Webinars are usually held the third Thursday of each month at 7pm EST. However, dates may vary to accommodate an instructor’s schedule. Please refer to the list of dates and times below.
Chapter members will receive an email with a link to the webinar via Zoom. The link will also be posted in the ACFW Virginia Facebook Group. When instructors permit, PowerPoint slides will be made available to members under the file tab of the ACFW Virginia Facebook group page as well. Webinars are recorded and accessible for two years.
As a reminder, each time you attend a live webinar January – September, you will be entered into a drawing for a paid registration fee to our November virtual conference!
If you’re not eligible for Virginia Chapter membership but want to view the webinars, click here to find out how you can join as a webinar-only member!
How to Sell Your Book to Perfect Strangers
Presented by Robert Quattlebaum
January 19 @ 7 p.m. EST
A nuts-n-bolts strategy for how to sell a book at in-person events and practical advice on how to both take a lot of fear out of speaking to people in person and how to craft a short speech to draw in potential readers.
Robert Quattlebaum is a committed Christian, husband, and father of six children, three of whom are adopted. He is an honor graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology, and has enjoyed a successful career in computer science. Mr. Quattlebaum enjoys reading, writing, music, and automobiles. Learn more at www.robertquattlebaum.com
Creating Characters That Pop Off the Page
Presented by Dani Pettrey
February 16 @ 7 p.m. EST
Garner the tools needed to write three-dimensional characters that feel authentic, real and relatable. We’ll touch on mythic structure, show vs. tell, deep POV, and more.
Publishers Weekly and #1 Amazon bestselling author, Dani Pettrey has sold nearly 800,000 copies of her novels to readers eagerly awaiting the next release. Dani combines the page-turning adrenaline of a thriller with the chemistry and happy-ever-after of a romance.
Her novels stand out for their “wicked pace, snappy dialogue, and likable characters” (Publishers Weekly), “gripping storyline[s],” (RT Book Reviews), and “sizzling undercurrent of romance” (USA Today).
She researches murder and mayhem from her home in Maryland. Connect with her online at danipettrey.com
Great Beginnings and
Edge-of-the-Seat Ends
Presented by Liz Tolsma
March 16 @ 7 p.m. EST
Want to start your book with a bang? Want to leave your readers turning pages deep into the night? We’ll discuss what makes for a great book (and chapter) beginning and the elements you need to hook your readers. We’ll also look at how to and how not to end your chapters if you want to keep readers engaged.
Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a U.S. Marine, and her oldest daughter is a recent college graduate. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping. Please visit her website at www.liztolsma.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter (@LizTolsma), Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest. She is also the host of the Christian Historical Fiction Talk podcast.
Getting Newsletter and
Instagram Engagement
Presented by Candice Yamintz
April 20 @ 7 p.m. EST
In this presentation, you will get tips for engaging with an audience through Instagram and your newsletters as an author. We will discuss the type of content that builds an audience, exclusive content, and interaction through those two mediums. The overall goal of the presentation is to build stronger connections with readers and increase visibility.
Author Candice Pedraza Yamnitz is a homeschooling mom of three spirited children. She mentored teen girls for a decade and aims to inspire through stories. In 2017, she joined the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) to improve her craft and has served as the vice-president and president of the Chicago chapter. Her debut novel, Unbetrothed, released in February 2022 with a positive Kirkus review.
Develop a Companion
Product for Added Impact
Presented by Athena Dean Holtz
May 18 @ 7 p.m. EST
Have a book in print that needs new life? One great strategy is by creating a companion product. Whether it’s a bible study, journal, workbook or even an audiobook, a product that refers back to your earlier publication can boost your reach and help you gain new traction.
Athena Dean Holtz, industry pioneer, author, speaker, and podcaster is publisher at Redemption Press, named Best Christian Workplace in 2021 & 2022. Founder of the acclaimed She Writes for Him online events and community that connects, informs, and inspires writers. Most recent news is the opening of the new Romans 8:28 Books & Gift store (and Redemption Press offices) in a 100 year old building in a historic downtown Seattle suburb.
The Setting of Your Story
Presented by Ruth Douthitt
June 15 @ 7 p.m. EST
In writing, as in life, the setting of a story connects to the protagonist. God, being the Author, shows us this idea throughout scripture, especially in John 4 and the woman at the well. In this session, we’ll look at the importance of setting in stories that we love to read and films we love to watch. What about your WIP? How does the setting connect to your main character? What about your life story? Are you where God wants you to be?
Ruth A. Douthitt is an award-winning multi-published author who puts her heart and soul into her work, hoping to encourage others through her stories. Winner of the 2022 Christian Indie Award-First Place in YA, and the 2017 Moonbeam Children’s Books Award-Bronze Medal for Best Book Series, Ruth is currently working on a Christian-themed women’s inspirational fiction series along with more prayer journals and devotionals, coming soon.
