Faculty
Welcome our outstanding faculty members for 2027!
Gregg Bridgeman
Gregg Bridgeman began operating Olivia Kimbrell Press in 2011 acting as editor-in-chief. Then as now, he operates the press as a ministry. The primary objective remains that of lifting up and helping ministry-minded Biblical authors fulfill the Great Commission — to bring the Gospel message to the entire world — for every tribe and every nation. Gregg currently serves in the National Guard, is a decorated combat veteran, and is best known for his technical savvy and attention to the smallest detail. Bridgeman is a military-trained interrogator and a student of language and culture who speaks a few foreign tongues. He has also edited more than 100 Christian works and judged contests like the Selah and Carol award entrants. Find Olivia Kimbrell Press, Inc., at their website: www.oliviakimbrellpress.com
Gregg will be available for one-on-one appointments Saturday, March 20.
He is teaching an optional three-hour add-on class Friday, March 19.
And a conference workshop Saturday, March 20.
karen busler
Karen Busler is an award-winning writer and professional audiobook narrator. Prior to her focus on writing and voice work, she enjoyed a 45-year career as Principal Flutist for the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and continues to perform. A successful real estate investor and gourmet cook, she is currently finalizing a cookbook featuring recipes developed alongside her husband, Dr. William J. Busler. As a grateful Catholic convert, she has been a choir director, regularly leads Bible studies, and creates custom legacy rosaries. You can contact her at www.karenbusler.com
Gary Fearon and Karen Busler are a professional voice artist/production team who help authors expand their audience by adapting their works into audiobooks. Gary, an award-winning radio personality, owns a recording studio and is a multi-published author. Karen has a lengthy career as a consummate symphony musician, choir director, lector, and Catholic Bible study leader, with expertise in vocal performance. They are both published writers and group leaders who have narrated numerous audiobooks. https://garyfearon.com/audiobooks
Karen and Gary will be available for one-on-one appointments and are teaching a workshop at the conference Saturday, March 20.
Robyn Conley
Robyn Conley, the Book Doctor, speaks and writes about writing, editing, and marketing. She also speaks to non-writers about using writing prompts to outline family histories, heal from emotional trauma, and to plan life direction with joy. She has presented these workshops at Texas Christian University, University of Texas, multiple community colleges, as well as major writing conferences across the U.S., including the Reader’s Digest Writing Workshops. She is also a freelance editor and has critiqued novels and book-length non-fiction as well as articles, short stories, and poetry collections. Her clients have won contests and landed contracts with traditional publishers after hiring her red pen. Her anchor books for writers are Before You Publish: A Wellness Check-up and The Healthy Writer’s Handbook. You can learn more at RobynConley.com. Contact her at roboconbookdoc@gmail.com or 325-864-9495.
Robyn will be available for one-on-one appointments is teaching two workshops at the conference Saturday, March 20.
Kathy cretsinger
Kathy Cretsinger calls herself an “Almost Blind Author.” Diagnosed with macular degeneration twenty-five years ago, she has lost her central vision over the past four years. Even so, she remains determined to write and help other authors. She has found shortcuts and tools that make writing possible with limited vision, and she enjoys sharing what she has learned. Kathy and her husband, Jerry, live in Western Kentucky. They stay busy with gardening, and visiting their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. They are also active in their church and enjoy spending time with their church family. Kathy writes a weekly blog at kathycretsingerauthor.com, where readers can contact her.
Kathy will be available for one-on-one appointments and is teaching a workshop at the conference Saturday, March 20.
Lynette eason
Lynette Eason is a New York Times best-selling, award-winning author of over 65 novels in the romantic suspense genre, and she’s also literary agent with the Steve Laube Agency.
Lynette’s books have appeared on the USA TODAY, Publisher’s Weekly, CBA, ECPA, and Parable bestseller lists. She has won numerous awares including the Carol, the Selah, the Golden Scroll and more. Her novel, “Her Stolen Past” was made into a movie for the Lifetime Movie Network.
As an agent, Lynette is especially interested in fiction, including romantic suspense, thrillers, mysteries, historical, women’s contemporary, writers targeting all of the Love Inspired lines (Love Inspired/Love Inspired Suspense/Trade), dual time, time travel/time slip, Amish
She is not looking for YA, children’s books, memoirs, speculative fiction, science fiction, high or low fantasy (with the exception of time-travel stories along the lines of Gabrielle Meyer), or middle grade.
Lynette will be available for one-on-one appointments by Zoom with conference attendees Saturday, March 20. The Zoom sessions will be held in the one-on-one room.
