WRITING BACKGROUND:

Best-selling author of hundreds of shorter pieces, 38 books, and 14 updated editions targeted to four age levels: 2 picture books; 9 middle-reader devotionals; 21 juvenile/teen novels; 4 adult nonfiction.

Series include: Young Readers (2 devotional books); Let’s-Talk-About-It Stories for Kids (4 books, each with approximately 25 short stories about making choices); Adventures of the Northwoods (10 novels); Riverboat Adventures (6 novels) – The new edition called Freedom Seekers series and includes a study guide in every novel; Viking Quest (5 novels).

Shorter pieces include:
Narrative persnal experience articles and how-to articles for wide variety of magazines. Christmas programs for adults and chldren, poetry, and lyrics for hymns.

Work translated into 12 languages. Reader mail from over 40 countries.

In the fifth Viking Quest novel I wrote about Leif Erikson’s settlement at
L’Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland. When I thanked Dr. Birgitta
Linderoth Wallace, Senior Archaelogist (emeritus), for the enormous
amount of help she gave me, Birgitta replied, “What good is it to know
something unless we pass it on?”

 

INSPIRATIONAL AND MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKING:

Adult church or community groups

Lois has spoken in a wide variety of church and community situations. These include special events, workshops, adult classes, retreats, and national conferences in mainland U. S., Hawaii, and Canada.

For special events tell Lois about your church or community group. Ask about her topics for area-wide retreats.

Seasonal topics for special events

One-hour topics:

  • How to Hear the Voice of God
  • Healing from the Inside Out
  • How to Encourage Yourself in the Lord
  • Exchange Your Wounds for God-Esteem
  • Using Books to Help Kids Grow(New topics continually developed)

Day or week-end retreat for women:

  • Rekindling Your First Love
  • Using Hard Times to Grow in God

“You talked about the things that mean a lot to us.
Yet you also concentrated on what is most important
to everyone in the body of Christ.”

TOPICS FOR MEDIA INTERVIEWS:

  • How to Help Your Child Love Books
  • Using Fiction to Inspire a World View
  • One-liners That Can Help Your Child, Tween, or Teenager Win Others as needed

TEACHER OF WRITING:

As an editorial associate for Writer’s Digest School, Lois taught courses in writing short stories and novels. A public school teacher in Wayzata, MN, she taught 8th, 9th, and 10th grade English.

For student groups ranging in age from third to 12th grade Lois especially enjoys teaching them how to plot a story and/or develop characters.

Her teaching of writing at conferences includes keynoting, endnoting, comprehensive classes, plenary sessions, panels, and one-hour workshops. For comprehensive classes, one-day workshops, and university short-term courses Lois teaches how to write fiction (short stories and novels), or beginning and advanced nonfiction (the most commonly published kinds of articles). For many of the following groups she has spoken on more than one occasion.

 

PARTIAL LIST OF LOIS’ TEACHING:

Christian schools or bookstores:

  • NorthPointe Elementary School, Grand Rapids, MI
  • NorthPointe Middle School, Grand Rapids, MI
  • Freedom Baptist Schools, Grand Rapids, MI
  • Our Redeemer Christian School, Minot, ND
  • Plotting a Short Story Workshop for Teens & Adults, Northwestern Bookstore, Maple Grove, MN
  • Minnehaha Academy, Minneapolis, MN
  • Delevan Christian School, Delevan, WI
  • North Heights Academy, St. Paul, MN
  • Young Writer’s Institute, Northwestern Bookstore, Burnsville, MN
  • High Point Christian School, Madison, WI
  • Tri-State Christian School, Galena, IL
  • Young Writer’s Fiction Event: Northwestern Bookstores, Burnsville and Maple Grove, MN

Public schools:

  • Carlos Elementary School, Carlos, MN
  • Lincoln Elementary School, Alexandria, MN
  • Garfield Elementary School, Garfield, MN
  • Elementary and Middle Schools, Grantsburg, WI
  • Elementary School, Hayward, WI
  • Poplar Ridge Elementary, Bloomington, MN
  • Middle School, Siren, WI
  • Elementary School, St. Croix Falls, WI
  • Normandale Hills Elementary, Bloomington, MN
  • Middle School, Unity School District, Balsam Lake, WI
  • Cedar Island Elementary, Maple Grove, MN
  • Illinois School for the Deaf, Jacksonville, IL (with an interpreter)

