ABOUT SPEAKERS CLASS DESCRIPTIONS LOCATIONS & MAP SCHEDULE
SPEAKERS
Maya Golden Bethany is an Associated Press winning and Emmy nominated multimedia journalist. Her debut memoir, The Return Trip, will release on November 14, 2023 and her first novel, a political thriller, The Senator, will release in Spring 2025 through Rising Action Publishing Collective. Maya is the winner of the Excellence in My Market Award (EMMA) from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and multiple Associated Press Awards. She is the founder of the 1 in 3 Foundation, a
non-profit organization that provides recovery and counseling resources to survivors of sexual trauma with little to no income in East Texas. Maya has been featured on Bally Sports, Fox Sports College, ESPN 2 and 3 and other broadcast mediums including Blackgirlnerds.com. She speaks as a survivor for organizations such as the Children’s Advocacy Center, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and Kids Aspiring to Dream. The Texas A&M alum’s career includes experience as a sports anchor/reporter and television production editor, newscast writer, field producer and print writer. She is a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, East Texas Writers Guild and Writers League of Texas.
For more info:
Website: goodasgolden.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MGBWrites
Twitter: @Maya_Golden
Instagram: @goodasgolden
At thirteen years old, Renee’ La Viness wrote and performed her own ventriloquism skits as a professional entertainer. Since then, she’s been published in books, magazines, newspapers, anthologies, and won numerous writing awards. From 2013 to 2018, she held multiple editor positions at 4RV Publishing, including two years as the company’s first Children’s Corner Imprint Editor. Renee’ is the founder/organizer of the annual Meet the Publishers! event in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and one of the founding organizers of the Read.Write.Share. Conference in Arkansas. Currently the Advertising Executive for Writers Monthly PDF e-magazine, she’s also an editor, the founder/sponsor/judge of the annual La Viness Short Story Writing Contest, a sponsor and/or judge for multiple other writing contests, a speaker for writing events, and the organizer for two in-person critique groups. Occasionally, she finds time to write. Renee’ lives in Oklahoma, where she loves spending time with her husband, grandchildren, and one lovable, ornery chicken.
FOR MORE INFO:
Website: https://www.reneelaviness.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Author.ReneeLaViness
Twenty-two years on ABC Television’s Soap Opera, General Hospital
in the role of Dr. Tony Jones, two nominations for Daytime Emmys,
three albums of country music and numerous guest-starring roles on
television shows, Charlie’s Angels, Three’s Company, The White Shadow, Too Close for Comfort, and 7th Heaven …Brad Maule has been around show business for a while. For the past seventeen years, Brad has also been a lecturer in film and acting for Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. He is also on the boards of “The Friends of Historic Nacogdoches”, “The Fine Arts Dean’s Circle”, “The Historic Landmark Preservation Board for the city of Nacogdoches” and “The Comprehensive Planning Board for the city of Nacogdoches.” Nominated for “Best Actor” for the Louisiana Film Prize 2023, Brad is honored to be a part of the new short film entry, Credit. Brad, currently, is starring in a Derek Wayne Johnson film, Blood Streams, to be released in 2024.
For more info:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bradmaule
Jodi Thompson has been writing for as long as she can remember. Her earliest work, Skippy the Horse, was critically acclaimed by numerous family members and at least one teacher. She eventually discovered that her real talent lies in assisting others with their dreams. After spending some time as a freelance Book Manager and Publicist, she founded a small, traditional publishing house, Fawkes Press. In her copious free time, she has led writing workshops for children and teens, served on the organizational committees for several writing conferences, judged national writing contests, and presented at writing/publishing conferences across the United States. She is also one-half of S&J Pop-Up Cons, presenting writers’ workshops and retreats in unexpected places.
Fearful that she was getting too much sleep, she started Terrible Advice: Author Edition as guidance for writers in all stages. Chasing the high of her early success from Skippy the Horse, she also dabbles in cozy mysteries as Moira Bates. She lives in Texas with her husband and more animals than any sane person should have in their home.
FOR MORE INFO:
Website: www.terribleauthor.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/terribleauthor
YouTube: www.youtube.com/terribleadviceauthoredition
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$65 members; $75 non-members; $25 students. (Lunch included)
$10 Early Bird discount before July 1
