The following MWG members are available for presentations at conferences, workshops and chapter meetings.

Please contact each speaker individually for fees and expenses.

To be listed as a speaker, see guidelines.

Speaker Index (or scroll down to see list)

Arruda, Suzanne M.

Bumgarner, Barri L.

Dill, Margo

Grissom, Tricia

Jadlow, Sally

Jones, Veda Boyd

Kamberg, Mary Lane

Ridenour, Eva

Schreck, Mary

Theiss, Robin (Moore)

Young, Judy

Suzanne M. Arruda, Pittsburg, Kansas, is author of the Jade del Cameron historical mystery series in the continent of Africa in the 1920's. She also reports of historical trivia of old Africa in her blog, Through Jade's Eyes, at http://suzannearruda.blogspot.com/

Suzanne has spoken at conferences including the Great Manhattan Mystery Conclave, Bouchercon, Malice Domestic, Ozark Creative Writer's Conference, Missouri Writers Guild Conference, Ozark Romance Authors conference and at various book stores and libraries.

TOPICS:

A. Writing Topics:

1. Historical Research: How to Maximize what you know of your time period.
2. Adding Action and Suspense to the novel
3. I've Never Been to Spain But I Kinda Like the Music: Researching places distance in space or time.
4. Strong Women as Protagonists and Villains
5. Creating Characters through Dialogue. What your character says reflects who they are.

B. Nonwriting Topics:

1. Famous Women explorers
2. Historical Forensics: an overview

Fees are negotiable. Contact Suzanne Arruda through her Web site: http://www.suzannearruda.com/ or through sarruda@cox.net

Barri L. Bumgarner, Columbia, Missouri, is the award-nominated author of two novels, both psychological thrillers, and has published more than 50 articles and 30 poems. She has presented at conferences such as ARCON, Show-Me Con, and the Columbia Chapter of the Missouri Writers' Guild. She has also spoken at numerous writers' groups in Missouri, Illinois, Texas, and Kansas. Barri is currently the Administrative Assistant for the CCMWG, as well as a doctoral student in the University of Missouri's English department. She also speaks at schools and has done many school visits.

Workshop topics include:

• Marketing--How I got a first novel reviewed in the Washington Post
• Writing cutting edge plots (and getting on an FBI watchlist in the process!)
• Motivating kids to write
• How to write, sell, and publicize a small press novel
• Landing an agent

Barri's fees vary based on distance and the group. A flat fee of $150, plus expenses for gas (and hotel if neccessary) are requested. Additional sessions and all-day events are negotiable. Contact through website: http://www.barrilbumgarner.com/

Margo Dill is an experienced teacher, speaker and freelance writer. She has served on panels, discussing topics such as query letters, cover letters, children's writing, conference do's and don'ts, and fiction writing. She has led workshops for elementary teachers in the areas of six-trait writing and communication arts planning. Her articles, stories, on-line picture book, lesson plans, essays, and poetry have appeared in numerous publications such as Grit, SuccessLink, On the Line, Pockets, Byline Magazine, The Storyteller, God Allows U-Turns Vol. 4, The Mailbox Magazine, and Reading A-Z. She has written articles on many writing topics such as short story writing, contests, and finding the time to read and write. Check out her website at http://www.margodill.com/ Contact her at margodll@aol.com or 217-714-8582.

Tricia teaches English at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO and manages the Coffee and Critique Writers Group blog. For more information on her speaking experience, see her website at TriciaGrissom.com

Writing Workshop Topics:

• How I Landed an Agent With My Non-Fiction Book Proposal
• Magazine Query Letters That Worked
• So You Want to Join a Critique Group
• Building an Author Platform
• Writing for Online Publications
• Starting a Writers' Blog

Other Workshop Topics:

• An Overweight Teen's Survival Guide
• School is Cool: Why You Shouldn't Fear Going Back to College as an Adult

Contact information: Tricia Grissom TriciaGrissom@gmail.com 636 734-5940

A flat fee of $150 is requested within 125 miles of Wentzville, Missouri and $150 plus gas and hotel expenses for locations farther away. Day long workshops are $300, plus gas and hotel costs when over 125 miles from Wentzville.

Sally Jadlow is an award-winning writer who has published three books, and numerous poems and short stories. Sonflower Seeds, a collection of poetry and inspirational short stories took first place for Best Book of Poetry 2002 at the Oklahoma Writer's Federation Inc. Her short story, Sara"s Surprise took first place in 2006 at Missouri Writers Guild.

The Late Sooner, Sally's most recent book, is a historical novel based on her great-grandfather's diary. He took part in the first land run in Oklahoma in 1889.

Sally is on staff teaching creative writing at Christ Prep Academy in Kansas City . She has presented before various schools in the Kansas City area, Girard Christian Writers, and Heart of America Christian Writers Network.

She is knowledgeable about:

Poetry writing and editing

Book promotion and sales

Self-publishing and publishing with an editor

Devotional writing

Sjadlow@aol.com; or SallyJadlow.com; 913-888-1558 (home); Speaker's fee: $150 plus expenses (gasoline up to 120 miles from Overland Park, Kansas [Kansas City Area]; hotel and gasoline beyond 120 miles.

Veda Boyd Jones, Joplin, Missouri, is an award-winning author of 40 books, ranging from historical fiction and biographies for children to inspirational romances for adults . She's served on the faculty at writers conferences in New York, Kansas, Missouri, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kentucky. She also speaks at literature festivals at schools and does school visits.

Workshop topics include:

• Researching nonfiction for children
• Writing romances
• Plotting the novel

Fees are all expenses and $200 per hour presentation at workshops, expenses and $500 for an entire day at schools (not to exceed four presentations).

