Keynote Speaker: Mark Buchanan
Mark Buchanan is a pastor, author, and freelance writer who lives with his wife, Cheryl, and their three children on the west coast of British Columbia, Canada.
Mark is the author of Your God Is Too Safe and his most recent release, Things Unseen: Living In Light of Forever. He has been published in numerous periodicals, including Christianity Today, Books and Culture, and Christian Week, and is a popular conference and retreat speaker.
The lead pastor of New Life Community Baptist Church, Mark is a graduate of the University of British Columbia, Regent College and the Arrow Leadership program.
Your God Is Too Safe
"Why is it that the most amazing news available, or even imaginable -- that the God of creation and redemption seeks you and woos you -- is so easily forgotten or rendered boring? Why is it that the Lord of the cosmos invites us into fullness of life, and we so often, like Jonah, sulk and grouse beneath the wilted vine? This is borderland, the in-between place where God is not good, but he's safe."
Things Unseen: Living In Light Of Forever
"Blending pastoral warmth, philosophical depth, storytelling skill, and literary craft, Rev. Mark Buchanan encourages Christians to make heaven, literally, our "fixation" - filling our vision, gripping our heart, and anchoring our hope. Only then, can we become truly fearless on this earth, free from the fear of losing our life, property, status, title, or comfort: free from the threat of tyrants, the power of armies, and the day of trouble. Mark Buchanan reawakens the instinctive yearning for things above, showing that only the heavenly minded are of much earthly good." - Multnomah Publishers
Featured Experts - workshop leaders and speakers:
Brian Austin is the author of over 50 published articles and poems, and the host of a local radio poetry hour. When not writing or reading poetry, he works in a Christian bookstore.
Donald G. Bastian, through his company Bastian Publishing Services Ltd., assists writers and publishers for the Canadian general market as an editor, consultant and book project manager. Recent clients have included Key Porter, the Dundurn Group, ECW Publishing, Nelson Thomson, CIBC Securities and GoodLife Fitness Clubs. Don also teaches in Ryerson University's publishing program. From 1986 to 2002, he managed the editorial programs at Irwin Publishing (trade division) and Stoddart Publishing.
Glynis Belec is a published children's author and freelance writer, private tutor and youth drama ministry leader. She is on regular assignment for Sunday school take home papers and children's periodicals.
Margaret Buchanan is the Quebec correspondent for ChristianWeek and has been published in numerous other periodicals. She is the author of Famous Jerks of the Bible and Making Disciples from Scratch, an upcoming parenting title. See "staff bios" at ChristianWeek.org
Marg Buller's passion is to empower people through an understanding of their unique God-given personality and potential — career direction, relationships, leadership, learning, unique expression/passion. She founded The Creative Caring Centre where she uses teaching, personal coaching, writing and speaking to empower people and synergize groups. See Authentically-You.com
Sue Careless is a freelance journalist and photographer who enjoys pursuing hard news and investigative journalism and then turning her hand to more humorous or reflective pieces. Her work has appeared in the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star and the National Post. The recipient of five Canadian Church Press Awards, she is a frequent contributor to The Anglican Journal, ChristianWeek and Faith Today. She is also the author of Discovering the Book of Common Prayer: A Hands on Approach.
Robert D. Clements is director of Clements Publishing, and a consulting editor to Regent College Publishing in Vancouver, BC. Formerly he was editor of the Free Methodist Herald. See ClementsPublishing.com/
Keith Clemons has completed three novels. His first to be published, If I Should Die, is a contemporary mystery decrying the dangers of legalizing euthanasia.
Hugh Cook stories have been published in Canada's leading literary journals. He has published three books of fiction; his latest is an award-winning book of linked stories, Home In Alfalfa. He gives frequent fiction readings of his work, and has taught Creative Writing at the university level for more than thirty years. His Web site is here.
Ginette Cotnoir is the managing editor of The Evangelical Baptist and a freelance editor and writer. She has edited two books on the history of the evangelical church in Quebec. See Fellowship.ca
Audrey Dorsch is an editorial consultant with her own business, Dorsch Editorial. She is the former managing editor of Faith Today magazine. She started her career in newspaper journalism, and then edited the Canadian constituency magazine for Wycliffe Bible Translators. She has directed and taught at dozens of writers' seminars, including God Uses Ink. She is a Leslie K. Tarr award winner. See DorschEdit.ca
Bill Fledderus is senior editor at Faith Today magazine and a former GUI director. He takes great joy in his other roles as the father of two young boys and as a church elder. See FaithToday.ca
Thomas Froese, a journalist for 15 years, is an editor at the Yemen Times and a freelance columnist for the Hamilton Spectator and the London Free Press. He writes about Middle East and Yemeni culture, and is particularly interested in building bridges between the West and the Developing World in a post-9/11 era.
