2005 NJCWG - A Reason to Write Conference

The staff list for the 2005 NJCWG - A Reason To Write Conference has been finalized. If I do say so myself, it is a FANTASTIC staff!!!

Those who miss this event will regret not attending!

The closer we get to the conference date, the more information I'll be albe to share with you on the blog. Today I want to let know a little more about those gracious individuals who have offered to speak and teach at our conference. These are noted members of the writing community and they could easily garner substantial fees for their work. In the case of our conference, each speaker is not only donating their time and talent but some are traveling a substanital distances at their own expense.

Please join me in welcoming to our 2005 A Reason to Write staff (in alphabetical order):

Maude Carolan
Maude leads the Paper, Pen & Praise ministry at her congregation and publishes an inspirational poetry e-letter, "Searching For The One My Heart Loves." A three time finalist in the national Allen Ginsberg Poetry Contest, Maude's poems have appeared in "The Paterson Literary Review," "Sensations," "Lips," "The Pillar Monthly," and William W. Francis' book, "Celebrate the Feasts of Israel." She is currently working on a series of elegiac poems in memory of her husband.

Louise Bergmann DuMont
Louise has written for numerous periodicals and is currently the author of two books Grace by the Cup: A Break from the Daily Grind (Revell) and Faith-Dipped Chocolate: Rich Encouragement to Sweeten Your Day (Revell). Louise also facilitates the North Jersey Christian Writers Group (NJCWG) and includes among her many interests archeology, gifted/learning-disabled children and fiction/fantasy writing.

Valeria Lovelace, Ph.D.
Valeria Lovelace is the founder and president of Media Transformations, which specializes in the research and development of quality educational media for children, and the lead advisor and curriculum creator of the popular preschool Dora the Explorer television series. She is also the former Vice-President of Sesame Street Research.

Kathryn Mackel
Kathryn Mackel is the acclaimed author of Can of Worms and other novels for middle readers published HarperCollins. She is a produced screenwriter, having worked for Disney, Fox, and Showtime, and was the credited screenwriter for Frank Peretti's Hangman's Curse. Her latest novel for adults, The Departed (WestBow Press) exposes the dark side of television mediums.

Patrick O'Toole
Patrick is a published technical writer and a lifelong student of storytelling. First interested in writing in grade school, he is currently writing a feature length screenplay. Over the past 15 years, Patrick has taught Sessions on personal growth, the scriptures, computer programming and creative writing. He is a programmer by day to support his wife, stepdaughter, two dogs and two cats.

Rebeca Seitz
Rebeca Seitz specializes in publicizing works of fiction told from a Christian worldview. As the first dedicated publicist for Thomas Nelson's fiction imprint, WestBow Press, Rebeca worked with such esteemed authors as Frank Peretti, Ted Dekker, Robin Jones Gunn, Angela Hunt, Michael Morris, Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, and many others. She recently resigned from WestBow to focus full-time on her freelance publicity firm, Glass Road Public Relations. You can learn more at www.GlassRoadPR.com.

Juliann Weston
Juliann Weston comes to you via the shores of Asbury Park, NJ. She is a graduate of William Paterson University with Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Arts and has studied in various independent acting, writing and directing classes. She is a creative writer, playwright, director and stage producer and serves as the president of the Righteous Acts Drama Ministry and is the founder and head of Jewelz Weston Productions.