Rhonda Rhea- - Emcee

Rhonda Rhea is a pastor’s wife and mother of five living near the St. Louis area. She is a radio personality and a humor columnist for publications in the U.S., Canada and South Africa. She has written the books Amusing Grace (Cook, 2003), Turkey Soup for the Soul—Tastes Just Like Chicken (Cook, 2004) and Who Put the Cat in the Fridge (Cook, 2005). Her new Christmas book, I’m Dreaming of Some White Chocolate (Baker, 2006), will be released just in time for the holidays. Watch for High Heels in High Places coming in 2007.

Bonnie Keen -- Special Music

Ellie Kay - Golden Scroll Keynote & Media Panel

As an author, speaker, media personality and spokesperson, Ellie Kay is helping families around the world gain control of their money and find new meaning in life by expanding their roles in their communities. Her diverse approach to writing and speaking includes everything from leading women in fun-filled “Girl’s Night Out” programs to providing upbeat financial advice on CNBC’s “Power Lunch” to giving military families, around the world, practical skills to handle their unique challenges. Get to know Ellie Kay.

Christin Ditchfield-- Keynote

Christin Ditchfield is the host of a nationally syndicated radio program, Take It To Heart!(R), an accomplished educator, conference speaker, and author of author of more than 35 books. A gifted speaker, Christin presents the powerful truths of the Bible in a life-changing way. Her passion for the Word of God is contagious! She draws fresh truths from familiar Scripture passages and uncovers spiritual treasures from some of the ""lesser known"" Scriptures. Using real-life stories, rich word pictures, Biblical illustrations, and touches of humor, Christin challenges audiences to enthusiastically seek after God, giving them practical tools to help deepen their personal relationship with Christ.

Debra White Smith-- Advanced Market Savvy

Debra White Smith is the acclaimed author of such life-changing
titles as Romancing Your Husband, Romancing Your Wife, More than Rubies: Becoming a Woman of Godly Influence, the Seven Sisters fiction series, and The Asten fiction series. Currently, she is announcing the release of her first children's picture book, The Case of Stuart's Ship, co-authored with Dr. Stan Toler.

Her first goal as an author and speaker is to be real-to deal honestly with real issues and show God's grace in the midst of everyday life. She possesses a passion to apply the whole Bible to ordinary life and inspire people to encounter God's revolutionary power in every aspect of their lives. Whether she ministers through the written word or spoken word, through hilarity or tears, her goal is to encourage people to cling to God and implement practical, vibrant biblical truths that will take their breath away.

Shannon Woodward - Blogging

Shannon is a pastor's wife and the author of A Whisper in Winter: Stories of Hearing God's Voice in Every Season of Life (New Hope, 2004) and Inconceivable: Finding Peace in the Midst of Infertility (Cook, August 2006). Born and raised in the Northwest, this author shares the insight she gleans from hearing God's voice in ordinary moments by blogging about life on her small farm

(www.windscraps.blogspot.com) and writing a column for <a Christian Women Online.

Carol Kent -- Prayer

Devotional
Carol Kent is a nationally known speaker and popular author who combines humor, encouragement, and inspiration in her presentations. A former radio show CO-host, she is president of Speak Up Speaker Services and founder of Speak Up Seminars. Her books include Becoming a Woman of Influence, Tame Your Fears, and many others.

Cindy Secrest McDowell - Awards

Author/Speaker Cindy Secrest McDowell is a respected national conference speaker and author who has written for more than 50 different magazines and published four books ~ Quilts From Heaven, Amazed By Grace, Women’s Spiritual Passages and A Southern-Style Christmas ~ earning Mount Hermon's 1993 "Writer of the Year" award. Cindy holds degrees from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Furman University and also studied at Wheaton Graduate School of Communication. She was on the editorial and communication staff for the Lausanne Committee on World Evangelization's Thailand '80 and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Assn's Amsterdam '83. She enjoys emceeing at Vision New England's annual "Congress" in Boston which draws 10,000 attendees. See www.EncouragingWords.net

Kathi Macias - Collaborative Works

In 1989, Macias published her first book (A Moment A Day, a bestseller for Regal Books). Since then, she has published thirteen more books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her latest books are the Matthews & Matthews detective series novels from Broadman & Holman—Obsession, The Price, and The Ransom. She has also ghostwritten or edited approximately 100 other books and has taught creative and business writing in various venues.

