Friday Five: 5 highlights from the ACFW conference

OK, I lied. Twice. And because I'm a terrible liar (and a Christian), I have to come clean.

LIE #1: A couple weeks ago I posted my first FRIDAY FIVE post. In it, I said (and I quote): "Every Friday, I'm going to post 'The Friday Five.' This "five" can be anything from 5 things I've learned this week to a writing-related list of 5 ways to bring your character to life. Anything goes! I hope you'll jump in on the fun."

Well, if you've been paying attention, you know I have NOT made a Friday Five post every week. In fact, this is only my second Friday Five post and it's a full 3 weeks after the first post.

LIE #2: In Tuesday's post, I said (and I quote):  "On Thursday, I'll post a few of the highlights of my trip."

Well, if you're paying attention, you know it's not Thursday. It's Friday.

Sigh...so glad you all are Christians and will find it in your hearts to forgive me these travesties.

On to the FRIDAY FIVE (which I am now saying will be posted whenever I find the time instead of every week).

FIVE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE ACFW CONFERENCE

There were many memorable moments for me from this year's ACFW conference. But here are five things that really stand out:

1. THE ARCH. What an amazing structure: 630 feet high and 630 feet wide at the base, made of stainless steel, it takes about 4 minutes to travel to the top in the tram. We didn't go up, but even the view from underneath was awesome.

2. THE FOOD. I'm a simple girl, who likes simple things. Like normal scrambled eggs, bacon, cereal, bagel. This may be boring to some people, but hey, I'm not ashamed. I get that the Hyatt is a high-class hotel. I appreciate the fact that we were pampered and spoiled. But I have to admit, my favorite meal of all was probably the turkey sandwich and chips we had for lunch on Saturday. The popular food of the week was squash, of which I'm not a fan. But those who ate it said it was wonderful, so who am I to judge? Oh - and I will say that I enjoyed every single dessert. Go figure.

Breakfast quiche and mini potatoes

White and milk chocolate gala dessert

Our gala dinner. Can't really go wrong with chicken and green beans

 
3.  THE WORSHIP - There is one thing you'll find at an ACFW conference that you just can't find anywhere else (ok, more than one, but you know what I mean). The worship. After all, at the end of the day, no matter how many books we have published or how much money we make, it's all about HIM. The one who gives us the talent, the desire, and the drive to write. At the ACFW conference, God is always at the center instead of pushed to the sidelines...and that's what makes the conference so special.

Each day starts with worship, and there's also a Harp & Bowl session on Friday night for additional time of worship. This year, the focus was on healing. On Sunday, the ACFW Choir performed. And WOW. I know I wasn't the only one moved to tears. They were beyond incredible.

The ACFW Choir

Preparing for worship. Author Rachel Hauck and her band did an amazing job!

4.  THE FRIENDS - There's nothing like reconnecting - or connecting for the first time in person - with other writers. Especially those who have been in your critique group, have been praying with you in the Prayer Loop, is a part of your blogging team, or just writers you've clicked with online. So many hugs and squeals could be seen and heard throughout the hotel halls and conference lobby. Definitely one of the highlights of the week for me.

my Hartline friends

Teresa, Connie, and June

5. THE LAUGHS - Returning home, my face hurt from smiling so much over the previous few days. Seriously, I've never smiled and laughed so much. Just a few of the many "funnies" that come to mind:

  * Liz Curtis Higgs spilling coffee on her shirt and asking Karen Ball what country the stain most resembled. They decided on New Zealand.

  * Exiting the elevator and following a woman down the hall. When she headed straight to the area where my room was located, I thought she must be rooming next to me. Then I saw her put her KeyCard up to "my" door and realized...oops... I was on the wrong floor. But how strange that she had the "same" room, just one floor below me.

  * My flying buddy, Sandy, being honored with a random pat-down at the St. Louis airport on the way home.

  *My roommate Teresa trying to fix her camera, but not being able to read the "menu" prompts because everything was in German.

   *The rotating elephants on Gala night  (already explained in a previous post)

So there you have it. 5 highlights from the ACFW conference. Did you attend this year? I'd love to hear what stands out most for you!

