All times are MDT (Mountain Daylight Time)
For information on booking your appointments click here.
For PDFs of the above charts click here.
Debbie Alsdorf
Literary Agent
Books & Such Literary Management
Author, Speaker
Debbie’s core focus has always been in leadership and encouraging people. From leading flourishing women’s ministries, to the women she speaks to and writes for, she is known as an encourager. Many have affectionately called her a cheerleader of hope. As an agent, she will help her clients to find the hope and faith they need to follow their calling.
One thing is certain, Debbie is a woman on a mission—to help others live a better story. She does this by leading them to the heart of God’s love for them—basic but often not talked about truths that changed her life after seventeen years serving in Christian ministry. During a life crisis, she asked God for a fresh start. That meant getting real with God about her insecurities, brokenness, and lack of faith. The process took her back to the basics and a life reset. Because of this, she has a tuned ear to the felt needs of women and is an avid reader of nonfiction, which will help her to direct her clients how to focus their projects for that audience.
Debbie brings to agenting more than 20 years’ experience leading teams, creating programs, and shepherding women as the Director of Women’s Ministries in large and thriving churches. Before working in ministry, she held positions in sales and marketing, representing large national lines such as Maxell, Sony, and Avery, supplying large retailers and helping to develop marketing, sales, and strategies. This experience informs how to pitch projects to publishing houses and to guide her clients in marketing strategies for their careers and individual books.
As a writing coach, she has worked with writers to envision the best way to structure a book and write in a way that connects with readers. She is also a pastoral counselor, certified life coach, and a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors, all of which prepare her to help authors to ride the roller coaster of publishing as well as equip her to understand readers’ felt needs.
Debbie has written fourteen traditionally-published books and contributed to four compilations. She has a heart for authors. She also understands how to promote through her experience on numerous national radio broadcasts and podcasts and being interviewed on “The Today Show” for her book It’s Momplicated. She understands the world of public speaking, having been a featured speaker at women’s events and writers’ conferences and can help writers to develop their ministries through public speaking.
Workshop 1A – The Sacred Journey (Thursday, 10:45 – 11:45 MT)
As Christian communicators we are all on a sacred journey. Part of the calling is to use what we've learned and the paths we have walked to help others. This session will help you identify your "why" and examine the "how" of writing from personal growth and experience. You will leave equipped to be a storyteller of redeeming value.
Debbie Alsdorf—Books & Such Literary Management
URL, Guidelines for Writers: https://www.booksandsuch.com/submissions
NONFICTION: Bible Studies, Christian Living/Ministry/Evangelism, Church Growth/Life/Renewal, Cultural/Contemporary Issues, Devotionals, Discipleship/Personal Growth, Marriage/Family Parenting, Memoir/Personal Experience, Men’s books, Prayer & Spiritual Warfare, Women’s Interests
Dan Balow
Agent, The Steve Laube Agency
Dan started in Christian publishing in 1983 and over the years has been involved in the business side of the industry in marketing, sales, foreign and domestic rights management, audiobooks, digital publishing, and acquisitions.
A significant amount of his experience was with Tyndale House Publishers from the early 90s to the mid-2000s. While there, Dan developed a wide-ranging perspective on the industry, taken from involvement with hundreds of authors, thousands of books, and a love for the business.
He spent five years working with this agency as an agent, leaving temporarily in late 2018 to focus time on a publishing-related venture he owned before returning in early 2021.
Dan’s strengths would be his understanding of what it takes to be successful in the publishing environment and how all the elements of publishing work together.
Dan served on the board of the Evangelical Christian Publisher’s Association, the trade association for Christian publishers in the U.S., and was board chairman of the Global Publishers Alliance, a group of U.S.-based publishing executives involved in mentoring Christian publishers in other countries. He was an original member of the advisory board of the Christy Awards (now part of ECPA) and involved in training and mentoring Christian publishers through Media Associates International (www.littworld.org).
