Founders
N. J. (Nancy) Lindquist is an award-winning author, an inspiring speaker, and a popular writing teacher and mentor. Her published work includes numerous articles and columns, including a regular column in Maranatha News; two adult mysteries – Shaded Light, and its sequel, Glitter of Diamonds; five novels for teens – the Circle of Friends series and In Time of Trouble; and three discipleship manuals for teens.
From 1994 until 1999, she edited Cell Life FORUM for Worldteam Canada and, in 1999, started That’s Life Communications publishing company with her husband and business partner Les Lindquist.
N. J. conceived, co-edited and published Hot Apple Cider: Words to Stir the Heart and Warm the Soul, a ground-breaking anthology released in May 2008 that showcases the work of 30 Canadian authors who are Christian.
In January 2002, N. J. spearheaded the launch of The Word Guild (TWG). Since the initial planning stages in the summer and fall of 2001, she has invested nine years in building The Word Guild and in strategizing and networking to strengthen the Canadian Christian writing, editing and publishing community. She has made a number of media appearances, and spoken to many groups of various sizes across Canada on a variety of topics from the value of fiction to the best ways to make disciples. N. J. stepped down as Executive Director in January 2008, but continues to take a hands-on working and consulting role within The Word Guild.
After attending her first God Uses Ink conference in 1988, N. J. has been involved as a participant, planner or faculty member every year since. She has been co-director of the conference, now known as Write! Canada, since the fall of 2001 (the conference was renamed in 2004 to mark its 20th anniversary); and was the plenary speaker in 2006.
N. J. was presented with the Leading Women Award for Excellence in Communications and Media at the third national Leading Women Awards in Calgary in 2006, which honoured women God is using to make outstanding contributions to work and ministry in their areas of influence. She has also won numerous awards for her books, articles, and columns.
N. J. has taught creativity and writing workshops across Canada and in the United States. Besides The Word Guild, N. J. is a member of the Writers’ Union of Canada, Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, and Advanced Writers and Speakers, as well as other writing organizations.
Wendy Elaine Nelles is an award-winning journalist, writer, editor and speaker with wide-ranging experience in the corporate, not-for-profit and publishing sectors. Her news articles, features and profiles have appeared on the front pages of Canadian Christian publications. She holds an MA in Communications with high honour from Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois, as well as a BA in English and Psychology with high honour from Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ont.
Her work has impacted many of Canada’s writers and editors who are Christian, through co-founding The Word Guild in 2002 and directing many writing awards programs and writers’ conferences. Wendy has devoted nine years to establishing The Word Guild and building the professionalism of Canada’s Christian writing community, most of that on a full-time, pro-bono basis. She has filled a number of roles in the areas of strategic thinking, needs analysis, event planning, public relations, quality control and editing, plus spearheaded the legal procedures for The Word Guild’s amalgamation with the registered charity Christian Info Canada (CIC) in 2008. She continues to take a hands-on working and consulting role within The Word Guild.
She has served on the leadership team of the God Uses Ink/Write! Canada conference every year since 1989. She has co-directed Write! Canada since the fall of 2001, and also directed several Write! Toronto one-day conferences.
Wendy was recognized nationally for distinctive achievement in her field with the Leading Women Award for Excellence in Communications and Media at an awards presentation in Calgary in 2006. Other winners in this category “for outstanding contribution to work and ministry in their areas of influence” are Karen Pascal, filmmaker (2002); Maxine Hancock, author, professor and broadcaster (2004); and Lorna Dueck, broadcaster and journalist (2008).
Wendy co-edited Hot Apple Cider: Words to Stir the Heart and Warm the Soul, a ground-breaking, 100 percent Canadian inspirational anthology by 30 Canadian authors who are Christian, all of whom are members of The Word Guild. The book has achieved Canadian bestseller status. In addition, the authors donated $500,000 worth of books to the relief and development organization World Vision – which has distributed 30,000 copies of Hot Apple Cider to people across Canada.