Ruth lives in Phoenix with her husband, Scott, and their little dog. When she isn’t writing, Ruth loves to teach Bible studies, run, draw, paint, and garden.
Seeking Excellence
Presented by Mary Pat Johns
July 20 @ 7 p.m. EST
In our fast-paced society, it’s frighteningly easy to shove aside excellence for the quick solution or the easy fix. But we’ll never reach our God-given potential if we choose that path. It’s only by seeking excellence that we thrive in our spiritual lives, our writing, and our interaction with others. This webinar reveals the attitudes that hold us back and provides strategies to combat no-win thinking.
Mary Pat Johns’ has written devotions for online publications and had short stories published by Chicken Soup for the Soul. She writes a biweekly faith column for the local newspaper. Countin’ On Jesse is her debut novel. It placed second in inspirational contemporary romance in the TARA contest and was a finalist in the Crown and the Maggie contests for unpublished authors. She’s currently at work on the rest of the Valiant series.
She lives in South Texas with her husband and their two dapple dachshunds. Her grown children and five grandchildren are useful sorts who keep her grounded with her reading and writing obsession. You can find her at the gym, at her computer, or reading a good book.
What Your Launch Team
Member Wants You To Know
Presented by Erin Mifflin
August 17 @ 7 p.m. EST
Learn effective strategies that work for both authors and influencers when it comes to launch teams, social media, and author newsletters. Erin shares from her experience as a launch team member for two dozen authors over the course of twelve years of book blogging.
Erin Mifflin lives in the Missouri Ozarks and claims reading and writing as some of her favorite activities. She tutors middle school and high school students, and is an active big sister and aunt in her large family. She loves llamas, baking, history, and the Olympics.
The Care and Nurture of Readers
Presented by Sarah Hamaker
September 18 @ 7 p.m. EST
As a writer, you know you need to interact with and develop relationships with readers through your website, social media and newsletters. But many times, figuring out what to say and how to sustain the conversation can seem daunting and overwhelming.
Sarah Hamaker will discuss how to populate your newsletter, website and social media based on your writing and interests. You’ll leave the webinar with an initial plan to begin or continue your reader relationships.
Sarah Hamaker loves writing books “where the hero and heroine fall in love while running for their lives.” She’s written romantic suspense novels and nonfiction books, as well as stories in Chicken Soup for the Soul volumes. As a writers coach, her heart is encouraging writers. She’s a member of ACFW; ACFW Virginia Chapter; and Faith, Hope and Love, as well as the president of Capital Christian Writers Fellowship. Her podcast, “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” can be found wherever you listen to podcasts. Sarah lives in Virginia with her husband, four teenagers, a preschool foster child and three cats. Visit her online at sarahhamakerfiction.com.
Instagram Reels Made Simple
Presented by Christine Boatwright
October 19 @ 7 p.m. EST
You’ve heard that Instagram reels are the perfect way to build your social media following, but where to begin? It’s not as intimidating or out of reach as it seems! As soon as you learn a few basics, you’ll be ready to find the trends, entertain or inform, and build your follower base.
The Bible came to life for Christine Boatwright when she realized it told one complete story—the story of Jesus Christ. Christine learned storytelling through her time as an award-winning journalist and academic writer. She is the president of the ACFW Upstate SC chapter and loves building a local writing community. In her free time as a stay-at-home mom, she finds little moments to work on her debut novel and build her writing community, both online and in the South Carolina upstate. Connect with her at linktree.com/christineboatwright.
Basic Bookkeeping for Writers
Presented by Tammy Karasek
December 7 @ 7 p.m. EST
Come let Tammy Karasek teach you all the basic bookkeeping skills a writer needs to know.
Tammy Karasek uses humor and wit to bring joy and hope to every aspect in life. Her past, filled with bullying and criticism from family, drives her passion to encourage and inspire others and give them The Reason to smile. She’s gone from down and defeated to living a “Tickled Pink” life as she believes there’s always a giggle wanting to come out!
A writer of Romance—with a splash of sass. She’s also The Launch Team Geek helping authors launch their books and also a Virtual Assistant for several best-selling authors. Her work was published in a Divine Moments Compilation Book—Cool-inary Moments. She’s also the Social Media Manager for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, Founding President and current Vice-President of ACFW Upstate SC, and Founding President of Word Weavers Upstate SC. She’s a writing team member for The Write Conversation Blog, Novel Academy, MBT Monday Devotions, The Write Editing and others. Connect with Tammy at https://www.tammykarasek.com.