Dan is a graduate of Wheaton College (IL) with a degree in Communications and has been married to Carol for 40+ years. They live in Wheaton, Illinois and have four grown children and six granddaughters.
Continuing Session – The Successful Author of Nonfiction
Sitting down and writing a book is not the first thing you should do. The successful nonfiction author will start in a different place. Time is a precious thing. If you skip steps along the way in an effort to get your book written and published and ignore those things that give the book a purpose and platform, you are probably wasting your time. Dan will present practical steps to developing your platform, your personal ministry, and your relationship with your readers—all the things that make for a successful author of nonfiction except for the writing.
Dan Balow—The Steve Laube Agency
URL: Click here for more about what Dan is looking to represent.
NONFICTION: Apologetics; Biographies & Profiles; Christian Living, Ministry & Evangelism; Church Growth, Life & Renewal; Culture & Contemporary Issues; Devotionals; Discipleship & Personal Growth; Marriage, Family & Parenting; Men’s Books; Prayer & Spiritual Warfare; Women’s Interests
FICTION: None
CHILDREN & YA: Biographies, Devotionals, Early Readers-Nonfiction, Middle Grade Nonfiction, Nonfiction Ages 6-8, Nonfiction Ages 9-12
OTHER: Business, Health, Humor, Sports
Ingrid Beck
Managing Director
The Bindery
After earning her bachelor’s degree in English literature from Kansas State University, Ingrid Beck spent more than 17 years working in book publishing, serving in diverse roles such as acquisitions editor, managing editor, and editorial director. Ingrid joined The Bindery in 2019 as managing director and oversees day-to-day operations, proposal development, client relations, scheduling, and a variety of other special projects. Representing a diverse list of clients in multiple genres, she loves collaborating with authors to help refine their message to reach their intended audiences.
A passionate and voracious reader, Ingrid strives to keep up with the latest buzzworthy reads in both fiction and nonfiction. When she’s not reading, Ingrid enjoys hiking and camping in the mountains of Colorado and spending time with her extended family, especially her sixteen nieces and nephews.
Ingrid Beck—The Bindery
URL, Guidelines for Writers: https://www.thebinderyagency.com
NONFICTION: Christian Living/Ministry/Evangelism, Church Growth/Life/Renewal, Culture/Contemporary Issues, Discipleship/Personal Growth, Marriage/Family Parenting, Women’s Interests
Greatest Areas of Interest: Self-help / personal growth books; commercial non-fiction; unique or fresh approaches to perennial felt needs
Overworked Topics: Pandemic, division and discord
Blythe Daniel
President, The Blythe Daniel Agency
Literary Agent, Marketer, Author
Blythe is a literary agent, author, and marketer. Her agency markets books through podcasts, blogs, and launch teams and represents books to publishers including adult nonfiction, select adult fiction, and children’s fiction and non-fiction titles. Blythe has been the publicity director for Thomas Nelson Publishers, worked as the product development manager for John and Stasi Eldredge, and has spent the last 16 years as a literary agent. The agency represents new and bestselling authors primarily in the Christian market. Blythe and her mother, Helen McIntosh, have co-authored two books: Mended: Restoring the Hearts of Mothers and Daughters (Harvest House) and I Love You Mom: Cherished Word Gifts from My Heart to Yours (Tyndale). She is married and lives in Colorado with her family.
Workshop 3E – What’s In/What’s Out in Publishing? (Friday, 10:45 – 11:45 MT)
Do you feel like you hit roadblocks when what you want to publish comes back as “That’s not what we’re looking for” or “We don’t spend marketing dollars that way”? What is IN and what is OUT in publishing? This workshop is designed to give you this perspective from a literary agent on both editorial and marketing strategies. We’ll look at topics, techniques, and time-tested ways of publishing and marketing what’s selling. This applies to new writers, writers who have previously published, and established writers.
