Faculty
Welcome our outstanding faculty members for 2025!
Johnnie Alexander
Johnnie Alexander is a professional daydreamer with a heart for making memories. Whether at home in Florida or wherever her vagabond feet take her, she creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget.
A bestselling, award-winning novelist, Johnnie has written more than thirty works of fiction in a variety of genres including historicals, romances, and cozy mysteries. She serves on the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference Executive Board and co-hosts Writers Chat, a weekly online show. A fan of classic movies, stacks of books, and road trips, Johnnie shares a life of quiet adventure with Rugby, her raccoon-treeing papillon. Connect with her at JohnnieAlexander.com.
Johnnie is not teaching a class this year but will be available for one-on-one appointments.
Twila Belk
Twila Belk is an author, speaker, encourager, consultant, and champion for writers. Since 2007, she’s worked closely with veteran author Cecil Murphey as his executive assistant and associate, which has provided a wide range of industry knowledge, connections, and experience. Twila is also a former bookstore owner and conference director. She’s had the pleasure of teaching at dozens of writers conferences across the nation and enjoys brainstorming and working with aspiring and established writers. (www.gottatellsomebody.com)
Twila is teaching a Saturday class on humor in writing, and will be available for one-on-one appointments
Tim bishop
Tim Bishop co-authored the award-winning adventure devotional Wheels of Wisdom with his wife, Debbie, after they bicycled across America. He has written a collection of devotional articles for CBN.com as well. A former corporate treasurer, he penned a niche business book called Hedging Demystified. In 2023, he released The Persistent Road, his first novel, with the endorsements of two Christy Award-winning authors. Tim volunteers as an online coach for people dealing with life’s challenges.
Tim is teaching a Saturday class on non-ficton writing. He will also be available for one-on-one appointments.
Patricia Bradley
USA Today best-selling author Patricia Bradley is the recipient of numerous awards including an Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award in suspense. She is also a Selah winner and a finalist for both the Carol Awards and the Daphne du Maurier Awards. She has conducted workshops for American Christian Fiction Writers, the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference, the KenTen and Scrivener retreats, and local writing groups. Patricia and her two cats call Northeast Mississippi home—the South is also where she sets most of her books. When she has time, she likes to throw mud on a wheel and see what happens.
Patricia is leading a Friday workshop with Rachael McRae on editors and what you should expect from them. She will be available for one-on-one appointments.
Cheri Cowell
Cheri Cowell is the owner/publisher for EABooks. She is both a traditionally and independently published author, is the award-winning author of 365 Devotions for Peace (Zondervan), and Parables and Word Pictures Bible study (AMG Publishers). Her other books include Direction: Discernment for the Decisions of Your Life (Beacon Hill), and the One Story, One Mission, One God Bible study. She’s published over 700 articles and countless devotions. With her experience as an author and as a publisher, Cheri has a unique approach and grace when working with authors to bring their dreams to reality.
Cheri is teaching a Saturday class on self publishing and will be available for one-on-one appointments.
Kathy Cretsinger
Kathy Cretsinger is an Amazon Best Selling Author. She has owned a publishing company until Adult Macular Degeneration began taking more of her eyesight. She now writes the stories that have lived in her heart for years. She and her husband live in Western Kentucky closer to family than their native East Tennessee. She still loves writing about the mountains and East Tennessee. Her books are filled with mystery and Southern humor.
Kathy is not teaching a class this year but will be available for one-on-one appointments.
Shirley Crowder
Shirley Crowder is an award-winning author and freelance Christian writer living in Birmingham, Alabama. She was born under the shade of a mango tree in Nigeria, West Africa, where her parents served as missionaries. Shirley has authored, co-authored, or contributed to fifteen books. Her articles have appeared in The Gadsden (Alabama) Times “Paper Pulpit.” She is a regular writer for Woman’s Missionary Union publications. Shirley is a speaker for Christian writing, biblical counseling, and women’s conferences.
Shirley is co-leading a Friday workshop with lifelong friend Harriet Michael on devotional writing and will be available for one-on-one appointments.
Tracy Crump
Tracy Crump dispenses hope in her award-winning book, Health, Healing, and Wholeness: Devotions of Hope in the Midst of Illness, based on her nursing and caregiving experiences. Her writing has appeared in diverse publications, including Woman’s World, Focus on the Family, Ideals, Upper Room, and Guideposts books, but she is best known for contributing 25 stories to Chicken Soup for the Soul. She teaches workshops on writing for the series, and her popular newsletter includes story callouts. She recently started a blog for caregivers, our unsung heroes, but her most important job is Grandma to five completely unspoiled grandchildren.
