Outcalt, Todd 1960–

PERSONAL:

Born October 12, 1960, in Vincennes, IN. Ethnicity: "Caucasian." Education: Indiana State University, B.A.; Duke University, M.Div.

ADDRESSES:

E-mail—teoutcalt@aol.com.

CAREER:

United Methodist pastor.

WRITINGS:

Before You Say "I Do": Important Questions for Couples to Ask before Marriage, Berkley Publishing (New York, NY), 1998, revised edition, 2006.

The Best Things in Life Are Free, Health Communications (Deerfield Beach, FL), 1998.

Meeting-Space Ideas for Youth Ministry, Group Publishing (Loveland, CO), 1998.

Seeing Is Believing! Youth Talks for Every Occasion, Abingdon (Nashville, TN), 1998.

The Heat Is On! Cool Ideas for Summertime Youth Events, Abingdon (Nashville, TN), 1998.

Holidays, Holy Days, and Other Big Days for Youth, Abingdon (Nashville, TN), 1999.

Show Me the Way: 50 Bible Study Ideas for Youth, Abingdon (Nashville, TN), 2000.

Last-minute Meetings: 101 Ready-to-go Games & Lessons for Busy Youth Leaders, Abingdon (Nashville, TN), 2001.

Candles in the Dark: A Treasury of the World's Most Inspiring Parables, John Wiley and Sons (Hoboken, NJ), 2002.

The Healing Touch: Experiencing God's Love in the Midst of Pain, Health Communications (Deerfield Beach, FL), 2005.

Author of "Nuptials" and "For the Groom," both regular columns in Bride.

SIDELIGHTS:

Todd Outcalt once commented: "When I was twelve years old, someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I said, ‘A writer.’ There was no way of knowing then, however, what it would take to become a published writer. I just knew I wanted to write. My first published piece was a three-line poem I had written as a high school senior. I was paid five dollars for my effort but didn't have the courage to tell many people about it.

"Since then, I've written mountains of material, for teenagers especially, but I continue to enjoy all types of writing and literature. Over the years I've written several novels (none yet published), hundreds of short stories and humorous pieces, and now a few books. Most of what I write, however, will never see print.

"I believe the simplest definition of a writer still holds: a writer is someone who writes. Some writing finds its way into print, other writing does not. Sometimes payment follows, sometimes not. But a writer can never forget that words still have power, that there are still many avenues of the human experience yet to be explored and recorded. Although I have written but few books, I have received mail from many corners of the earth—letters from people I'll never meet, but who have found something beneficial in my work. That's enough to keep any writer writing."