LIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY NOVEMBER 8-9, 2018 WRITERFESTNASHVILLE.COM WELCOME SCHEDULE

November 8, 2018 Thursday, November 8

Welcome to the first ever WriterFest Nashville! We’re so glad you’re here! Registration/Networking 9:00-11:00

At this event you’ll hear from some incredible authors, , filmmakers, poets, and Opening Keynote 11:00-12:00 journalists. You’ll also cross paths with the folks who support these creative writers—editors, Lunch with Authors 12:15-1:15 publishers, directors, producers, and agents. Their goal? To empower, inspire, and connect with creative writers like you! Session 1 1:30-2:45 Session 2 3:00-4:15 We have a great lineup planned, including keynote speakers Liz Cackowski, , and Liane Moriarty—plus 31 breakout sessions. Whether you’re just starting out, looking to move to Writers in the Round 4:30-5:45 the next level in your writing career, or a seasoned pro here to network, you’ll enjoy WriterFest Dinner with Speakers 6:00-7:30 Nashville and be inspired to dream big!

Gratefully, Ami McConnell Founder/Director WriterFest Nashville Friday, November 9

Registration/Networking 9:00-9:30 Session 3 9:30-10:30 Session 4 10:45-12:00 Lunch 12:15-1:15 Session 5 1:30-2:45 Session 6 3:00-3:50 BREAK 3:50-4:30 P.S. A special thanks to our partners at Lipscomb University, especially the Shin College of Arts and Entertainment, and Parnassus Books. Keynote Closing Session 4:30-6:00

WiFi Network: LipscombGuest Username: Writerfest Password: 72694413 SESSIONS

Friday, November 9

Publishing Screenwriters Songwriters Pro Writers Nonfiction Fiction A-Z Thursday, November 8 9:00 - Registration/Networking Publishing 9:30 (Ezell Center South Lobby) Screenwriters Songwriters Pro Writers Nonfiction Fiction A-Z 9:00 9:30 Session 3 3: Why 3: Colla- - Registration/Networking - Nashville Is borative 3: Literary Agents, 3: The Editor/Author 11:00 (Ezell Center South Lobby) 10:30 the It City Songwriting: Uncensored: Relationship: for Content Rabbit Room Alex Glass, Frank Weimann, Kathy Sarah Peltz, Jenny Baumgartner, 11:00 Ben Howard, Presents Randall Helmers, Steve Hutson Ariel Lawhon, Ruth Chou Simons, Margaret Riley Goodgame, - Burton 109 Michael Bishop Liz Cackowski, Opening Keynote (Ezell Board Room 147) King, and Carey Buddy Greene, Ezell 363 12:00 Nelson Burch and Andy Ezell 301 Gullahorn 12:15 Collins Auditorium - Lunch (Ezell Lobby) 10:45 Session 4 4: Cross- 4: Writing 4: Idea to 4: Words 4: The 4: Creating 1:15 - Media about Music Manuscript that Sell: Making of A a Vibrant 12:00 Synergy: Carrie Tipton & Sarah Arthur, Discoverability, Murder in Writing 1:30 Session 1 1: Storyclock: 1: : 1: Idea to 1: CEO of 1: 1: How I Book/Screen/ Langston Wilkins Mark SEO, marketing Music City: Community - Seth Worley Who Knew It Manuscript: Your Writing Collaborative Came to Song: “I Can Collins Auditorium Deutschmann, copy, etc. The Creative Ariel Lawhon 2:45 Ezell 301 Would Be So Sarah Career: Nonfiction Joy: The Only Imagine” Melissa Bradley Metrock, Process behind and MaryBeth Hard to Be Arthur, Jenny Writing: Alex Glass, Novelist and the song, the Chambers, Matt West, the Phenomenal Whalen Myself Baumgartner, Dudley Delffs Colleen Coble, the Creative movie, the book: Sarah Pelz, Angela Guzman Book about Burton 200 Ezell 241, aka Steve Hutson, and publisher Karen Anderson, Process: Robert Noland, Alex Glass Ezell 303/336 Nashville’s First Swang Chapel in MaryBeth David Morris Kathy Helmers, Patti Callahan Jennifer Burton 109 Big Murder Case Ezell Whalen, Ezell 363 Sarah Pelz Henry Willingham, Ezell 363 Marjory Ezell 303/363 Ezell 147/Ezell Brian Mitchell Wentworth Board Room Ezell 301 Swang Rm 108/ Stowe Hall 12:15 - Lunch 3:00 Session 2 2: The New 2: Traditional 2: Romance (Boxed Lunches in Ezell Center Lobby) 2: Q&A with 1:15 - Hollywood: President of or Self- 2: Worth a Thousand Publishing 4:15 Howie Klausner Sony Music, Publishing: Words: 101: 1:30 Session 5 5: Indepen- 5: Writing 5: Traditional or Self- 5: Creative 5: Young Ezell 301 Which The Power of Pairing Visual Artistry Melissa - dent Film from Your Publishing: Which Method Process in Adult Books: and Wes Yoder, Method Is with Texts with Ruth Chou Simons Chambers, 2:45 Making (for Core is Right for Me? the Chaos of Stephanie Appell President of Right for Ezell 303/363 Colleen Coble, the primate Cindy Morgan JT Ellison, Robin Cutler, Cynthia Life and Courtney Ambassador Me: and Jeanne and the and Jeremy Bose Ruchti, Frank Weimann Rebekah Lyons Stevens Literary Hardt sophisticate): Burton 200 Patti Callahan Collins Auditorium Swang 108 and Becky Nesbitt Ezell 241 Ezell 147 Henry, Robin Steve Taylor with Ezell 363 Cutler, Cynthia Seth Worley Ruchti, MaryBeth Ezell 301 Whalen, Amanda 3:00 Session 6 6: What to 6: Balanc- 6: Parnassus Co-owner Karen 6: Creating 6: Writing Bostic - Watch and ing Art & Hayes with authors Mary Laura Magical the Perfect Swang Rm 108/ 3:50 Read: Tools for Commerce Philpott and Ariel Lawhon Books for Villain: Stowe Hall the Screenwriter in Music Swang 108 Children: JT Ellison and 4:30 Ezell 301 Alissa Moreno Amy Parker, Ariel Lawhon - Tom Douglas & Friends in the Round (Collins Auditorium) Collins Auditorium Michelle Burke Burton 200 5:45 Ezell 363 6:00 4:30 - Dinner with Speakers (Shamblin Theater) - Liane Moriarty Closing Keynote (Collins Auditorium) 7:30 6:00

