ALTON GANSKY
Director
Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference
Alton Gansky is a fulltime writer with an eclectic background. He has been a firefighter, spent a decade in architecture, and twenty-two years as a Baptist minister. He is the author of forty or so books, both fiction and nonfiction and has written for a variety of businesses.
Al specializes in suspense and supernatural suspense novels, but has also written several nonfiction books dealing with biblical matters and biblical mysteries.
In addition to his own writing, Alton has, through his company Gansky Communications, provides writing services to publishers, agents, businesses, and other authors. He is a sought after co-author.
An active public speaker, Alton has delivered messages, seminars, and classes across the country, and in Canada.
Al has been a Christie Award finalist (A SHIP POSSESSED) and an Angel Award winner (TERMINAL JUSTICE). He holds a BA and MA in biblical studies. He lives in central California with his wife.
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EDIE MELSON
Administration, Planning, and Social Media
Edie Melson is a freelance writer and editor with over 16 years experience in the publishing industry. She’s a prolific writer, publishing over 700 articles in 2010. She also has a popular writing blog (www.thewriteconversation.blogspot.com) and is a frequent contributor to many others. As a sought after writing instructor, her heart to help others define and reach their dreams has connected her with writers all over the country. In keeping up with the leading edge of all things digital Edie has become known as one of the go-to experts on Twitter, Facebook, and social media for writers wanting to learn how to plug in.
Fighting Fear, Winning the War at Home, is one Edie’s latest projects. This devotional book for those with family members in the military debuted in the fall of 2011 with Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas http://www.christiandevotionsbooks.com/ .
She’s a member of numerous professional writing organizations, including The Christian Pen, The Christian Writer’s View I and ACFW, where she serves as the Editor for the Southeast Zone Newsletter and staff reviewer for Afictionado Magazine. She’s also an assistant proofer/editor for the Voices E-zine, a publication of My Book Therapy and a part of the My Book Therapy Special Teams Blog.
Married 30 years to husband, Kirk, they have raised three sons.
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EVA MARIE EVERSON
Contest Coordinator
Eva Marie Everson is the author of both fiction and nonfiction award-winning books including Reflections of God's Holy Land; A Personal Journey Through Israel (Thomas Nelson), The Potluck Club series (Baker/Revell), and Sex, Lies and the Media. She writes primarily Southern Fiction for Baker/Revell (most recent release is Chasing Sunsets; A Cedar Key Novel (book 1) and recently taught a special four-day workshop at Taylor University in Indiana. She has written for numerous periodicals and ezines, is a freelance editor, and speaks at writers and women's conferences both nationally and internationally. She is a seminary graduate, a mentor for the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild, the past president of Word Weavers and current vice-president of Word Weavers National Leadership Team, and a member of a number of organizations for writers and speakers. For more information about Eva Marie, go to: www.evamarieeverson.com