Her writing efforts have received many accolades. She recently won the grand prize in an international writing contest on the subject of “hope,” won an Angel Award from Excellence in Media in 1991, and received Honorable Mention awards from the Guild in 2001 and 2002 for her novels.

Linda Evans Shepherd - Welcome & Media Panel

If you want to laugh and draw closer to God--and each other-you will love Linda Evans Shepherd! She is an award-winning storyteller with a dramatic testimony. Linda has faced and overcome many challenges in life by getting to know God on a deeper level. She has written 12 books, as the AWSA founder as well as the founder of Right to the Heart of Women. See also www.sheppro.com

Pam Farrel- Emcee

Pam is the Co-Founder of Masterful Living, radio talk show host, writer, and speaker. She has provided leadership training, practical equipping and encouragement for women for over 20 years. Pam is also the co-author of Men are like Waffles and Women are like Spaghetti. (Harvest House) and the author of the best selling Woman of Influence: Ten Traits of those Who Want to Make a Difference and many more. Pam is a sought-after speaker for women's events and conferences. Her enthusiasm and practical Biblical teaching have encouraged audiences from a hundred to over a thousand.

Lael Arrington-- Creative Elements of Writing & Speaking

Wife. (Pastor’s wife) Mother. Working woman. Lael speaks from the dailiness of family life, church ministry, and professional demands. At conferences, retreats and outreach events across the country, she loves to invite women to a heart-to-heart encounter with God and cast a Technicolor vision of his Kingdom reality. Drawing from her studies in Bible and worldview, Lael encourages women to prevail against the cultural pressures that squeeze us into the world’s mold. The following topics can be adapted to fit the needs of your group and presented as a series or individually. (keynote denotes keynote) Many may be illustrated with computer slides, video clips, slide-music projects or original drama scripts.

Martha Bolton - Parodies

Martha Bolton was a staff writer for Bob Hope for over fifteen years and is the author of 46 books. She has received both an Emmy nomination and a Dove nomination, and has been awarded three Angel awards. She's written for Phyllis Diller, Ann Jillian, Wayne Newton, Jeff Allen, Mark Lowry, and writes the popular Cafeteria Lady column for BRIO magazine. See www.marthabolton.com.

Susan Titus Osborn - Editors Panel & Book Proposals

Secrets of Effective Book Proposals

Learn how to read and understand the main clauses and subtle points in your book contract. Remember that a contract always benefits the publishing house! Learn the crucial principles in negotiating the best contract terms. This session will teach you how to obtain the best contract possible while remaining friends with your editor.

Eva Marie Everson -- Friday Introductions

Eva Marie Everson is a theological teacher and national speaker. Her work includes "Shadow of Dreams, a novel" and "One True Vow" as well as three others. She is a contributor to a number of noted works. She and husband Dennis live in Florida. They are parents and grandparents

Gail Hayes - Prayer

When looking for a speaker who ignites your spirit and creates an atmosphere of inspiration and contagious enthusiasm, you have but to look directly at Dr. Gail Hayes. Her up front, in your face, in your heart style helps others discover their identity, grasp their purpose, and fulfill their destiny!

Janet Holm McHenery -- Prayer Team

Janet is a speaker and author of 17 books, including PrayerWalk, Daily PrayerWalk, Prayer Changes Teens: How to Parent From Your Knees (WaterBrook, Aug. 2003), and Girlfriend Gatherings, as well as hundreds of articles. She loves to speak at prayerwalking events, retreats, or conferences about how God has changed her and others' lives through prayerwalking. Janet holds a journalism degree from UC Berkeley and has worked as a newspaper reporter, religion editor and city editor. She and her husband Craig and have four children; they enjoy small-town living in the California Sierra where he is a rancher and she is a high school English, journalism and creative writing teacher.