ACFW Conference Recap Part 2

On to FRIDAY... Started off the morning with breakfast, then worship and announcements before heading to our Continuing Education workshops. I attended Sometimes it's Better to Show than Tell, led by author Erin Healy. Erin is an excellent teacher and talked about the "rules" of writing fiction and when it's okay to break those rules. Wonderful, wonderful class, with lots of interactive discussion.

I missed the first half of my CE class because I scheduled a Mentor appointment with author Camy Tang. Even though I'd never personally met Camy before, from interacting with her a bit online, I knew I'd love her. Camy is the Genesis Contest coordinator and has authored half a dozen published books so far. I used my 15 slotted minutes to talk with her mostly about time management, as I have a really tough time "switching gears" from my non-fiction work to my fiction. I walked away with a great tip from Camy: Use a prop to help your brain "turn" from one type of writing to the other. She suggested moving the laptop to a different location, or even putting a "writing hat" on my head - something to mentally "trick" myself into getting into the right mindset. I've yet to try it, but I have a feeling that might be just what I need. Thanks, Camy!

Friday and Saturday lunch tables are hosted by editors and agents. Writers crowd around the doors, waiting for them to open so they can race to the tables - in a polite Christian way, of course -  of the editors and agents they want to connect with and/or pitch to. Since I didn't have anything to pitch, I didn't particularly care who I sat with, but when I came to editor Stephanie Broene's table, I sat down. Stephanie is an editor with Tyndale and I happen to know she went to the same high school I did, and still has family and friends who live in the same town I do, so we'd have something in common. Stephanie ended up sitting directly beside me and she was awesome. She engaged everyone at the table, listening to our ideas and giving insight into the business. 

Friday afternoon I attended a blogging/marketing/publicity workshop taught by author Shannon Vanatter. Shannon offered some great tips on the necessary business side of writing. By this time, I was mentally exhausted, so I skipped out on the next main session to rest up in my room for a bit.

We were on our own for dinner on Friday. A group of us walked a couple blocks to TGI Fridays, and enjoyed great food and conversation.

SATURDAY: After breakfast, worship, and general announcements, we broke off to our CE classes again. I finished up Erin Healy's workshop, Sometimes it's Better to Tell than Show. Good stuff!

At lunch I had the privilege of sitting at the table hosted by Sue Brower, editor with Zondervan. I met with Sue two years ago in Denver and she was so helpful to me. She was the perfect host, having us go around the table to tell what we are working on. One highlight for me was sitting right next to one of my favorite authors, Gayle Roper. And the lovely Janet Bly sat across from me. Janet's husband Stephen, author of 100 books, passed away only a few months ago. Together, they authored many books, and she and her son recently published Stephen's final western, Throw the Devil Off the Train.

The afternoon flew by with two more workshops and then it was time to go get ready for... the gala!

With roomies, Teresa and Connie

The ACFW Awards Gala is the Academy Awards for writers. Cameras flashing, lots of gushing over dresses, hugs and smiles abound. After enjoying a delicious dinner, we went straight into the awards which, for the first time ever, was broadcast live online! For a list of the winners, see THIS POST.

What an evening! Glitz, glamor, and spinning elephants were the talk of the night. For those of you who haven't yet heard, the backdrop to the stage was very cool - beautiful changing scenes of "moving" waterfalls and other designs. But then came the spinning elephants. I don't imagine it was meant to be funny, but it was! A wave of laughter flooded the ballroom and became the talk of the night. Hey...it certainly gave us something to remember about the 2011 conference.

With published authors and former crit buddies, Betsy St. Amant, Jenness Walker, and Cathy West

Our fancy shmancy dessert

What a fabulous night it was!

SUNDAY: Well, all good things must come to an end. (Boo....) We enjoyed one final breakfast and a wonderful time of worship before the conference officially ended. I took some last minute photos with friends I was leaving behind - at least physically. We constantly stay in touch via Facebook and email, but saying goodbye is never easy.

