Editor Appointments

The opportunity to have personal appointments with Editors and Agents is a valuable highlight of the conference. These provide a great way to learn first-hand about the writing industry, to pitch your manuscript or work-in-progress, and to brainstorm ideas, get encouragement, and benefit from industry professionals.

All appointments are available on a first pay, first slotted basis. Appointments will be scheduled by the Conference Appointment Coordinator, Casey Miller. Appointments will be scheduled the week prior to conference, so if you want an appointment, please register by August 27, 2021! All times are CDT for the virtual conference. You will select multiple choices for your appointment needs when you register for the conference. You will be sent your appointment information a week prior to the virtual conference so that, if requested by the person you have an appointment with, you may submit documents to Casey, who will ensure the information is passed along to the correct person.

One of the most valuable connecting points at the ACFW conference is the opportunity for editor appointments. So many authors, so little time. In these appointments, an editor will quickly assess “Is this a storyline that interests me? Does this author demonstrate knowledge of the craft and of the Christian fiction industry? Is this worth exploring further?”

2021 Editors



Kelsey Bowen

Organization: Revell Books, a Division of Baker Publishing Group
Title: Acquisitions Editor
Web Site: http://www.revellbooks.com

Kelsey Bowen is an Acquisitions Editor at Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, where she’s worked for five years. She has a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and, when she’s not editing, she loves to write fiction with a good cup of Starbucks coffee close by. She is also active in her church as a worship leader. She currently lives with her husband, their cute little baby, and her adorable Hava-doodle dog, Izzo, in Allendale, MI.

Currently Seeking: I am looking for: General Suspense, Romantic Suspense, strong Contemporary Fiction (especially some Contemporary Women’s Fiction)

I am not interested in seeing: Children’s or Middle Grade fiction, graphic novels, or novels set outside the U.S.


APPOINTMENT INFORMATION
For first-time authors, I do require that a manuscript must be complete before consideration. For all authors, I would like to have a proposal and writing sample available to discuss at the appointment.



Stephanie Broene

Organization: Tyndale House Publishers
Title: Acquisitions Director
Web Site: http://www.tyndale.com

Stephanie Broene is the Acquisitions Director of Fiction at Tyndale House Publishers. For more than fifteen years, she has loved working with authors to help them cultivate and bring their stories to the page, managing the publishing process from the idea phase to finished product. She has been an avid fan of fiction of all genres for as long as she can remember. She loves studying what makes a story work and is constantly amazed at the way good stories can entertain and communicate truth in a powerful way. Stephanie is a two-time recipient of ACFW’s Editor of the Year Award. Outside of work, she loves to be active and enjoy life with her husband and their three young kids.

Currently Seeking: Currently Seeking: Stephanie is looking for full-length novels with compelling hooks and great writing in the following categories: Contemporary women’s fiction, Southern fiction (historical or contemporary), historical fiction (including biblical and dual-timeline), historical romance, mystery and suspense geared towards a female readership.

Stephanie does not acquire YA or children’s fiction and is not currently looking for sci-fi, magical realism, fantasy, or thrillers.

Please request an appointment with only one representative from Tyndale. I am happy to accept one-sheets but am most interested to hear a well-crafted, intriguing pitch that catches my attention and pulls me into your story, as well as a brief author bio.



Kimberly Carlton

Organization: HCCP
Title: Senior Acquisitions Editor
Web Site: https://www.tnzfiction.com/

Kimberly Carlton is an Acquisitions Editor with HCCP, where she’s been since 2016. She loves working collaboratively with the stellar team at HCCP and helping stories become the best that they can be. She has a lifelong love of reading, grammar, and languages of all kinds. Despite being bitten by a cheetah at age eleven, she retained her love of animals and now shares her home with her five-year-old German Shepherd puppy, Percy.

Currently Seeking: Currently seeking: contemporary and women’s fiction; minority voices; historical fiction with an intriguing hook; romance; suspense

Not interested in seeing: Biblical fiction; Amish fiction; Middle Grade/Children’s



Appointment information:
Complete manuscripts preferred, but not required.





