Tuesday, September 25, 2012

ACFW Conference 2012

I don't have pictures yet, bummer, but didn't want to wait too long to tell you of my experiences at conference this year. If you are serious about writing, and have yet to make the commitment to attend writing conferences, I strongly urge you to do so. Attending a conference lets editors and agents know who is serious about their writing. On Thursday, I had the priviledge of riding the shuttle from the airport to the hotel with Tina James and Melissa Endlich, editors of Harlequin's Love Inspired Line, and hopefully soon editors of mine! :) Once at the hotel, I had the joy of meeting in the coffee bar with Gina Welborn and Laurie Alice Eakes. What fun they are! Then, later that afternoon, I met with my wonderful agent, Chip MacGregor, and we came up with a game plan for the rest of 2012 and 2013. On Friday, I attended Susie May Warren's wonderful class on writing, had professional headshots done, and had an editor appointment with Tina James of Harlequin in which she requested a proposal. Yay! That evening, I went into the cute little historical town of Grapevine with Rachel Fernandez and Melissa Smith to a seafood restaurant where I ordered fish tacos Texas style. Yum. Saturday was more classes and then the wonderful Gala. I arrived home on Sunday totally and completely exhausted but feeling as if I'd finally "arrived" as an author. After six conferences, people now recognize my name and my face. In a good way, too! God willing, I plan on attending conferences every year and maybe, sometime in the future, actually mentor up and coming authors. If you're serious about writing, save your money, attend conferences, network, make appointments, make friends, have fun, and keep writing!