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Swang Business Center 38 20 25 26 24 27 19 GRANNY LIANE MORIARTY Internationally bestselling novelist of 28 44 Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers 18 GR AN NY W 43 45 H 17 IT E 42 P 29 IK 30 E S 12 1 31 14 16 32 13 15 53 40 33 41 46 10 11 LIZ CACKOWSKI 35 34 47 5 9 38 2 36 48 Writer and producer, Saturday Night Live, 39 52 Community, The Last Man on Earth, Wine Country 8 6 4 7 S 3 50 37 49 SHA 2 51 1 CKLEF

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ParnassusA mobile book store will be on-site selling books Award-winning #1 hit of “Run D Thursday 9:00-11:00 a.m. (during registration) and to You,” “Drunk Girl,” “The House That Built Friday 12:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. (during lunch and break) Me,” and “Meanwhile Back at Mama’s” SPEAKERS

paid to read books for more than fourteen years. She loves any great ROBIN CUTLER Tim McGraw’s “Southern Voice” (with Bob DiPiero), and concluding story, but is particularly drawn to southern fiction, contemporary, with ’s “The House That Built Me” (with Allen women’s fiction, and suspense and thrillers. She makes her home in Robin Cutler is the director of IngramSpark, an Ingram Content Shamblin). Tom has had songs recorded by Garth Brooks, George KAREN ANDERSON Nashville with her husband, Randy, and their two children. Group service for indie authors and publishers. She is committed to Straight, Brooks & Dunn, Randy Travis, Trisha Yearwood, and many helping independent publishers get their content into the hands of others. Tom’s song “The House That Built Me” was nominated for Karen Anderson is Strategic Book Coach and Associate Publisher for readers around the globe. To help make this happen, Robin works to 2010 Grammy Song of The Year and Country Song of The Year Morgan James Publishing, as well as a nationally published author, CAREY NELSON BURCH support and refine the IngramSpark platform to better serve indies and won CMA Song of the Year as well as ACM’s Song of The Year self-published author, ghostwriter, and co-author. Carey Nelson Burch is the owner of My Own Shingle where she around the world. Her publishing career began over 30 years ago and Single Record of the Year. In 2014, Tom’s song “Meanwhile consults for several companies including Made In Network, Turner at a university press. She also founded her own publishing house, Back At Mama’s” was nominated for the Grammy’s Country Song of STEPHANIE APPELL Publishing, The Building Barn, Medals of Honor, and Big Banzai, SummerHouse Press, and has published 1000+ titles in her career. the year. In 2014, Tom was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Before joining the Ingram Content Group, Robin worked for Stephanie Appell is Manager of Books and Events for Young Readers while managing a handful of screenwriters, authors, and influencers. Hall Of Fame. Tom continues to impact Nashville’s songwriting Previously, she was the President of Hideout Pictures, a division of Amazon/CreateSpace. landscape, writing songs for contemporary country artists like Brett at Parnassus Books. Average Joes Entertainment and the company behind CMT’s “Still Eldredge, High Valley, Carrie Underwood, and Rachel Wammack. the King,” starring Joey Lauren Adams and Billy Ray Cyrus. She ’s hit single “Drunk Girl” is a recent example of Tom’s SARAH ARTHUR was a packaging agent at William Morris Endeavor for 12-1/2 years DUDLEY DELFFS lyrical depth and ability to share powerful messages. and had the distinction of being the only TV/Film agent in Nashville, Sarah Arthur is a fun-loving speaker and the author of a dozen books Dudley J. Delffs, Ph.D., is an award-winning writer of both fiction servicing Feature and TV producers, the country artist roster, as ranging from popular devotionals to serious engagement with and nonfiction, and president and founder of Creative Fidelity, Inc., JT ELLISON well as numerous projects. Before joining William Morris Endeavor, literature. She serves as a preliminary fiction judge for the Christianity an agency focused on writing, editing, and consulting for authors, Nelson Burch was an Executive at NBC in Los Angeles. She currently New York Times and USA Today bestselling author J. T. Ellison writes Today Book Awards and has given writing pep talks at the Frederick agents, and publishers. When he’s not reading and writing, Dudley serves on the boards of the Nashville Film Festival, Belmont’s Film & standalone domestic noir and psychological thriller series and pens Buechner Writers Workshop, the Calvin College Festival of Faith enjoys traveling, hiking, watching college football, and listening to the international thriller series “A Brit in the FBI” with #1 New York & Writing, the C. S. Lewis Festival, and the Christy Awards. She is TV Advisory Committee, and Film Com. . He and his wife, Dotti, have three adult children and Times bestselling author Catherine Coulter. Cohost of the EMMY® the author, most recently, of A Light So Lovely: The Spiritual Legacy of live in Sewanee, Tennessee. Dudley’s latest book is The Faith of Dolly Award-winning literary television show A Word on Words, Ellison lives Madeleine L’Engle. Parton. MICHELLE BURKE in Nashville with her husband and twin kittens. For more insight into Michelle Prater Burke oversees the creation of kids books for B&H her wicked imagination, follow J. T. online at jtellison.com; Facebook DAVE BARNES Publishing. An editor, author, and now publisher, she has spent much MARK DEUTSCHMANN JTEllison14; Twitter @thrillerchick; and Instagram thrillerchick. Dave Barnes is an American musician, singer, and songwriter of the last twenty-five years developing children’s books, gift books, Mark Deutschmann is an entrepreneur, CEO, author, and community from Nashville, Tennessee. He has released nine albums including Bibles, and magazines for the faith-based market. builder who has worked with neighbors, city leaders, and nonprofits REA FREY his most recent full-length album, Who Knew It Would Be so Hard for 30-plus years while helping shape development in Nashville and Rea Frey is the author of four nonfiction books, one novel, countless to Be Myself, which was released February 9, 