Meet the Speakers
Pattie Ball
Award winning, bestselling author Pattie Ball submitted her story to a small press on a whim, never expecting to hear back, but they sent a three year contract, and published two titles. Instead of renewing, she regained the rights to those two, added three more titles, and jumped feet first into publishing independently.
Living on a small pond in Northeast Texas with her wonderful husband and Tizzy and Ridge, two marbled tabbies, she loves hearing from readers, greatly appreciating their kind words and support, and makes a point of personally answering every email.
Pattie says. “I’ve won some awards but I know you’d much rather hear the juicy stuff, so here it is. I’ve been married to the same man since dirt, but always introduce him as my “current” husband. I don’t want him to get too comfortable in that role! I love shopping at thrift stores, because nobody loves a bargain more than me. I hate talking on the telephone…so don’t call. A really sharp pencil makes me happy…part of my OCD. I write under pen name, Ann Everett, because I think my real name, Pattie Ball, sounds like something you’d order at a concession stand. (Ann is my middle name. Everett is my husband’s.)”
For more on Pattie Ball’s writing, visit her site at www.anneverett.com.
Caryl McAdoo
Caryl McAdoo is also known around Facebook and conferences as ‘the singing prayer’.
With over twenty published titles, she writes and markets four series: the historical Christian “Texas Romance”, a family saga stretching over a century; the Red River Romances, contemporaries connected by their setting in the McAdoos’ home county; a Biblical fiction set is The Generations; and the newest, a mid-grade trilogy, Days of Dread.
The award winning, bestselling author spends much of her non-writing time Navigating the Indie Marketplace! In 2015, she released eleven titles, one every month except December, and kept up with cover reveals, launch parties, monthly personal events, and almost monthly fairs and festivals. She’ll be sharing ideas you can put to use for increased sales and exposure in the Indie Marketplace.
Grami to sixteen grandsugars, Caryl lives in the woods with her husband Ron, two teenage grandsons Christian and Benjamen, four dogs, and barn cats a plenty. Her adopted author tagline is ‘Praying my story gives God glory’! And her focus in life is to serve His Kingdom well.
For more information on Caryl McAdoo, visit her at www.carylmcadoo.com.
Janis McAdoo
Janis McAdoo is the founder and CEO of Rocksteady Resolutions, a company that assists people with getting results…and her passion is helping others succeed. The task oriented lady loves to build things (and maintain them): Systems. Processes. Websites. Social media.
Many years in management at a corporate office and then at a small construction business taught her business skills to use in creating her own small business.
Naturally responsible and dependable—rock solid—founding Rocksteady Resolutions was a no-brainer and fulfilled her desire to come alongside small business owners who yearn for success an d help them bring their vision to reality.
They say your niche finds you. Janis found that is true. The majority of her clients are indie authors. She spends her days creating and maintaining WordPress websites as well as managing social media accounts.
Away from the computer, she enjoys reading a good book, hanging out with a few furry friends, working outside in her garden, or bringing a piece of discarded furniture back to life—a DIY enthusiast! Janis was born and raised in Texas, and currently lives in a suburb just west of Dallas.
For more information Rocksteady Resolutions, visit www.rocksteadyresolutions.com
Speakers from Previous WordWyse Exposytions
Lena Nelson Dooley
Multi-published, award-winning author Lena Nelson Dooley has had more than 850,000 copies of her 30+ books sold. Her books appear on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists, as well as some Amazon bestseller lists. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers http://www.acfw.com/ and the local chapter, ACFW – DFW. She’s a member of Christian Authors’ Network, and Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas.
Her 2010 release Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico, won the 2011 Will Rogers Medallion Award for excellence in publishing Western Fiction. Her next series, McKenna’s Daughters: Maggie’s Journey appeared on a reviewer’s Top Ten Books of 2011 list. It also won the 2012 Selah award for Historical Novel. The second, Mary’s Blessing, was a Selah Award finalist for Romance novel. Catherine’s Pursuit released in 2013. It was the winner of the NTRWA Carolyn Reader’s Choice contest, took second place in the CAN Golden Scroll Novel of the Year award, and won the Will Rogers Medallion bronze medallion. Her blog, A Christian Writer’s World, received the Readers Choice Blog of the Year Award from the Book Club Network.