Sheila Wray Gregoire's first book, To Love, Honor and Vacuum, will be published in June. She has also written for magazines like Today's Cristian Woman and ParentLife, and writes a weekly parenting newspaper column. When she's not home-schooling her children, she's researching ways to market her book. See SheilaWrayGregoire.com
Deborah Gyapong's journalism career spans print, radio and 12 years as a television producer with the CBC's news service. After a stint as senior communications officer to the Official Opposition party, she now works as a book coach, writer and communications consultant. Her passion is writing fiction, as yet unpublished.
Linda Hall is the award-winning author of nine novels and seven nonfiction books. Sadie's Song, her novel about domestic violence in the Christian home, was a Christy Award finalist. Her latest novel, Steal Away, features her new private investigator, Teri Blake-Addison, who solves cases of missing people. A former newspaper reporter and feature writer, Linda has taught English and Mystery Writing at the college and university levels. She is also an instructor for the Longridge Writers' Program. Linda lives in Fredericton, NB. See www.writerhall.com
Gus Henne has been involved with book publishing for many years. His passion is helping writers and authors tell their story. Gus is marketing director for ChristianWeek and for the Essence Communications Group, one of North America's largest custom book publishers. See “staff bios” at ChristianWeek.org or EssenceGroup.com
Kelly Henschel is the managing editor for ChristianWeek. She has worked for community and daily newspapers as a reporter/photographer and has a keen interest in youth publications. See “staff bios” at ChristianWeek.org
Rick Hiebert has edited testimony, the official publication of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, since 1993. Find out more here
Mona Gansberg Hodgson from Arizona is the author of a number of books for children and adults, and is the founding director of the Glorieta Christian Writers' Conference. Her publishing credits include contributions to ten books for adults, including The Story Jar and The Complete Guide to Christian Writing and Speaking, plus more than 600 writings in fifty-plus periodicals. She is the author of Hide and Seek, a children's devotional, the I Wonder picture book series and the Desert Critter Friends series for children. Her articles, poems, meditations and short fiction for adults and children have appeared in such publications as Decision, Focus on the Family, Virtue, Power for Living, Home Life, The Upper Room, Campus Life and Evangel. See MonaHodgson.com
Fazal Karim Jr. is the publisher and editor-in-chief of The Christian Herald. See ChristianHerald.ca
Linda Knight is a writer whose poetry can be found in gift shops around the world. She has had over 2,000 poems and greeting card verses published since 1989. She is also a regular contributor to Woman's World. Her Chucky & Gordy children's stories will soon be featured on Faithville Gospelcast Productions' new children's TV program, Miss Charity's Diner.
Doug Koop is editorial director for ChristianWeek and ChristianCurrent publications. A missionary kid who grew up in Ethiopia, he has absolutely no formal training that qualifies him for the job. He does like writing, however, and has learned that the surest way to get published is to work as an editor. In June 2000 he received the Leslie K. Tarr award recognizing an outstanding contribution to Christian writing and publishing in Canada. See “staff bios” at ChristianWeek.org
N. J. (Nancy) Lindquist is a former university English medalist, high school “Teacher of the Year,” and home-schooling mother who combines her love for writing with her love for teaching. She is the author of five novels and four non-fiction books for adults and teens, a Christmas play, and numerous articles, columns and short stories. Her involvement with God Uses Ink spans 15 years, where she has been a teacher and organizer and is now director. Besides teaching writers, Nancy also leads workshops and speaks on a variety of faith-related topics. Nancy is the co-founder and executive director of The Word Guild. See NJLindquist.com
Lloyd Mackey has worked in community and Christian newspapering for 36 years, as a reporter, editor, publisher and columnist. He is presently editor of ChristianCurrent Ottawa. See ChristianCurrent.com
Valerie Marchant was senior reporter for Time magazine for 14 years. She has been published in McCall's, Redbook, Bon Appetit, Sports Illustrated for Women, and Canadian Reader's Digest. She has worked for Money, Fortune and MoneySense magazines. Her experience in New York, London and Canada ranges from non-fiction publishing houses to documentary film companies to The Old Farmer's Almanac. Valerie has expertise in developing story ideas, assigning and editing articles. She holds an MBA in International Finance and an MFA in Non-fiction Writing.
