The Speakers Bureau of the Virginia Writers Club (VWC) is a program to facilitate matches between (1) Club members who are interested in giving presentations on their writing or the art and craft of writing and (2) Club chapters or outside organizations desiring speakers for their programs. The Club will maintain a list of speakers (limited to Club members) and will make this list available to VWC Chapters, other interested parties, and the general public.

Booking speakers is not a service of the VWC; rather, it is up to any interested parties to contact and deal directly with prospective speakers, including addressing any fee, honorarium, or reimbursement for travel expenses.

Alphabetical Listing of Speakers

P. M. H. Atwater: Dr. Atwater, L.H.D., Ph.D. (Hon.), is one of the original researchers of the near-death phenomenon. Several of her findings have now been clinically verified in prospective studies and appear in... more

Patsy Anne Bickerstaff: Patsy Anne is an accomplished poet and writer of prose. Many of her poems have won awards and been published. Her book, Mrs. Noah’s Journal, was released by San Francisco Bay Press... more

Austin S. Camacho: Austin is a military journalist and public affairs specialist for the Department of Defense. He has published three detective novels – Blood and Bone, Collateral Damage, and The Troubleshooter – in the... more

John Conlee: John is a professor of English at the College of William & Mary. He specializes in medieval literature, especially Chaucer, the Arthurian legends, and Beowulf. He has a broad background in... more

Raymond DeVere-Austin (Raymond Austin): Raymond's novels, featuring Beauford Sloan, a Charlottesville-based P.I., are: Your Turn to Die, Dead Again, and The Eagle Heist. His spy thriller... more

Charles F. Finley, Jr.: Charlie is a writer, editor, and the proprietor of Verbatim Editing, a company which offers full editorial services to writers. He can speak about... more

Paul Fleisher: Paul is a writer and teacher. He has written about 30 books for young people and educators. His most recent books are Ice Cream Treats, Evolution, and... more

Linda Goodman: Author/Storyteller/Playwright Linda Goodman shares her loosely autobiographical stories with audiences throughout the country. The Albuquerque Journal has called her "one of the great living masters of... more

Sarah C. (Sally) Honenberger: A transplanted Northerner, Sally writes fiction about ordinary people with extraordinary problems from her farmhouse in the shadows of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The recipient of a fellowship... more

Karen Jones: Karen is an author, educator, and broadcast journalist. Her novel, Kingdom of Hearts, was her publisher’s best seller in 1997. Her second book, Up the Bestseller Lists, is a hands-on guide to... more

Gary Kessler: Gary, a former news agency managing editor, newspaper columnist, and movie consultant, is an author and freelance book editor, credited with nearly 100 published book projects. He can talk on... more

Pat LaLand: Pat is a former museum administrator who has served as a writer, spokesperson, and lecturer for Colonial Williamsburg and has been writing magazine and newspaper articles... more

John Lamb: During his eighteen-year police career in Southern California, John served as a homicide investigator, hostage negotiator, and detective sergeant. He’s also an author of mystery novels and... more

Joanne Liggan: Author of Heir of Deception, and presently at work on another mystery novel, Joanne is always ready to talk about her publication experiences and/or read from her novels. She also has numerous prepared lessons... more

Aleck Loker: Aleck is a retired government scientist and history buff. He has written about colonial history for various publications and has published two full-length books: Fearless Captain: the Adventuress of John Smith; and A Most Convenient Place: Leonardtown, Maryland 1650-1950. He is currently completing work on a history... more

James W. Morrison: Jim, who is retired from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, is a writer of history, drama, international affairs, short stories, essays, and poetry, some of which have been... more

Becky Mushko: Becky is a writer and educator. After retiring from Roanoke City Schools, she taught English at Ferrum College from 1999–2006. Her short stories have won many prizes, and many have been published. Among her accomplishments are... more

Barbara Shine: Barbara is a writer of personal essays and poems as well as a monthly newspaper column on adult health topics. Her essays have been published in the Washington Post "Style" and "Health" sections... more

Mary Montague Sikes: Monti is a writer, photographer, and world traveler. She is the author of Hotels to Remember, a book filled with the history and color photographs of some of the most memorable hotels... more

Sofia M. Starnes: Sofia is a poet and manuscript editor. Her poetry has been published in over 100 journals, and she has won many poetry awards and prizes (Aldrich Poetry Competition, Transcontinental... more

Jack Trammel: Jack is adjunct professor and administrator at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia. He is an active Civil War historian and scholar of disabilities, writing both for popular venues... more

Valarie Massie Watersun: Valarie is a novelist and playwright, and an award-winning journalist, author and poet. Her novel, The Quality of Blue, was released in 2004. A play, Truman’s Word, was first produced... more

Kit Wilson: Kit is a poet and writer of nonfiction. She also has experience in setting up her own business, producing hand-made books, and building web pages. She has written two books of... more

Kenneth Woodcock: Ken can give a presentation on how to write one's memoirs. In his presentation he discusses the importance of determining one’s audience, selecting the portion of one’s life to... more

L. Peter Wren LCDR USNR ret: Peter, a retired U. S. Navy lieutenant commander, is author of two self-published books, Those in Peril on the Sea (1999) and We Were There (2002). The latter book was inspired by... more

Sylvia Wright: Sylvia, a freelance lecturer and writer, is presently offering a speech, “A Writer on Writing.” She is a 20 year nonfiction freelance writer in the areas of lifestyle, communications, business, and... more

Michael S. Zbailey: Mike is a freelance writer of non fiction--mostly history with a focus on personalities. His work has been published in The Washington Post Sunday Style section (feature article), Providence... more