2018. As a songwriter, LIZ CACKOWSKI revitalizing the city’s most sought-after neighborhoods. Deutschmann magazine and newspaper articles, and about a million blogs. A Barnes has both written and co-written songs with Joey Humke for started selling real estate in 1986 and founded Village Real Estate Liz Cackowski is a writer and producer, known for Saturday Night Live, longtime editorial director for a branding agency, Rea has learned Reba McEntire, , Marc Broussard, Bebo Norman, Services in 1996, which now employs more than 350 agents and staff. Community, The Last Man on Earth, and the forthcoming Wine Country the ins and outs of the publishing industry and knows what it takes to Matt Wertz, Andrew Ripp, Billy Currington, Tim McGraw, Danielle The Village Fund, the company’s nonprofit and charitable arm, has with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Acting credits include Forgetting Sarah get your beloved book out into the world. She has appeared on Talk Bradbery, and Bethany Dillon. provided $2 million in grants to organizations helping to enrich and of the Town, Today in Nashville, WGN, and FOX. Rea’s debut novel, Not Marshall, Neighbors, and Speechless. She is married to Akiva Schaffer, and strengthen Nashville. He received the Community Service award Her Daughter, was released by St. Martins Press in August and has been they have two children. from the Greater Nashville Association of Realtors in 2013 and the JENNY BAUMGARTNER optioned for film. When not reading, writing, or eating, Rea can be Sustainable Tennessee Award from the Tennessee Environmental found with her family, traveling, or doing handstands. To learn more, Council in 2014. In his book, One-Mile Radius: Building Community from Jenny Baumgartner is a senior acquisitions editor for Nelson Books, MELISSA CHAMBERS visit reafrey.com. a division of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. She has been in the Core, Deutschmann shares what he has learned about activating book publishing since 1998 when she joined Thomas Nelson’s gift Melissa Chambers writes contemporary romance novels for young, Nashville’s neighborhoods, connecting them and helping them book division. She has acquired and edited gift books, nonfiction, new, and actual adults. A Nashville native, she spends her days become sustainable, and using business as a tool for positive social ALEX GLASS and fiction, including many New York Times bestsellers and winners working in the music industry and her nights tapping away at her change. He holds undergraduate degrees in zoology and Spanish and Alex Glass started Glass Literary Management after an eighteen-year of Carol, Christianity Today, ECPA, and Christy awards. She holds a keyboard. While she’s slightly obsessed with alt-rock, she leaves the an MBA in international management. career in book publishing, including thirteen years at Trident Media master’s in English and has taught college English. She spends her guitar playing to her husband and kid. She never misses a chance Group, a stint in marketing at the Putnam Berkley Publishing Group, free time consuming copious amounts of coffee and being the slightly to play a tennis match, listen to an audiobook, or eat a bowl of ice TOM DOUGLAS and four years in the literature program of the National Endowment insane mother of twins. cream. (Rocky road, please!) She serves as president for the Music for the Arts. Alex has represented over a dozen New York Times City Romance Writers (Nashville’s RWA chapter) and is the author of Tom Douglas enjoyed a successful career in commercial real bestsellers and numerous other national and international bestsellers. the Before Forever series and the Love Along Hwy 30A series. estate before pursuing his lifelong passion for music, attending an MICHAEL BISHOP His books have been published in over two dozen languages, and enlightening songwriters’ seminar in Austin, Texas in 1993. He many have been optioned for film and television, He represents debut played one of his early compositions, “Little Rock,” for publisher and Michael Bishop is the author of A Murder in Music City: Corruption, novelists and memoirists along with celebrities, professional athletes, COLLEEN COBLE producer Paul Worley, who brought it back to Nashville. Sony/ATV Scandal, and the Framing of an Innocent Man. and nationally renowned experts. His novelist clients writing for Music Publishing signed Douglas as a staff writer and in June 1994, USA Today bestselling author Colleen Coble’s novels have won or adults and children have won awards such as the PEN/O’Henry, the “Little Rock” recorded by Collin Raye, became a #1 hit, earning finaled in awards ranging from the Best Books of Indiana, the Edgar, and the Newbery. Alex is drawn to original, often transgressive JEREMY BOSE a nomination for CMA Song of the Year. In 2001, Tim McGraw ACFW Carol Award, the Romance Writers of America RITA, the voices and authors who take chances. took “Grown Men Don’t Cry” to number one, and subsequently Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers’ Choice, AMANDA BOSTIC collaborated with Tom on the top three-country hit, “My Little Girl,” and the Booksellers Best. She has nearly 4 million books in print and which also became the end song for the Fox filmFlicka in 2006. From BUDDY GREENE Amanda Bostic is the Publisher for Fiction at HarperCollins Christian writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail. the summer of 2009 to the summer of 2010, Tom achieved a rare Publishing (Thomas Nelson and Zondervan). She traces her love of Colleen is CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives with Triple Play Award in which he had three #1 hits in a year: Lady Buddy Greene is a Nashville-based singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, story back to her first reading ofThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in her husband, Dave, in Indiana. Visit her website at colleencoble.com and talented performer with a distinct southern flavor. His virtuosity second grade, and she’s still amazed by the fact that she’s been getting Antebellum’s (co-written with the group) “I Run To You,” followed by and connect on Facebook at facebook.com/colleencoblebooks SPEAKERS

