JPC Allen
Hosting: CE 01
JPC Allen started her writing career in second grade with an homage to Scooby Doo, and she’s been tracking down mysteries ever since. She’s a Selah finalist in both the short story and YA categories for her series, Rae Riley Mysteries. Her first Rae Riley novel, A Shadow on the Snow, won first place in the ACFW KidLit contest for published YA fiction. Online, she offer tips and prompts to ignite the creative spark in every kind of writer. She also leads workshops for teens and adults encouraging them to discover the adventure of writing. Coming from a long line of Mountaineers, she’s a life-long Buckeye, a wife of one for twenty years, and a mother of two for sixteen.
Kate Angelo
Hosting: Early Bird #2
Kate Angelo once sold a lion to a circus in Shreveport after her mom realized lions weren’t great house pets. Growing up, Kate was a bookworm, dog groomer, exotic pet wrangler, horse trainer, cowgirl, and teenage pool shark. After aging out of foster care, Kate cultivated her inner computer nerd and worked as a web programmer. During a visit to Australia, Kate encountered Jesus and left the corporate world to pursue a life in ministry.
From her home in Southwest Missouri, Kate serves alongside her husband, strengthening and encouraging marriages and families through their nonprofit ministry. And after raising their 5 children, they are now fluent in both sarcasm and eye rolls.
Kate is a romantic suspense author, a coffee addict, tech guru, productivity enthusiast, expert knitter, avid boater, dog lover, prayer warrior, and known klutz. With Willow, her long-haired chihuahua taking up half her desk space, Kate writes thrilling stories with flawed characters who encounter hope and healing while ducking danger along the way. Connect with Kate at https://kateangelo.com/
Pepper Basham
Hosting: Early Bird #3
Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance “peppered” with grace and humor. Writing both historical and contemporary novels, she loves to incorporate her native Appalachian culture and/or her unabashed adoration of the UK into her stories. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is a wife, mom to five great kids, a speech-language pathologist, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus. Her novel, Hope Between the Pages, was a finalist for the prestigious Christy award. You can learn more about Pepper and her books on her website at www.pepperdbasham.com
Bettie Boswell
Hosting: CE 01
Bettie Boswell is a multi-published author of educational works and Christian Fiction for chapter books, picture books, romance, devotions, and short stories for anthologies. She is one of the founders of the ACFWKidlit Chapter. She is a former educator for all age levels and a minister's wife. During her life as a teacher and church musician, she also created musicals for school, community, and church. She is the mother of two, an in-law of one, and grandmother of three. Bettie has been a finalist or winner for Selah, Southern Christian Writers Conference, and ACFW Virginia contests.
Emilie Hendryx Haney
Hosting: CE 02
E. A. Hendryx is an award-winning author, graphic designer, photographer, and podcaster living in Indiana with her husband, two dogs, and a cat named Pages. She writes fiction in multiple genres and spends more time on Instagram than she probably should. She grew up on a steady diet of Star Trek and Nancy Drew and believes that every idea is better in space.
Rachel Hauck
Web Site: http://www.rachelhauck.com
Hosting: Early Bird #4
Rachel Hauck is an award winning, New York Times Bestselling author, conference speaker and writing coach.
Victor Hess
Hosting: CE 01
Victor Hess is an award-winning author whose fiction draws from his boyhood in the Midwest during the 1950s and ’60s. His stories explore Christian values and how young people face life’s challenges with courage and faith. His Searching for Family coming of age series has earned multiple honors, including recognition in the William Faulkner–William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition and finalist status in the 2018 Best American Books competition for Jesse Sings. His books have been featured at the Ohioana, Louisiana, and Mississippi Book Festivals, where he has also presented on writing historical fiction and served on panels. Victor is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and now writes full-time in his Ohio hometown. He is currently halfway through a six-book adventure series for middle grade readers. He also brings decades of experience as a Sunday School teacher, military veteran, and business leader.
Angela Hunt
Web Site: http://www.angelahuntbooks.com
Hosting: Early Bird #1-Deep Dive
Christy-Award winner Angela Hunt writes for readers who expect the unexpected in novels. With over five million copies of her books sold worldwide, she is the best-selling author of more than 150 works ranging from picture books (The Tale of Three Trees) to non-fiction books, to novels.
