2024 Faculty
KCWC workshop leaders are successful agents, editors, and authors. They have been carefully chosen as instructors based on their commitment to Christ and their desire to share valuable wisdom and insight with other Christian writers. Click on the names below for an “express train” to the presenter’s bio.
Hallee Bridgeman
With nearly a million sales, USA TODAY bestselling and Carol award-winning author Hallee Bridgeman writes action-packed romantic suspense focusing on realistic characters who face real-world problems. Her work has been described as everything from refreshing to heart-stopping exciting and edgy. Hallee has served as the Director of the Kentucky Christian Writers Conference, President of the Faith-Hope-Love chapter of the Romance Writers of America, Secretary and Assistant Programming Chair of Novelists, Inc. (NINC), is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), and the American Christian Writers (ACW). An accomplished speaker, Hallee has taught and inspired writers around the globe, from Sydney, Australia, to Dallas, Texas, to Portland, Oregon, to Washington, D.C., and all places in between. Hallee loves coffee, campy action movies, and regular date nights with her husband. Above all else, she loves God with all of her heart, soul, mind, and strength; has been redeemed by the blood of Christ; and relies on the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide her.
Tez Brooks
Tez was a former law enforcement officer and police
chaplain while raising two kids alone. He is now a full-
time missionary and award-winning author, filmmaker,
and international speaker, who coaches aspiring writers.
Brooks has appeared in Guideposts, Power for Living,
The Upper Room, CBN.com, Clubhouse, Focus on the
Family, Cru.org and more. His editorials are featured
regularly on Jesusfilm.org and seen by over 30k readers
each month. You can learn more at TezBrooks.com
Tracy Crump
Tracy Crump dispenses hope in her award-winning book, Health, Healing, and Wholeness: Devotions of Hope in the Midst of Illness (CrossLink Publishing 2021). Her writing has appeared in diverse publications, including Woman’s World, Focus on the Family, Upper Room, and Guideposts books. Best known for publishing 22 stories in Chicken Soup for the Soul books, her course on writing for the series was one of Serious Writer’s top sellers. Tracy codirects Write Life Workshops and edits for private clients. But her most important job is grandma to five completely unspoiled grandchildren. Connect with Tracy on www.TracyCrump.com.
Sarah Hamaker
Sarah Hamaker loves writing books “where the hero and heroine fall in love while running for their lives.” She’s written romantic suspense novels and nonfiction books, as well as stories in Chicken Soup for the Soul volumes. As a writers coach, her heart is encouraging writers. She’s a member of ACFW; ACFW Virginia Chapter; and Faith, Hope and Love, as well as the president of Capital Christian Writers Fellowship. Her podcast, “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” can be found wherever you listen to podcasts. Sarah lives in Virginia with her husband, four teenagers, a preschool foster child and three cats. Visit her online at sarahhamakerfiction.com.
Carlton Hughes
Carlton Hughes, represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary, wears many hats. By day, he is a professor of communication. On church days, he serves as a children’s pastor. Throughout fall, he packs shoeboxes as an Area Coordinator with Operation Christmas Child. In his “spare time,” he is a freelance writer. His work has been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul, The Wonders of Nature, Just Breathe, So God Made a Dog, Simple Little Words, and Everyday Grace for Men. His latest book is Adventures in Fatherhood, co‐authored with Holland Webb, from Ellie Claire/Hachette Publishing. Carlton is an empty nesting dad and devoted husband who enjoys classic sitcoms and chocolate—all the chocolate.
Sharyn Kopf
Sharyn Kopf has been writing and editing for over 30 years, with experience in print media, TV and almost a decade in radio with Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She currently works as a reporter for her local newspaper, the Bellefontaine Examiner. In addition, she has written and published five books, including the Spinstered trilogy. Her short stories have appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul and Splickety/Spark.
Most of Sharyn’s life has also included a love of theatre. Besides acting—she portrayed Mrs. Higgins in a production of My Fair Lady at the historic Holland Theatre in Bellefontaine, Ohio, this past summer—she has written and directed numerous productions. Some of her favorite experiences have involved working with and creating plays for children.
When not doing the above, Sharyn often takes jobs as a freelance editor and ghostwriter. Along with her cat, Mo Bentley, she lives in Bellefontaine because it’s a lovely town that has inspired several of her stories, and also happens to be less than five miles away from her family.
Larry Leech
Writing coach of award-winning authors and recently named Editor-in-Chief at Bold Vision Books, Larry J. Leech II has spent more than forty years writing and editing.
He started his career as a sportswriter in southwestern Pennsylvania, where he covered prep sports and the Pittsburgh Pirates and Steelers. In 2004, Larry shifted to writing and editing after 2,300 published articles and 13,000 interviews.
Since that time, he has ghostwritten 30 books, edited more than 400 manuscripts, and coached hundreds of authors through the writing and publication process.
For more than a decade, Larry has taught at numerous general market and inspirational conferences nationwide. You can find him online on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Dayna Lovelady
Dayna Lovelady is a freelance writer and Biblical scholar working full-time at The Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) as an Employee Engagement Manager. She writes devotionals for the widely read Daily Devotional on CBN.com. Dayna also writes devotionals for CBN’s national partner magazine, Miracle Living Today Magazine. She previously wrote for the Christian Post, Passages Israel, Nashville Christian Family Magazine, Dave Ramsey, and Mt. Zion Baptist Church, to name a few.