Gary Fearon
Gary Fearon is a writer, musician and voice artist. A recipient of the Billboard Air Personality of the Year Award, his broadcast work has also been recognized by the Associated Press, Radio and Production magazine, and over two dozen MARS awards for commercial production. His voice is heard daily on radio and TV stations across the USA and Canada and numerous audiobooks. His books include After Abbey Road: The Solo Hits of The Beatles, Right Brain Writing: Creative Shortcuts for Wordsmiths, and From Manuscript to Microphone: The Author’s Guide to Audiobooks. Visit Gary at https://garyfearon.com/
Gary Fearon and Karen Busler are a professional voice artist/production team who help authors expand their audience by adapting their works into audiobooks. Gary, an award-winning radio personality, owns a recording studio and is a multi-published author. Karen has a lengthy career as a consummate symphony musician, choir director, lector, and Catholic Bible study leader, with expertise in vocal performance. They are both published writers and group leaders who have narrated numerous audiobooks. https://garyfearon.com/audiobooks
Gary and Karen will be available for one-on-one appointments and are teaching a workshop at the conference Saturday, March 20.
dianne neal matthews
Dianne Neal Matthews has written, co-written, or contributed to thirty-five books. Her award-winning devotional books include “Designed for Devotion: A 365-Day Journey from Genesis to Revelation” and “Women in God’s Story: 365 Devotions on Our Sisters in the Bible”. Dianne has published articles, newspaper features, stories for compilation books, Bible studies, and one poem. Her work has appeared in Focus on the Family periodicals, Guideposts, The Quiet Hour, and LIVE, and on several websites including Christianity Today and CBN.com. Since 2012, she has been blessed to share her faith journey in “Mornings with Jesus”, a daily devotional book published annually by Guideposts. She and her husband have three children and five grandchildren.
Dianne will be available for one-on-one appointments Saturday, March 20.
She is teaching an optional three-hour add-on class Friday, March 19. And a conference workshop Saturday, March 20.
Harriet Michael
Harriet E. Michael is an award-winning, widely published freelance writer and author or co-author of a dozen books. She is an eclectic writer with published works in several genres including fiction, nonfiction (both Christian and secular), children, and memoir. She began her writing career in 2010 as a freelance writer of magazine articles and devotions. Her work has been published in numerous regional, national, and international publications. She has won writing awards in articles, devotions, and memoir categories.
Harriet will be available for one-on-one appointments Saturday, March 20.
She is teaching an optional three-hour add-on class Friday, March 19.
And a conference workshop Saturday, March 20.
Tamela Hancock Murray
Tamela Hancock Murray has been a literary agent since 2001. She is a bestselling author of over thirty novels, novellas, and nonfiction books and won an RWA Inspirational Readers Choice Awards. Although her current writing for publication is limited to the Steve Laube Agency blog, because of her experience, Tamela brings the perspective of a working writer to her role as a literary agent. She represents many top authors and continues to develop new talent. She has twice been named Agent-of-the-Year by ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). Most recently in 2026. Tamela is especially interested in Christian fiction including historical and contemporary romance, suspense, romantic suspense.
She will be available for one-on-one appointments by Zoom with conference attendees. The Zoom sessions will be held in the one-on-one room at the conference Saturday, March 20.
eliot parker
Eliot Parker is the author of five thriller novels and two collections of short stories. His latest collection, Table for Two, won the 2025 Eric Hoffer Prize for Short Story Anthology. His thriller A Final Call was a finalist for the Hawthrone Prize and named a “Best Book to Discover” by Kirkus Magazine. Eliot has received the PenCraft and Feathered Quill Book Awards for his work as well as the West Virginia Literary Merit Award. A finalist for the SIBA Book Prize in 2016, Eliot hosts the podcast program Now, Appalachia on the Authors on the Air Global Radio Network which profiles Appalachian authors and publishers. He currently teaches writing at the University of Mississippi.
Eliot will be available for one-on-one appointments and he is teaching a workshop at the conference Saturday, March 20.
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 not teaching a class but will be available for one-on-one appointments.
becky thomas
Becky Thomas is an award-winning children’s author, former elementary school teacher, and creator of the Roscoe the Rooster series. Inspired by life on her family farm, Peaches Place, Becky writes heartwarming stories that encourage children to grow in virtues and foster empathy. She enjoys coming alongside aspiring children’s authors through coaching and workshops, sharing practical insights from her own writing and publishing journey. Becky is passionate about encouraging new authors, helping them grow in confidence, and seeing them thrive as they bring their stories to life. When she is not writing, visiting schools, coaching authors, or hosting workshops, she enjoys painting, woodworking, and spending time with her husband, John, their four children, and grandchildren. Learn more at Becky’s website or Roscoe’s website.
Follow Becky and Roscoe on Facebook or Instagram or LinkedIn.
Becky will be available for one-on-one appointments Saturday, March 20.
She is teaching an optional three-hour add-on class Friday, March 19.
And a conference workshop Saturday, March 20.