Publisher

Lisa Crayton

A mentor with the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild and a co-moderator for the Christian Writers View, Lisa has earned a reputation as a writer who promotes the success of other writers, by providing timely encouragement, advice and tips. She has served on the faculty of the Mt. Hermon Christian Writers Conference, Sandy Cove Christian Communicators Conference, North Texas Christian Writer's Conference, St. David's Christian Writers' Conference, Evangelical Press Association Convention, Colorado Christian Writers Conference, Proclaim Christian Writers Gathering, and the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference. For Lisa's upcoming schedule, visit her website.

The publisher/editor of SPIRIT-LED WRITER, Lisa has written columns for The Writing Parent, All The Write Moves.com, and Northwest Christian Author. Her articles on aspects of writing have appeared in Personal Journaling, The Writer, Inscriptions, FellowScript, Writer's Forum, Advanced Christian Writer, Rainy Day Corner, Bella's Online Writing Zine and businessacces.com.

Lisa was named the "Writer of the Year" at the 2004 Greater Philadelphia Writer's Conference. She is a member of the Evangelical Press Association, National Association of Black Journalists, American Christian Fiction Writers, and Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators

Contact Lisa if you'd like to have her speak at your writing group, or writers' conference.

Meet the Editor!

Website Coordinator

Kelly Huckaby

Kelly is The HOME Writer, a freelance writer and Web designer who lives with her husband and five children in Oklahoma. Her articles have appear online at Spirit-Led Writer.com, The Family Corner.com, GeoParent.com, Organize Tips.com, and other Web-zines. Her work has also appeared in Cross & Quill, Homeschooling Horizons and various homeschooling newsletters across the USA and Canada.

Besides SpiritLedWriter.com, she also designed and maintains the Unofficial Weaver Pages, The HOMEWriter.com, and her family's personal site. She designed the original sites for the Wisconsin Regional Writers' Association, Inc, and the Milwaukee Area Christian Home Educators.

Treat Your Body Write!

Robin Bayne

Robin Bayne is the award-winning author of five novels and three novellas, as well as dozens of articles, essays and short stories. Her novella, "Honor Bound" was the recipient of the 2003 Lories Award and 2003 Eppie Award. Her article "Irons in the Fire," first published by Spirit-Led Writer, was voted Best Non-Fiction 2002 by the Preditors & Editors Reader's Poll. She has contributed to collections including God's Way for Teens, God's Way for Fathers, Chocolate For Women, Crumbs in the Keyboard and Cup of Comfort for Christians. Her articles have appeared in Writer's Journal, Advanced Christian Writer and The Christian Communicator. She's currently serving as Secretary for the Faith, Hope & Love Chapter of RWA, and is an active member of American Christian Romance Writers, CWFI and Novelists, Inc. She holds a BA in Philosophy and English from the College of Notre Dame of MD. "From Now On," an inspirational romance novella, is an April 2004 release. Visit Robin at RobinBayne.com.

Contributing Writer

Sharon Dunn

When Sharon Dunn isn't chasing after her three children or wiping sticky spots off the floor, she publishes plays, skits, articles and short stories. Her non fiction has appeared in Byline, The Christian Communicator and The Dollar Stretcher. Her plays are available through Eldridge Publishing. Sharon's first book Romance Rustlers and Thunderbird
Thieves, a comedy mystery, was released in January 2003 from Kregel. When she isn't writing, she loves to think about writing and eat chocolate chip cookies or soak in a hot tub. She loves to hear from other writers.

Effective E-books

Alyice Edrich

Alyice Edrich is the author of several electronic downloadable books (a.k.a. e-books). She has successfully been writing and selling e-books since 1999. Her e-book, Tid-Bits For Making Money With E-books, has been helping writers around the globe earn passive, residual income while they pursue their dreams of being published through more traditional means.

Alyice has been a Christian for as long as she can remember and tries to use her secular writing to influence the world in a positive way. She is also the editor-in-chief of an award winning publication for parents known as The Dabbling Mum®.

To learn more about Alyice's writing talents or to hire her to write for your blog, website, or publication, visit her at AlyiceEdrich.com.

The Parent Muse

Heather Ivester

Heather Ivester has a heart for writing parents, as she is the mother of five young children, and writing is the only way she can complete a sentence around her house.

She's the author of From a Daughter's Heart to Her Mom: 50 Reflections on Living Well (Thomas Nelson) and is a contributing writer to several books, including What Really Counts for Students, The Rainy Day Book, A Cup of Comfort for Mothers to Be, and Soul Matters for Mothers.

Her articles have appeared in Guideposts, HomeLife, CrossWalk, and International Living magazines, among others. For the past two years, she's written an inspirational parenting column for West Georgia Ladies & Men, and she's also the "Book Buzz" columnist for Christian Women Online webzine. In her blog, Mom 2 Mom Connection, she interviews authors, writes media reviews, and shares essays about the high calling of being a parent and writer.

Heather won the 2005 Writer of the Year award from American Christian Writers and is currently working on her first middle grade multicultural novel. She lives on a small farm in west Georgia.

