Vonda Skelton is a frequent speaker at women’s events and writer’s conferences. She is always described as energetic, delightful, and laugh-out-loud funny. Beginning in 1999 with 75 women at her local church women’s retreat, Vonda’s speaking ministry has seen consistent growth during the past seven years. In the past 18 months, she has spoken to 19 Christian groups throughout the southeast, with forays into other states. She is a graduate of both CLASServices and Proverbs 31 Ministries, is a member of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and is listed with CLASS Speakers Services, Find Christian Speakers.com, and Women’s Ministry.net.

Vonda is the author of a Christian children’s/YA series, including Bitsy and the Mystery at Amelia Island (Silver Dagger Mysteries, 2005) and Bitsy and the Mystery at Tybee Island (Silver Dagger Mysteries, 2003, second printing). The third book in the series, set on Hilton Head Island, is scheduled for release in spring 2007. Regal Books will release her adult trade book Who Put a Stop Payment on My Reality Check in January 2008. She is a contributing author to Wayne Holmes’ compilation, Embrace of a Father (Bethany House, 2006). As a freelance writer, her magazine credits include Focus on Your Child, Clubhouse Magazine, New Man Magazine, HomeLife, Christian Single, Family Doctor Magazine, Healthy Living, Let’s Worship, The Charlotte World newspaper, and many others. She is the four-time winner of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference First Place Scriptwriting award.

In addition to her women’s ministry, Vonda frequently speaks at elementary, middle and high schools, presenting her Writing is Fun! workshops, as well as conducting week-long Writer-in-Residence programs. As of summer 2006, she has spoken to over 10,000 students across the southeast. She is co-director of the Christian Writer’s Den Writing Retreat and two writing critique groups and is a frequent guest writing instructor at Greenville Technical College in Greenville, SC.

As a women’s ministry team member at Westside Baptist Church in Simpsonville, SC, Vonda leads Bible studies, has coordinated the mentoring ministry, and participates in short-term foreign missions. She also sings with the praise team and choir, and is a church drama director.

Vonda is an RN and lives in South Carolina with Gary, her husband of 37 years. She has two married daughters, and four grandchildren.