip cookies.

Tierney James decided to become a full-time writer after working in education for over thirty years. Besides serving as a Solar System Ambassador for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, and attending Space Camp for Educators, Tierney served as a Geo-teacher for National Geographic. Her love of travel and cultures took her on adventures throughout Africa, Asia and Europe. From the Great Wall of China to floating the Okavango Delta of Botswana, Tierney weaves her unique experiences into the adventures she loves to write. Living on a Native American reservation and in a mining town continues to fuel the characters in the Enigma and Wind Dancer series.

Susan Keene lives on a farm in the beautiful Ozarks.  

Among her hobbies are using her metal detector to treasure hunt, spending time with her family and settling down with a good book.

She writes full time and has several books published. 

Susan went to college in St. Louis and loves to use it as a setting for her cozy mysteries.

VJ Schultz enjoys writing in multiple genres including mystery, romance, and fantasy. When she isn’t writing or designing books, she takes photos, reads, and plays a Lowrey keyboard. VJ is one of the founding members of Sleuths' Ink, a mystery and suspense writing group. VJ has three fiction short stories collections: Death of Bigfoot & Other Tales, Truth or Dare & Other Tales, and Undercover Love & Other Tales. Among the nonfiction books she has out are: Vera's Version which contains her previously published humor columns from the 1990s; a goal setting perpetual calendar entitled How to Eat an Elephant; an Internet password keeping book called Remember!; and Color Me Happy, a coloring book for adults.

J.C. Fields

Award Winning Author of The Fugitive's Trail, The Assassin's Trail, The Imposter's Trail and coming Summer 2018, The Cold Trail.

Available on www.amazon.com and www.audible.com

https://www.amazon.com/author/jcfields

Sharon Kizziah-Holmes' interest in writing novels came in the early 1990's when a friend suggested they write a book together. She took her up on it and continued to write, however, her friend did not, but she enjoys reading Sharon's books. When Sharon joined various local writing groups, a whole new world opened up for her. She absolutely loves to write, edit, and publish for other indie authors. For over ten years her most favorite thing is to teach writers basic writing mechanics and help them make their work a smooth more enjoyable read.

 Nancy Dailey, whose past writings have appeared in newspapers and magazines, is currently the author of two books that required research, one extensively so. She will share her knowledge and experience in searching for sources of information, how to determine the accuracy and solidity of that information, and how to spot and follow clues you might otherwise overlook, as well as the need to keep accurate records of your sources of information. Treat research like a treasure hunt; it can be exciting. Well, at least not something to be so grumpy about.

 Kathleen Garnsey has published five futuristic romances, is contemplating a series, and is in the middle of her first mystery novel. She loves to write but loves teaching writing even more. She learned to write by attending conferences, meetings, critique groups, and lots of practice. She lives in Ozark Missouri with her husband and one dog, a Boxer named Ginger. She has one son and three grandchildren to keep her busy if she ever gets bored.

Shirley McCann's short stories have appeared in Woman's World, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, The Forensic Examiner, as well as numerous other publications.  Her short story collections can be found on Amazon along with her YA series, The Scarry Inn .
https://www.amazon.com/Shirley-McCann/