State or Regional Home Educator Groups:

  • Christian Home Educators State Conference, Jamestown, ND, 2009
  • Twin Ports Home Educators Conference, Northland CORE, Duluth, MN, 2009
  • MACHE (Minnesota Association of Christian Home Educators) State Convention, 2004 and 2006

Area-wide groups:

  • Fargo, ND/Moorhead, MN
  • Roseville, MN
  • Chippewa Falls, WI
  • Richfield, MN
  • St. Paul, MN
  • Fergus Falls, MN
  • Grand Rapids, MN
  • Amery, WI
  • Alexandria, MN
  • Glenwood, MN

“We thoroughly enjoyed hosting you for this magnificent
seminar in Fargo/Moorhead. I have heard on many occasions
how wonderful you were in working with our kids…and many
parents were touched when you prayed for our children. You
were beyond a special speaker, and a teacher who cared for
our children from your very heart. So, we wish to thank you
for the privilege of hosting you.”

—Sherrie Frank, Coordinator, Day With An Author Seminar
R.E.A.C.H. Home Educators Group
Fargo, ND/Moorhead, MN

Universities, colleges, and technical schools:

  • Comprehensive Fiction classes, University of the Nations, Tyler, TX (3 times); Orange, CA; Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
  • Early Childhood Conference, Alexandria Technical School, Alexandria, MN
  • Journalism and English classes, Itasca Community College, Grand Rapids, MN
  • Midwest Writer’s Conference, University of Wisconsin, River Falls (3 times)
  • Writer’s Conference, University of Wisconsin, Madison
  • Minnesota High School Press Association Convention, University of Minnesota, St. Paul

Young Author Events:

  • Young Authors’ Conference, Hiawatha Valley Education District, Winona, MN, 2006
  • Young Authors’ Day, Burnett County area schools, Siren, WI
  • Conference for Young Authors, Southwest State University, Marshall, MN

Christian writer’s conferences, one-day/one-person workshops, and classes:

  • Decision Magazine’s School of Christian Writing, Minneapolis (9 times), and Toronto, Canada Greater Philadelphia Writer’s Conference, Philadelphia, PA (3 times)
  • Wartburg Seminary Writer’s Conference, Dubuque, IA
  • Green Lake Writer’s Conference, Green Lake, WI
  • Brite Christian Writer’s Conference, Omaha, NE
  • Warner Pacific College Writer’s Conference, Portland, OR
  • Christian Writer’s Seminar, Syracuse, NY
  • Timber-Lee Writer’s Conference, East Troy, WI
  • North Heights Lay Ministry Training Center, St. Paul, MN
  • Minnesota Christian Writer’s Guild, Minneapolis, MN: monthly meetings or one-day, one-person workshops (several times)

Public & Christian library groups:

  • National Church Library Association Conference, Bloomington, MN, 2006, 2008
  • Gustavus Adolphus College Library Associates annual Author Day, Minneapolis, MN
  • University of Wisconsin River Falls Library (professors sent their classes), River Falls
  • Lutheran Church Library Association National Conference, Minnetonka, MN
  • Baldwin Public Library, Baldwin, WI
  • Amery Public Library, Amery, WI
  • Lutheran Church Library Association area-wide gatherings: Mankato, MN; Milwaukee, WI; Cushing/St.Croix, WI; Forest Lake, MN
  • St. Croix Falls Public Library, St. Croix Falls, WI
  • Galaxie Public Library, Apple Valley, MN
  • Minot Public Library, Minot, ND

Other groups:

  • Northwest Children’s Book Conference (public librarians and public school teachers), Trego, WI, 2004
  • Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, Writing History Workshop (national audience), Walnut Grove, MN, 2000
  • Northwest WI Teacher-Librarian Conference, University of Wisconsin, River Falls, luncheon speaker, 1996
  • St. Croix Valley Reading Council (northwest WI public school teachers), dinner speaker, 1994
  • Christian Booksellers’ Association regional convention, Duluth, MN, dinner speaker, 1992