2026 Conference faculty
Check back as more exciting faculty members are added to the roster!
TD Donnelly
Thomas Dean Donnelly has been a professional screenwriter for over 30 years. In that time he has written on projects that have grossed over a billion dollars worldwide. He has adapted the classic works of writers such as Ray Bradbury, Clive Cussler, Stan Lee, and Robert E Howard. He’s worked on franchises from Voltron to Uncharted, and from Marvel’s Doctor Strange to The Walking Dead. His feature credits include Sahara starring Matthew McConaughey, and Conan the Barbarian. During the Hollywood writers strike he wrote his first novel: YEAR OF THE RABBIT, followed by YEAR OF THE HORSE, and YEAR OF THE SERPENT, all spy thrillers.
Todd Fahnestock
Todd Fahnestock is an award-winning, #1 bestselling author of fantasy for all ages and winner of the New York Public Library’s Books for the Teen Age Award. Threadweavers and The Whisper Prince Trilogy are two of his bestselling epic fantasy series. He is a founder of Eldros Legacy—a multi-author, shared-world mega-epic fantasy series—three-time winner of the Colorado Authors League Award for Writing Excellence, and two-time finalist for the Colorado Book Award for Tower of the Four: The Champions Academy (2021) and Khyven the Unkillable (2022). His passions are great stories and his quirky, fun-loving family. When he’s not writing, he travels the country meeting fans, talks philosophy with his son, plays board games with his wife, dissects movies with his daughter, and plays to the point of bruises with Galahad the Weimaraner.
Visit Todd at toddfahnestock.com.
Brook Bhagat
Brook Bhagat (she/her) is the author of Only Flying, a Pushcart-nominated collection of surreal poetry and flash fiction on paradox, rebellion, transformation, and enlightenment from Unsolicited Press. Her writing has won or placed in the top two in contests at Loud Coffee Press, A Story in 100 Words, and the Pikes Peak Library District 2023 fiction contest, and her poem, “Ghazal on Fire,” was a finalist for the 2024 Spiritual Literature Prize in Poetry. Her poetry has appeared in Monkeybicycle, Empty Mirror, Soundings East, Anthem: A Tribute to Leonard Cohen, Rat’s Ass Review, Lamplit Underground Magazine, Ripples on the Pond: Meditation, and other literary magazines and anthologies. She is a founding editor of Blue Planet Journal and the founder and facilitator of The Nearby Universe writers’ group. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing and is an Assistant Professor of English, Poetry, and Creative Writing at Pikes Peak State College. She facilitates workshops, readings, and other literary events for the college and the public. Two new collections, Exodus with Red Delicious and I Drink from an Ear: Real Ghazals, are forthcoming from Unsolicited Press in 2026 and 2027, respectively. Read her work and contact her through brook-bhagat.com, and follow her on social media @BrookBhagat.
Brook's Sessions:
Stop Making Sense: The Exquisite Corpse and other Surrealist Games
Breaking logic is a powerful tool that can release wild, creative images and deep insights from your unconscious into your poetry. Learn about the roots of the Surrealist Literary Movement and play classic Surrealist games including the exquisite corpse, where we’ll make a group poem come alive.
Prose Poetry: Going Cold (or Hot on Nonsense)
Pulling back on emotional language is a simple technique that gives readers space to feel your writing more powerfully. In this workshop, we’ll use the awareness of emotional language as a tool to dial up reader engagement in emotional scenes and, conversely, humor writing. We’ll play with this method in the context of the prose poem, one of the hottest new forms of modern poetry.
Letter to a Tree: Poetry of Place
In this unique workshop, you’ll learn about the characteristics of Poetry of Place, especially imagery and tone. You will recall and meditate on a tree or other significant place from your past or imagination and write a letter to them. Then, you’ll transform it into poetry.
Fleur Bradley
Bio forthcoming.