Workshop 6F – Building a Platform that’s Genuine (Saturday, 10:45 – 11:45 MT)
With the needed emphasis on the community that an author has, how do you develop a platform that’s genuine to you? What are the key areas that publishers look for when deciding to take on a writer and his/her book? Do you need different platforms if you write more than one genre? What is proven to be most effective? In this workshop, we’ll look at what type of platform is needed today. We’ll tackle the top questions writers have and why publishers need to see what you have to offer before moving forward with you, even previously published authors. Since platform has become so valuable, we’ll look at how to maximize yours.
Blythe Daniel—The Blythe Daniel Agency
URL, Guidelines for Writers: https://theblythedanielagency.com/submissions/
NONFICTION: Apologetics, Christian Living/Ministry/Evangelism, Culture/Contemporary Issues, Discipleship/Personal Growth, Marriage/Family Parenting, Prayer & Spiritual Warfare, Women’s Interests
CHILDREN & YA: Middle Grade Fiction, Picture Books
OTHER: Gift Books
Dr. Sharon Norris Elliott
Literary Agent, Founder/CEO
AuthorizeMe(R)
Author, Editor, Speaker
lifethatmatters.net
From obscurity in Compton, CA, to commanding main stages teaching others how to write their books and understand the Bible, Dr. Sharon Norris Elliott encourages us to “Live significantly!” This inspiring message has driven Sharon to become an award-winning author, editor, agent, engaging speaker, and licensed minister. Author of 12 books, and associated with several prestigious organizations such as AWSA, ACE, SCBWI, and HSBN.tv, Sharon is also co-director of the West Coast Christian Writers conference. She is founder/CEO of the successful AuthorizeMe® Consulting, Coaching & Editing Firm, and Literary Agency.
Keynote – Why Don’t the Lights Work? (Thursday, 6 pm MT)
"You are the light of the world." This direct quote from the Master Teacher and Savior Himself is encouraging, empowering, and—well yes—enlightening. We writers are uniquely positioned to live out this identity as "lights" as we function as His poema—His workmanship—allowing the Gospel to creatively flow through our fingertips onto the page. But are we actually being effective in our post-Christian society? Are we making a difference in our world for the Kingdom of God? Why don't the lights work?
Continuing Session – From Idea to Manuscript to Masterpiece
Sharon will be teaching how to storyboard your books in these sessions. It will be helpful for you to have sticky notes, a Sharpie, and a folding report board or a nearby wall or window.
You have held this book idea in your heart and mind long enough. It’s time to get it out of your brain and down onto paper. But you want to do more than simply write it; you want it to touch the souls of your audience, and you want it to be really good. This multi-part workshop helps develop your thinking and writing to reach toward that goal. Learn to think like an acquisitions editor and publisher as you write the book, to capture the attention and soul of your reader, and to organize your thoughts so they flow beautifully on the page. Taught by literary agent, book developer, and multi-published author Dr. Sharon Norris Elliott, you will walk away from this workshop positioned to be a best-selling published author.
Sharon Elliott—AuthorizeMe Literary Agency
NONFICTION: Bible Studies, Christian Living/Ministry/Evangelism, Culture/Contemporary Issues, Devotionals, Discipleship/Personal Growth, Marriage/Family Parenting, Memoir/Personal Experience, Men’s books, Prayer & Spiritual Warfare, Women’s Interests
FICTION: Action/Adventure, Biblical Fiction, Contemporary, General Market, Historical Romance, Inspirational, Issues Fiction, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Suspense/Crime/Mystery, Women’s Fiction
CHILDREN & YA: Biographies, Chapter Books, Devotionals, Early Readers-fiction, Early Readers-nonfiction, Nonfiction Ages 6-8 and 9-12, Picture Books
Please send a One Sheet and the manuscript for a children’s picture book or board book.