With "Romance with Cowboys" author, Mary Connealy

With new crit partner, Hilarey Johnson

Again with Cathy and Jenness

Trying to cram all of my clothes back into my suitcase, along with books I didn't arrive with and a couple items I won from the silent auction (the proceeds of which go towards conference scholarships), proved to be a challenge. But with a little strength and a prayer, I did it! Sandy and I hung out in the lobby for a bit before our fabulous taxi driver Chely came to transport us back to the airport, where my suitcase registered a whopping 43 pounds. I was sure it would be over the 50 pound limit. Sandy's was 49 pounds! Talk about cutting it close.

HOME SWEET HOME...At 9:30 pm, I finally walked through my back door. As incredible as the conference was, I have to say, it felt good to be home. My folder with all my conference notes still sits on the end table next to my writing chair, waiting to be gone through and absorbed some more. But, like I said on Sunday, getting caught up is a little more difficult than I expected.

On Thursday, I'll post a few of the highlights of my trip. The main thing I took away was how amazing God is. 680 of us showed up in St. Louis with the same passion, the same desire to write for God's glory. But although we may share the same gift, God takes us down different roads to touch different people, impact the world around us, and accomplish his purpose. 

ACFW Conference Recap Part 1

It's hard to believe that one week ago from right now I was in St. Louis, boarding a plane for home after spending several days at the ACFW conference. I've been meaning to post a recap since I returned, but am just now finding time to do it. It's amazing how being gone for a few short days created such a pile of catch-up stuff to do when I got home. And I'm not just talking laundry...although there certainly was plenty of that. I'm talking about work stuff, cleaning stuff, and family stuff. All that "stuff" that got neglected while I was having the time of my life 400 miles away.

Anyway...on to my recap.

Sandra Heska King and me

WEDNESDAY: Left at 8:40 am and met up with my "flying buddy" Sandra Heska King during our layover in Detroit. Arrived in St. Louis around noon-ish, and my amazing FaithWriters friend and volunteer taxi driver, Chely Roach, picked us up from the airport and dropped us off at the beautiful Hyatt hotel at the Arch. Soon after checking in, I met one of my roommates for the week, Teresa Slack (roomie #2 would arrive the next day). Teresa and I are both represented by Terry Burns and we were involved in a couple of anthology projects together, so we weren't total strangers, but it was nice to finally meet in person. With the whole day to relax before the conference started on Thursday afternoon, Teresa, Sandy, another Sandy, and I decided to check out the famous St. Louis Arch, only a couple blocks from our hotel. So cool! We didn't go up, but checked out the shops below (actually under the ground). It was a beautiful day, so we got some great shots of the sun glimmering off the Arch. Sandy HK and I finished the day with dinner at The Brewhouse, one of the hotel restaurants. The food and staff were wonderful! Then I turned in early to rest up for a wild and crazy next few days.

Sandy, Sandra, and Teresa

Thursday: Breakfast consisted of marble pound cake and a latte from Starbucks (yum). Hung out in the room all morning, catching up on work and mentally and spiritually preparing for the conference. At noon I went down to the registration desk, where I volunteered for the next couple of hours. I got to work with a couple of former crit buddies and good friends, Val Comer and Nicole O'Dell. Working registration is so fun because you get to meet so many awesome authors and witness everyone's before-conference excitement.

The conference started at 3:00 pm with a welcome from emcee Brandilyn Collins and an address from our ACFW President, Margaret Daley. Tracie Peterson, the keynote speaker, then inspired us all with her opening session. 

We had a short break before dinner. Sandy, Teresa, and I chose an empty table and were pleasantly surprised (ok, ecstatic) when author after author joined us at our table. Check out our fellow diners:

Hello...can it get any better? From left to right: DiAnn Mills, Julie Garmon, Deb Raney, Teresa Slack, Me, Sandy Heska King, Karen Ball, Liz Curtis Higgs, Tamera Alexander, Kim Vogel Sawyer

After dinner, I attended the spotlight on Revell, where editor Andrea Doering told us everything we need to know about what Revell is looking for, as well as gave us inside scoop on the submission process. Afterwards, I stood in line to personally thank Andrea for giving me the nicest rejection for Mind over Madi a few months ago. At the time, although my manuscript wasn't a good fit for them, she said she would like to see more of my work, which I am geeked about because I love the books Revell publishes and would be thrilled to be one of their authors someday. My goal is to finish my mystery/suspense and submit it. Better get moving on that...