Lindsey O'Connor* - Golden Scroll Emcee

Lindsey O’Connor is an author, speaker, and journalist specializing in family life and women’s issues in culture. She writes, speaks, and communicates over the airwaves nationally offering a thoughtful, conservative voice on issues and ideas women grapple with today like personal development, family enrichment, work, and faith.

With warmth, humor, and spiritual depth, Lindsey discusses ways a woman--regardless of her stage of life--can replace a lifestyle of mere survival with one of purposeful living, personal growth, and fulfilled dreams. She offers women principles, biblical teaching, and inspiration toward less stressful, less frustrating more deeply rewarding lives. She recounts her own miraculous story of being in a coma on life support for two months after the birth of her fifth child and describes it as the greatest drama of her life to which she attributes her new life motto--that each day is a gift, not a given. And, that miracles really do happen.

Jill Rigby - Media Panel

Jill is the author of Manners of the Heart® and Manners of the Heart at Home® , a manners and etiquette series for elementary school children, that teaches the principles of respectfulness toward others and the "rules of etiquette." She conducts workshops and seminars across the country for schools, civic organizations and parents’ groups, secular and Christian. She is the host of “Heart to Home—finding the heart of your home,” a television broadcast that helps viewers make their house a home.

Mary Byers - Media Panel

Mary Byers has been speaking professionally since 1988 and is the author
of How to Say No...and Live to Tell About It. In addition to writing,
Mary is a corporate trainer and specializes in providing media training
to executives. She uses the knowledge she shares to prepare for her own
broadcast and print interviews to help promote her books. Mary lives
with her family in Illinois.

Karen O Connor - Emcee

When Karen speaks, men and women—especially seniors––listen and laugh! They know what she's talking about when she asks, "Where would life be without the cordless phone ringing faintly from where we left it in the fridge?! Or the time we looked across the table at our best friend and forgot her name! Or the special moments we shared with a grandchild, or the day we drove into the driveway, panicky when we didn't see our car parked in its usual place––only to remember that we're IN it!

Karen O'Connor, award-winning author of more than 50 books, and a popular speaker at conferences, retreats, banquets, and seniors' groups, brings hope, humility, and plenty of humor everywhere she speaks.

Teresa Griggs - Worship

With a warm smile and an encouraging word, Teresa Griggs bears a true testimony of how the Lord will bring His comfort and peace as you seek Him through the storms of your life. Learning to depend on the Lord's strength and wisdom through the tragic and sudden loss of her nine-year-old daughter, Mallory, Teresa gives all the "Praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." 1 Corinthians 1:3-4. It is her earnest desire to bring comfort to others by pointing them to the one true source of love and compassion, our heavenly Father.
Having been raised in a Christian home, Teresa's knowledge and thirst for the Word of God began at a very early age. She has taught ladies Bible studies for many years. She is a trained Precept Bible Study leader, has served in Bible Study Fellowship leadership. She is a member of AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Assoc.) and a graduate of CLASS (Christian Leaders, Authors, and Speakers Seminar). She feels God has called her to tell others about His wonderful, amazing peace which truly does transcend all understanding.

Leslie Vernick - Panel on Counseling

Leslie Vernick, DCSW, LCSW, is a licensed counselor in private practice with more than twenty-five years experience. She is a guest lecturer at Westminster and Biblical Seminaries in the Philadelphia area and is one of the featured speakers on several of the American Association of Christian Counselors Video Teaching Series.

Leslie is the author of How to Live Right When Your Life Goes Wrong (formerly The TRUTH Principle), How to Act Right When Your Spouse Acts Wrong and How to Find Selfless Joy in a Me-First World. She has also written numerous articles and has contributed to The Soul Care Bible, Competent Christian Counseling, Silver and Gold, Praying Through Life's Problems, and Intimate Moments with God.

Leslie and her husband, Howard, are active members in their local church and have two grown children.