KATHRYN HELMERS God’s Not Dead 3; The Secret Handshake, starring Kevin Sorbo and Amy literary and consumer products licensing initiatives for some of the top Grant also directed by Klausner; Soul Surfer, starring Dennis Quaid and grossing faith-based films including, War Room and I Can Only Imagine. Kathryn Helmers is managing partner for Creative Trust in Nashville. on the harmonica has distinguished him as an instrumental force to Helen Hunt; The Identical, starring Ray Liotta, Ashley Judd, and Seth In addition, Mitchell contributes his marketing expertise to theatrical, Her forty years in publishing began with magazine editorial in New Green; and The Last Ride, starring Henry Thomas and Kaley Cuoco. home video, and digital distribution campaigns. be reckoned with. Buddy’s songwriting has gained recognition as York City and continued in Colorado Springs and Nashville with book well, especially as the co-writer of the Christmas favorite, “Mary, Currently set for production Fall 2018: Washington, the biopic of our publishing experience at all levels of editorial work from copyediting first president at Radar Pictures, and Reagan, starring Dennis Quaid, Did You Know?”, recorded by many of today’s top recording artists, to acquisitions, management of publishing divisions, collaborative CINDY MORGAN including Clay Aiken, Mary J Blige, CeeLo Green, Kathy Mattea, birth written by Klausner. Books include Rocketman, the biography writing, and most recently over two decades as a literary agent in Cindy Morgan is a two-time Grammy nominee and one of Nashville’s Kenny Rogers & Wynonna, Natalie Cole, Glen Campbell, and of Apollo Astronaut Pete Conrad. Mr. Klausner lives in Franklin, both general-market and Christian-market categories of nonfiction most influential singer/songwriters. She’s garnered 12 Dove Awards, Kathleen Battle, to name a few. Buddy’s outstanding performances Tennessee, with his wife and three daughters. and fiction. including the prestigious Songwriter of the Year trophy. With 21 #1 hits have taken him from Macon, Georgia, to Billy Graham crusades, to her credit, in addition to her own iconic discography, she has penned music festivals, concert halls, churches, pickin’ parties of every kind, ARIEL LAWHON PATTI CALLAHAN HENRY songs for such artists as Amy Grant, India Arie, , Natalie and even Carnegie Hall. Ariel Lawhon is a critically acclaimed author of historical fiction. She Grant, Michael W. Smith, Point of Grace, Mandisa, and Francesca Patti Callahan Henry is a New York Times bestselling author of is the author of The Wife the Maid and the Mistress (2014), Flight of Dreams Battistelli, among many others. Cindy’s also an author, her latest book RANDALL GOODGAME 12 novels, including The Bookshop at Water’s End. A finalist for the (2016), and I Was Anastasia (2018). Her books have been translated is How Could I Ask For More: Stories of Blessings, Battles and Beauty. Her latest Townsend Prize for Fiction, an Indie Next Pick, an OKRA pick, and a into numerous languages and have been Library Reads, One Book album is Bows & Arrows, co-produced with Kyle Buchanan. Randall Goodgame is a singer/songwriter and the creative force multiple nominee for the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance One County, and Book of the Month Club selections. She is the co- (SIBA) Novel of the Year, Patti is a frequent speaker at luncheons, behind the family music brand, Slugs & Bugs. He has recorded eight founder of SheReads.org and lives in the rolling hills outside Nashville, ALISSA MORENO solo albums and contributed to numerous others. He has written book clubs, and women’s groups. The mother of three children, Patti Tennessee, with her husband, four sons, black Lab, and a deranged songs for Veggie Tales, Caedmon’s Call, Andrew Peterson, Jason lives in both Mountain Brook, Alabama, and Blufton, South Carolina, Siamese cat. She splits her time between the grocery store and the Alissa Moreno was born on a small Navajo reservation then grew up Gray, Jill Phillips, Eric Peters, and other fine human beings. He is a with her husband. Learn more at patticallahanhenry.com. baseball field. in Albuquerque, New Mexico. After a music education and a year in dad, a husband, a decent racquetball player, and is brilliant at ping pong. Hawaii writing songs, she moved to Los Angeles. As an artist, she began BEN HOWARD REBEKAH LYONS her career performing on Sunday nights at Hotel Cafe, coming up with a crew of budding artists such as Gary Jules, , Waz, Meiko ANDREW GULLAHORN Ben Howard is CEO and Founder, Third Coast Content. Ben has Rebekah Lyons is the national speaker and bestselling author of You Are and many more. She then co-wrote/co-performed the ABC sitcom been living at the crossroads of art, commerce, and faith for more Andy Gullahorn is a Nashville-based songwriter known for his Free: Be Who You Already Are and Freefall to Fly: A Breathtaking Journey Toward a Hope and Faith theme song. Her song Next Time was featured in full than 25 years. Having worked among a variety of companies in the albums, Room to Breathe (2004), Reinventing the Wheel (2007), The Law Life of Meaning. An old soul with a contemporary, honest voice, Rebekah at the end of LC’s San Fran episode of MTV’s Laguna Beach and is entertainment industry, he was most recently the Executive VP of of Gravity (2009), Christmas (2010), Beyond the Frame (2013), Fault reveals her battles to overcome anxiety and depression—and invites featured on the Interscope Records release Laguna Beach: Summer Provident Films, running the company since its formation in 2005. In Lines (2016) and Everything As It Should Be (2019). He spends most others to discover and boldly pursue their God-given purpose from a Can Last Forever. She co-wrote the Grammy nominated hit Every Day early 2018, Ben established Third Coast Content in partnership with of his time on the road playing concerts in houses, churches, clubs, place of freedom. Finding joy in raising a special needs child, Rebekah for Rascal Flatts, she wrote Strings with Big Al Anderson featuring Endeavor Content. TCC produces content targeting faith and family conferences and retreats, and writes songs for other artists such as wears her heart on her sleeve, a benefit to friends and readers alike. Her Vince Gill, and Walking Blind with The Voice Season 1 winner, (Team audiences. Feature films, television, and