I think the most common question I’ve been asked since being published has been, “How did you do it?” My answer is always, unequivocally, “With the help of others who were willing to mentor me.” The next question (especially if the asker is also an aspiring author or a closet writer) is usually, “How did you meet them?” When I …
ACFW Volunteer Spotlight
This week we are highlighting Jill Hups. She has been with HIS Writers from the beginning. She served a four-year term as secretary, and when she reached term limit, was willing to serve as vice-president. A visionary, she makes extra work for herself by serving as a driving force behind many of the new endeavors at both the local and …
Do whatever it takes!
With the economy down and being on a fixed income, it looked doubtful that I would make the ACFW conference this year. I haven’t missed one since my first in 2005, and I couldn’t imagine missing this year’s. So what’s a writer to do? There were others in worse financial straits, so I didn’t apply for a scholarship. Then it …
2011 Carol Award Finalists
ACFW announces finalists for Christian Fiction’s prestigious Carol Awards (Atlanta, GA) At ICRS, in a press conference hosted by ACFW and CBA, ACFW proudly announced the finalists in the Carol Awards. The Carol Awards evolved from ACFW’s Book of the Year Awards to honor the highest achievement for published authors of Christian fiction. The 2011 Carol Award winners in each …
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE at ACFW Conference
In just two months, ACFW descends on St. Louis, for the annual conference. This will be my sixth year to attend, and I can’t imagine being a writer in the Christian market and NOT attending. It’s one of the highlights of my year! One of the many things I love about ACFW is how it has grown to meet the …
A Place Where Magic Happens
Anticipation of the annual American Christian Fiction Writers conference begins for me around January. I could name a host of reasons why I go to the ACFW conference, but many have already been mentioned by other bloggers. Here are just a few of mine: * It’s encouraging to be surrounded by people who don’t look at me oddly when I …
It’s Almost Here: ACFW Conference
This week I’ve started one of my favorite times of the year, running first time orientation for the ACFW conference. A few years ago we realized that approximately a third of our attendees any given year were first timers. I’ll never forget my first time at conference in 2005. I went with a fellow writer from Indiana — a gal …
ACFW Volunteer Spotlight
This week we are honoring Crystal Laine Miller. She has been active in the Indiana chapter of ACFW as an officer and advisor. She has served both as a judge for the Carol Awards and Editor and Agent of the Year Contest. She steps up to help ACFW when volunteers are needed such as at our annual conference. Crystal is …
July New Releases
Below is the list of July new releases from ACFW members as reported to ACFW’s Fiction Finder site. Congrats to all the authors who have books coming out this month! More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW FictionFinder website. Dandelion Summer by Lisa Wingate — General Fiction from Penguin Praise. J. Norman, recently widowed, aging …
Join Anne Mateer at ACFW
I rewrote this post five times. Why? Because I had such a hard time deciding what part of the ACFW Conference or my experiences to highlight! So here’s a run down of some of the reasons I’m excited to head to St. Louis in September: In the past 5 years that I’ve been a member of ACFW, and after having …