September 2011

New releases

Exciting new releases from ACFW members due to hit bookstores soon include:

• Max Anderson (right): When the Lights Go Out, a book for readers ages 8–13 timed for the tenth anniversary of 9/11, released August 1 from Comfort Publishing; Captain Jack’s Treasure, book two in the Sam Cooper Adventure series, released August 15 from Port Yonder Press; and North Woods Poachers released September 1 from Comfort Publishing.
• Gloria Clover: Washed Under the Waves, book one in the Children of the King series, released August 15 from Desert Breeze Publishing.
• Margaret Daley: From This Day Forward releases in September from Summerside Press and Hidden in the Everglades, book three in the Guardians, Inc. series, also releases in September from Love Inspired Suspense.
• Lisa Lickel and Shellie Neumeier: A Summer in Oakville, their coauthored novel, releases in September from Black Lyon Publishing.
• Debby Mayne and Trish Perry: Love Finds You on Christmas Morning (featuring “Deck the Halls” and “’Tis the Season”, respectively) releases September 1 from Summerside Press.
• Brenda Lott (writing as Maggie Brendan): Deeply Devoted, book one in The Blue Willow Brides series, releases in September from Revell and received a four-star review from Romantic Times.
• Sandra Orchard (right): Deep Cover, book one in her Undercover Cops series, releases in September from Love Inspired Suspense.
• Connie Stevens: Scars of Mercy, book three in her Willow Creek series, released in August from Heartsong Presents.

Bylines

Those racking up writing credits in magazines and anthologies this month include:

• Candy Arrington: Published “Hooray for School” in the August/September issue of Thriving Family and “On Guard Against Greed” in the September 25 issue of The Lookout.
• Pat Jeanne Davis: Sold an article to Chicken Soup for the Soul: Inspiration for the Young at Heart, which released in August.

Contest winners

Throw some confetti and celebrate with these contest winners:

• Nancy Kimball: Won Bethany House author Karen Witemeyer’s 2011 Fan Fiction Challenge with her entry “Epilogue for To Win Her Heart.” This is Kimball’s very first contest win with her writing.

Sold

The list of published authors is growing! Congratulations to:

• Louise M. Gouge (right): Signed a three-book contract with Love Inspired Historicals for a Regency series. A Proper Companion, book one in the Ladies in Waiting series, is scheduled to release in June 2012.
• Sandra Orchard: Sold the third book in her Undercover Cops series to Love Inspired Suspense.

Speaking engagements

Not only are they writing, but they’re speaking too! Give a round of applause to:

• Shelley Bates (writing as Adina Senft): Will present “World Building through Your Characters’ Eyes” at the San Francisco Bay Area ACFW chapter meeting on September 17 in support of her Amish fiction release, The Wounded Heart.
• Shirley Kiger Connolly: Will be the main speaker at a thirteen-week seminar scheduled from September through December at the Ladies Koinonia Community in Brookings, Oregon. She will speak on “Choosing Whom We Will Serve (God’s Passionate Love for Me . . . for You).”
• Lisa Lickel (right): Will teach a course on “Critique vs. Edit” at the Wisconsin Regional Writer’s Association Convention in September.

Celebrations

Send out a loud “Wahoo!” to:

• Shellie Neumeier: Co-coordinated the NextGenWriter’s Conference, a conference for authors under 20, and it had a phenomenal debut. The conference was a two-day online writer’s conference where the classes were blog-post style with comment interaction. Each day culminated with a live chat, the first with author Nicole O’Dell and the second a fun-filled finale where the attendees shared their personal highlights, hopes for next year, and were able to connect with each other. The conference attracted more than 125 registrants with 12 authors, editors, and publishers serving as instructors. Read about the conference.