Appointments
Availability is limited and appointments
will be allotted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Early registration is highly encouraged for the best selection of appointments.
The Details
Attendees will have the opportunity to schedule one agent/editor and one mentor/business appointment as part of their conference registration. If not choosing an agent/editor appointment, two mentor/business appointment are allowed.
Within 24 hours* after successful completion of the registration process, registrants will receive an email confirmation containing the link to the SignUpGenius form listing available appointment slots.
Appointments will close at 8:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday, November 8, 2025. At that time, the email address you list on the SignUpGenius form will be given to the appropriate faculty member who will contact you directly to arrange your appointment.
*Please note: our goal is to send these emails each evening to those participants who registered that day. Registrations submitted later in the day may not receive confirmation until the following evening.
Appointment Types
This year we are pleased to offer four different types of appointments.
- Agents (literary agents only)
Please check each agent’s submisison guidelines prior to scheduling your appointment. - Editors (publishing houses only)
Please review the type of submissions each editor/publishing house is looking to acquire before scheduling your appointment. - Mentors (published authors)
- Business (freelance editors, websites, social media, graphic design, etc.)
Jessica Baker
Appointment Type: Business
Jessica has been an author assistant for six years for a variety of genres. She has worked on social media, updating websites, forming launch teams, running FB ads, and so much more.
Pepper Basham
Appointment Type: Mentor
Pepper Basham is an award-winning and bestselling author who writes romance “peppered” with grace and humor. She loves to encourage other authors in the writing process as well as navigating prepublication, creating characters, or navigating the world of working another job while pursuing a writing career. Learn more at www.pepperdbasham.com.
Karin Beery
Appointment Type: Editor, Mentor
An award-winning author and editor of fiction and nonfiction, Karin specializes in helping new authors navigate all phases of the publishing process.
Business
Bettie Boswell
Appointment Type: Editor, Mentor
Bettie Boswell is the president of the ACFWKidlit chapter. She edits for Mt. Zion Ridge Press. She has multiple children’s books and Christian novels.
Barbara M. Britton
Appointment Type: Mentor
Barbara M. Britton is an author of Christian Fiction who loves to bring little-known Bible stories to light. She has taught the Bible in church and schools for thirty years. Barbara has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate. You can find out more about Barbara and her books on her website.
E. Stephen Burnett
Appointment Type: Mentor
E. Stephen Burnett explores fantastical stories for Christ’s glory as publisher of Lorehaven.com and its weekly podcast. He coauthored The Pop Culture Parent and serves with his wife in their central Texas church. Stephen’s first novel, the sci-fi adventure Above the Circle of Earth, launched in 2025 from Enclave Publishing.
Rachael M. Colby
Appointment Type: Business
This Jamaican-born, multi-genre award-winning writer, editor, wife, and mom has a heart for reconciliation and a passion to uplift those who serve in tough places. She writes to connect cultures’ questions with Christianity’s answers, inspire faith, and motivate. She blogs at TattooItOnYourHeart.com.
Zena Dell Lowe
Appointment Type: Mentor
Zena Dell Lowe is an award-winning screenwriter, producer, and founder of The Storyteller’s Mission, where she equips writers to master story with excellence and purpose. With decades of experience in film and television, she mentors storytellers worldwide, blending craft, faith, and industry insight to elevate meaningful, marketable stories.
Denise Farnsworth
Appointment Type: Editor
Denise Farnsworth, formerly Denise Weimer, writes historical and contemporary romance mostly set in Georgia and serves as the Acquisitions & Editorial Liaison for Wild Heart Books. A wife and mother, she always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.
Emma Faye
Appointment Type: Business
An award-winning audiobook narrator of over 150 books, Emma runs a small audiobook production company and loves helping authors learn about the audiobook process. She holds a degree in Digital Marketing and provides social media coaching/management for authors.
Linda Fulkerson
Appointment Type: Editor
Publisher, RVer, Sojourner missionary, author, USMC veteran, wife/mom/Nana, ACFW member, & doxie mom.
Katie Gowrie
Appointment Type: Editor
Katie Gowrie is an editor with Love Inspired Books. She’s seeking inspirational category romances in the contemporary and romantic suspense subgenres as well as inspirational trade fiction. She’s been at Harlequin for over ten years, having started in the proofreading department. Katie loves coffee, travelling, and spending time with family.
Danielle Grandinetti
Appointment Type: Mentor
Danielle Grandinetti writes award-winning 1930s historical romance filled with mystery, suspense, and hope. She is a second-generation Italian-American rooted in Midwest traditions. Fueled by tea, books, and the creative beauty of nature, her stories explore love and belonging in hard times. Find her online at daniellegrandinetti.com.
Sarah Hamaker
Appointment Type: Mentor, Business
Multi-award-winning and best-selling author of inspirational romantic suspense, Sarah Hamaker loves writing books “where the hero and heroine fall in love while running for their lives.” She’s an AWSA certified writer and speaker coach, and podcaster of “The Romantic Side of Suspense.”
