 Robert Beattie is the author of the 2005 bestseller Nightmare in Wichita: The Hunt for the BTK Strangler, basis for the CBS/Sony made-for-television movie The Hunt for the BTK Killer.
His forthcoming true crime book is The Language of Evil – about a Kansas State University English Department linguistics professor who murdered his ex-wife. "The Four Trials of Mr. Big,” is a chapter in the forthcoming true crime story anthology Cold Case Kansas: True Crime Stories from America’s Heartland, about Leroy Willcox, accused of operating a multi-million dollar criminal empire. His sensational 1984-1985 trials were the first in Sedgwick County, Kansas, to permit a television camera in the courtroom.
Beattie has worked as an attorney, firefighter, ambulance medic, college instructor, and aircraft machinist. He earned university degrees with majors in Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Human Resources Management, and Law.
![[graphic dot]](../images/orangedot.gif) "BTK: Surprised by a Bestseller"
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 Christie Breault won her first writing award, sponsored by the Daughters of the American Revolution, while in 6th grade. Now a published author, she brings her own stories and background as an elementary educator to inspire students to use their authentic Kansas voice and write works that could later be judged by authors at the local, regional and state level. Her first novel, Logan West: Printer’s Devil is based in 1874 Wichita.
"Ideas from the Heartland"
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 Charles Goolsby has been a high school and junior high school teacher for 26 years, teaching drama and English. He is currently the drama director at Lawrence High School, Lawrence, KS. Charles has directed over forty shows in that time including the time he did two different musicals two weeks apart at two different schools! He is especially drawn to musicals and has been known to be in them himself. He holds a BS in Literature from Tarkio College, Tarkio, MO, and a MLA from Baker University, Balwin City, KS, where he was named the Outstanding Liberal Arts and Education Student for the December 2004 class.
"An Hour with Will Shakespeare"
 Mike Klaassen is the author of two young-adult novels, Cracks and The Brute. “My goal,” says Klaassen, “is to write novels that even the most reluctant readers will enjoy.”
Mike has posted numerous book reviews on Amazon.com and is a frequent contributor of articles to Helium.com. He is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, the Kansas Authors Club, and the Kansas Writer’s Association. His current projects include a novel set during the War of 1812.
"Scene and Sequel"
"Point of View"
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 Joyce Livingston is a Christian Romance author, voted Heartsong’s Favorite Author for 2006, 2005, 2004, and 2003.
Her books releasing in 2007 include Invasion of the Widows' Club [Women's fiction]; American Wedding Series titles Colorado Weddings, Rhode Island Weddings, and Tennessee Weddings; and Pretend Family in a collection with three other authors.
Joyce wrote her first romance novel in 1985. Guess what? It came back rejected. Crushed and heartbroken, she put that manuscript in a closet and never tried writing romance again until 1997. She now has published 34 books, including one to Harlequin’s Steeple Hill line, and 6 more contracted and in the works.
"You Gotta Wanna, You Gotta Do It"
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 Stan Nelson will deliver the KAC convention keynote address as well as a workshop. Nelson is Museum Specialist Emeritus, Smithsonian Institution and at the
National Museum of American History. His career has focused on the history of printing technology, with an emphasis on methods employed during the first four centuries of printing. His particular focus is on typefounding. He is currently working on a book about this history and the use of type moulds, called The Typefounders' Handmould.
"Printing at the Smithsonian"
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 Roxie Olmstead calls herself “a late bloomer.” Her first article, published at the age of sixty, started her first scrapbook of published works. She is now into a second scrapbook. Although she writes in a variety of genres, she favors non-fiction. Her historical research on Butler County’s people, places and events has produced twenty-one writings and a number of prizes. Roxie gives presentations to clubs, schools and churches on some of those topics. She shares her convention topic with writer Annette Wood.
"Working with Words"
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 Carol Macalister Reynolds is a pastor's wife, mother, teacher of all grades, tutor, editor, volunteer at Wesley Medical Center... who delights in poetry, music, and children. Born in Wisconsin, she met her husband, a Wichita native, on a church youth study trip to Hawaii. They subsequently lived in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and on three of the Hawaiian Islands before returning to Wichita in 1999 to care for his father and live in Pastor Craig's home of origin. They serve a small Congregational church in Sedgwick.
Carol edited "Hawaii Haiku," a poetry column in The Honolulu Advertiser, from 1975-1999, also columns in The Maui News, The Orchid Isle Magazine, and The Southborough Villager. She edited two books of haiku and has taught numerous classes.
"Fun with Haiku"
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 Frankie Roland has always loved to write. When raising her four children she wrote for the religious market. While teaching she wrote for the educational markets. But her first love has always been writing inspirational pieces. Some articles are in These Are My People, a devotional book. One Sunday School story has been made into a children’s book, The Stubborn Tooth. Her one novel, To Even The Score, calls on her years as teacher, addressing the problem of child abuse.
Growing up in East Tennessee, she says she still speaks “Appalachanese.”
While following her United Methodist minister husband, Arnold, from parsonage to parsonage for 51 years, she has earned degrees from Kansas Wesleyan, Pittsburg State and Wichita State. She was District 3 president for six years and is a member of Night Writers of Coffeyville.
"Inspirational Pieces—The Dessert of Writing"
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 Deb Seely has published two historical fiction novels for young adults. Her book Grasslands made Bank Street’s List of Best Children’s Books and won the Society of Midland Authors award for juvenile fiction. Ms. Seely holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Wichita State University. She taught junior high and high school English, taught English and Children’s Literature to college students, and now writes full-time and works with children throughout the state.
"Life As Story"
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 Daniel Spees teaches English at Hutchinson Community College. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, grew up in Oregon and Washington, and has lived in Kansas since 1992. He received a BA in English from Whitman College, an MA in English from Emporia State University, and an MFA in Poetry from Wichita State University. His poems have appeared in The Midwest Quarterly, The Mid-America Poetry Review, Mississippi Mud, Thorny Locust, Coal City Review, Blueline, and many other journals. A chapbook, Michelangelo's Snowman, was published in 2006 by Oil Hill Press. He won the prize for poetry in the adult category from Kansas Voices in 2006. A volume of his poems, Asleep in the Orchard Grass, is forthcoming from Woodley Press. Spees lives in Hutchinson, Kansas with his wife and children.
"Place of Poetry"
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 Annette Wood’s recent book, A Different Kind of Kin : For Relatives of Persons With Autism is not a cotton-candy story. She wrote it from the perspective of a sibling who grew up in the fifties with a sister who had autism. Personal stories from the viewpoint of a sibling are rare. This book will be released in October 2007 by Kansas Windmill Press.
Annette Wood has had more than 400 articles published in over forty publications. She belongs to River City Writers, Wichita Professional Communicators and Kansas Authors Club.
Annette is a former teacher of students with learning disabilities. She has a BS from Phillips University in English Education and an MS in Learning Disabilities from Emporia State University. She shares her convention topic with writer Roxie Olmstead.
"Working with Words"
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This information was provided by
Annette Wood, District 5
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