Sandy McMurray turns technical gibberish into plain language. His writing appears regularly in Here's How magazine and on GlobeTechnology.com. His Web site is TechStuff.ca
Cecil (Cec) Murphey is an award-winning and widely published writer. He is the author or co-author of 85 books, in such fields as health and fitness, motivation, travel and inspiration. He has ghostwritten autobiographies for a number of celebrities, including evangelist Franklin Graham, singer B.J. Thomas, pianist Dino Karsanakas, Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy, ultra-marathon runner Stan Cottrell, and Dr. Ben Carson of Johns Hopkins Hospital. Cec, who resides in the Atlanta area, is a three-time winner of the Author of the Year Award by the Dixie Council of Authors and Journalists. He is also a winner of the Golden Medallion Award. See CecilMurphey.com
Wendy E. Nelles has wide-ranging experience as a writer and editor in the business, not-for-profit and publishing sectors. She has received several awards for journalism and holds an MA in Communications from Wheaton College in Illinois. She is also a writing instructor and public speaker. Wendy is co-founder and assistant director of The Word Guild, and a God Uses Ink organizer for 15 years. See this page.
Josie Newman, a Toronto-area freelance writer with 19 years experience, writes for the National Post, the Globe and Mail, Faith Today, Christian Week, Charisma magazine, Spread the Fire magazine and several other publications.
Amy Oscar, an editor at Woman's World Magazine, has worked as a freelance writer, poet and novelist. This year, she has launched As If, a magazine about living "simply and miraculously.” She lives in the New York area with her husband, son and daughter.
Don Pape is vice president and publisher of WaterBrook Press and its imprint Shaw Books (formerly Harold Shaw Publishers). Although Don lives in Colorado Springs, he is a Canadian citizen. See RandomHouse.com/WaterBrook
Simon Presland is a freelance writer who has written for Marriage Partnership, The REV, Children's Ministry Magazine, Canadian Sportsman, The Windsor Star, ChristianWeek, etc. See SimonPresland.com
Elma Schemenauer has written 60 children's & adult books published in Canada & the U.S. They include Jacob Jacobs Gets Up Early (children's novel), Israel (history & geography), Special Canadian Communities ethnic minorities), Yesterstories (historical fiction) and Salmon (science). She has also edited many books including texts, factual titles and novels. The site for her book on her family's history is here.
Adele Simmons has written hundreds of dramas/sketches/plays/shows for stage, TV, radio, video, animation and puppetry, as well as educational manuals, games and puzzles.
Helen Smrcek currently works with Listen Up, a current affairs edition of the 100 Huntley Street television program. She also freelances with Faith Today, Christian Week, Faith and Friends, Catherine, Christian Herald, Mississauga News and others.
Les Stobbe is currently editor-in-chief of the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild and the 2002 - 2003 journalist in residence at Gordon College in Massachusetts. He has been a literary agent for 10 years, after 15 years as magazine editor and 22 years as book editor/publisher. See ChristianWritersGuild.com/whoweare/
Lois Sweet is a journalism professor at Carleton University. She has been a journalist in both print and broadcast media, a producer with the National Film Board of Canada and CBC Radio, a columnist for the Edmonton Journal and the Toronto Star, and the faith & ethics reporter for the Star. As well as many writing awards, she has received the Southam Fellowship and the Atkinson Fellowship in Public Policy. She is the author of God in the Classroom: The Controversial Issue of Religion in Canada's Schools (McClelland & Stewart). Her Web page is here.
W. Terry Whalin knows and understands both sides of the editorial desk — as an editor and a writer. He is the acquisitions editor at Cook Communications Ministries in Colorado Springs. He worked as an editor for Decision and In Other Words magazines and ran a full-time freelance business for seven years. His articles have appeared in more than 50 Christian and general market publications plus he's written more than 55 books. See CookMinistries.com
Robert White, with 20 years of experience as both a staff reporter and freelancer, is editor of the ChristianCurrent Golden Triangle and managing editor of the ChristianCurrent network of newspapers. See ChristianCurrent.com
Larry Willard is the executive director and general manager, Canadian Operations, for Augsburg Fortress Publishers and the executive director of Castle Quay Books Canada. See AFCanada.com
Ray Wiseman spent a dozen years writing and editing for a major corporation and a dozen more writing newspaper columns and books. Look for his fifth book, A Bridge to the Mountain, this fall. See Ray.Wiseman.ca