Tracy is teaching two Saturday classes and will be available for one-on-one appointments.
Victoria Duerstock
Victoria Duerstock, a multi-talented creative and entrepreneur, fervently chases her dreams, propelled mostly by coffee. As a wife and mother of three, she adeptly juggles an ever-growing task list while striving to preserve her sanity and a friendly demeanor. In addition to her other roles, Victoria is dedicating her energies to the development of her own publishing house, End Game Press. To learn more about Victoria or End Game Press, you can visit her website at www.victoriaduerstock.com or www.endgamepress.com.
Victoria is leading a Saturday class on publishing. She’ll also be available for one-on-one appointments.
Loretta Eidson
Award-winning author Loretta Eidson loves writing romantic suspense. She believes in the power of prayer and enjoys putting her characters in realistic situations where they must trust God to pull them through. Loretta is an AWSA certified coach and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray. She has three novels published by Love Inspired Suspense, Pursued in the Wilderness (September 2022), Blue Ridge Mountain Escape (June 2023), and The Marine’s Deadly Reunion, (December 2023).
Loretta loves chocolate, caramel, iced tea, and coffee. She lives in North Mississippi, close to her family.
Loretta is not teaching a class this year but will be available for one-on-one appointments.
Julie Gwinn
Julie Gwinn, currently a literary agent with The Seymour Agency, has more than a decade in publishing including serving as marketing manager then Fiction Publisher for B&H Publishing Group and Marketing Manager for Abingdon Press. Prior to joining the publishing industry, Gwinn has more than 25 years’ experience in advertising, marketing and public relations. She uses her previous experience to aid her authors at every phase of their publishing plan. She lives in Nashville, TN, with her husband and two children and also enjoys freelance editing, and DIY projects around the house
Julie is not teaching a class this year but will be available for one-on-one appointments.
William Hill
William Hill is a minister and evangelist with Healing Hearts Ministries in North Mississippi. He’s also an artist and serves on the boards of the Southaven (MS) Arts Council, the Byhalia (MS) Area Arts Council, and DeSoto Arts Council. Additionally, he is a poet and serves as president of the Poetry Society of Tennessee. William is also a member of the Mississippi Poetry Society, and represented Mississippi at the BlackBerry Peach National Poetry Slam hosted by the National Federation of State Poetry Societies. He’s a member of the Falkner (Mississippi) Heritage Society, and helps lead the Mid-South Christian Writers Roundtable in DeSoto County, Mississippi.
William is not teaching a class this year but will be available for one-on-one appointments.
Bethany Jett
Bethany Jett is an associate literary agent with the C.Y.L.E. agency, as well as a multi-award-winning author, and a marketing strategist who earned top honors in her master’s program, where she earned her MFA in Communications focusing on Marketing and PR. Bethany is a military spouse (and a military mama!). She and her husband live outside of the DC area with their teenage sons and a not-at-all spoiled Pomeranian. Regarding acquisitions: Please see Bethany’s Submission Guidelines for more information about what she’s acquiring. BethanyJett.com/Submissions
Bethany is a keynote speaker and is teaching a Friday workshop on marketing your writing. She will be available for one-on-one appointments.
Marji Laine
Marji Laine is the executive editor of Write Integrity Press and the Director of Publishing for Roaring Lambs, a ministry in the Dallas area. She is the author of fifteen books, and she writes about broken characters in impossible situations who depend on their faith and the people God puts into their paths for their very survival. She loves watching sports and playing board games, and she teaches a weekly women’s Bible study. She lives north of Dallas, near three of her married kids and her precious grandson, with her hubby of 38 years and a rescue-pup named Rosie.
Marji is teaching a Saturday class on fiction writing and will be available for one-on-one appointments.
Rachel McRae
Rachel McRae serves as executive editor at Revell Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group. After spending the first half of her career with a major Christian bookstore chain, she now enjoys helping authors craft their story and message and getting their books into the hands of readers. Rachel lives in Nashville where she can usually be found on a nearby trail or greenway, working with her nonprofit, watching football, or with her nose in a book.
Rachel is leading a Friday workshop with Patricia Bradley on editors and what you should expect from them. She will be available for one-on-one appointment
Harriet Michael
Harriet E. Michael is a widely published, award-winning author and freelance writer. She has authored or co-authored thirteen books. She likes to say she is an eclectic writer because she writes so many types of pieces. She has penned articles, short stories, devotions, devotional books, a memoir, a novel, and a children’s book. She writes mostly nonfiction but has dipped her fingers in the fiction world too. She has won several awards for her writings including Selah awards, a Cascade Award, and an Ames Award. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and the Evangelical Press Association. Harriet is so excited to be back at Mid-South this year, a conference she dearly loves.