written word are all part of the Sara Groves, David Wilcox, Big Daddy Weave, Brandon Heath, work has been featured on Good Morning America, CNN, Huffington Adam) Javier Colon, and two on his previous album When and That’s content portfolio. Jason Gray, and others. In his spare time Andy likes to bowl, play disc Post, The Tennessean, Publishers Weekly, and more. Alongside her husband, My Little Girl. She wrote the John Oates and The Time Jumpers single golf, make useless videos to post on YouTube, write Haikus, and hang Gabe, she serves as co-founder of Q Ideas, a nonprofit organization Santa Be Good To Me and the Grammy winning Morgan Heritage’s out with his wife and three kids. STEVEN HUTSON that helps Christian leaders winsomely engage culture. Gabe and second single Pineapple Wine on the Grammy nominated album Steven Hutson is a native of Los Angeles, a child of the sixties, and a Rebekah are raising their three children and two toy poodles in Avrakedabra. She wrote the current single Beautiful World for Russian ANGELA GUZMAN storyteller almost from birth. After several years of freelance editing Franklin, Tennessee. superstar Alexander Kogan, The Yee-Haw Song for Uncle Si and the and directing a writers’ conference, he branched out as a literary agent Sicotics (Duck Dynasty) and a handful of singles and cuts from around Angela Guzman is a contributing writer for Thrive Global, a in early 2011. He has placed his clients’ works with Dutton, Harlequin, BRADLEY METROCK the world including the South African Idol winner Elvis Blue song freelance editor, and publicist at HarperCollins Christian Publishers. Thomas Nelson, Tyndale, David C. Cook, Hachette, Writer’s Digest Only Wanna Be With You. From her debut album, In Your Wake, her She has interviewed notable celebrities such as Reese Witherspoon, Bradley Metrock is CEO of Score Publishing, a media company based Books, and others. Several clients have won prestigious awards, single Far From Here was the show ID for the Lifetime series Army Dwyane Wade, and Hugh Jackman. With a degree in journalism in Nashville, Tennessee, and Executive Producer, Digital Book World. including a RITA award (Romance Writers of America). t Steve lives Wives. Her music is featured in television and film with numerous songs from Old Dominion University, she strives to inspire others through Score Publishing operates a variety of live events designed to bring in the High Desert of Southern California with his wife, Ruth. He licensed to The Vineyard, The Hills, Laguna Beach, How I Met Your her writing and publicity strategies. When she’s not busy writing, she industry communities together, and also owns and operates VoiceFirst.FM, speaks frequently at writers’ events across the country and writes an Mother, , Will and Grace, Criminal Minds, American loves spending time with her husband and their two daughters. the podcast network for voice-first technology such as Amazon’s Alexa, eclectic blog. Follow Steven on Twitter: @wordwiseli. Idol, Star, Vanderpump Rules and commercials such as Tide, Belk, Google’s Assistant, and Apple’s Siri. Young and The Restless Promo, and Central Way Numbers, and KAREN HAYES many others including the films Daltry Calhoun, Undiscovered, and MARGARET RILEY KING BRIAN MITCHELL Slamdance hit Mall Cop. She was the vocal coach to for Karen Hayes is living every booklover’s dream: running her own Margaret Riley King is an agent in the Literary Department at William his SAG award winning role in Hollywoodland. Alissa currently lives bookstore. Together with novelist Ann Patchett, she co-owns Brian Mitchell brings to The WTA Group extensive entertainment Morris Endeavor, where she began her career after graduating from in Nashville, Tennessee, is a SAG performer, and has written with and Parnassus Books in Green Hills. Karen found her way to the owner’s industry experience beginning in 1986 in radio broadcast roles, and Princeton University with a BA in History and a Certificate in Theater been recorded by artists such as Colbie Cailat, Rascall Flatts, Sara desk after a career that included 12 years at Ingram Content Group, then record executive leadership positions at Provident/Sony and and Dance. She represents both literary and commercial fiction, young Evans, Alex Da Kidd, Kina Grannis, StreetRunner, JoJo, Chuck Wicks, plus 18 years as a traveling sales rep for Random House. At the latter Capitol/Universal, including General Manager of Essential Records, adult and middle grade, some narrative nonfiction and memoir and Mallary Hope, Kate Voegelle, Javier Colon, Nikola Bedingfield, Corey job, she came to know and love local businesses while calling on launching artists such as and Third Day. While at Thomas lifestyle titles in the areas of food, psychology, health, faith/spirituality Chorus, Nila, Lil’ Eddie, Fast Ball, Big Al Anderson, Vince Gill, John independent bookstores around the country. In addition to helping Nelson/HarperCollins as Vice President of Marketing, he led multiple and well-being. Oates, Nash Overstreet, Cady Groves and Vertical Horizon. She has put Nashville on the literary map by bringing hundreds of authors to book imprints to 14 New York Times bestselling books from authors such two new Country singles come out first quarter of 2019, one in Canada town each year for Parnassus events, she also sits on the board of The as William J. Bennett, Michael Savage, and Bill Cosby. Mitchell served and one in the U.S. Porch Writers’ Collective and represents Parnassus in the citywide HOWIE KLAUSNER at Big Idea Entertainment/DreamWorks Animation as Vice President Nashville Reads initiative. Karen has lived in Nashville since she was Howie Klausner is a writer and producer of film, television, and of Marketing and Licensing for the VeggieTales® brand before joining LIANE MORIARTY 12 years old, with the exception of a couple years in Italy—a country literary content. His career began in earnest with the Clint Eastwood The WTA Group in 2013. In his current role as Chief Operating she returnsto whenever she can. If you can’t find her at the bookstore, blockbuster, Space Cowboys. His most recent produced credits include Officer, he develops business strategies and plans while also leading the Liane Moriarty is the author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers Truly try one of the hiking trails or parks around Nashville. SPEAKERS

