Tuesday, September 17, 2013

ACFW Conference 2013

It's a very surreal experience when people you don't know, recognize your face and/or your name. When folks come up and say, "I read your book and loved it!" When fellow writers exchange business cards vowing to be friends for a very long time. When you hit it off with that one special someone! Oh, I made so many new friends. And there were many highlights this year.

Friday night was the genre dress up night. I went as a Harvey Girl with writer Sharon Lavy. She made the aprons, thank you so much. I'm not near the seamstress she is. One person actually recognized our characters.
 
Saturday night the Harlequin Heartsong authors in attendance went to dinner together and I got to meet my editor, Kathy Davis. What a sweetie, and a great sense of humor!

 
Best-selling author, Frank Peretti, was awarded the life-time achievement award, but the line was too long for me to get a picture with him. So here you go ... from a far.

It's always a special time to meet one-on-one with my agent, Chip MacGregor. Here he is with one of the other agents from his agency, Amanda Luedeke. I borrowed this off FB, hope Amanda doesn't mind.
 
I sat and talked with best-selling author, Brandilyn Collins for forty-five minutes. She truly has a heart for God. A very special woman.

I met so many wonderful people, but here are me with a few I could actually tie down. The gala was a riot with Gina Welborn and Bonnie Calhoun.

Here's me and Rachel Smith and new friend, author Beth Goddard.


Here is me and Michelle Ule, one of the other authors in the A Pioneer Christmas collection. So nice to meet her!

I finally got to hang with author Kaye Dacus, after hearing what a riot she is. All the rumors were true. Here's Rachel Smith and Kaye Dacus.

I met so many other wonderful people and made friends I'll treasure forever. Someone also told me that I'm one of the biggest ebook sellers in the CBA, but I'm not sure that's true. Either way, I'll thank the Lord and enjoy the experience. I can not wait until next year when conference will be in St. Louis.