Melissa Endlich

Organization: Love Inspired
Title: Senior Editor
Web Site: http://www.eharlequin.com/

A native New Yorker, Melissa Endlich has worked in the publishing industry for over twenty years. She is currently the Senior Editor for Love Inspired, acquiring contemporary inspirational romances. Melissa considers herself very blessed that she gets to work with some amazingly talented authors. And after so many years in publishing, she still gets swept away by tales of knights in shining armor, rugged cowboys and sweet single dads. While not working at her dream job, Melissa watches a scary amount of television, is a huge movie buff, spends way too much time on social media, and enjoys baking for her family and coworkers.

Currently Seeking: Love Inspired consists of three varied inspirational lines that we are looking to acquire books for: Love Inspired (contemporary romance 55,000 words), Love Inspired Suspense (contemporary romantic suspense 55,000 words) and Love Inspired Historical (historical romance 70,000 words). While each Love Inspired line offers our readers a distinct promise, their objective is the same. We’re looking for compelling stories with engaging characters, a sustained conflict and an emotionally satisfying romance. The focus must always be on the hero and heroine as they overcome the obstacles in their paths to find love together. The Christian faith element is integral to all storylines but should feel natural not preachy. We’re especially looking for Amish romances for all three of the lines.


APPOINTMENT INFORMATION
As there are multiple Love Inspired editors attending, please only request an appointment with one of us.

Guidelines: http://www.harlequin.com/articlepage.html?articleId=538&chapter=0



Rochelle Gloege

Organization: Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group
Title: Senior Acquisitions Editor
Web Site:

Rochelle Gloege is a senior acquisitions editor at Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Based in Minnesota’s beautiful Twin Cities, she has had the privilege of working with many best-selling and award-winning authors during the more than twenty-five years she has been editing and acquiring for Bethany House.

Currently Seeking: Currently acquiring inspirational fiction in these categories: historical fiction or historical romance, romantic suspense, suspense/mystery, Southern fiction, contemporary romance, and women’s fiction, as well as clean romance. Favor well-paced stories with a rich sense of place and interesting, relatable characters. No young adult, biblical fiction, or apocalyptic fiction. Authors are welcome to bring a writing sample of their project and, unless previously published, must have a completed manuscript available upon request.





Cynthia Hickey

Organization: Winged Publications
Title: Editor
Web Site:

Multi-published and Amazon and ECPA Best-Selling author Cynthia Hickey has sold over a million copies of her works since 2013. She has taught a Continuing Education class at the 2015 American Christian Fiction Writers conference, several small ACFW chapters and RWA chapters. She and her husband run the small press, Winged Publications, which includes some of the CBA’s best well-known authors. She lives in Arizona with her husband, one of their seven children, two dogs, one cat, and three box turtles. She has eight grandchildren who keep her busy and tell everyone they know that “Nana is a writer”.

Currently Seeking: Currently Seeking: Have a fiction story that doesn't fit into a mold? Winged Publications is a royalty paying ebook/print publisher that is actively seeking new clients who are committed to their readership and willing to be a part of a publishing family. We are looking for clean and/or inspirational romance of fiction, nonfiction, and children's books that leaves the reader with a warm, fuzzy feeling when they turn the last page.




APPOINTMENT INFORMATION
If you are scheduled an appointment with Cynthia, please bring a one sheet if you have one, but it is not required.



Elizabeth Jackson

Organization: Tyndale House Publishers
Title: Senior Acquisitions Editor
Web Site: https://www.tyndale.com/fiction

Elizabeth Jackson is a senior acquisitions editor on the fiction team at Tyndale House Publishers where she is involved in many steps of the book development process and enjoys collaborating with novelists on their publishing journey. An avid reader who loves good fiction, Elizabeth greatly values the opportunity to meet with writers, talk with authors about their manuscripts, and have a part in bringing great stories into the world as published novels. When she’s not in the office, you might find her reading a novel from her expansive book collection (preferably in her favorite park on a sunny day!), heading out on her latest road trip, or maybe even watching a British television show.

Currently Seeking: Currently Seeking: Elizabeth is looking for full-length novels with compelling hooks and great writing in the following categories:
• Contemporary women’s fiction
• Southern fiction (historical or contemporary)
• Historical fiction (including dual-timeline fiction)
• Historical romance
• Mystery and suspense

Elizabeth does not acquire YA or children’s fiction and is not currently looking for sci-fi, magical realism, fantasy, or thrillers.
We prefer that authors request an appointment with only one representative from Tyndale and that debut authors have a complete manuscript before requesting an appointment. Please come prepared to discuss the hook of your story and what makes it uniquely marketable.