Andrew Buckley
Andrew Buckley is a storyteller, educator, and keynote speaker with 20+ years in creative writing and marketing. Renowned for humor that stubbornly refuses to behave, he crafts captivating speculative fiction, comics, screenplays, podcasts, and immersive experiences. Creator of Deadly Dinner Parties, he brings murder, intrigue, and laughs to your table. Andrew’s engaging presentations make him a favorite at schools, colleges, writing conferences, and comic cons worldwide. He’s likely juggling too many projects right now, possibly trying to bend space and time to squeeze in more.
Andrew's Sessions:
From Concept to Script - Screenwriting Essentials
Storytelling when applied to film or TV is one of the most exciting mediums to explore. It not only improves a writer’s ability to structure story, but it provides the opportunity to look at the art of story from a different perspective. This masterclass is an interactive and engaging ‘how-to’ guide for structuring a film script, including plotting, character development, dialogue, and film theory. We’ll analyze existing film scenes and scripts while exploring and establishing the rules of scriptwriting (and also how to break those rules).
Writers Unplugged – Prompt-Powered Chaos with Zero Overthinking
Leave your inner critic at the door! It’s time to unplug your brain and let the creativity flow. This fast-paced writing jam is all about going with your gut, embracing the strange, and finding inspiration in the unexpected. Using bizarre prompts, sensory triggers, and curveball constraints, you’ll write wildly, share bravely, and maybe even rediscover your love of words. No editing. No overthinking. Just write. Recommended: Bring a weird object. Trust me <insert sly smile here>.
Twisted Tales: A Horror Writing Workshop
Join me on the dark side of story . . . This interactive, genre-bending workshop dives into the craft of writing horror by unpacking the tropes that terrify us, the fears that keep us up at night, and the story structures that make nightmares stick. Together, we’ll analyze chilling examples from film, dissect what makes them work, and then craft a complete outline for our very own horror movie—starring you and your fellow attendees. Equal parts craft session and creepy fun, this workshop blends storytelling principles with a horror twist. Not for the faint of heart!
Heather Denton
Bio forthcoming.
Cindy Gunderson
Cindy Gunderson is a voice actress, content creator, and award-winning author. Since she has commitment issues, she writes sci-fi and fantasy, plus contemporary romance and women's fiction under the pen name, Cynthia Gunderson.
After 25+ years of performing, voiceover and commercial work, instructing piano and vocal performance, and directing children's theater, she turned to audiobook narration and production. She's narrated, mastered, and produced over fifty-five audiobooks since 2020 in her home studio and has created a massive audio listener following/community on TikTok, YouTube, and other various audiobook platforms.
Cindy's first novel Tier 1 was awarded First Place in Science Fiction at the 2021 CIPPA EVVY Awards, and her women's fiction novel Yes, And was honored with the Indie Author Award's first place prize for best adult novel in the state of Colorado, 2023.
India Hayford
India Hayford's debut novel, The Song of the Blue Bottle Tree, was named a 2025 Arkansas Gem by the Arkansas Center for the Book, an affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book. Howl, a short story collection, won the 2023 Neltje Blanchan Memorial Writing Award for best work inspired by nature. Nonfiction articles have appeared in multiple publications, including Wyoming Wildlife, Needle Arts, and Threads. India's second novel, Days of Sun and Shadow, will be released by Kensington Publishing Corporation on June 30, 2026. She lives in Natrona County, Wyoming.
India's Session:
BEYOND THE REVENGE NOVEL: Incorporating personal experience and familiar locations into fiction without making it all about you.
How to create effective settings and situations based on personal experience, background, and memories without becoming a character in one’s own book. Bring paper and a pencil to experiment with creative circles and other brainstorming techniques. Sharing the results is encouraged but not required.
Cathie Hedrick-Armstrong
Cathie Hedrick-Armstrong is a literary agent at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency with nearly a decade of industry experience. A life-long lover of books, Cathie enjoys vivid memories of the exact moment she unlocked the secret code behind letters that, when combined, form words. Since then, it’s the rare occasion when she’s without a book in hand, a Kindle in her purse, or a pair of AirPods in her ears while devouring the works of whatever author is her new favorite of the month.
