Please join us Saturday, November 12, 2016 at
10:15am (NOTE THE TIME IS EARLIER!!)
PART ONE: Lyndie Blevins
“The
Other Side of Writing…The Power of Words, Characters and Stories from a
Reader’s Perspective.”
She is our very first presenter in what we plan to bring
you each, Launching Writers as Speakers.
Blevins will speak from
her point of view as a reader, the various words, characters and stories which
have made her laugh, cry, understand her life and changed her thinking and
behavior. She will share what she has discovered about the creative writing
process as she read.
She is a firm believer
in the connection between writer and reader as stated by Steven James in “Story Trumps Structure,” “Developing
the ability to see things from a reader’s point of view is one of the most
important things you can do as a storyteller.”
From Blevins’s presentation, “the
audience will take away a glimpse of the emotive power of literary art from a
reader’s perspective. And the inspiration (and knowledge) that words can change
lives.”
Growing up in Duncanville, TX gave
Blevins the richness of small town life while the nearness of Dallas and the
large metroplex, gave her another reference point to draw from. She still lives
in Duncanville, in one of the few hillside lots, full of trees and a creek, in
a town that was originally flat hay fields. She is a Jesus-follower and a Texan. She
enjoys the UT Longhorns, fabric art, practicing her craft of writing, and of
course, reading her books.
A graduate from the University of Texas at Austin with a
BA in government, she spent 35 years working in a government agency in the
field of Information Technology. In 2008, she wrote her first book for
NaNoWriMo, and while she did finished with over 50,00 words, she also
unintentionally broke every rule in all the writing books.
When
she retired in 2009, she embarked on her writing career but had to take a three-year
break to care for her elderly parents in 2013-2015. She’s returned to the
keyboard now, “I yearn for wide open spaces in all areas of my life. I write
about characters who find their true fulfillment living in community with
others.” Her own home community currently consists of a dog, two cats and
Japanese Fighting fish. Blevins is published with works in three anthologies.
Lyndie will be followed by a panel
discussion,
PART TWO: “So What’s this Writing Life REALLY Like?” Our panelists will be (alphabetical):
Frank Ball, Jackie Castle, Lynne Gentry, and Michelle Stimpson.
What better way to follow a talk from the lips of a
reader turned writer than with a moderated panel discussion about the real life
of writers? Here’s your chance to ask Frank, Jackie, Lynne and Michelle what
life is like when they’re on deadline, what they do to start their writing day,
how they get their inspiration, and well, honestly, “What’s it REALLY like to
be a writer?”
Frank Ball - For ten years Ball
directed North Texas Christian Writers to help members
improve their writing
skills. In 2011, he founded Story Help Groups to encourage and equip all
Christians to tell their life-changing stories. Besides his speaking
engagements and writing, Ball ghostwrites, copy edits, blogs, graphic designs, and
coaches writers to help others publish high-quality books. Previously a Pastor
of Biblical Research he wrote sermons, teaching materials, and hundreds of
devotions. He is also a panelist on The Writers’ View. His book “Eyewitness: The Life of Christ Told in One
Story” is a compilation of biblical information on the life of
Christ in a chronological story that reads like a novel. For more information
about Ball, visit
http://www.frankball.org/
Jackie
Castle - Castle looks for the
extraordinary in every ordinary day that she
experiences. She is the author of “The
White Road Chronicles” a fantasy series, “The Sentinel Archives” for school-age
readers, and newly released “Madison Creek Bed & Breakfast” romance series.
She's enjoyed many crazy adventures from working as a hairstylist, to her brave
quest of teaching children in daycare and elementary schools. She now lives in
her comfortable Texas home where she spins entertaining tales and enjoys
relaxing in the evenings with her husband Bob, their children and grandchild. Her
favorite pastime, besides reading, is traipsing through her imaginary worlds in
search of another story. Find out more about her shenanigans over at Jackie
Castle's Story World:
http://www.jackiecastle.com/
Lynne Gentry - Gentry has always been a storyteller. Growing
up on a Kansas dairy farm,
Gentry longed for adventure. Her imagination took
her to exotic places to meet famous people, in order to escape rural isolation.
Her story and storytelling continued from there. After years of writing
musicals and skits for the Christian stage, she started writing fiction. She
has written for Simon & Schuster, Tyndale, HCI Books, Guideposts, Worthy, Howard
Books, and Christian Woman Magazine. She’s also a professional acting coach who
trains young people for successful Hollywood, Broadway, and college theater
program auditions. When this inspirational speaker is not on stage or writing
high-stakes adventures, she’s spending time with her family or working the
oncology wards with her medical therapy dog. Contact Lynne through her website:
http://www.lynnegentry.com/
Michelle Stimpson – A bestselling author, Stimpson
has penned more than thirty Christian
fiction books including traditional bestseller “Divas of Damascus
Road,” Amazon #1 bestseller, “Stepping Down,” the award-winning “Mama B”
series, and “Falling Into Grace,” which has been optioned for a made-for-TV
movie. She has also published more than fifty short stories through her
educational publishing company, WeGottaRead.com. Michelle holds an English
degree from Jarvis Christian College and a master’s degree in education from
the University of Texas at Arlington. She is a part-time language arts
consultant and serves in women’s ministry through teaching and publishing. She
and her husband have two young adult children and one bizarre dog. Visit her
online at
https://michellestimpson.com/.
Join us for this once a year Two-fer!
Subject: November – Blevins and Panel Discussion
Text Body: Name, number of reservations and best phone (name of each if multiple reservations please)
DFW Ready Writers meetings are held at the
1715 W. Randol Mill Rd, in Arlington
10:30am-noon.
(click on name for map)
For those that would like to continue with fellowship and networking after the meeting, a Dutch treat lunch follows at a nearby restaurant.
