Instructors
************************ Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club Instructors Each instructor who teaches teleclasses for the Children’s Writers’ Coaching Club is a published children’s author himself/herself. Here’s our lineup of impressive instructors: Margot Finke Margot Finke is an Aussie who writes mid grade adventure fiction, ghost mysteries, and rhyming picture books. For many years she has lived in Oregon with her husband and family. She began serious writing the day her youngest left for college. This late start drives her writing, and pushes her to work at it every day. Margot says, “I really envy those who began young, and managed to slip into writing mode between diaper changes, household disasters, and outside jobs. You are my heroes!” Gardening, travel, and reading fill in the cracks between her writing. Her husband, Alan, is supportive, and their three children are now grown and doing well out on their own. Margot’s “Musings,” column can be read monthly in The Purple Crayon, and her Critique Service helps writers iron out plot and character problems. “Nothing gives me a greater thrill than to find out an editor bought a book I helped polish.” Her workshops at writer’s conferences are enhanced by the use of a PowerPoint presentation, as are her frequent school visits. Margot’s series of 6 rhyming picture books, available as downloads or on CD, are fun and educational. They bring kids closer to cool critters from the US and Australia. See Excerpts, illustrations, and great reviews on her BOOKS page, along with how to BUY . All autographed copies of her books on CD come with a Qlippit link that lets you hear Margot reading that book. Visit her website, and discover a World of Writing For Children. Founder, Director, and Coaching Coordinator – Suzanne Lieurance Suzanne Lieurance (www.workingwriterscoach.com) is a children’s writer with (at last count) 22 published books for children. She was also an instructor with the Institute of Children’s Literature (located in West Redding, Connecticut) for over 8 years. As The Working Writer’s Coach, Lieurance helps people who love to write become “working” freelance writers and make a living doing what they love to do best. Simon Rose Simon Rose was born in Derbyshire, England. He graduated from university with a degree in history and has lived in Canada since 1990. He is also a graduate of the Institute of Children’s Literature of West Redding, CT. The Alchemist’s Portrait, Rose’s first novel for young readers was published in 2003, followed by The Sorcerer’s Letterbox in 2004. Both have been nominated for several awards and continue to receive excellent reviews. The Sorcerer’s Letterbox was shortlisted for the 2005 Silver Birch Award in Ontario and the Diamond Willow Award in Saskatchewan. The Clone Conspiracy was published in 2005 and The Emerald Curse in 2006, both having received great reviews from adults and children. A fifth novel, The Heretic’s Tomb, was released in October 2007. Simon Rose’s books are published in Canada, the USA, UK, Australia and New Zealand and are available around the world. His novels can be purchased in the USA through Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and many other online locations and also through local bookstores. Autographed copies may also be purchased at www.simon-rose.com
Nancy I. Sanders grew up on a dairy farm in Everett, PA, the youngest of seven children. She milked the cows, baled the hay, husked the corn… and loved to read! She read Little Women perched up high in the branches of an apple tree. She read Pride and Prejudice aloud with her future sister-in-law while floating on a raft in the middle of a pond.
Now Nancy loves to write. Her passion is to also help other writers discover their talents, craft their skills, and realize the fulfillment of personal goals through a successful writing career. She has written Yes! You Can Learn How to Write Children’s Books, Get Them Published, and Build a Successful Writing Career, Award-Winning Finalist of the National Best Books 2009 Awards, sponsored by USA Book News.
Nancy is the bestselling author of over 75 books including D is for Drinking Gourd: An African American Alphabet, selected for the IRA Teacher’s Choices List as well as other awards (Sleeping Bear Press, illustrated by E. B. Lewis). Her credits include board books, novelty books, beginning readers, picture books, middle grade novels and books for teachers. Her column for children’s writers has appeared in The Writer’s online magazine, the Christian Communicator, and the Institute of Children’s Literature eNews.
Nancy and her husband, Jeff, live in Chino, CA and have two grown sons, Dan and Ben. To read Nancy’s blog and to find more information about Nancy’s books and her life as an author, visit her website at www.nancyisanders.com.
Renee Gray-Wilburn is the owner of A Way With Words Writing and Editorial Services. She specializes in resume design, copywriting, marketing materials development, online articles, website copy, business plan design, proofreading, line editing, content editing for business and creative projects. Renee has over 125 published articles, short stories, and children’s stories and curriculum pieces. She also develops and teaches creative writing and business writing workshops. Visit her blog A Way with Words Writing.
Pat McCarthy has written over a dozen nonfiction children’s books. Her experience teaching elementary school for many years has helped her understand kids and how to write for them. Pat’s favorite books are the biographies she’s written. Besides writing, she loves photography and has sold many photos with her articles and books. Visit her blog at http://patmccarthysauthorblog.blogspot.com/
Margo L. Dill is a freelance writer, editor, and teacher, living in Mahomet, Illinois. Her work has appeared in publications such as Grit, Pockets, True Love, Fun for Kidz, Missouri Life, ByLine Magazine, The Chicago Tribune, Families, and The News-Gazette. She is a columnist and contributing editor for WOW! Women On Writing. She also teaches online classes for WOW! on social networking, blogging, and writing for children’s magazines. (http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html) She is assistant editor for the Sunday Book page in The News-Gazette. Her first book, Finding My Place, a middle-grade historical novel, will be published by White Mane Kids. She writes a blog called, Read These Books and Use Them, (http://margodill.com/blog) for parents, teachers, and librarians. She owns her own copyediting business, Editor 911. (http://www.margodill.com/editor911.html) When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her husband, stepson, and two dogs—Chester, a boxer, and Hush Puppy, a basset hound. You can find out more about Margo by visiting her website: www.margodill.com.
Bev Cooke is first and foremost a writer. While young adult novels are her passion, she’ll write anything and everything that comes to mind – op-ed, journalism, book reviews, religious poetry and creative nonfiction are all areas in which she’s been published. But she’s proudest and most enthusiastic about her writing for Young Adults.
Her published novels include: Keeper of the Light, a historical fiction about an early Christian saint, from Conciliar Press; Feral, an edgy mainstream that Orca Book Publishers brought out, and Royal Monastic, a biography of Princess Ileana of Romania, also published by Conciliar.
Bev’s latest publication is a religious prose poem for the Orthodox Church: Akathist to St. Mary of Egypt, published by Alexander Press. When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about writing, feeling guilty about not writing or enjoying her time with her husband and two adult children, the cat and the homicidal lovebird.