Born and raised in Oklahoma, Cathie is a 1992 graduate of the University of Oklahoma where she earned a B.A. in Journalism and a minor in history. She currently resides in Minnesota where she and her husband of 33 years share two grown children, a son-in-law, and a precocious black lab-mix named Ozzy.
Cathie represents romance in all categories except Science Fiction. In addition, she’s looking for Book Club Fiction, Domestic or Psychological Suspense, Horror, and select non-fiction projects.
Cathy is accepting pitches for Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.
Gina Holder
Gina Holder is a hybrid author known for her Christian romantic suspense novels and cozy mysteries. She published her debut novel, Whither Shall I Go, in 2017, marking the beginning of her writing career. Her works often weave themes of faith, redemption, and forgiveness, aiming to inspire readers with uplifting messages rooted in Biblical principles. In 2024, Gina won a writing contest, resulting in a contract with Scrivenings Press, a small press with big dreams. The Puzzle Within, the first book in The Game Masters series, released in June 2025.
Holder was raised in a family that fostered her love for books from a young age, which eventually led her to pursue a career in writing. She began writing short stories as a child and crafted her first novel by the age of twelve. Her dedication to her craft is evident as she continuously seeks to grow as an author.
Living in Wyoming with her husband and daughter, Holder balances her writing career with her role as a stay-at-home mom and an active member of her church community. When she's not writing, she enjoys activities like playing the piano, singing for worship services, cooking for her family, and indulging in Hallmark mysteries.
Holder is also an active member of the Christian readers and writers community and is involved through her social media and blog, where she shares insights, interviews, and book reviews.
Alan O'Hashi
Alan O’Hashi is an award-winning author, filmmaker, and creative coach whose work spans memoir, documentary, and social commentary. A Wyoming native, now living in Boulder, Colorado, is a longtime member of Wyoming Writers, Inc. Alan blends craft, curiosity, and community in everything he teaches. His latest venture, Best Chance Media Publishing, helps overlooked stories find their voice and their audience.
At the 2026 conference, Alan will lead lively, practical, hands-on workshops on the writing craft, focusing on topics including business, market development, structure, and elevating authentic voice. Bring your stories and be ready to write.
He’s especially passionate about helping writers turn obstacles into opportunities. If you have a manuscript that’s been rejected, shelved, or given up for lost, Alan wants to hear about it. Bring your pitch, rejection letters, and discover why it might actually be your best chance yet to be traditionally published.
Join Alan’s sessions if you’re ready to dig deep, experiment boldly, and walk away with a renewed sense of direction for your work. He believes every writer has a story worth telling and it just needs the right conversation to unlock its potential.
Alan is accepting pitches for Best Chance Media. He is most interested in manuscripts that have been previously rejected by agents and/or traditional publishers. Authors should be prepared to provide a story outline, synopsis, previous rejection letters, and an author's statement.
TO Paine
T.O. Paine is an award-winning author of fast-paced thriller suspense novels. He is a member of International Thriller Writers and holds a master’s degree in computer information systems. His high-emotion novels focus on the consequences of his character’s choices, resulting in spine-tingling, suspenseful twist endings. He has written and indie-published over five novels in the past nine years, obtaining a wealth of intense craft and book marketing experience. When he is not writing, you can find him outside, working out in the Rocky Mountains. T.O. has run fifty marathons in fifty states, ridden his road bike hundreds of miles over 10,000-foot mountain passes, and completed an IRONMAN, twice. A father of two, he resides with his wife in a suburb of Denver, Colorado.
You can find out more about T.O. at https://topaine.com.Lindsay Schopfer
Lindsay Schopfer is the award-winning author of five novels and two short story collections, including his fantasy series, The Adventures of Keltin Moore, winner of the OZMA Award from the Chanticleer International Book Awards. His short fiction has received multiple honors and has been featured in a variety of anthologies. His nonfiction includes a series of articles for ParentMap Magazine chronicling his experiences as a first-time father of twin girls.