To cap off the first evening, I attended a workshop by Janice Thompson titled, Plotting Your Fiction Career: 12 Steps to Becoming a Successful Novelist. And WOW. What a class! Janice is a total sweetheart and a major expert on the topic. I learned so much. AND I asked her to sign my book Hello Hollywood! which I was currently reading for review (to be posted this week). She signed the book to Diane, my writer friend back home, who's a huge fan of Janice's work, and I passed it on to her a few days ago after I finished the book.

By the end of the first official day of the conference, I was exhausted and exhilarated! Because this post is getting quite lengthy, I'll post Part 2 on Tuesday. Stay tuned...

Congrats to the ACFW Award Winners!

Not "official" winners, but having Terry Burns as an agent makes us true winners!

You'll probably see names of the ACFW award winners everywhere this week, but I wanted to post the full list on my blog, to personally congratulate these incredibly talented authors. A special shout-out to Bonnie Calhoun, fellow Hartline author, who won the award for Mentor of the Year. WOO-HOO!

What an amazing and special night it was on Saturday! Sharing a few pictures here and hope to blog about conference-related things for the next couple of weeks.

Mentor of the Year: Bonnie Calhoun

Agent of the Year: Rachelle Gardner, WordServe Literary Group

Editor of the Year: Andrea Doering, Revell

Lifetime Achievement Award: Tracie Peterson

 GENESIS CONTEST WINNERS:

Contemporary Fiction: Katy Pistole for Jubilee

Contemporary Romance: Mary Curry for War of Hearts

Historical Fiction: Johnnie Alexander Donley for Where Treasure Hides

Historical Romance: Sarah Ladd for Heiress of Winterwood

Mystery/Suspense/Thriller: Dianna T. Benson for Illusion of Safety

Romantic Suspense: Renee Ann Smith for The Children's Corner

Speculative Fiction: Matt Jones for Shield

Women's Fiction: Camille Eide for My Father's House

Young Adult: Nicole Quigley for Like Moonlight at Low Tide

CAROL AWARDS:

Novella: A Trusting Heart by Carrie Turansky (Barbour - Rebecca Germany, Editor)
Short Contemporary: A Father for Zach By Irene Hannon (Love Inspired - Melissa Endlich, Editor)
Short Contemporary Suspense: Night Prey by Sharon Dunn (Love Inspired Suspense - Emily Rodmell, Editor)

Short Historical: Her Healing Ways by Lyn Cote (Love Inspired Historical - Tina James, Editor)

Young Adult: Anything But Normal by Melody Carlson (Revell - Lonnie Hull DuPont, Editor)
Long Contemporary: Never say Never by Lisa Wingate (Bethany House - Dave Long, Editor)
Long Contemporary Romance: Plain Paradise by Beth Wiseman (Thomas Nelson - Natalie Hanemann, Editor)
Mystery: The Camera Never Lies by Elizabeth Goddard (Barbour - Rebecca Germany, Editor)
Romantic Suspense: The Silent Order by Melanie Dobson (Summerside Press - Rachel Meisel/Susan Downs/Ellen Tarver, Editors)
Speculative Fiction: Predator by Terri Blackstock (Zondervan - Sue Brower/Dave Lambert, Editors)
Long Historical: Sons of Thunder by Susan May Warren (Summerside Press - Susan Downs, Editor)

Long Historical Romance: Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa Melanie Dobson (Summerside Press - Rachel Meisel/Connie Troyer, Editors
Speculative: Knight's Fire by Marc Schooley (Marcher Lord Press - Jeff Gerke/C.L. Dyck, Editor
Women's Fiction: Beaded Hope by Cathy Liggett (Tyndale Publishers - Jan Stob/Lorie Popp, Editors)
Debut Author: Crossing Oceans  by Gina Holmes (Tyndale Publishers - Kathryn Olson, Editor)

With friends before the gala

If you're interested, the blog from the banquet can be read here:  

http://www.acfw.com/conference/liveblog.shtml

Again, congratulations to all the winners!