She has experience in screenwriting, acting, directing, and voice-overs. She is on the Board of Directors for Higher Ground Films and is one of the screenwriters for their upcoming film Abducted to Kill. She has been featured in articles in Christian Retailing, ACFW Journal, Charisma Magazine, and Christian Fiction Online Magazine. Her article in CFOM was the cover story.
In addition to her writing, Lena is a frequent speaker at women’s groups, writers groups, and at both regional and national conferences. She has spoken in six states and internationally. The Lena Nelson Dooley Show is on the Along Came A Writer Blogtalk network.
Lena has an active web presence on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Linkedin and with her internationally connected blog where she interviews other authors and promotes their books.
See more at: www.lenanelsondooley.com and lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/
Ron McAdoo
Award winning author, Ron McAdoo, has a variety of published titles and continues to write with his wife Caryl. With a God-given gift of wisdom, he has a down-to-earth teaching style that makes everything crystal clear to other writers.
In 2008, he moved his family north and east from the DFW Metroplex, settling in the woods of Red River County. He shares the Craft of Writing Creative Fiction in groups and conferences all over Texas. His dedication to God and to his high school sweetheart is easy to spot.
Ron and Caryl live in Clarksville, the county seat, with two grandsons, Christian and Benjamen.
Sandra Barela
Sandra Barela, wife and the mom of three teenagers, received her bachelor’s and master’s degree in Education at the National University and will soon be awarded her master’s in English with a focus on Creative Fiction from Southern New Hampshire University.
During her program there, she took a publishing class and fell in love with the industry.
That infatuation sparked Celebrate Lit Publicity Group! The avid Christian fiction reader and author enjoys helping other great Christian authors succeed, one book at a time. She lives with her family in beautiful sunny Southern California.
For more information on Celebrate Lit Publicity Group, visit celebratelit.com.
Julie Cosgrove
Julie B. Cosgrove is a freelance writer for seven publications, websites and blogs. She also is a professional workshop leader and keynote speaker who has published five novels with three more contracted for 2016-2017. She has achieved the highest level of speaking in Toastmasters International, the Advanced Communicator Gold and speaks an average of twice a month to civic, church, book club and writers groups.
Julie lives and breathes words. When she isn’t speaking or writing, she is reading or doing word puzzles. And of course, she spends daily time in the Word. Her favorite thing is basking on a Texas Hill Country riverfront, or curled up on her couch with her purring cats next to her – both with her ereader or a paperback in hand.
Amy Lillard
Lynda Kay Sawyer
Lynda Kay Sawyer is a photographer/filmmaker whose focus is on creating appreciation for her Choctaw history and culture, as well as other tribes. As a filmmaker, she’s had the privilege of producing a promotional video for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian Artist Leadership Program. Lynda Kay’s photography depicts the spirit in people, artifacts, nature, and historical places for their preservation. Her photos have been published in national magazines and on the book cover of Touch My Tears, and coincide with historical fiction books by author Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer. Photographing images across the United States, Lynda Kay views the world through her camera lens by the light of her Christian faith in the Creator. Watch her film reel at Vimeo.com/RockHavenProductions.
Sarah Elizabeth Sawyer
Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer is an award-winning Christian author, speaker and Choctaw storyteller of traditional and fictional tales based on the lives of her people.
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian has honored her as a literary artist through their Artist Leadership Program for her work in preserving Trail of Tears stories.
In 2015, First Peoples Fund awarded her an Artist in Business Leadership Fellowship.
She writes from her hometown in Texas, partnering with her mom, Lynda Kay Sawyer, in continued research for future novels.
Learn more about their work in preserving Choctaw history at SaraElisabethWrites.com.
Don't Miss a Thing! Get Expo Updates Here