In 2024, Lindsay was nominated as Small Business Person of the Year through the Small Business Association for his work as an independent author. He served as the Science Fiction and Fantasy chair for the Pacific Northwest Writers Association’s literary contest for several years. He also served as a volunteer mentor for Educurious, a Gates Foundation-funded program connecting at-risk high school students with professional writers. His workshops and master classes are top rated at writing conferences across the western United States.
Lindsay teaches creative writing for Pierce College and is a freelance editor with the Northwest Editors Guild. He lives in western Washington with his wife and three daughters. In his free time, he enjoys tabletop and video games, playing guitar, meditation, boxing, cooking, and learning American Sign Language.
Lindsay will be offering one on one editor consultations for a limited number of participants.
Lindsay's Sessions:
The First Draft – Just Get It Down
No amount of dreaming will make a first draft happen. It takes effort, time, and dedication to create the raw material that will eventually become a finished story. Participants in this class will learn how to handle writers block, how to postpone the need to edit, and how to course-correct midway through the process.
Telling a Story from the Inside-Out
Novels and short stories allow the writer to explore the inner thoughts of the protagonist in an in-depth, unique way. While a real person’s thoughts may be fragmented and confusing, a skilled storyteller will know how to distill the semi-random ramblings of the mind into an engaging, visceral character study. Participants in this workshop will learn how to show the character’s emotion through writing style, how to blend exterior descriptions and interior reactions, and how to avoid mental rambling from the protagonist.
Breaking the Rules like a Pro
Writing is art, and sometimes art can’t be contained by rules. Come join award-winning author and freelance editor Lindsay Schopfer as you gain an appreciation for the rules while also understanding when to temporarily set them aside. Students will learn the difference between rules and trends, how to evaluate a proposed deviation from a rule, and how to work with an editor while breaking the rules.
Joanne Spence
Joanne Spence is a certified yoga therapist, author, and spiritual director whose work sits at the intersection of nervous system health, creativity, and contemplative practice. For more than two decades, she has helped people who spend much of their lives “in their heads” reconnect with their bodies through accessible movement, breath work, and rest. Her approach is shaped by her clinical background, her ministry training, and her belief that creativity is not just a cognitive act but a full-bodied experience.
Joanne is the author of Trauma-Informed Yoga: A Toolbox for Therapists and co-author of Trauma-Informed and Trauma-Responsive Yoga Teaching: A Universal Practice. Her work is used in yoga teacher trainings, mental health programs, and seminaries around the world. She holds a doctorate in ministry with a focus on creative writing and public theology, which informs her interest in embodied storytelling, meaning-making, and sustainable creative practice.
Known for her warm, grounded teaching style, Joanne creates environments where newcomers feel welcome and experienced practitioners feel invited deeper into their own experience. Her next book, How to Die Well: A Workbook for the Living, will be released in 2026. When she’s not writing or teaching, you’ll likely find her walking, reading, or staring out a window thinking about her next paragraph.
Her current book project, How to Die Well: A Workbook for the Living, will be released in 2026.
Joanne's Session:
Embodied Writing: Tools for a Sustainable Creative Life With Dr. Joanne Spence
If you’ve ever heard “get out of your head and into your body” and thought, “Why? My head is where all the good stuff happens!”—this session is for you.
As writers, we often treat our bodies as background players to our brilliant minds. But your body isn’t just a vehicle—it’s a partner in your creative process. In this experiential, practice-based session, author and yoga therapist Joanne Spence will guide you through gentle, accessible chair-based yoga, including breath work and mindful movement.
No yoga mat (or yoga experience) required. Come in your favorite dress, jeans, or whatever makes you feel most like yourself.
You’ll leave with simple tools you can use anytime—before a writing session, after a long day, or between chapters—to support calm, clarity, and creative resilience.
Accommodations
We are working with two hotels this year to offer attendees some options.
Option 1: Stay On Site at the Ramkota
Our conference venue, the Ramkota Hotel, has a block of rooms set aside for conference attendees.
Click here to book your room at the Ramkota.
Option 2: The Hilton Garden Inn Just Up the Road
This lovely hotel about an 8 minute walk from the conference venue has also set aside a small block of rooms for us this year, including ADA rooms for attendees who need a room with mobility accommodations.