Mary Laura Philpott is the author of the essay collection I Miss You When South, Black Music Research Journal, and Journal of the Society for American Frank Weimann is a literary agent with Folio Literary Management, I Blink; the author and illustrator of a little humor book called Penguins Music, among other places. She is a former book reviewer for Kirkus one of the largest agencies in the business, representing a wide range with People Problems; a writer whose work appears in publications Indie and works as an academic editor. Tipton has lectured for arts of adult and children’s fiction and non-fiction and offering its clients a Madly Guilty, Big Little Lies, and The Husband’s Secret, the New York Times including The New York Times, The Paris Review, The Washington organizations such as Bach Society Houston, Eroica Trio, Houston wealth of experience, expertise, and passion. Frank began his career bestsellers What Alice Forgot and The Last Anniversary, and The Hypnotist’s Post, McSweeney’s, Garden & Gun, and others; the founding editor Ebony Opera Guild, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and the National in publishing at The Literary Group, which he founded in 1986. He Love Story. She lives in Sydney, Australia, with her husband and two of Musing, the online magazine published by Parnassus Books; and an Museum of African American Music, along with universities, schools, merged the agency with Folio in 2013. He has worked with a number children. Emmy-award winning co-host of A Word on Words, a literary interview and churches, and academic conferences. Tipton holds a Ph.D in of incredible authors—from soldiers to celebrities, from business show on Nashville Public Television. Mary Laura also enjoys traveling Musicology and degrees in Music Education and Piano Performance. leaders to self-help gurus. His clients have been experts in their fields DAVID MORRIS around the country to talk to people about books, reading, and writing. She lives in Nashville, where she hosts and produces the Notes on and have included Nobel, Pulitzer, Caldecott, and Medal of Honor Bach podcast sponsored by Bach Society Houston. She is currently winners. David Morris is Vice President and Publisher at Zondervan, a division working on her first book, a cultural history of southern collegiate fight of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. He leads a staff of editors, CYNTHIA RUCHTI songs. To learn more visit carrieallentipton.com MARJORY WENTWORTH marketers, and support staff, publishing nonfiction books for the Cynthia Ruchti tells stories hemmed in hope through her novels, general reader, and working with some of today’s most influential nonfiction, devotionals, and speaking events. Many of her 26 books TROY TOMLINSON Marjory Wentworth’s poems have been nominated for The Pushcart authors. David was formerly Vice President and Editorial Director of (to date) have been recognized with industry awards including retailer, Prize five times. Her books of poetry include Noticing Eden, Despite Guideposts Books. David lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with his reviewer, and reader honors as well as Christy and Carol Award Troy Tomlinson is President/CEO of Sony/ATV Music Nashville. Gravity, The Endless Repetition of an Ordinary Miracle, and New and Selected wife and they have two daughters. honors. She is the professional relations liaison for American Christian Tomlinson is credited with the discovery of , Poems. She is the co-writer with Juan Mendez of Taking a Stand, The Fiction Writers, and serves as a literary agent with Books & Such the Country Music Association’s four-time Entertainer of the Evolution of Human Rights, co-editor with Kwame Dawes of Seeking: ROBERT NOLAND Literary Management. She and her grade-school sweetheart husband Year. While at Acuff-Rose Music Publishing, Tomlinson secured Poetry and Prose Inspired by the Art of Jonathan Green, and the author of the live in the heart of Wisconsin, not far from their three children and five hit recordings by platinum artists Alabama, Collin Raye, Conway prizewinning children’s story Shackles. Her most recent collaborations Robert Noland began his writing career as a songwriter in 1983, grandchildren. Twitty, Reba McEntire, Randy Travis, Tracy Byrd, Gary Allan, George include We Are Charleston: Tragedy and Triumph at Mother Emanuel, with penning lyrics for artists such as Babbie Mason, Paul Smith, and Strait, and Bryan White. During Tomlinson’s 14 years at Acuff-Rose Herb Frazier and Dr. Bernard Powers and Out of Wonder: Poems Gabriel. His most notable credit was writing the lyrics for Glen Music Publishing, he rose through the ranks to the position of Executive Celebrating Poets with Kwame Alexander and Chris Colderly. Marjory is Campbell’s last Christian radio single entitled “The Best is Yet to RUTH CHOU SIMONS Vice President of Acuff-Rose Music Publishing. In the summer of on the faculty at The Art Institute of Charleston. She is the co-founder Come” from The Boy in Me album. Robert then spent the next ten Ruth Chou Simons is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and speaker 2002, Gaylord Entertainment sold Acuff-Rose to Sony/ATV Music and former president of the Lowcountry Initiative for the Literary Arts. years as a full-time touring musician and producer. He wrote his first who shares her journey of how God’s grace intersects daily life through Publishing, which had previously purchased Tree International, Acuff- She serves on the Editorial Board of the University of South Carolina’s series of Bible studies in 1988 and in 1991 his first Christian devotional word and paintbrush at GraceLaced.com—the popular blog, online Rose’s perennial rival. Tomlinson was asked by then President/CEO, Palmetto Poetry Series, and she is the poetry editor for Charleston book for a parachurch ministry. Robert has since authored 75+ titles shop, and Instagram community that reaches over a hundred thousand Donna Hilley, to join the company as Vice President of Creative. Currents. Her work is included in the South Carolina Poetry Archives spanning across children, youth, and adult audiences over the past 25 daily. Her first book, GraceLaced: Discovering Timeless Truths Through Seasons In 2005, Tomlinson was appointed President/CEO of Sony/ATV at Furman University, and she is the Poet Laureate of South Carolina. years. Since 2011, he has been a full-time author, writer, editor, project of the