Faculty N-Z

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. She holds an M.A. in Communications with high honor from Wheaton College, Illinois. She has served on the leadership team of the God Uses Ink/Write! Canada conference for 20 consecutive years. Wendy co-founded The Word Guild in 2002, invested six years as its associate director, and continues to be active in her role as founder. In 2006, she was recognized nationally with the Leading Women Award for Excellence in Communications and Media.

Born in Saskatchewan, Denyse O'Leary is a Toronto-based Canadian author, journalist and blogger, who is the author of Faith@Science (Winnipeg: J. Gordon Shillingford, 2001), By Design or by Chance? (Augsburg Fortress 2004), an overview of the intelligent design controversy and co-author, with Montreal neuroscientist Mario Beauregard, of The Spiritual Brain: A neuroscientist’s case for the existence of the soul (Harper 2007). Her current blogs are the Post-Darwinist and the Mindful Hack. She has taught writing, editing, and business practice for writers and editors for many years. Denyse went into freelance journalism shortly after leaving university, having completed a four-year degree in honours English language and literature. She has been a freelance journalist ever since, writing for a variety of publications. She has also done extensive work as a book editor and ghostwriter. Believing that many writers and editors do not deserve to starve, she developed and taught a course at George Brown College on how to maintain a business as a freelance editor and writer. She has taught writing, editing, and business practice for writers and editors for many years.

Sandra Reimer is a professional member and the managing director of The Word Guild. She is a promotional writer and publicist with experience planning events, marketing, creating promotional materials and writing funding proposals. She also has done community and media relations as well as fundraising in the non-profit sector. She runs her own company, Reimer Reason Communications (www.reimer-reason.ca), in Kitchener, Ont. Reimer also writes articles for publications including Faith Today, ChristianWeek, and The Mennonite Brethren Herald; drama scripts; and scripts for television programs including GoodNews Sports.

Johanne Robertson, co-publisher and editor of Maranatha News, co-founded the publication in 1996 to cover news about and celebrate the accomplishments of Canada’s diverse Christian community. With her ability to see possibilities and build relationships, Johanne has broadened the paper’s coverage and assembled a strong team of freelance writers and editors. Maranatha News is a monthly publication distributed free of charge to evangelical churches, Christian bookstores and colleges, and stores across Canada (www.maranathanewspaper.com). Robertson also is co-founder of Read For Life, a Canadian program that encourages young people to read.

Ethel Rowntree is the publisher and editor of Beyond Ordinary Living, Canada's new cross-denominational inspirational magazine (www.beyondordinaryliving.com). Ethel’s vision for this publication is to share stories of hope that will warm the hearts of readers, and inspiring articles about issues that will stir their souls. She is also a motivational speaker for both Christian and secular audiences. Ethel is a professional member of The Word Guild.

Denise Rumble has operated her own bookkeeping business since 1996. She has worked with a wide range of clients in various businesses. As a freelance writer her most recent work has appeared in Focus on the Family Canada. Denise is also the associate managing director of The Word Guild.

Kathy Shaidle's first book was nominated for the Governor General's Award. Her latest has been praised as a "must read" by Mark Steyn. Between books, she started blogging and is celebrating her eighth year online. Her blog FiveFeetOfFury.com has readers in the Pentagon, the U.S. Justice Department and all over the world. She also writes for the National Post, FrontPageMag.com, Pajamas Media and other venues.

Eric Spath is an entrepreneur at heart, who has 18 years experience in the Christian market, working for both ministries and for profit companies. His key areas of focus have been in marketing and event development through partnerships with the Christian media, churches and retailers in Canada. Throughout the past ten years he has developed a variety of innovative programs that have resourced Christians and churches with products, services and events. Eric, in his current role as Manager of Speaker & Events for World Vision Canada, has had the opportunity to work on events such as Live 8 and Canada for Asia, while developing a variety of Christian market events with authors and speakers, including Girls Night Out, Aspiring Women and Bananas.

David Spencer is the founder and Project Leader of ChristianMedia.ca a community of Canadian Christians working, volunteering and ministering in media in Canada. David has an ability to catch a ministry vision from God, encourage participation, train, empower and administer people. He is able to learn and use new technology effectively to help Christian radio broadcasters, musicians, artists, film makers , writers and volunteers reach their goals. David has served as a member of the steering committee for the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada's Christian Media Roundtable and web launch advisor for The Word Guild. He has also made presentations for Missionfest Toronto and the York University Career Centre.