Click here to book your room at the Hilton Garden Inn
Conference Features
Our conference features a number of great benefits for attendees. Below are some of the features we offer every year! Features that are specific to this year will be added as they are confirmed!
**New for 2026** Optional Thursday Programming!
In 2026 we are offering new craft-focused and student-focused options to our offerings! For a small additional charge, you can attend an extra day of conference programming on Thursday, June 4th, that's centered on helping you expand your craft and grow as a writer!
Faculty Breakout Sessions
These workshops cover a range of topics from of the top minds in the field today. Find full class descriptions in the Faculty section of this page.
Pitch Sessions
Attendees get the opportunity to pitch their work to an agent or publisher accepting pitches for their agency or publishing house. This years pitch opportunities include:
Cathie Hedrick-Armstrong from Marsal Lyons Literary Agency:
- Represents romance in all categories except Science Fiction. In addition, she’s looking for Book Club Fiction, Domestic or Psychological Suspense, Horror, and select non-fiction projects.
- Click here to read Cathie's full bio.
Alan O'Hashi from Best Chance Media:
- He is most interested in manuscripts that have been previously rejected by agents and/or traditional publishers. Authors should be prepared to provide a story outline, synopsis, previous rejection letters, and an author's statement.
- Click here to read Alan's full bio.
Editor Consultations
Get
individual feedback on how you can best improve as a writer! Up to 20
attendees will have the opportunity to submit up to 5,000 words of their
manuscript in advance of the conference to our attending freelance
editor, Lindsay Schopfer.
At the conference, attendees who sign up for this feature will then
enjoy a 15 minute 1-on-1 consultation with Lindsay to discuss their
work, how they can strengthen their craft, and the areas they would
benefit the most from improving in. This feature involves a small extra
fee.The Paddle Panel
This perennially popular session involves a faculty panel who listen to the first pages of anonymously submitted works read aloud. When one of our faculty hears something that would make them stop reading, they hold up their paddle and the panel then gets to discuss what worked and didn't work for them about the piece.
All conference attendees can submit a single, double-spaced, first page of a fiction or non-fiction work to be read at the panel. Paddle Panel submissions are gathered at the registration table.
Critique Tables
Refine your masterpiece with feedback from your peers by attending one of our critique tables. Manuscripts are read aloud before being respectfully critiqued with constructive feedback by the others at the table.
Tables are broken up into the following categories:
- Fiction
- Non-Fiction
- YA/Children's
- Traditional Poetry
- Free Verse Poetry
Volunteer Opportunities
You may mark your interest in volunteering for these opportunities in your conference registration. If you are not attending the conference but would still like to volunteer, please email us at wyowriters@gmail.com to let us know!
Room Host
Time Commitment = Less than an hour for each session (you decide how many sessions you're willing to host)
Assigned to a specific room for a specific session. Introduces the speaker and assists them with their set-up and other needs to help the session go smoothly. Room hosts are assigned to a session they would have wanted to attend anyway, to ensure they get the most out of their conference experience.
Registration Table Volunteer
Time Commitment = Two hour shifts (you decide how many you take)
Assists with checking in conference attendees and making sure they have their name badges, goodie bags, and other conference materials. Answers basic questions about the conference and its layout as needed.
Bookstore Cashier
Time Commitment = Two hour shifts (you decide how many you take)
Checks out shoppers at the conference bookstore. Requires handling money and running a Square register.
Example Schedule
Note: Below is the schedule for our 2025 conference. It is here as an example of what you can expect, but is NOT the official schedule for 2026.