Heart, a winner of the 2018 Christian Book Award, released Music Publishing Nashville. While continuing to work with the manager, and “book doctor.” He lives in Franklin, Tennessee, with his September, 2017. aforementioned artists, he has also overseen the songwriting careers of wife of 30+ years and has two adult sons, both musicians. To learn MATT WEST artists such as , Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Luke more visit RobertNoland.com. COURTNEY STEVENS Bryan, , and many others. In addition to Sony/ATV Matt West is the Founder and CEO of Dexterity Collective. Matt has Music Publishing’s writer/artists, Tomlinson also guides the careers of 20+ years in publishing, having worked with everyone from Fortune AMY PARKER Courtney Stevens grew up in Kentucky and occasionally lives in hit songwriters Tom Douglas, Chris DeStefano, , Jon 500 companies like Amazon and Barnes & Noble to indie bookstores, Nashville, Tennessee. She is a former adjunct professor, youth minister, libraries, and just about everywhere books are sold. He has worked Amy Parker has written and co-written more than fifty books for Nite, , Lindsay Rimes, Jim Beavers, and , to and Olympic torchbearer. Her novels include: Faking Normal, The Blue- for both Thomas Nelson and LifeWay’s B&H Publishing Group, and children, teens, and adults, with 1.5 million copies sold. She has name a few. He is responsible for stewarding the song catalogs Haired Boy, The Lies About Truth, and Dress Codes for Small Towns. As an held roles in business and product development, sales operations, collaborated with authors ranging from New York Times bestsellers to of such industry giants as , , and educator and author, she visits schools, designs retreats, and teaches digital publishing, and data strategy before becoming an independent her very own son. Two of these collaborations —Firebird and Courageous . Under Tomlinson’s leadership in 2007, Sony/ workshops on marketing, revision, character development, and consultant. Matt served as industry lead for a 9-month project with Teens—are recipients of Christian Retailing’s Best Awards. But Amy’s ATV Music Publishing Nashville became the only country music Channeling Your Brave. When she isn’t teaching and scribbling ideas the Nashville Entrepreneur Center called 1440, an Ingram Content greatest reward is being a wife to Daniel and a mom to their amazing publishing company in history to win the American Society of in a notebook, she’s probably menacing small children during laser tag, Group-sponsored Accelerator program for tech startups innovating in sons, Michael and Ethan. Composers, Authors and Publishers’ (ASCAP) Country Publisher of walking 500 miles, or carving something with a saw. the Year, Broadcast Music International’s (BMI) Country Publisher publishing. He’s a Nashville native, and when he’s not working, he can of the Year, the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers’ likely be found tinkering with tech, listening to vinyl, or hiking and SARAH PELZ STEVE TAYLOR (SESAC) Country Publisher of the Year, and Billboard’s Publisher and camping with family. Publishing Corporation of the Year. Additionally, Sony/ATV Music Sarah is Executive Editor at Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Steve Taylor is a filmmaker and recording artist. His latest movie Blue Publishing Nashville has been named BMI’s Publisher of the Year for MARYBETH WHALEN Schuster. Throughout her career, she’s worked with numerous New York Like Jazz premiered at the South By Southwest Film Festival and was Times bestselling health, wellness, and lifestyle authors, including Dr. an unprecedented 16 consecutive years, as well as Billboard’s Country released theatrically by Roadside Attractions. He is also one fifth of Marybeth Whalen is the author of several novels, including When We Michael Mosley (The Clever Gut Diet), Rosanna Pansino (Baking All Year Publisher of the Year for the same time period. In October 2014, the rock band Steve Taylor & the Danielson Foil, whose latest project Were Worthy and The Things We Wish Were True. She speaks to women’s Round), Dr. David Ludwig (Always Hungry?), Marla Heller (the DASH Tomlinson was presented with the Keystone Award by the Nashville —Wow to the Deadness—was recorded by famed punk rock producer groups across the United States and is the cofounder of the popular Diet series), Rip Esselstyn (The Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet), Rocco Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation for his extraordinary efforts in Steve Albini. Steve is the filmmaker-in-residence at Lipscomb women’s fiction site SheReads.org. Married for twenty-six years, she DiSpirito (Cook Your Butt Off), JJ Virgin (The Virgin Diet), and Kimberly bringing together Nashville’s Business and Creative communities to University, and lives in Nashville with his wife, the artist D. L. Taylor, and her husband, Curt, live in North Carolina with their six children, Snyder (the Beauty Detox series). Prior to Atria, she worked at Grand create the first permanent home for the Nashville Songwriters Hall and their daughter. You can follow him on Twitter @theperfectfoil ranging from young adult to elementary age. Although Marybeth Central Life & Style, Harlequin Nonfiction, and McGraw-Hill. Sarah of Fame. In April 2016, he was honored with Belmont University’s and SteveTaylorPresents.com spends most of her time in the grocery store, she occasionally escapes graduated from Dartmouth College where she majored in English and 2016 Robert E. Mulloy Award of Excellence for his outstanding three- decade career on Nashville’s Music Row. In October 2017, Tomlinson to scribble some words and work on her next novel. Creative Writing. She is looking for the next big trendsetters in the CARRIE TIPTON health and lifestyle categories, and she loves learning something new was presented with the Nashville Inspiration Award for his lifetime LANGSTON WILKINS with every book she edits. Carrie Tipton is a music historian who has worked in and out of commitment to serving others. academia. She has written about popular and classical music for Pop Langston Wilkins, Ph.D, is a folklorist, ethnomusicologist, and writer MARY LAURA PHILPOTT Matters, Deep South, Southern Foodways Alliance, W. W. Norton’s The FRANK WEIMANN living in Nashville, Tennessee. He is currently writing an ethnographic Avid Listener, Religion Dispatches, New Encyclopedia of the SPEAKERS NOTES