Ginger Plowman - Emcee

Ginger Plowman is a wife, home-schooling mother, and the founder of Preparing the Way Ministries.

Ginger is the author of Wise Words for Moms and "Don't Make Me Count to Three!": A Mom's Look at Heart-Oriented Discipline. She is a contributing author for several books, including God Allows U-Turns and Rest Stops for Busy Moms. An award winning writer, Ginger has written articles for HomeLife magazine, P31 Woman, Baptist Press, Hearts at Home, and Focus on the Family.

Sharon Hoffman - Emcee

Much-in-demand as a speaker because of her engaging manner and warmth. Sharon Hoffman is founder of G.I.F.T.ed Women Ministries. With a passion for speaking about the challenges of being a woman, she shares her testimony and life experiences with a candor that is reaching out to multitudes across the country.

Everywhere she goes she inspires women to be the very best they can be! "Every woman is a gifted woman!" she believes. Sharon's topics emphasize marriage, parenting, friendships, family, and balancing busy schedules. Her personal compelling testimony of God's transforming power and her uncommon transparency is sure to add energy and excitement to your program.

Gayle Roper - Keynote

Gayle writes for people like herself, readers who enjoy both good writing and a good time reading. Her novels are full of suspense laced with humor, with romance and with a bite as she looks at the various issues that touch our lives and a Christian response to these issues. Though she writes about things like unwed pregnancies, spousal abuse and homosexuality, they are so integrated into a story that brims with suspense, mystery, laughs and romance that readers do not feel lectured to or preached at. Gayle knows that story telling is the first responsibility of a novelist.

Gayle also writes nonfiction. Her most recent title, Riding the Waves, is about contentment, a heart feeling we all want to experience. As the moon cuts across the waves of the sea, shining right to our feet, so contentment rides the waves of our lives right into our heart -- if we follow the words of the Lord.

Jan Coleman - More Bang From Your Book Table

Jan started out trying to imitate what she saw as the "perfect" speaker. What a disaster. Now, she comes as herself, sassy and fun, arriving with a suitcase filled with props and hats to illustrate deep Biblical truths. Women love her energy, honesty and style, and it's reflected at her book table where she generally sells to at least 40% of her audience. She's willing to try new things and has lots of ideas to share to make your book table more profitable and personal. Jan is a former journalist, legislative aide and now a full-time writer/speaker who's authored five books. She lives and plays in the Gold Rush country of northern California.

Chonda Pierce - Keynote

Who is Chonda Pierce?

She's a best-selling comedienne with an audience of 1.5 million nationwide. She's worked with Billy Graham, wowed the Grand Ole Opry, made major television appearances, written eight books (four are children's books) and has four gold-certified comedy videos. But more important to her is the fact that her shtick -- sidesplitting stories about real life, from babyhood to motherhood to grannyhood -- is as pure as Ivory soap. Pierce is more than happy to be the 'queen of clean' because her comedy serves a larger purpose, "The punch line is not always the bottom line!" she says.
"I don't know where the title Christian Comedian came from." Chonda snickers, "I'm a stand-up comedian. That's what I do for a living AND I happen to be a born-again Christian. Something that the entertainment world finds downright scary!" Chonda laughs.

Brenda Nixon - Selfpublishing Workshop

Brenda is a columnist with Children’s Ministry magazine, frequent guest on radio programs including Focus on the Family's "Weekend Magazine," contributing author to 17 books including the best-selling Chicken Soup for the Soul series and a devoted wife and a mom. From small group to a packed auditorium, Brenda will speak to any size audience and design a topic for your program needs.

A CLASS graduate and a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Brenda will partner with you to make your event successful as it enriches the skills of audiences.

Michele T. Huey

A former feature writer, Michele Huey writes a weekly newspaper column and produces a daily devotional radio program. Her writing has appeared in magazines and anthologies, and she has published three books of meditations. Named to Who's Who Among America's Teachers for three years in a row, she teaches high school English and journalism, as well as writing workshops. A speaker and writing mentor, she serves on the St. Davids Christian Writers Association board of directors and is a CLASS graduate.