Now that her two children are grown, Angie and her husband live in Florida with Very Big Dogs (a direct result of watching Turner and Hooch and Sandlot too many times). This affinity for mastiffs has not been without its rewards–one of their dogs was featured on Live with Regis and Kelly as the second-largest canine in America. Their dog received this dubious honor after an all-expenses-paid trip to Manhattan for the dog and the Hunts, complete with VIP air travel and a stretch limo in which they toured New York City.
Afterward, the dog gave out pawtographs at the airport.
Angela admits to being fascinated by animals, medicine, psychology, unexplained phenomena, chickens, and “just about everything” except sports. Books, she says, have always shaped her life— in the fifth grade she learned how to flirt from reading Gone with the Wind.
Her books have won the coveted Christy Award, several Angel Awards from Excellence in Media, and the Gold and Silver Medallions from Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year Award. In 2007, her novel The Note was featured as a Christmas movie on the Hallmark channel. Romantic Times Book Club presented her with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. She received a Lifetime Achievement Award from American Christian Fiction Writers in 2019.
Also in 2006, Angela completed her Master of Biblical Studies in Theology degree. She completed her doctorate in biblical studies in 2008 and her Th.D. in 2015. When she’s not home reading or writing, Angie often travels to teach writing workshops at schools and writers’ conferences. And to talk about her pets, of course. She is also an avid photographer, using her photos to help find homes for animals at local rescues.
Bitsy Kemper
Hosting: CE 01
Bitsy Kemper, a seasoned media personality, has graced esteemed platforms including CNN and CBS This Morning, along with nationwide radio, print, and digital outlets. As a former syndicated newspaper columnist, she's authored 24 children's books and the new fun devotional journal Mommy and Me Micro-Moments: Nurturing Faith, Sharing Laughs.
Annika Klanderud
Hosting: CE 01
In 2024, Annika’s MG novel, I LIVED THROUGH A WIND CHILL ADVISORY, won the OCW Cascade Contest. In 2022, her YA novel, RED ROCK, won the same contest. And her YA novel, QUALIFY, was a runner up in 2024. Over forty of her articles have appeared in numerous publications such as Keys for Kids. Her goal is traditional publication, and over the past two years, she has received seven full manuscript requests and nine requests to read more of her novels from Harvey Klinger Literary, Storm Literary, Tyndale, and others. Additionally, she is passionate about revolutionizing the Christian publishing industry—especially for authors of MG and YA novels. She has worked with numerous Christian authors to start a book fair in the state of Oregon, facilitate critique groups, and host events like the Author Spotlight and book clubs. Notably, she has worked side-by-side with three separate unpublished authors to polish their MG and YA novels. Each of these stories either won or finaled in a writing contest. Visit Annika at: annikaklanderud (@annikaklanderud) / X (twitter.com) Instagram: Annika Klanderud
(@annikaklanderud) • Instagram photos and videos Facebook: Annika Klanderud | Facebook Her website is annikaklanderud.com. When she is not wrestling with words for her novels, you can find her in the utility room battling her twelve children’s mountain of laundry.
Julie Lavender
Hosting: CE 01
Julie Lavender is a journalist, international speaker, former teacher and homeschooling mom, and award-winning author of thirty-seven books. Julie's new picture book, A Gingerbread House, released last year just in time for the holidays. She's also the author of Children's Bible Stories for Bedtime, a work-for-hire project assigned by Penguin Random House with almost 30,000 copies in the hands of little children. Julie writes educational books for elementary students with her live-in science expert - her husband David, a retired entomologist and wildlife biologist. They are the parents of four, in-laws of two, and grandparents of three.
Cara Putman
Web Site: http://www.caraputman.com
Hosting: Early Bird #4
Cara Putman is the award-winning author of 34 novels and a non-fiction title. By day she is an award-winning lecturer at a top business school at a Big Ten university. By night she writes the stories her characters whisper to her. Her latest novel Lethal Intent released in January from Harper Collins Christian Publishing. You can learn more about Cara and her books at http://CaraPutman.com. You can also listen to her podcast Book Talk with Cara Putman on Spotify, Google, or Apple Podcasts