Tina James

Organization: Love Inspired
Title: Executive Editor
Web Site: http://www.loveinspired.com%20%20%20

Tina James is Executive Editor for Love Inspired Books. From the moment she learned to read she could usually be found at a bookstore or the public library searching for a good book. She has been with Harlequin for over twenty-five years and has had the opportunity to work on many series lines and special projects. She is seeking heartwarming inspirational contemporary romance and compelling inspirational contemporary romantic suspense projects.

Currently Seeking: Tina is actively acquiring inspirational romance for the Love Inspired series (contemporary romance 55,000 words) and the Love Inspired Suspense series (contemporary romantic suspense 55,000 words). We’re looking for compelling stories with engaging characters, a sustained conflict and an emotionally satisfying romance. The focus must always be on the hero and heroine as they overcome the obstacles in their paths to find love together. The Christian faith element is integral to all storylines but should feel natural not preachy. Books submitted to Love Inspired Suspense need to be high intensity suspense from start to finish, not mystery or cozy mystery. The book should open with danger, and the hero and heroine need to remain in danger throughout the book and in each other’s company the vast majority of the time. It should be equal parts suspense and romance. Guidelines: https://harlequin.submittable.com/submit

In addition, Tina is currently looking for longer trade paperback fiction (80,000-100,000 words) in a variety of genres for Love Inspired Trade. In general, Love Inspired Trade publishes contemporary fiction, suspense/thrillers, historical fiction and historical romance. We are not currently seeking Amish fiction and would be highly selective when it comes to contemporary romance. Specifically, she would like to see the following for Love Inspired Trade: historical mystery, historical thriller, or contemporary mystery with humor (something like Only Murders in the Building). She would also love suspense/thrillers, but they would have to be distinctly different from the books Love Inspired Trade currently has on their list.



APPOINTMENT INFORMATION
As there are multiple Love Inspired editors attending, please only request an appointment with ONE of us.

Guidelines: https://harlequin.submittable.com/submit



Rachel Kirsch

Organization: Kregel Publications
Title: Managing Editor
Web Site:

Rachel Kirsch is managing editor of trade books at Kregel Publications. She loves a good story that reflects the beauty, grace, and creativity of our storytelling God. Rachel lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with her husband and four kids. In her spare time, she enjoys listening to podcasts, doing puzzles, and staying active with her family.

Currently Seeking: I am currently seeking fiction with a strong, realistic faith element in romance, contemporary, historical, suspense, and mystery. I would also be interested in seeing proposals for time-slip novels.



Jamie Lapeyrolerie

Organization: WaterBrook & Multnomah
Title: Editor
Web Site:

Jamie Lapeyrolerie is an editor for WaterBrook & Multnomah, imprints of Penguin Random House and a writer. She is actively involved in the publishing industry and a part of various DEI initiatives. Her own writings have appeared in Christianity Today, Christ + Pop Culture, and Ekstasis Magazine. You can find her on instagram @musingsofjamie. When she’s not editing or reading, she loves to travel and hang out with her family and her cat, Gamgee.

Currently Seeking: I am looking for full-length novels in the following categories: Biblical fiction, Suspense, Contemporary women’s fiction and rom coms, Historical fiction and Historical romance (including time slip), and BIPOC and underrepresented voices.



I do not acquire YA or children’s fiction.



For all authors, I would like to have a one sheet and writing sample available to discuss at the appointment. Full proposal and complete manuscripts preferred, but not required.





Jessica Sharpe

Organization: Bethany House Publishers
Title: Senior Editor
Web Site:

Jessica Sharpe is an acquisitions editor at Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group. She has been editing fiction for over fifteen years and has worked with several best-selling and award-winning authors. Life has taken her from the Great Plains to the Rocky Mountains to Asia to New York City, but she’s currently based in the Twin Cities.

Currently Seeking: Currently looking for unique historical novels, mystery or suspense / romantic suspense, contemporary romance, women’s fiction, and #OwnVoices stories. Also open to contemporary fantasy / novels with fantastical elements. Novels do not need to contain overt faith content. Not interested in children’s/YA, sci-fi, or Amish. I love new and interesting takes on established genres and vibrant narrative voices.



APPOINTMENT INFORMATION
Authors are welcome to bring a writing sample of their project.