Meet Our Founding Members
The talented authors and writers who form the heart of our guild.
Gena B. McCown
Gena B. McCown is an award winning author, speaker, and leadership expert. She has a Divinity Degree through Christian Leaders Institute. Providing a unique voice to ministry leadership topics, Gena has a passion for developing leaders and leadership integrity whether in the secular marketplace or within ministry. As a non-fiction writer, Gena's books Women's Ministry with Purpose and Still Here and Still Struggling to Serve address the purpose and roles of women in the local church. In 2025, Gena began her "Into the Deep" series, which are 30 Day Devotionals on various topics relevant to our faith journeys. Coming in 2026, Gena will release her first book for Christian Leaders in the secular marketplace.
Visit Website →
Kim Doran
Kim, is a former Private Investigator and Cancer Warrior. Through her experiences, she has found a calling in writing poetry and self care books. She shares her personal and professional experiences in a straight-forward, no sugar coating way. Kim has a heart for those who have been mistreated and teaches small groups in writing and self growth. Always found connecting to nature, Kim sees the beauty of the Creator all around her. In addition to her books, you can find Kim at Open Mic night sharing her original poetry, speaking at Women's Ministry events, singing in Worship, and serving those the Lord puts before her. Kim, along with her husband and daughter enjoy sports, music, food, and being outdoors with their pups.
Visit Website →
Ileana Leon
Ileana Leon is a faith-based author with one goal in mind - to leave her readers with hope. Her passion for helping people shine through every page of her fiction and non-fiction books. Her novel, On the Edge of Truth, sheds light on the impact of trauma after tragedy, while her self-care book, Fear Less Living, shares her journey with anxiety and offers readers valuable tools for finding peace and relief. Ileana's early work as a paralegal and in Children and Family Services gave her a deep understanding of resilience, compassion, and the struggles people carry. These insights shape her writing. She is also a strong advocate for mental health awareness and special needs families. Beyond writing, she has led small groups and been involved in various church ministries. Ileana grew up in New Jersey, but resides in Port Saint Lucie with her husband and son.
K.M. Barrett
Kathy is a Christian author from Port Saint Lucie, Florida, with over four decades of writing news and feature stories, poetry, children's books, and ministry related materials. She holds an Associate of Arts Degree in Christian Studies. Her work focuses on faith, personal testimonies, and spiritual growth and encouragement. Her writing projects span over four decades and include contributions to numerous community publications, Christian magazines, and anthologies, including co-authoring a pictorial about Israel and sharing her personal story in "Embrace the Journey - Your Path to Spiritual Growth." "For the Love of Big Balooka" won a 2021 Story Monster Seal of Approval, Ranking #1 in Amazon Religious Children's Fiction.
Wanda Lilly-Weathersby
Wanda has enjoyed expressing herself through words for many years. After receiving many accolades of her poetry and learning the impact her poems had on other parents going through the grief of the loss a child, she was encouraged to share her work in honor of her son Calvin. Through the unexpected loss of her beloved son, Calvin, in 2016, and later the unexpected loss of her beloved daughter Burgundy in 2022... Wanda learned to trust God even more in the storms of life. She lives in Florida with her loving husband Ric. Wanda enjoys exercising, encouraging those she encounters, and enjoys traveling. When Wanda is not writing poetry, she enjoyed spending time with family and friends.