Mary-Lane Kamberg is an award-winning poet and journalist who has published seven books, hundreds of poems and articles, and some short fiction. Her most recent book, The I Don’t Know How To Cook Book won MWG’s 2004 Best Nonfiction Book award. Her presentations always include practical tips for writers of all levels.

Choose from:

• Getting Down to Business (writing for trade publications);
• What's So Funny?(writing humor – prose and poetry)
• Grand Openings(starting off your poems, stories and articles on the right foot).
• Custom Workshops (tailored to your group’s needs)

Mary-Lane has presented programs for Avila College; Johnson County Community College; the Drexel Missouri Writers Group; Kansas Authors Club; Kansas Author’s Club Writers in the Schools Program; Olathe, Kan., and Shawnee Mission, Kan., school districts; Kansas City Writers Group’s Youth Writers Camp; Potpourri Writers Conference; National League of American Pen Women and more. She is co-leader of the Kansas City Writers Group. MLKwriter@yahoo.com; (913) 764-4950. www.kansascitywriters.com

Speaker’s fee: $150 plus expenses (gasoline up to 120 miles from Olathe, Kansas [Kansas City area]; hotel and gasoline beyond 120 miles)

Eva Ridenour, who writes fiction as Elizabeth Butler resides in Armstrong, Missouri. She is the 2005 recipient of the Missouri Writers’ Guild Walter Williams Work Award for her sixth novel, Libby. She is also author of five other romances placed in the western United States, and she has published more than 75 articles. She has spoken to writers groups in Illinois and Missouri and is a former member of Toastmasters. Eva is currently secretary of the CCMWG and treasurer of the Boonslick Creative Writers. She is also a current member of Western Writers of America and a former member of Romance Writers of America.

Workshop Topics Include:

• Self-Publishing – When you should and how to be successful.
• Writing Romances
• Time Management for Writers

Speakers Fees: $150 flat-fee plus gas and necessary hotel expenses. Additional sessions and all-day events are negotiable. Contact through website: www.geocities.com/eridenou/

Mary Kim Schreck, Lake of the Ozarks, Mo., delivers writing workshops and on-going courses to Missouri educators in association with the Missouri Writing Project and Missouri State Dept. of Elemenary and Secondary Education. She has published three books of poetry: Pulse of the Seasons, The Red Desk, and Crystal Doorknobs through Tigress Press in Columbia. During the last few years she has offered writing guild chapters and women's organizations a 1-1/2 hour presentation, The Creative Journey: Yours and Mine. She will be giving two motivational keynote addresses--Tennessee and Oklahoma--at major conferences using her poetry. A Family Literacy presentation is available for parent-teacher organizations and> school faculties.

Contact Mary Kim at marykim@aol.com or 573-302-7842.... presentations for guild chapters $100 plus gas; for school districts $150 an hour plus expenses.

Robin (Moore) Theiss is a writer, photographer, and speaker with authorial credits that include short stories, newspaper and magazine articles, essays, poetry, and a wide range of business communications. Her photography has been published in magazines, literary journals, and Internet websites. A former marketing executive in the insurance industry, Robin has devoted her energies full-time toward furthering writers' organizations since 2001, serving on the boards of the Writers' Society of Jefferson County, Missouri Writers Guild, Missouri Center for the Book, and most recently, St. Louis Writers Guild where she held the position of president for 2005-2008.

Contact Robin at robin@robintheiss.com

Judy Young, Springfield, MO, is the author of several children’s books including R is for Rhyme, A Poetry Alphabet, Lazy Days of Summer, S is for Show Me, A Missouri Alphabet, and Show Me the Number, A Missouri Number Book. H is for Hook, A Fishing Alphabet and Judy’s first fiction, The Lucky Star, will release in 2008.

R is for Rhyme, A Poetry Alphabet received a 2006 National Parenting Publications Honor Award, the 2006 MO Writers’ Guild Best Juvenile Book Award and was choreographed for the 58th Annual Performance at the University of Utah.

Judy is a frequent speaker at schools, children’s literature festivals, libraries and professional educational conferences and workshops nationwide.

Student Programs include:

• R is for Rhyme! (grades K-8)
• Show Me Missouri! (grades K-6)
• Playday with an
• Poetry: Write Away! A Classroom Writing Workshop (grades 2-8)
• Meet Author Judy Young! (mixed audiences of children and adults)

Adult Programs include:

• Poetry: Write In the Middle of Class! A Workshop for Teachers
• Dare to Dream: Meet Author Judy Young

Fees individually arranged.

Contact Judy Young at http://www.judyyoungpoetry.com/
6155 E. Farm Road 132
Springfield, MO 65802
417-866-1800
Email: jby213@aol.com

All Missouri Writers Guild members are published authors or poets. However, the Guild cannot guarantee listed speakers will meet your specific needs.

Speakers Bureau Guidelines:

1. All speakers listed must be current MWG members in good standing.
2. Limit information to 200 words.
3. If desired, forward a photo as a jpg file.
4. Include:
   a. Brief outline of writing experience
   b. Titled workshop presentations (you may add titles at any time, within word count)
   c. List of experience as a presenter (you may add at any time)
   d. Contact information and speaker's Web site
   e. City where speaker lives
   f. Speaking fee and/or expenses (for example, expenses only; gasoline expense only within 200 miles; hotel and gasoline beyond 200 miles) Note: Speakers who charge fees are more likely to be contacted if their fees are specified.

Follow the format of examples on the page and send to Barri Bumgarner barribum@aol.com