Sept. 15
A Writer's Life
Oct. 16, 17
Creative Writing
(From Pen to Publication)
Center for Professional and Continuing Education (CPCE)
A Writer's Life - Panelists
Dr. Elmer Towns
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Dr. Elmer Towns is a college and seminary professor, an author of popular and scholarly works (the editor of two encyclopedias), a popular seminar lecturer, and dedicated worker in Sunday school, and has developed over 20 resource packets for leadership education. He began teaching at Midwest Bible College, St. Louis, Missouri, for three years and was not satisfied with his textbooks so he began writing his own. He has published over 100 books listed in the Library of Congress, 8 listed in the Christian Booksellers Best Selling List; several becoming accepted as college textbooks. He is also the 1995 recipient of the coveted Gold Medallion Award awarded by the Christian Booksellers Association for writing the Book of the Year, The Names of the Holy Spirit.
He was President of Winnipeg Bible College for five years, leading it to receive American Accreditation and Provincial authority to offer degrees (1960-1965). He taught at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, in Greater Chicago, Illinois, in the field of Religious Education and Evangelism (1965-1971).
He is co-founder of Liberty University, with Jerry Falwell, in 1971, and was the only full-time teacher in the first year of Liberty's existence. Today, the University has over 11,000 students on campus and 28,000 students in the Liberty University Online program. He is the Vice President of Liberty University and Dean of the School of Religion.
Dr. Towns has given theological lectures and taught intensive seminars at over 50 theological seminaries in America and abroad. He holds visiting professorship rank in five seminaries. He has written over 2,000 reference and/or popular articles and received six honorary doctoral degrees. Four doctoral dissertations have analyzed his contribution to religious education and evangelism.
His personal education includes a B.A. from Northwestern College in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a M.A. from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, a Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary also in Dallas, a MRE from Garrett Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois and a D.Min. from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.
His wife of 55 years, Ruth, teaches a Christian Woman class at Liberty University. They have three children and ten grandchildren.
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Charles Stinson
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Charles Stinson is a retired Baptist minister from Forest, Virginia; he served as pastor of North Bedford Baptist Church for more than 35 years before retiring in 2005. During that time, he was also involved in the work of the historic Strawberry Baptist Association, where he served two terms as moderator. Since his retirement, he has actively pursued his interests in writing, publishing his first book in 2007: Alexander the Servant Boy, a work of historical fiction based on the life of Alexander Stinson, the author’s seventh-generation ancestor, who was an indentured servant boy in Williamsburg, Virginia in the early eighteenth century. His second book, Hogtown: Memories of Madison Heights, Virginia, was published in 2008 and records the story of life in a central Virginia blue-collar community in the mid-twentieth century. Over 200 pictures document the influence of the churches, schools, and strong family values that shaped the everyday lives of a group of young Americans in the years surrounding World War II. His third book, Hogtown II, is scheduled for publication in 2009. In addition to his writing, the author is still actively involved in church work and is a frequent speaker in worship services. He and his wife, Irene, have three adult children and five grandchildren.
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Tara Maxwell
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Tara Maxwell is a Virginia native with a degree in English/Communications from Virginia Tech. She began her career in journalism as an intern with The Southwest Times in Pulaski, Va., and Virginia Economic Bridge, Inc. in Radford, Va. After writing commercial scripts for Adelphia, Inc. she worked as a reporter for The Laurinburg Exchange in Laurinburg, N.C. Following her stint in North Carolina, she moved back to Virginia and was hired by The News & Advance as a copy editor/page designer.
In 2007, Tara was asked to aid in the transition of the National Liberty Journal from tabloid newspaper to full-color features magazine. Tara is currently the managing editor of the Liberty Journal magazine, and she leads a team of six full-time writers as Promotional Content Division manager of Liberty University’s Office of University Advancement. In addition to producing the Liberty Journal, the Promotional Content Division is responsible for writing and editing copy for LU’s promotional pieces ranging from general brochures, recruitment packages, athletics posters, event postcards and formal invitations to Liberty.edu text, call center scripts and Liberty University Online emails.
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Dr. Harold Willmington
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Dr. Harold Willmington has served as a pastor (17 years from 1955-1972), a visiting professor at the American Institute of Holy Land Studies (Jerusalem, Israel), a contributing editor, author, developer of the Liberty Home Bible Institute (1976), and now serves as Dean of the Willmington School of the Bible at Liberty University, where he has served since 1972.