St. Louis or Bust!

So right now at this very moment, I am probably flying the friendly skies, on my way to the annual ACFW conference in St. Louis. I have to say it's a very different experience than my first conference in Denver. For 4 reasons.

1. I have an agent. Two years ago, I was on the hunt for an agent. I researched which agents would be at the conference, made an appointment to meet with an agent, scoped out agents to sit with at lunch. Getting an agent was my primary focus. After all, we writers know, "first comes agent, then comes publisher, then comes baby (that would be 'book') in a shiny soft cover." So I went prepared with one-sheets, first chapter, etc. etc., ready to launch into all the reasons why they should represent me as an author. This year, I didn't have to pack my agent hunting gear because I've already got one! And the great job my agent Terry Burns has done for me brings me to the second reason this year's conference will be different from the first...

2. I am going "pitchless." As in, I have nothing to pitch to editors. And, of course, that's because I am busy right now focusing on my debut novel, contracted by OakTara, which will be coming out in the next few months. I could have gotten another pitch ready, I suppose, as I do have a mystery I am pretty anxious to get back to. But I figure I'd better stick with one project at a time. And because OakTara might also be interested in contracting my sequel to Mind over Madi, I didn't want to bite off more than I could chew. So this time around, I will not have the pressure of "pitching" (whew...) and can concentrate on networking and learning more about the craft of writing.

3. I am not a Genesis Finalist. I made the semi-finalist list but didn't make finalist this year. I took it hard, probably because I've been spoiled for the past 3 years. But, I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm slightly relieved, because now there's not even the tiniest chance I'll have to go up in front of hundreds of people and give a thank you speech. This year, I can sit back, relax, eat my incredible dinner and dessert, and cheer my heart out for my friends.

4. I have to pay. You may remember that my ACFW conference in Denver was paid for by my dad (I know...what a guy, right?) But this time, the cash is coming out of my pocket. Yes, free was better, but it's okay. I am determined to squeeze everything out of this conference that I can. Gotta get my money's worth. Not that I doubt I will. I am expecting God to work in wonderfully glorious ways this week.

But despite those four differences, many things are very much the same: The excitement over seeing my friends again... rubbing shoulders with published authors I enjoy and editors and agents I admire...the anticipation of getting stirred up and motivated to do this incredible thing God called me to do...finding inspiration and boosting my creativity to new levels...being surrounded by 500+ people who "get me" for 4 straight days!...being pampered at a gorgeous high quality hotel...the food...I could go on and on.

I am so grateful for this opportunity to attend this conference again. I look forward to sharing my experience (and hopefully lots of photos) with you when I return!

Blessed...but Still Bummed

Well, yesterday I found out that I am not the recipient of an ACFW conference scholarship.

Bummer.

This post is not a complaint.  I understand that those scholarships are prayerfully awarded and that they went to very deserving writers. But that doesn't mean I'm not disappointed, you know?

My husband and I left on Monday morning to go out of town for a couple of days. I saw a message on the ACFW Loop announcing that all of the ACFW Conference scholarship recipients had been notified by phone and all of the non-recipients had been sent emails. Well, I hadn't gotten an email, so for one brief moment I allowed myself to hope that maybe there was a message on my home answering machine telling me I'd received the scholarship. I emailed the coordinator. And last night I found out that there is no message on my answering machine. I am not one of those recipients. The email had simply gotten lost in cyberspace.

The thought of possibly being able to attend made my heart leap. The one conference I attended (Denver, 2009, paid by my dad) was the single best experience I've had in my writing career. Last year, I registered early for the conference in Indianapolis, which was within driving distance and would save me airfare. But at the 11th hour, I felt God prompting me to cancel for personal reasons, so I ate the $100 cancellation fee and withdrew. That was one of the toughest things I've ever had to do. But it was ok. This year, there's really no way I can go unless a thousand bucks falls into my lap.