OTHER: Humor
Overworked Topics: Childhood Sexual Abuse
Helpful Tips: Use a clear elevator pitch, 1-2 sentences at the max, and then stop talking until you hear a response. If you have to explain your book for more than 90 seconds, you are not sure of what your book is about. "I'm writing a book about what, for whom, so that such-and-such a result will be achieved."
Jim Hart
Literary Agent
Hartline Literary Agency
Jim is a literary agent with Hartline Literary Agency. He works with both veteran and debut authors and represents a mix of non-fiction and fiction clients.
Jim is also a singer/songwriter/worship leader and has been involved in youth and music ministry for several decades. He is a credentialed minister with the Assemblies of God.
Workshop 1C – Starting Strong: Strategies for First Lines and First Pages for Nonfiction Authors (Thursday, 10:45 – 11:45 MT)
Jim will cover the importance of knowing what the first pages of your nonfiction books should accomplish, such as: hooking your reader, informing your reader, persuading your reader. Along with discussing Strategies for Strong First Lines, Jim will also talk about the importance of knowing how to begin unpacking your Big Idea in the early pages of your book.
Jim Hart—Hartline Literary Agency
NONFICTION: Apologetics, Articles/Books Military Related, Christian Living/Ministry/Evangelism, Church Growth/Life/Renewal, Culture/Contemporary Issues, Discipleship/Personal Growth, Marriage/Family/Parenting, Men’s Books, Prayer & Spiritual Warfare, Women’s Interests.
CHILDREN & YA: None
OTHER: GENERAL MARKET: Business, Health, Humor, Sports—NONFICTION only
GREATEST AREAS OF INTEREST: Nonfiction ONly
OVERWORKED TOPICS: Social issues
Helpful Tips: I am not looking at books that have been previously self-published.
Bob Hostetler
Agent, The Steve Laube Agency
Author, Speaker
Bob is an award-winning writer, editor, speaker, and literary agent who now lives in southern Nevada. His fifty books, which include The Bone Box and American Idols (The Worship of the American Dream), have sold millions of copies. He has co-authored eleven books with Josh McDowell, including the best-selling Right from Wrong (What You Need to Know to Help Youth Make Right Choices) and the award-winning Don't Check Your Brains at the Door. He has won two Gold Medallion Awards, four Ohio Associated Press awards, and an Amy Foundation Award, among others. Bob is also a frequent speaker at churches, conferences, and retreats.
Bob was ordained to the ministry in 1980 by The Salvation Army. He and his wife, the lovely Robin, served in The Salvation Army from 1980-1992. Bob has been a disc jockey, pastor, magazine editor, freelance book editor, and (with his wife Robin) a foster parent to ten boys (though not all at once). Bob and Robin have two adult children, Aubrey and Aaron; son-in-law Kevin and daughter-in-law Nina; and grandchildren Miles, Mia, Calleigh, Ryder, and Avery.
Keynote – The Persevering Writer (Friday, 6:00 pm MT)
Three Bible stories—and nine words—to give aspiring and accomplished writers the tools to persevere.
NONFICTION: Christian Living/Ministry/Evangelism, Devotionals, Discipleship/Personal Growth, Marriage/Family Parenting, Women’s Interests
FICTION: Biblical Fiction, Contemporary, General Market, Historical, Historical Romance, Inspirational, Legal/Political Thrillers, Literary, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Southern, Suspense/Crime/Mystery, Women’s Fiction
CHILDREN & YA: Devotionals, Middle Grade Nonfiction, Nonfiction Ages 6-8 and 9-12
OTHER: Gift Books
Greatest Areas of Interest: Timeslip novels, Christian living, women’s nonfiction
Helpful Tips: https://stevelaube.com/im-looking-agent/
URL, Guidelines for Writers: https://stevelaube.com/guidelines/
For info on booking your appointments click here.
For more information on editorial needs, be sure to check The 2022 Christian Writer’s Market Guide available on Amazon. I recommend a yearly subscription to the ebook.