Les Stobbe is a literary agent, the editor-in-chief of The Christian Writers Guild and one of its mentors, and former Journalist in Residence at Gordon College, Wenham, MA. He also serves as Director of International Christian Writers. The founding editor of the Mennonite Observer in Winnipeg, Les served as editor at Christian Life Publications, editorial director of Cambridge Publishers (Canadian business magazines), Moody Press Books, Christian Herald Books and Book Clubs, and Here's Life Publishers Ltd., and managing editor of curriculum for Scripture Press. For seven years he served as president of Here's Life Publishers. His most recent full-time position was as vice-president of communications and marketing at the Evangelistic Association of New England (now Vision New England). He is author or co-author of 14 books and has written more than 700 published articles. He’s the recipient of Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference award for probably having published more first-time authors than anyone else, and recipient of the Partnership Award from The Word Guild in 2007 for his significant contributions to Canadian writers who are Christian.

Les is open to evaluating for representation well-written adult fiction and non-fiction, with the exception of fantasy and Sci Fi. No children's books. For non-fiction, especially in Christian living, a national platform in the US is extremely important for acceptance. Les gives priority to proposals recommended by editors or well-known authors--or recommended for further evaluation by two or three editors at a Christian writers conference.

Linda Wegner’s work includes interviewing and writing articles for business publications, researching and writing qualitative reports for various government-funded projects, and working with two US companies to research and write background material for analysts and portfolio managers. Over the past six year she has assembled a team of subcontractors whose specialized skills make it possible to bid on a wide variety of contracts. She is the owner of Words of Worth, a company she launched in 2000. Linda’s first love, however, continues to be creating and presenting material at Christ-centered seminars and retreats.

Robert White has been the editor ChristianWeek Ontario, in its various incarnations, since its launch in March 2002 (www.christianweek.org). He also hosts a newsmagazine radio program each Tuesday on Kitchener's Faith FM 94.3. White's newspaper career began 20-plus years ago, reporting for and editing mainstream weekly newspapers and freelancing for mainstream and Christian publications. His column, "A Matter of Faith," has appeared in the Guelph Mercury since 1996 and "Christian Living" appeared in the Kelowna Daily Courier from 1994 to 1996. White has been involved with Write! Canada (and previously God Uses Ink) for about a decade either as faculty, a member of the organizing committee or both. He is an associate member of The Word Guild.

Lindsay Whitfield is a freelance writer and editor of Canada’s number one new media music site, SoulShine.ca. She has interviewed such bands as Mute Math, Leeland, and Switchfoot and her writing has been published internationally in a variety of publications. She holds degrees in the arts from the University of Windsor in Canada and Southampton Institute in the UK, and is an active supporter of grassroots efforts that deliver positive entertainment in Canada that points to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Carolyn Wilker, freelance writer/editor and speaker, is a professional member of The Word Guild, member of The Editors’ Association of Canada and The Energetics Toastmasters Club, Waterloo, Ont. Named Toastmaster of the Year of The Energetics for 2006-2007, she has earned the Advanced Communicator Bronze designation.

Larry N. Willard is vice-president of advancement for Tyndale University College & Seminary. He is also founder, president and executive publisher of Castle Quay Books Canada www.castlequaybooks.com , and BayRidge Books (http://bayridgebooks.com), both imprints dedicated to publishing and developing Canadian Christian authors. Willard was executive director and general manager of Augsburg Fortress Publishers Canada for four years. In 2004, he was awarded The Partnership Award by The Word Guild for his support and encouragement of Canadian Christian writers and editors. Willard's titles have won more than 16 awards from The Word Guild Canadian Christian Writing Awards.

Eric E. Wright, served in Pakistan as a missionary for 16 years where he was one of the co-founders of the Open Theological Seminary. He has also ministered as a pastor and taught missions at Toronto Baptist Seminary. He edits the Fellowship LINK magazine. Six of his books, including Church—No Spectator Sport, Revolutionary Forgiveness and The Lightning File, have been published.