Harriet is co-leading a Friday workshop with lifelong friend Shirley Crowder on devotional writing and will be available for one-on-one appointments.
Tamela Hancock Murray
Tamela Hancock Murray has been a literary agent since 2001 and was awarded the title Agent of the Year by ACFW. She is a bestselling author of over thirty Christian novels, novellas, and nonfiction books, and won an RWA Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Tamela currently confines her public writing to blog posts for The Steve Laube Agency. Because of her experience as a multi-published author, Tamela brings the perspective of a working writer to her role as a literary agent. She gratefully approaches her career as a literary agent as an opportunity to serve. She represents many top authors and continues to develop new talent. She enjoys living in Northern Virginia with her own knight in shining armor. They are the parents of two lovely, all-grown-up princesses. When not focused on her passion for being a literary agent, Tamela enjoys cooking and is always on the lookout for new recipes. As delicious aromas of dinner waft through the castle, Tamela loves reading all sorts of amazing books.
Tamela is not teaching a class but will be available for one-on-one appointments via Zoom.
Jessica Patch
Publishers Weekly bestselling author Jessica R. Patch is known for her dry wit and signature twists whether she’s penned a romantic suspense, a cold case thriller, or a small-town romance. When she’s not getting into fictional mischief with her characters, you can find her cozy on the couch in her mid-south home reading books by some of her favorite authors, watching movies with her family, and collecting recipes to amazing dishes she’ll probably never cook. Sign up for her newsletter “Patched In” at www.jessicarpatch.com and receive a FREE short thriller. Jessica is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary Management.
Jessica is a keynote speaker and will be leading a Saturday class on synopsis writing. She will also be available for one-on-one appointments.
Tammie Polk
Tammie T. Polk is the prolific author of over 150 print, audio, and digital books. An avid lover of self-publishing, Tammie’s books have landed on the websites and shelves of Wal-Mart, Target, Books A Million, Barnes and Noble, and local independent bookstore including Novel Memphis.
In April 2019, she struck out on her own, opening a bookstore of her own with the goal of showing aspiring authors what their works in progress could turn into and seasoned authors how to expand their books into other arenas. Tammie has also helped nearly 50 authors to publish their own books and launch book based podcasts and radio shows, conferences and workshops, and coaching programs.
Tammie is leading a Friday workshop on self publishing and will be available for one-on-one appointments.
Dell Self
Dell Self is a Christian communications specialist in the areas of public speaking, authorship, and personal branding. As a certified public speaker coach, Dell equips nervous, rambling talkers with the tools to become confident, purposeful communicators through her Speak Through Me Public Speaker Master Class. She is the author of 20+ publications and the creator of the Head to Hand Writers Workshops as well as Speak Through Me Publishing, a growing one-stop shop for adults who desire to self-publish an uplifting, faith-based, nonfiction book. Dell is married to the Rev. Juan R. Self (1984). They have 3 adult sons. She treasures quiet moments when she can plan for greater ministry. She also continues to indulge in her nearly 200-pair earring addiction. Dell is not teaching a class this year, but will be available for one-on-one appointments.
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Dell is not teaching a class this year but will be available for one-on-one appointments.
Deborah sprinkle
Deborah Sprinkle would like to start her bio off with something like, “When she’s not hiking through the mountains or white-water rafting,” but alas, she can’t. Sigh. She used to do those things, if that helps, but she’s much older now. And somehow, “When she’s not eating or napping,” doesn’t have the same ring. Deborah can tell you she’s a retired chemistry teacher turned author with seven books to her name and two more coming this year. All romantic suspense or mysteries. She lives in Memphis with her wonderful husband, and she loves God.
Deborah is teaching a Saturday class on mystery writing and will be available for one-on-one appointments.
Delores Topliff
Delores Topliff grew up in Washington state but married a Canadian so enjoys dual citizenship. She teaches university online, travels, and published children’s books and non-fiction stories before finding her stride writing historic novels. Her August 2023 release, A Traveling Grandma’s Guide to Israel: Adventures, Wit, and Wisdom, is a memoir. Delores loves her two doctor sons and five grandchildren and divides her year between a central Minnesota farm and the gentle climate and people in Northeastern Mississippi.
Delores is not teaching a class this year but will be available for one-on-one appointments.