In addition to writing, Dayna is a highly sought-after international minister and public speaker sharing her gifts at church and corporate conferences, schools, youth groups, businesses, and governments. Dayna has hosted an online prayer show for CBN, where she and other CBN employees prayed for viewers. She enjoys using her passion for prayer through many forms of media to encourage others. Dayna also served as a Commissioner, appointed by former Nashville mayor Karl Dean, to represent the unhoused community in Nashville. She now serves as an Emergency Services Grant committee member approving and allocating millions of dollars in federal HUD funds to local agencies supporting the unhoused.
Dayna earned a Master of Divinity from Regent University, a Master of Business Administration from Tennessee State University, and a certificate from the Harvard University pre-law course program.
Harriet Michael
Born in Africa, the daughter of missionaries, Harriet E. Michael is an award-winning, widely published author and freelance writer. She has penned hundreds of articles, devotions, and stories that have been published in numerous major publications. She is the author or co-authored eleven books with two more under contract to be released in 2025. Two of her books and three articles have won writing awards—a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place Selah Awards, an 1st place Cascade Award, and an Ames Award.
Harriet is a member of the ACFW and EPA (Evangelical Press Association). Her freelance work has appeared in numerous Christian magazines, devotionals, online news sites, and secular magazines.
Alycia Morales
Alycia Morales is a freelance editor and writer. Her work has been featured in numerous magazines and several compilation books. Thanks to her mad editing skills, her clients have won multiple awards in several national contests. In addition, she’s the prior Conference Assistant for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. Alycia is currently working on a nonfiction project while characters are running around in her mind waiting to be released into children’s books and YA fantasy novels.
When she isn’t busy writing, editing, and reading, Alycia enjoys spending time with her husband taking hikes in the Blue Ridge Mountains of the Carolinas or running off to the beach with friends. She loves coffee, sweet tea, crafting, and watching crime shows.
Alycia can be found at www.alyciawmorales.com. She hangs out on Facebook and Instagram.
Gene Rowley
E.G. Rowley is a nationally recognized voice actor, radio host and award- winning playwright. Among his other works is the Film Noir, live radio comedy, The Adventures of Frank Champion and a collection of horror short stories available at www.egrowley.com.
He is a U.S. Army veteran and served in both Afghanistan and Iraq. He is an avid outdoorsman and spends what little free time he has enjoying outdoor shooting sports, hiking and camping, but his first love is radio. He and his beautiful wife, Mandy have been married for more than 25 years and have three incredible daughters. They live near Birmingham, Alabama, where he serves as the General Manager of a non-profit radio station that gives back to the local community by funding ministries, charities, and civic organizations.
Toni Shiloh
Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and an award-winning Christian contemporary romance author. Her novel In Search of a Prince won the first ever Christy Amplify award. It has been praised by Oprah Daily, POPSUGAR, Library Journal, and Booklist, and is a Parable Group bestseller. Her books have been finalists for the Holt Medallion and the Selah Award. As a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Faith, Hope & Love Christian Writers (FHLCW), Toni loves connecting with readers and authors alike via social media. Learn more at http://tonishiloh.com.
Sara Turnquist
Sara is a coffee lovin’, word slinging, Historical Romance author who’s super power is converting caffeine into novels. She loves those odd little tidbits of history that are stranger than fiction. That’s what inspires her. Well, that and a good love story.
But of all the love stories she knows, hers is her favorite. She lives happily with her own Prince Charming and their gaggle of minions. Three to be exact. They sure know how to distract a writer! But, alas, the stories must be written, even if it must happen in the wee hours of the morning.
Tammy Whitehurst
Fast paced. Funny. Down to earth. Relatable. Tammy Whitehurst has been described as a “hoot with a capital H!” She has been making people laugh from coast to coast for over a decade. Her funny take on life mixed with serious faith and soul-baring conversations leaves the audience wanting more. As an author, blogger, and full time speaker Tammy encourages and challenges audiences to live life kicked up a notch. If life has you running ragged, sit back and get ready to have your fuzzy socks knocked off! If you are wondering how you will make it through another day, Tammy’s encouragement and motivation combined with wisdom and wit will get you back up and running.
Tammy has been featured in Lifeway magazines, Woman’s World, Mature Living, Christianity Today and many other publications. She is the co-owner of the Christian Communicator’s Conference, a training conference for speakers. However, to those who know her best she is simply Davis’s wife, an empty nest mom, and a former middle school teacher. She struggles like the rest of us with dust, dishes, cellulite, junk drawers, and wrinkles.
Amy Williams
Writing humor has a lot to do with the combination of observation and timing. Author and book coach, Amy Williams shares how humor, written well, lowers stress and makes tough topics palatable for public consumption.
Amy is a coffee-drinking, sushi-eating, story-telling nerd who loves cats, country living, and all things Japanese. She’d rather be barefoot, and if she isn’t, her socks will never match. Amy likes her road trips with rock music, her superheroes with snark, and her blankets extra fuzzy, but her first love is stories and the authors who are passionate about telling them.