Sigh...

I wasn't holding my breath for the scholarship. I know there are others just as desperate to go as I am, and others worse off financially than I am. In no way do I want to take away from the excitement of those who got scholarships. I truly am thrilled for them! (Names are not released, due to privacy, of course).

God has blessed so abundantly. I know that. And I am so thankful for everything I have. In fact, I recently won $250, which paid for my husband and I to get away for a couple nights (something we really, really needed). But, just being real here, I'm not immune to disappointment. 

Q4U: When was the last time your hopes have been dashed? And how did you deal with it?

Our Very First ACFW Chapter Meeting

Several months ago, an ACFW Chapter was started in Michigan. Yay! After tossing around names, we finally came up with The Great Lakes Chapter (love that!). And this past weekend, we had our very first meeting in Lansing.

What a wonderful time we had!

We started by getting the business stuff out of the way. We elected a few board positions, including my new position of Publicist. I'm pretty excited about it - my job duties basically consist of adding member news to the website and promoting our Chapter/Authors, something I love to do anyway.

After the business stuff, we really got down to business with three awesome speakers. We were honored to hear industry professionals like multi-published author Gail Gaymer Martin, Freelance editor (and previous aquisitions editor for Zondervan), Andy Meisenheimer, and Writing Career Coach owner, Tiffany Colter.

Gail taught two workshops. The first was titled "Our Dreams, God's Blessings." Gail was so encouraging and included 8 steps to success. Her second workshop was on creating real emotions, which opened my eyes to new ways to express the feelings my characters are experiencing.

Andy taught us how writing is like piano lessons. Did you know that Andy is an accomplished pianist? Cool, right? Unfortunately, there wasn't a piano at the restaurant, so he couldn't prove it, but he sounded like he knew what he was talking about when it came to all those piano terms. Andy claims he's not really a writer at all, but he is an editor. And a good one, at that. But while he's not an official "writer," he has a website that focuses on writing creatively every day. A daily prompt encourages writers to write for ten minutes straight and see what happens. During his workshop on Saturday, Andy gave us a prompt and we got to participate in this exercise. I hope you'll take a moment to check out his site: www.storypraxis.com

Tiffany Colter was such an inspiration. She gave some of her testimony, which is a true rags-to-riches story. She built her business, Writing Career Coach, on $140 to the largely successful company it is today. And she's a wonderful writer/editor who wants to help you in all of your writing endeavors. Her website is www.writingcareercoach.com. I also want to share her YouTube testimony. It's about 10 minutes long, but is simply amazing.



As I mentioned above, the fellowship was fabulous. I met authors like Shar MacLaren and Jody Hedlund, and chatted with many others who aren't yet published but well on their way.

Here are a couple of photos from the big event. There were about 30 of us who attended. Not bad for our very first meeting!

Me, with the beautiful and talented multi-published authors, Sharlene MacLaren and Jody Hedlund

Sandra Heska King showing Shar where in "The Mitten" she lives.

Sharlene signing a book for a fellow author/reader/fan

I am so looking forward to our next meeting in the fall. If YOU live in Michigan and want more information on joining our ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) chapter, visit the website: www.greatlakeschapter.blogspot.com

The After-Conference Buzz

I love all the buzz leading up to the ACFW conference. But even more, I love hearing all the buzz after the ACFW conference. People come home excited, invigorated, inspired, refreshed, renewed, spiritually charged, and encouraged. Many even come home with requests for proposals and full manuscripts. A select few may even leave the conference with a contract!

Most of all, I love hearing about connections made, friendships rekindled, prayers answered, and lessons learned. I spend time perusing conference-related blogs, Facebook statuses and Loop posts. I end up experiencing the conference through the eyes of the attendees, which is the next best thing to actually being there.

