Imagine my surprise when I realized there hadn’t been a member spotlight of the super-involved, extremely helpful and super-talented Jan Ackerson. Well, now it’s time to remedy that. Here’s the Best of the Best winner, conference presenter, editor, writer, and teacher extraordinaire.

JOANNE: Jan, tell us a bit about yourself.

JAN: I’m a retired schoolteacher and a wife, mother, and grandmother. I’m owned by a ridiculously antisocial cat. My husband and I enjoy traveling, and I love reading, writing, Broadway musicals, and [...]

I’m loving getting to know many of the folks here. And I hope you do too. Today, I’d like to introduce you to challengeer and poet Kelvin Fowler.

JOANNE: Kelvin, tell us about yourself and your family.

KEL: I am a Kiwi, and with my wife Sharon am church-planting in Lithuania. We have approximately eighty children– or at least our church ministers to approximately eighty children in a local orphanage.

JOANNE: You’ve done a lot of traveling. What is your favorite place that [...]

Thanks to my request a couple weeks ago, I have nice list of folks willing to be in the FaithWriters’ member spotlight.  Here’s the first, from faithful general submissions poster John Livingston Clark.

JOANNE: Thanks for joining us, John. Why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself?

JOHN: I’m a graduate of San Diego State University and Western Seminary in Portland, OR, with degrees in music education and church music ministry. I was born in Bellingham, WA, but was [...]

This is DEFINITELY a feature I plan to continue. Let’s cheer for these FaithWriters’ members and their awesome accomplishments!

PATTY WYSONG: Patty has signed with literary agent Linda Glaz from Hartline Literary. CONGRATS!

BRYAN RIDENOUR: Bryan will have several of his old challenge articles published in a local newspaper in his own column: “Bryan’s Beat.” WONDERFUL!!

CHRISTINE MILLER-RAMEY: Christine will have a story and photographs published in an anthology named “A New Song: Glimpses of the Grace Journey” to be published soon. WOW!!

CHRISTOPHER [...]

The past couple Monday posts have focused on a couple of our talented FaithWriters’ members – winners and placers in the Writing Challenge Best of the Best. Each had their own little story.

But I know there are several others out there, and we probably don’t know you very well, if at all. So, today we’re going to change that.

I’ve put together a few questions for you to answer in the comments. (and just to be fair, of course, I’ll answer [...]

First, just in case you missed it, here’s Jim McWhinnie’s 1st place BoB interview on the blog. Lynda’s Interview

AND, my interview with Eliza Evans, here at the blog, for her 2nd place BoB accomplishment from last week. Click Here

Today, I have the privilege of introducing a long-time (you’ll hear how long a bit down!) FWer and challenge “enterer.” Melanie (call me “Mel”) Kerr has almost 300 posts on her FaithWriters’ profile, and her wonderful poem, “The Frog And The Leper,” [...]

First, have you noticed the Writing Challenge is back in session? We started up again on Thursday, and the new topic is “War and Peace (not the book).” Be sure to get your writing muscles going. You could be the FIRST person to qualify for NEXT year’s Best of the Best.

And speaking of, gotta send another congratulations to Jim McWhinnie for being our 2011 Best of the Best. The lovely Lynda Schab interviewed him recently. If you’d like to hear [...]

Did you leave a comment on last Monday’s blog post to win the book, Throw the Devil Off the Train by Stephen Bly? If so, your name was entered into an online random name picker for this great giveaway. A winner has been determined.

And the book goes to….

DAVID STORY

Congratulations, David! Enjoy this wonderful book!

Speaking of winners, it’s time for another round of Member Shoutouts. God is doing great things for and through our FaithWriters members. Join [...]

Maybe you’ve heard that beloved author (and FaithWriters member) Stephen Bly passed away on June 9, after a five-year battle with prostate cancer. Our hearts and prayers go out to his family and friends. Throughout his career, Stephen wrote numerous articles, poems, and short stories, as well as over 100 historical and contemporary western novels, some of which he co-authored with his wife, Janet.  Stephen wrote an article, Finding Love in a Classic Western, which is posted below and gives more information about his last book, Throw the Devil [...]

Angel in the Shadows, Book One by Lisa Grace, hard cover is distributed through Ingram Books and is available through Barnes & Noble, www.Amazon.com. The ebook launched May 24th, 2011 and is available through http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0052AI5W8.  Download your copy for only .99 cents!

Lisa is giving away an iPad 2 to celebrate the lebook launch of Angel in the Shadows, Book 1. To enter go to http://www.lisagracebooks.com, click on left side-bar “Angel Friend”, then click “join site” giving your name and email.

No purchase [...]