His education includes: Diploma, Moody Bible Institute, 1955; B.A., Culver-Stockton, 1960; Attended Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas & Ashland Theological Seminary, Ashland, Ohio; Dr. of Ministry, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois, 1981
Publications:
(By Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tenn.) The Topical Study Bible (Contributing Editor); The New Open Bible (Contributing Editor); Daily Devotional Bible (Contributing Editor); Liberty Bible Commentary (Contributing Editor);That Manuscript From Outer Space
(By Victor Books, Wheaton, Illinois) Willmington’s Survey of the Old Testament
(By Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) The King is Coming; Willmington’s Guide to the Bible; Israel at Forty; Signs of the Times; The Visualized Bible; Willmington’s Complete Guide to Bible Knowledge (a series of 6 volumes):¨Old Testament People, ¨New Testament People, ¨The Life of Christ, ¨Old Testament Survey, ¨New Testament Survey, and ¨Introduction to Theology; When It Hurts Too Much To Cry; Willmington’s Teaching Visuals; Willmington’s Books of Bible Lists; Willmington’s Bible Handbook; Willmington’s Complete Bible Outline (An alliterated overview, incorporating each of Scripture’s 31,173 verses) *Many of these books are now on CD-ROM
In 1976 Dr. Willmington developed the Liberty Home Bible Institute, a correspondence course consisting of 240 forty-five minute lectures, 80 covering the Old Testament, 80 on the New Testament, and 80 in the area of theology. In the ensuing years, over 100,000 students have been enrolled from all 50 states, plus 40 foreign countries.
For 17 years Dr. Willmington’s wife, Sue, appeared on the nationally televised Old Time Gospel Hour program as an interpreter for deaf viewers both in America and Canada. She teaches a Christian Womanhood class for Willmington School of the Bible, holds Women in the Word Bible Conferences in various states. The Willmingtons have one son, Matt, who is the Associate Pastor of Ministry Development/Family Ministries at Thomas Road Baptist Church. Matt is married to Chris, a Liberty University graduate and LCA kindergarten teacher. They have three children: Nathan, Carissa, and Abigail, students at Liberty Christian Academy and LU.
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Donalyn Parker
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Donalyn Parker is a published author with Bethany House and Harold Shaw publishers. She is a requested inspirational speaker for women conferences, churches and women retreats. She has also been featured in newspapers, magazines, radio and a guest appearance for the popular Sally Jessie Raphael show. She was a commissioned guest to the US Army dependents of military families in Bavaria Germany. She has also served as the spokesperson for the Virginia National Family Foundation and a featured speaker at the Virginia Baptist Youth Conference.
She has three books to her credit, Through a Child's Eyes, Loving your Preborn Baby, and A Reason To Live, which is recommended by the Christian Medical Association and the Christian Medical & Dental Society Life & Health Resources. Donalyn has a degree in Commercial Art and is a talented artist. Her photographs and design work has won her many awards and special recognitions. She is the sole artist of the Virginia Baptist Pediatrics Children's Gallery.
At this time, she is working on a teen novel and will be writing adult fiction in the future.
She is a member of the authors guild, society of children's book writers & illustrators and the romance writers of America.
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Marcus Christian
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Marcus Christian Christian graduated with his M.A. from Seton Hill University where he studied Writing Popular Fiction and focused on suspense/mystery fiction. He is currently an adjunct professor at Liberty University teaching English online and in the classroom. He has taught fiction writing, which I developed, has been involved with the curriculum committee in discussing an expansion of the creative writing program at Liberty University and hopes to help the current creative writing professor develop a creative writing program at LU sometime in the future. He is involved with LAMP, the on-campus literary magazine for students and alumni. He has a strong desire to continue teaching creative writing and is currently enrolled in a Master of Fine Arts program at Seton Hill University. Writing plays a major part of his life. He is currently working on compiling and completing a collection of short stories. He has recently completed a novel titled The Originals which he will begin shopping to editors when the editing is complete. He has self-published a collection of short stories he wrote during college. He enjoy all types of writing, from playwriting to screenplays to comic books. He has written and has been a part of the production of six short films based on stories he have written.
He has been married to his wife, Sarah, for four years.
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Debbie Magann
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In addition to her formal education, Debbie Magann's writing education is from the Institute of Children’s Literature (Writing for Children & Teenagers, and Beyond the Basics: Creating & Selling Short Stories & Articles) and Highlights Foundation Chautauqua Conference. She has been published in a wide variety of genres, including books magazines, and tabloid. Her articles, poems and puzzles have appeared in Appleseeds, BlabberMouth, Boys’ Quest, Fun for Kidz, and Hopscotch. Her work also appeared in the picture books Disappearing Reptiles and American Bison for Zaner-Bloser Educational Publishers (Columbus, Ohio), and the tabloid Grit (Topeka, KS). |
