Directors

Eva Marie Everson, CEO

Eva Marie is one of the original five members of Word Weavers. Known as a Southern fiction writer and Bible scholar, Eva Marie teaches at writers conferences, speaks in churches, and at special events for women across the U. S. and Canada. In 2011, she served as an adjunct professor at Taylor University. Some of Eva Marie’s most notable works are: Dust; The Third Path; Reflections of God’s Holy Land; Sex, Lies, and the Media; The Potluck Club(series); Things Left Unspoken; This Fine Life; Chasing Sunsets; Waiting for Sunrise; Slow Moon Rising; The Road to Testament; Five Brides; Unconditional (novelization of the movie by the same title), The One True Love of Alice-Ann and her first children’s title, Our God is Bigger Than That! co-written with Michelle Medlock Adams. Eva Marie is a multiple award-winning author, including winning the ECPA Gold Medallion, honored as a finalist for a Christy Award, and the winner of two Retailers Choice Awards. She is a multiple Golden Scroll winner, Carol Award winner, the RWA Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award winner for 2012, and a double-Maggie Award winner. In 2023, she was awarded the Yvonne Lehman Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award by AWSA. Eva is a frequent guest of radio, television, and blogtalk radio/web shows. She lives with her husband and a very spoiled cat in Central Florida. She is a mother and grandmother.

Taryn Souders, President of Operations

Taryn’s middle grade novels have been named to multiple state award lists, including Pennsylvania, Georgia, Alaska, Ohio, Wisconsin, Alabama, Minnesota, Nebraska, Missouri, Maine, Indiana, Idaho, Nevada, Virginia, and Florida. She is also a two-time TOME Society Book Awards nominee. Her book, Coop Knows the Scoop (Sourcebooks Young Readers), was a 2021 Edgar Award nominee for Best Juvenile mystery novel, and a Maud Hart Lovelace Honor book. The Mystery of the Radcliffe Riddle (Sourcebooks Young Readers), is both an Agatha Award and an Anthony Award nominee, and a winner of the Florida Book Award. Her newest book, Secrets of the Broken House (Sourcebooks Young Readers, 2026), releases in January. She is a member of both Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime, and is the President of Operations for Word Weavers International, and the co-director of Florida Christian Writers Conference. She is represented by Sally Apokedak of Apokedak Literary Agency. Taryn currently lives in Sorrento, Florida with her husband, David, their three children, Charlie the chocolate lab, and Mordecai the cat. While she’s somewhat decent at math, she is terrible at science and has an intense dislike of tarantulas.

Tina Yeager, Director of Traditional Groups

Award-winning author, inspirational speaker, and life coach, Tina also hosts the Flourish-Meant podcast and tthe Flourish Today radio show. She publishes Inkspirations Online, a weekly devotional for writers and has won over thirty writing awards, including a 2020 Golden Scroll Award and 2013 FCWC Writer of the Year. Her fiction and nonfiction strive to clarify how we might relate better to others, to ourselves, and to God. Licensed as a counselor since 2005, she has over twenty years of teaching adults, teens, and children in academic, clinical, and faith-based settings. Yeager serves on the steering committee of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, as Director of Traditional Groups with Word Weavers International, and as an active member of the Christian Authors Network and Christian Women in Media Association. Her courses on Subdue Stress and Anxiety, Psyched Characters and Kindle your Creative Spark are available online. Her book, Beautiful Warrior: Finding Victory Over the Lies Formed Against You, helps women identify and fulfill their potential as they discover Christ-centered significance and serves her mission of empowering audiences to become heroes in the Ultimate Author’s story. Check out her newest title, Upcycled: Crafted for a Purpose (Bold Vision Books, Fall 2022).

For life coaching tips or to book her as an event speaker, check out tinayeager.com. 

Susan Holt Simpson, Director of Online Groups                         

Susan Holt Simpson oversees online groups for Word Weavers International and spearheaded their genre-focused critique groups. Her work has appeared in Focus on the Family’s children’s magazines, Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr., Ladybug Magazine, and Guideposts Online. Susan has won awards for her writing in multiple categories including children’s literature, flash fiction, poetry, and women’s fiction. Her work has been published in short story collections and inspirational works including Love and Care for the One and Only You and More Christmas Moments. Her debut book was released in 2022 with Familius Publishing. To learn more about Susan, visit her at www.SusanHoltSimpson.com.