Staff
Tessa Emily Hall - Acquisitions Editor
Rachelle Rea Cobb - Editor
Tessa Emily Hall writes inspirational yet authentic YA fiction to show teens they’re not alone. The debut novel she penned at 16-years-old, PURPLE MOON (LPC Books) was a Selah 2014 Finalist. Her second YA novel, UNWRITTEN MELODY, released with Clean Reads fall 2016. She makes way too many lattes but can never read enough books. Her passion for shedding light on clean entertainment and media for teens lead her to a career as a Jr. Agent at Hartline Literary Agency, YA Acquisitions Editor for Illuminate YA (LPC imprint), and Founder/Editor of PursueMagazine.net.
When Tessa’s fingers aren’t flying 116 WPM across the keyboard, she can be found speaking to teens, decorating her insulin pump, and acting in Christian films. She writes in a small town nestled between the Blue Ridge Mountains and Southeastern coast. Her favorite way to procrastinate is by connecting with readers on her blog, mailing list, social media (@tessaemilyhall), and website: www.tessaemilyhall.com.
Rachelle Rea Cobb has history with words. She penned her first short story in middle school, her first novel right out of high school, and signed a three-book publishing contract right after college. Her Steadfast Love series is the tale of a Catholic maiden entrenched in the Dutch Revolution–and the redheaded Protestant man who brings her to love and faith.
But Rachelle believes writing isn’t all heart and art; it’s structure and syntax, to​o. ​One of her favorite things to do is help others polish their own pages until they shine.
She lives in a seaside Southern town with her new husband, who shares the name of Rachelle’s first fictional hero—even though she hadn’t yet met her husband when she wrote three books about a man with the same first name! She drives a pick-up truck and is addicted to all the different kinds of Oreo​s.​
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She blogs when inspiration strikes at http://RachelleReaCobb.com. She loves to hear from her readers, and you can reach her via Rachelle@RachelleReaCobb.co​m.​
Rachel Pfeiffer is currently a junior at Taylor University earning a bachelor’s degree in Professional Writing. She has a passion for the written word, and enjoys helping others develop and tell their stories. As a freelance writer, Rachel has published a variety articles, including book reviews, devotions, and journalism articles. In addition to her love of reading, Rachel enjoys cheering for her favorite sports teams, drinking great coffee, and spending time with family and friends.
Hope Bolinger is a professional writing major at Taylor University. Over 60 of her articles have been seen in publications such as Church Libraries and The Echo.
Rachel Pfeiffer
Hope Bolinger
Lincoln Reed is a film and professional writing student at Taylor University where he has served as Staff Writer and Sports Editor for the school newspaper, The Echo. In the fall of 2016, he completed two screenwriting internships in Los Angeles. He’s a contributor to The Secret Place daily devotional, The Aboite Independent, Evangelical Church Library Association, and The Odyssey Online. His passions include publishing, reading, writing, and baseball.
Lincoln Reed
Hanna Smith
Hanna Smith is currently earning her bachelor’s degree in Professional Writing at Taylor University. As a freelance writer, Hanna has been published in a variety of publications and enjoys aiding others on their writing journeys. She is a self-proclaimed bibliophile and enjoys writing, drawing, and creating fun costumes.
Diana L. Sharples
Diana L. Sharples holds a BFA in communication design from the Atlanta College of Art, with a focus on illustration. She has produced award-winning illustrations, and her work has appeared in speculative fiction publications in the U.S. and Great Britain. She also co-edited an online speculative fiction magazine, Electric Wine, from 1999 to 2001. Creating illustrations allowed her to combine her artistic skills with her love of storytelling.
In 2005 she shifted the focus of her writing to contemporary fiction for young adults. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and was once nominated for Mentor of the Year for her work with an online critique group focused on YA fiction. Her debut novel, Running Lean, received several pre-publication awards and was published in 2013.
Diana lives in Georgia with her husband and college-age daughter and a house full of rescued pets. She occasionally performs on percussion with the worship band at her church and has worked with the student group, including helping to chaperone 45 students through the New York City subways on a mission trip. She can often be found riding her Harley around the mountains of northern Georgia.