2025 Webinars

For information on how to view recorded webinars, contact the FHLCW VP.

January 2025

Pinterest: An Author’s Secret Weapon with Kristi Woods
January 21, 2025 at 7:00 PM Eastern

With over 522 million monthly active users, including a fast growing number of 18-34 year olds, authors can tap into an often-unused resource for audience building, brand exposure, and book sales–all with minimal time or interface compared to popular social media channels. In this session, we’ll learn what Pinterest is and why we might use it, dip in with a quick overview of intriguing stats and helpful usage, and aim for a bright future with resources to know and grow Pinterest as our very own secret weapon.

February 2025

Mastering the Art of Writing Great Back Cover Copy and Blurbs with Lisa Carter
February 18, 2025 at 7:00 PM Eastern

Whether an indie, hybrid or traditionally published author, mastering the art of the blurb is an essential skill in the writer’s toolkit. The blurb/bcc exists for the purpose of introducing an editor/agent/reader to the story into which you’ve poured your heart. The writer can utilize the bcc over and over again in a variety of ways—as a pitch to an editor or agent; in a query letter or proposal; or in marketing and expanding an author brand.

Lisa Carter is the Publishers Weekly bestselling and award-winning author of more than thirty contemporary romance, historical and romantic suspense novels. Two of her books have won Carol Awards—Under a Turquoise Sky and The Christmas Bargain. The Stronghold won a Daphne du Maurier Award for romantic suspense. When she’s not working on her next novel, she loves spending time with family and teaching writer workshops. Lisa enjoys traveling and researching her next fictional adventure. A native North Carolinian, she has strong opinions on barbecue and ACC basketball. Visit Lisa at lisacarterauthor.com for more information about her books or to sign up for her newsletter.

April 2025

How To Share a Spiritual Message Through Dialogue with Jaime Jo Wright
April 15th, 2025 at 7:00 PM Eastern

Sharing spiritual truths in fictional form can be challenging and sometimes it can also be too cookie-cutter. But there are unique and creative ways to use character dialogue to impact your readers with a message that can be delivered organically and more real-to-life. Join Jaime Jo Wright as she explores the designation of character dialogue, the depth of character dialogue, and the delivery of character dialogue as it relates to a spiritual message in story.

Jaime Jo Wright is a multi-award-winning and best-selling author with over 150,000 books sold. She writes Gothic mystery and thriller, while enjoying her quirky life with six felines, one axolotl, and a plethora of fish. Oh yes, and she’s married and has two kids also. Find out more at www.jaimewrightbooks.com or her podcast madlitmusings.com

May 2025

Status: What No One Is Teaching You About Characterization with Steven James
May 20, 2025 at 7:00 PM Eastern

Multi-dimensionality for all characters (including antagonists and protagonists) depends on varying their status. Characterization is brought out by showing how a character acts in relationship to other characters. Learn how to understand the dance of submission/dominance that every relationship has and how situational and substantive status affect every character in your novel.

Steven James is a critically acclaimed author of twenty novels and numerous nonfiction books that have sold more than 1 million copies. His books have won or been shortlisted for dozens of national and international awards. In addition, his stories and articles have appeared in more than eighty different publications, including the New York Times. He is also a popular keynote speaker and professional storyteller with a master’s degree in storytelling. In 2020, he was inducted into the Christy Award Hall of Fame for excellence in fiction writing, and Publishers Weekly has called him “[a] master storyteller at the peak of his game.” When he’s not writing or speaking, you may find him playing basketball or disc golf, or hiking near his home in the Appalachian Highlands of East Tennessee. He may or may not watch too many science fiction movies while eating bottomless bowls of chips and salsa.

June 2025

One Sheet To Pitch Them All with Edwina Kiernan
June 17, 2025 at 7:00 PM Eastern

What is a one-sheet? And who should use one, and when? This valuable yet often misunderstood item is a vital tool to not only help others grasp and love your story, but to help you stay focused and clear about where your story fits, and why it needs to be told. Join award-winning Christian historical romance author Edwina Kiernan to solve the riddle of the One Sheet To Pitch Them All, and discover the creative and marketing power of this simple, single sheet.

Edwina Kiernan is the Christian author of nine novels, four of which are award-winning. She is a committed follower of Jesus (the Living Word), and endeavors to use her pen to point others to Him. When she’s not writing, Edwina loves spending time with her dashing husband and lively little son, reading and studying the Bible, getting lost in a captivating novel and drinking more types of tea than most people realize even exist. Sign up for her weekly newsletter and get a free Victorian romance novel: https://edwinakiernan.com/freebook

August 2025

Using Tension to Glue Your Readers to the Page with Michelle Griep
August 19, 2025 at 7:00 PM Eastern

Ready to turn casual page-flippers into breathless, can’t-stop readers? This hands-on workshop dives deep into the craft of tension—how to build it, stretch it, and twist it until your readers are hooked. Whether you’re writing romance, mystery, fantasy, or historical fiction, you’ll learn practical tools to raise stakes, sharpen conflict, and keep eyes glued to your story. Come prepared to learn how to supercharge your scenes!

Michelle Griep is an award-winning author known for her captivating historical romances. With a keen eye for detail, she pens tales that transport readers to the past where they’ll experience romance, adventure, and unforgettable characters. When she’s not writing, you can find her in her garden scaring away armadillos.

July 2025

Using Body Language In Writing with Tara Johnson
July 15, 2025 at 7:00 PM Eastern

Understanding body language, micro-expressions, and posture is the ultimate way to ‘show and not tell’. Body language adds tremendous depth to dialogue, sets tone, and shows readers how a character’s emotions reflect in their behavior. This workshop will teach the student how to use universal body language to give their characters rich emotion, as well as teach how to spot deception and bumps in verbal language that reveal inner motive. This class will also use examples from real life, including transcripts and videos from confessed serial killers and public figures.

Tara Johnson is an author and speaker, and loves to write stories that help people break free from the lies they believe about themselves. Her debut novel Engraved on the Heart (Tyndale) earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly, and was a finalist in the Carol and Christy awards. Tara has been published by Tyndale House, Annie’s, and Guideposts. In addition to being published in a variety of digital and print magazines, she is a certified body language expert and has been on radio, television and podcasts. Tara, her husband, and children live in Arkansas.

October 2025

How To Write a Stellar Synopsis with Jessica R. Patch
October 21, 2025 at 7:00 PM Eastern

Writing a synopsis either before or after the written draft can cause many aspiring writers and authors anxiety, but a lot of those chores you’ve put off seem to get done during that time! In this class, Jessica will help writers see that synopsis writing is actually the first exploration of the story where creativity abounds and doesn’t lock an author out of exploring new and exciting elements in the manuscript. She will help participants break down the key elements of the synopsis, as well as teach how to include Deep POV, voice, and writing style then pare it down and polish.

New York Times and Publishers Weekly Bestselling Author, Jessica R. Patch has penned over 30 novels and is known for her pulse-pounding plots, emotionally charged characters, and signature twists. Jessica’s stories explore themes of justice, resilience, and the unshakable power of hope.

When she’s not getting into fictional mischief with her characters, you can find her cozy on the couch in her mid-south home reading books by some of her favorite authors, down the street at the Mexican restaurant, or collecting recipes to amazing dishes she’ll probably never cook.