That is why I am providing this list of blogs that include accounts of this year's ACFW conference in Indianapolis. Be sure to take a moment to check them out. Especially for those of you who wanted to attend but weren't able to this year (me, me, me!), I hope reading these posts won't remind you of what you missed out on but will remind you what an awesome organization ACFW is and stir up some excitement and possibly some extra incentive to attend next year.

Enjoy!

MARY CONNEALY (A seriously funny author of Romance with Cowboys)

MICHAEL JOSHUA (A FaithWriters friend)

TERRY BURNS (My agent!)

JULIE CAROBINI (Author of Seaside novels filled with faith, flip-flops and waves of grace)

CECELIA DOWDY (Steeple Hill author)

CARA PUTMAN (Author and Conference Publicity Officer)

CHRISTINA BERRY (Carol Award Long Contemporary winner for her novel, Familiar Stranger)

AMISH HEARTS (Beth Wiseman, Barbara Cameron, AmyClipston, Kathleen Fuller)

JODY HEDLUND (Author and Speaker)

PEPPER BASHAM (Pastor's Wife and Aspiring Writer)

VANETTA CHAPMAN (Novelist)

JENNIFER HUDSON TAYLOR (Author and member of my former critique group)

GLYNNA KAY (Award winning Steeple Hill Author and 2010 Carol Award finalist)

Announcing the 2010 ACFW Award Winners...

Well, last night was the ACFW Awards Banquet. I sat in on the live blogging event, which was hosted by Tyson Wynn of Wynn-Wynn Media, and the wonderful author and beautiful person, Ronie Kendig. I have to say I loved the whole blogging idea and it was the next best thing to actually being there. Plus, although I like getting dressed up from time to time, I was nice and comfy sitting in my recliner wearing my sweats and t-shirt.

Anyway, I know what you're wondering: Did you win?

Sigh...

And that says it all.

Of course I wanted to be the bride of my category, but if I didn't get to be the blushing bride, I was hoping at least for Matron of Honor. But this year (like last), I had to settle for Bridesmaid, which is still cool and everything, but, you know, it's just not the same.

But it's all good! This doesn't deter me at all from pressing on. And, cliche' as it sounds, it really was an honor to be nominated.

Hugs to my friends, Shelly Ledfors and Linda Yezak, who took their places as Genesis bridesmaids this year, too. AND a special hug to my AWESOME agent, Terry Burns, a 2010 Agent of the Year finalist! He is very much a winner in my book!

Now for the list of all the winners...

2010 GENESIS WINNERS

Contemporary Fiction
Runner up: Chris Kraft, Brandywine Reckoning
Winner: Lynnette P. Horner, The Assistant

Contemporary Romance
Runner up: Sarah Forgrave, Stilettos and Aprons
Winner: Janice LaQuiere, Truckload of Love

Historical Fiction
Runner up is: Lori Benton, The Quiet in the Land
Winner: Brenda Jackson, Principle Engagement

Historical Romance
Runner up: Ruth Trippy, Celia
Winner: Pam Hillman, Terms of Indenturement

Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Runner up: Barbara Early, Chaos at Camp
Winner: Rich Bullock, Storm Lake/Storm Song

Romantic Suspense
Runner up: Terri Weldon, A Cry in the Night
Winner: Valerie Goree, Weep in the Night

Speculative Fiction
Runner up: Suzanne Krein, Time Dancer
Winner: Andra Marquardt, Traitors

Women's Fiction
Runner up: Lisa Buffaloe, Nadia's Hope
Winner: Jennifer Fromke, Docking

Young Adult
Runner up: Kasey Heinly, Broken Glass
Winner: Stefanie Morris, Shyla, Desert Daughter/Shyla, Child of the Desert

2010 CAROL AWARD WINNERS (formerly Book of the Year)

Contemporary Novella
Susan May Warren - The Great Christmas Bowl (Tyndale House, Karen Watson - Editor)

Historical Novella
Janet Tronstad - Christmas Bells for Dry Creek (Steeple Hill, Tina James - Editor)

Short Contemporary
Mae Nunn - A Texas Ranger's Family (Steeple Hill, Melissa Endlich - Editor)