Sophia L. Hansen
Appointment Type: MentorA long-time editor with Havok Publishing, Sophia L. Hansen loves to write in other worlds. Her award-winning science fiction novel, Water’s Break, released in 2024 to critical acclaim. Sophia, who can be bribed with good coffee and dark chocolate, loves to brainstorm and encourage writers along their journey.
Rachel Hauck
Appointment Type: MentorRachel Hauck is an award-winning, New York Times Bestselling author. She has been teaching and mentoring authors for over 15 years. She is a former ACFW Mentor of the Year. She graduated from the Ohio State University with a degree in journalism.
Tara Johnson
Appointment Type: Business
Tara’s debut novel Engraved on the Heart (Tyndale) earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly, and was a finalist in the Carol and Christy awards. Tara is multi-published and is a certified body language expert. In 2025, she was named president of Incubator Creative Group and Publishing.
Matt Jones
Appointment Type: Business
Matt Jones is the owner of Jones House Creative and focuses on mentoring authors in building their online branding through websites, social media, and email marketing.
Melissa LaShure
Appointment Type: Business
Melissa hosts the LiteraryScape Podcast featuring books in the historical Christian romance and contemporary Christian suspense genres. She is the founder of HCRW (Historical Christian Romance Writers). She is an indie author who sells her books direct. Melissa is thrilled to bring authors and readers together on a single platform.
Joy K. Massenburge
Appointment Type: Business
A multi-published author and CEO of Joy K. Massenburge & Associates, Joy and her team of coaches empower clients with faith-based strategies that bring clarity, confidence, and direction. She helps others transform overwhelm into purposeful actions, build structured routines, and embrace God’s design. Her coaching equips individuals to move forward with focus and peace.
DiAnn Mills
Appointment Type: Mentor
Bestselling author DiAnn Mills is known for her gripping romantic suspense novels where readers can Expect An Adventure. With multiple Christy Awards and numerous bestsellers, her stories captivate readers with their depth and intensity. A passionate storyteller and dedicated mentor, DiAnn is also a coffee connoisseur and proud grandmother living in Houston, Texas.
Tamela Hancock Murray
Appointment Type: Agent
Literary agent since 2001, ACFW Agent of the Year award winner. Previously a bestselling author, winner of an Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Tamela loves to nurture authors.
James L. Rubart
Appointment Type: Mentor, Business
James L. Rubart is the Christy Hall of Fame author of sixteen books as well as a branding and marketing expert and an audio book narrator of 55 books.
Linda Wood Rondeau
Appointment Type: Mentor
A former Selah Award winner and Carol Awards finalist, Linda Wood Rondeau writes inspirational and general market literature. A former managing editor, she enjoys mentoring aspiring authors. Read more about her, her writing, and her blogs at www.lindarondeau.com
Sara R. Turnquist
Appointment Type: Mentor, Business
I have 10 years in the industry, writing Historical Romance. I started out with a small traditional publisher and made the decision to become fully indie. I am an editor and a sought-after speaker for writer’s groups and conferences for a variety of topics related to writing craft and publishing.
Suzie Waltner
Appointment Type: Business
Suzie Waltner is a freelance editor and writes contemporary romance. She is a member of The Christian Editors Association (CEA), the Freelance Editors Association, American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), and Faith, Hope, and Love Christian Writers (FHL). Her book, Midnight Blue, was the winner of the 2023 Angel Book Award for contemporary fiction.
Hope Welborn
Appointment Type: Mentor, Business
Award-winning romantic suspense author Hope Welborn is co-owner and editor of Spark Flash Fiction. She has worked in digital content marketing for twenty years. She is the author of two independent novels. Her debut with Love Inspired Suspense will release in September 2026.
Roseanna M. White
Appointment Type: Editor, Mentor
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy-award winning author of nearly 50 books, as well as the co-owner of the WhiteFire Publishing Group. She’s happy to chat about writing and answer your questions as a mentor or take pitches for the publishing house. Please refer to www.WhiteFire-Publishing.com/submissions for guidelines.
Kristi Woods
Appointment Type: Business
Kristi Woods writes about Jesus and other heroes in contemporary Christian romance and nonfiction, including her gift book, 101 Prayers for Military Wives, flash fiction, and freelance articles. Kristi, her Desert Storm pen pal-turned-husband, and family survived a nomadic, military lifestyle to land in Oklahoma. Connect with her at KristiWoods.net.
Tina Yeager
Appointment Type: Business
Award-winning author, speaker, licensed counselor, and life coach, Tina Yeager hosts the Flourish-Meant and Flourish Today media shows and publishes Inkspirations Online. Yeager serves in leadership with multiple professional organizations. Contact her at tina@tinayeager.com for speaking, coaching, mission mapping, or psychological manuscript reviews.
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a
new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)