Archive for the ‘2011 Faculty Interviews’ Category

Christian Film-Maker John David Ware, an Interview

March 28th, 2011 elizabeth lonseth novels

by Elizabeth Lonseth

John David Ware

John David Ware 2011 Faculty

Q: Reading about the stance you have taken in Hollywood for the Christian Faith, with the 168 Film Project, we have to say “Wow”, go John! Are Hollywood studios more open to films that embrace the Christian faith than it was say five years ago?

JDW: Pre The Passion of the Christ, there was less interest in faith-based films. Post Passion, they are more open. It’s really about: can they make the kind of money that the Passion and Blindside did? If so, then they are interested. I think the studios would rather not do a faith-based film, but (more…)

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Christian Memoir Writer Mary DeMuth Interview

March 12th, 2011 craftingstones.com

Mary DeMuth 2011 Memoir Workshop Leader

The OCCWF is pleased to present memoir author, Mary DeMuth, as our 2011 pre-conference memoir workshop leader. Mary is an author, speaker and book mentor who helps folks turn trials to triumph. She is also the author of ten books, including Thin Places. Mary helps writers reach their maximum potential through mentoring and teaching. She makes her home in Texas with her husband and three kids.

Interview by Pat Stockett Johnston

Q. Mary, you are teaching a full day workshop on memoir writing on the Friday before the OC Christian Writer’s Conference. Some of our conferees will be attending their first writers’ conference, and would benefit from a definition of a memoir. How would you define a memoir?

A. A memoir is a reflection on one’s life, usually told in story form, but not limited to that. (more…)

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Alice Crider of WaterBrook Press Interview

March 5th, 2011 elizabeth lonseth novels
Alice Crider, NonfictionEditor Waterbrook Press

Alice Crider,
2011 Faculty

Alice Crider associate editor at WaterBrook Press will be leading two workshops during the conference. “The Entrepreneurial Author” and “Get Into Your Write Mind.” Besides being an editor, she also is a trained life coach who is passionate about empowering other to achieve their dreams. Her workshops should help any author move ahead in their writing career.

Q: New members of OCCWF have been asking what should they expect from a fifteen-minute consultation. How would you suggest they prepare and what should they expect?

A short description of their book concept is helpful, and I always appreciate writers who ask for feedback and/or direction. I also suggest that new members be prepared to address a few questions. For example:

  • Who is your audience? Be specific (gender, age, special interests).
  • If your book was already in a bookstore, what section, bookshelf, or category would it be found in?
  • How does your book compare with other WaterBrook Multnomah Books? Does it fit into one of our categories and meet a need that isn’t already being met? Feel free to check out our web site in advance.

(more…)

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Rod Morris, Senior Editor at Harvest House Interview

March 3rd, 2011 elizabeth lonseth novels
Rod Morris

Rod Morris
2011 Faculty

by Elizabeth Lonseth

Rod Morris is a senior editor at Harvest House Publishers in Eugene, Oregon where he acquires and edits fiction and nonfiction. With an impressive resume (28 years with Multnomah Publishers, senior fiction editor at NavPress, mentor and member of the editorial board of Jerry B. Jenkins’s Christian Writers Guild) his workshop on “Dialogue Do’s and Don’ts” seems like a must for any fiction writer at the conference.

Q: It is exciting that the OCCWF is growing rapidly and our conference is bigger each year. Many new authors are not sure how to prepare for their fifteen-minute consultation. Do you have any suggestions? What is the best way to peak the interest of an acquisitions editor?

Rod: Get to know the people you will be talking to. You don’t want to be pitching a book to someone who has no interest in your book. Spend time on each publishing houses’ website, know their requirements. I don’t usually take the time to read a proposal in a fifteen-minute consultation, but having a good proposal is important. It will help you quickly summarize what your book’s about, and if I’m interested, I’ll ask you to send me the proposal. It’s important to have a compelling big idea. Even if it is a topic that a lot has been written about, have a fresh perspective, a unique way to approach the topic. (more…)

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Christian Freelance Book Editor Mick Silva – An Interview

February 23rd, 2011 elizabeth lonseth novels

Mick Silva, 2011 Faculty

Interview by Elizabeth Lonseth

Q: Having worked in traditional publishing and now working outside of it, you will be speaking about the New Publishing Rules at the conference. We all know that self-publishing and e books are changing the book industry. Any teasers that you want to provide?

Mick: When publishing began, it was so tightly controlled, people were killed for publishing works that weren’t officially sanctioned by the crown and church-state. It’s been a slow, grueling journey, but I argue we’re in another Guttenberg era where access to information is exploding and the old restrictions no longer apply. For instance, publishers no longer control markets. Good books can find their own audience and do quite well without them. (more…)

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Jeff Gerke: Finding a Home For Speculative Fiction

February 22nd, 2011 DebbyAlten

Jeff GerkeBy now you’ve probably heard of Jeff Gerke, and Marcher Lord Press, publishing fiction beyond our world– of flying castles and vampire wars. I thought it would be fun for Jeff to introduce us to the unusual and why he loves it.

Beneath this fantastical umbrella we’ve come to know as speculative fiction lie a few subgenres. I’m certain not everyone is familiar with these.

Jeff: My short definition of speculative fiction is “anything weird.” So it would include science fiction, fantasy, time travel, vampire, superhero, alternate history, supernatural thrillers, apocalyptic/end times, spiritual warfare, paranormal, urban fantasy, cyberpunk, technothriller, and more. (more…)

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Christian Writer Mary Demuth will speak on Creating Great Nonfiction

February 17th, 2011 occwf-director
Memor Workshop Author / Speaker

Mary Demuth 2011 Faculty

Christian writers are coming together for the annual OC Christian Writers Conference to be held on April 30 at Mariners Church in Irvine, California. Well-known inspirational author and speaker Mary Demuth will teach a workshop on how to create great nonfiction. In this workshop she will draw upon ideas in her nonfiction books the Nonfiction Proposal Tutorial and her own memoir Thin Places.

Using the istep method, she will present five ways that the non-fiction writer can make their work stand out to the reader like a beacon for the Lord. Besides the class, she will be available for one-on-one consultations throughout the day.

She will also be teaching an intensive all-day memoir writing seminar on Friday, April 29 that has already closed due to full attendance. The Friday workshop will be for those writers with a memoir work in progress. (more…)

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