manuscript on the cultivation of local identity within Houston, Texas’ hip-hop music scene.

JENNIFER WILLINGHAM Jennifer Willingham has 24 years of executive-level experience in public relations, communications, and marketing. As a partner at Icon Media Group, Jennifer has led publicity efforts for the top three recent faith-based film successes in the industry, namely I Can Only Imagine, War Room, and God’s Not Dead. Formerly an Associate Publisher for a division of Simon & Schuster and VP of Marketing/Publicity for Thomas Nelson along with stints at Guideposts and DeMoss Group, her work has encompassed publishing, ministry, film, home entertainment, non-profit and agency-based initiatives. Jennifer resides with her husband and three daughters along with a plethora of animals in Sumner County, Tennessee.

SETH WORLEY Seth Worley is the writer/director of short films and branded content for clients like JJ Abrams’s Bad Robot, Red Giant, Film Riot, Sandwich Video, and Steve Taylor. Known for his ability to balance character- driven comedy with high-concept spectacle, his short films include the genre-bending/Webby-winning Plot Device, Seussian fable Old/ New, narrated by Patton Oswalt, dark comedy Real Gone (winner of the Music Bed Film Festival judge’s choice award), sci-fi action set piece Tempo (one of Slate’s “Six Best Sci-Fi Shorts of 2012”), and the “24-meets-Take-Your-Daughter-To-Work-Day” dramedy Form 17. In 2017, he co-founded the company Plot Devices to manufacture tools and resources for screenwriters and story nerds. The company’s first product, the Storyclock Notebook, was brought to life by 5,354 Kickstarter backers, raising over $120,000 in 30 days. His work has been featured in Forbes, USA Today, The Hollywood Reporter, Fast Company, Slate, io9, SlashFilm, HULU, The Tonight Show, and more. @WriterFestNSH

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