Inspired Romance

Gail Gaymer Martin

Award-winning author, Gail (Gaymer) Martin is a novelist and freelance writer with hundreds of published short stories and articles to her credit, as well as seventeen church resource books and five inspirational anthologies. She is the author of sixteen novels and 5 novellas contracted by Barbour Publishing, Steeple Hill Love Inspired and Silhouette Romance. Her Steeple Hill novel, Upon a Midnight Clear, was a recipient of the 2001 Holt Medallion and a finalist in the National Readers' Choice Award. Two of Gail's novella anthologies have been on the CBA best seller list and two have been sold to Crossway as a hardcover book. Her next release will be Loving Hearts—2nd in the Loving series—in February 2003. Easter Blessings, Steeple Hill's first 2-in-1 book, will include her short novel, The Butterfly Garden in March 2003.

Gail is a contributing editor for the monthly magazine, The Christian Communicator. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and three chapters, Greater Detroit, Mid-Michigan, and the inspirational chapter, Faith, Hope and Love. She is also a member of American Christian Writers and on the founding board of the American Christian Romance Writers. Visit her at GailMartin.com.

Poetry Potpourri

James E. Tate

James E. Tate is a Spirit-filled member of Garnett Assembly of God, Tulsa Oklahoma. Having been a member of a church all his life, he has slept on slatted church benches as a child, held many church offices as an adult, and now gives full support to the church leadership in his mature years. He writes monthly poetry columns for the Fellowship of Christian Writers (FCW), Tulsa, OK, and the Fellowship of Christian Poets (FOCP), Lynchburg, VA.

His articles and poems have appeared in several publications including The Saturday Evening Post, Route 66 Magazine, Word Aflame, Pest Control Technology, Forest Heritage News, The Ready Writer, Tulsa World newspaper, Calliope, and others.

Nuggets for Personal Journaling

Claudia N. Tynes

Claudia N. Tynes is the author of two books, From Journal Into Print (A Journey to Freedom From Within) and Nuggets of Gold. As an entrepreneur and freelancer trading as Write 4U, a Christian-based business, her byline has appeared in over 100 on-line and print publications. Some include The Christian Communicator, Spirit-Led Writer, Ebony, The Gazette News, Listen, Write From Home, The Upper Room, The Secret Place, and many many more. She speaks and teaches at conferences and retreats for women, writers, support groups, and youth girls. She participated in the Shades Online conference and workshops, and serves on the faculty of the Sandy Cove Christian Writers' Conference. She facilitates the Pen & Sword Disciples, a church writing group (CWG), formulated under the Amy Foundation Church Writing Groups. Claudia served one year as a columnist for the Southern Maryland Writers' Group Newsletter. Claudia and her family fellowship at Victory Christian Ministries International. She lives in Clinton, Maryland with her husband, James; adult son, Rodney; and pet rottweiler, Romeo. For additional information, visit Published Authors.net.

Meet the Publisher: Lisa A. Crayton

BACKGROUND: The Elder of her church, Lisa A. Crayton is the publisher/editor of SPIRIT-LED WRITER and an award-winning freelance writer. Her career began in corporate communications and included corporate publication management and marketing communications. Her background also includes publicity, and some ghostwriting (articles and books).

Today, Lisa lives her dream of becoming a freelance communicator for Christian and secular markets. She has more than 275 pieces published, including a story in Chocolate for a Woman's Courage, published by Fireside/Simon & Schuster. The money columnist for Next Step and Enrichment Journal, she writes columns, features, profiles, essays, devotionals, book reviews and fillers for regional, national and international markets. She especially enjoys penning pieces about freelance writing, youth, personal finance, parenting, spirituality, women, and the African American church. Lisa is available for assignments. Contact Lisa for details.

MENTORING: A mentor with the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild, Lisa co-moderates the Christian Writers View 2, one of the best online discussion groups for beginning and intermediate Christian writers.

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS: Lisa has served on the faculty of, among others, the St. Davids Christian Writers' Conference, Mt. Hermon Christian Writers Conference, Evangelical Press Association Convention, Colorado Christian Writers Conference, Proclaim Christian Writers Gathering, St. Davids Christian Writers' Conference and the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference. She also gave a lunch-hour presentation at World Journalism Institute. Lisa is available to speak at your writing group, or writers' conference. Contact Lisa for details.

AWARDS: Honorable Mention, Features, 2002 (3 awards), 2001 and 2000 Writer's Digest Writing Competition. Each contest received more than 18,000 total entries.

MEMBERSHIPS: The co-moderator of the Christian Writers View, she is a member of Christian Writers Fellowship International, Evangelical Press Association, and American Christian Romance Writers.

EDUCATION: In 1985, she earned her dual B.S. degree in public relations and journalism from Utica College of Syracuse University, cum laude and one of two Outstanding Seniors. Features on her have appeared at Momwriters.com and in Cross & Quill.

AVAILABILITY: As a conference speaker, Lisa provides useful information, resources and inspiration. She is available to speak at writing conferences, women's and youth ministry events and colleges and universities. She is also available for telephone and email consultations with writers. Contact Lisa for details.