Friday, June 6th
• 8:30 AM – Registration Opens
• 8:30 - 9:30 AM – Coffee/Breakfast
• 9:15 - 9:45 AM – Opening Ceremony• 10:00 - 11:00 AM – Critique Sessions 1 (South & Central Ballrooms)
Breakout Session #1 (11:00 AM – 12:00 PM)
• Wyoming Theater – Mark Stevens: Don't Do What Gary Did
• Teton Room – Bernadette Soehner: The Fine Line Between Indie and Traditional Publishing
• North Ballroom – Matt Daly: New Maps to an Open Field
• 12:00 - 1:15 PM – Lunch on Your Own
• 12:30 PM – Bookstore Opens (Seminoe Room)
Breakout Session #2 (1:30 – 2:30 PM)
• Wyoming Theater – Mark Stevens: Write What You Don’t Know
• Teton Room – Lindsay Schopfer: From Body Language to Brawls
• North Ballroom – Nick Thacker: Marketing in 2025 (and Beyond)
• 1:30 - 5:00 PM – Pitch Sessions (Alcova & Pathfinder Rooms)
Breakout Session #3 (2:45 – 3:45 PM)
• Wyoming Theater – Amanda Cabot: Great Beginnings or How to Hook an Editor
• Teton Room – Lindsay Schopfer: Creating Original Worlds
• North Ballroom – Linda Rae Sande: Sex and Fiction Over 40
Breakout Session #4 (4:00 – 5:00 PM)
• Wyoming Theater – Amanda Cabot: Butterflies in Formation: Techniques to Tame the Fear of Public Speaking
• Teton Room – Hallie Guidry: Selling Out or Living the Dream? Freelance Editing and Ghostwriting
• North Ballroom – Linda Rae Sande: I Wrote a Book — Now What Do I Do?
• 5:00 PM – Bookstore Closes
• 5:00 - 6:30 PM – Dinner on Your Own
• 6:30 - 7:30 PM – Cocktail Hour – Meet & Greet – Author Signing
• 6:30 - 9:00 PM – Bookstore Open
• 7:30 - 9:00 PM – Open Mic
Saturday, June 7th
• 8:30 AM – Registration Opens
• 8:30 - 9:30 AM – Coffee/Breakfast
• 9:00 AM – Bookstore Opens
• 9:30 - 12:00 PM – Pitch Sessions
Session #5 (9:45 – 10:45 AM)
• Wyoming Theater – Mark Stevens: From Pulp to Meta
• Teton Room – Lindsay Schopfer: Investing in Your Writing Career
• North Ballroom – Linda Rae Sande: Fill Those Fields for Maximum Royalties
Session #6 (11:00 AM – 12:00 PM)
• Wyoming Theater – Amanda Cabot: The Balancing Act of Writing Historical Fiction
• Teton Room – Barbara Smith: Mining Your Memories• North Ballroom – Nick Thacker: Leverage Your Assets
• 12:00 - 1:30 PM – Lunch & Awards
• 1:30 - 2:30 PM – General Membership Meeting
• 1:30 - 3:00 PM – Pitch Sessions (continued)
• 3:00 - 4:00 PM – Publishers Panel
• 4:00 PM – Bookstore Closes
• 4:00 - 5:30 PM – Break
• 5:30 - 7:30 PM – Formal Banquet – Keynote Address
• 7:30 - 9:00 PM – Open Mic
• 7:30 - 9:00 PM – Bookstore Open
Sunday, June 8th
• 8:30 AM – Registration Opens
• 8:30 - 9:30 AM – Coffee/Breakfast
• 8:30 - 9:30 AM – Bookstore Last- Chance Hour
• 9:30 - 11:00 AM – Paddle Panel
• 11:00 - 11:30 AM – Closing Remarks• 11:15 - 12:15 PM – Critique Table Round 2 (South & Central Ballrooms)
• 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM – New Board of Directors Meeting (New & Old Board Members)
2026 Awards Nominations
Wyoming Writers, Inc. gives four awards every year.
- The Western Horizon - Given to writers who have had their first major publication in the last year. Multiple writers may win this award in a given year.
- The Milestone Award - Recognizes ongoing achievement in the careers of authors.
- The Arizola Magnenat - Awarded to a person, business, organization, or other entity who has given special encouragement and motivation to writers in the last year.
- The Emmie Mygatt Award - Our highest honor, recognizing an individual who has provided outstanding service to the organization in the past year.
See a full list of past award winners here.