Short Contemporary Suspense
Jill Elizabeth Nelson - Evidence of Murder (Steeple Hill, Emily Rodmell - Editor)

Short Historical
Dan Walsh - The Unfinished Gift (Revell, Andrea Doering)

Young Adult
Jenny B. Jones - I'm So Sure (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann/Jamie Chavez - Editors)

Long Contemporary
Christina Berry - The Familiar Stranger (Moody Publishers, Paul Santhouse - Editor)

Long Contemporary Romance
Jenny B. Jones - Just Between You and Me (Thomas Nelson, Natalie Hanemann/Jamie Chavez - Editors)

Mystery
A.K. Arenz - The Case of the Mystified M.D. (Sheaf House, Joan M. Shoup - Editor)

Suspense/Thriller
Terri Blackstock - Intervention (Zondervan, Sue Brower/Dave Lambert - Editors)

Long Historical
Allison Pittman - Stealing Home (Multnomah, Alice Crider - Editor)

Long Historical Romance
Mary Connealy - Cowboy Christmas (Barbour Publishing, Rebecca Germany - Editor)

Speculative (includes Science Fiction, Fantasy, Allegory)
Kirk Outerbridge - Eternity Falls (Marcher Lord Press, Jeff Gerke - Editor)

Women's Fiction
Cheryl McKay & Rene Gutteridge - Never the Bride (Waterbrook Press, Shannon Marchese - Editor)

Debut Author
Dan Walsh - The Unfinished Gift (Revell, Andrea Doering - Editor)

MENTOR OF THE YEAR

Susan May Warren

EDITOR OF THE YEAR

Sue Brower, Zondervan

AGENT OF THE YEAR

Sandra Bishop, The MacGregor Literary

HUGE CONGRATS TO ALL THE WINNERS!!

A Bittersweet Week...

This is the week. The one I've looked forward to since last September. The one that's caused me the greatest sense of anticipation I've ever felt. Unfortunately, it's also the week that is causing me some of the greatest disappointment I've ever experienced.

The title of this blog post says it best. This week is bittersweet. It's the week of the 2011 ACFW conference.

A year ago, I attended my first ACFW conference in Denver and it was by far the highlight of my writing journey. As you all know by now, I was registered to attend and then had to cancel. This broke my heart. Still makes me cry just thinking about it. I'm remembering last year and mourning over missing out this time around on all of the fabulous teaching, getting to connect with all of my friends, and presenting my work to editors.

Wah...........sniff...sniff... (sorry, couldn't help myself)

But despite the major disappointment and sadness I'm feeling, I'm also anticipating this weekend. I can't wait to get the inside scoop from all my friends and hear the awesome testimonies and stories I know will start pouring into cyberspace starting sometime on Thursday when authors, editors, and agents start arriving in Indianapolis.

And then there's the awards banquet on Sunday evening, when all of the Genesis winners will be announced. While it would be great to actually be there (trust me, the banquet is one fabulous event!), this year, ACFW introduced something pretty cool. They are hosting a live blogging event, where those of us who can't be there can get real-time information from the banquet as the awards are being presented. That means I don't have to wait to hear the news from my crit partner - I can find out if I won my category at virtually the same time she does. Is that cool or what?

So, as bummed as I am to be missing out, I am so excited for my friends and fellow authors who are preparing for this amazing conference. I'll be thinking about those huge hugs, endless encouragement, and improptu prayers. And speaking of prayers, I will be saying my own for everyone attending. For angelic appointments, lots of laughs, fun fellowship and loads of learning. I'll also be praying for many magical moments, personal and writing-related revelation and countless contacts and contracts.

God willing, I'll be there next year. This year, I look forward to living the conference vicariously through all of the attendees.

To all of you who are going and are currently packing, finishing up those proposals, and working on your pitches, have a fabulous time! I know you will!

Don't forget to cheer really loudly when my name is announced at the awards banquet (Mystery/Thriller/Suspense category). Oh - and have some dessert for me. If it's anything like last year, the desserts will be to die for and you'll leave five pounds heavier than when you arrived.

A Time to Mourn...

I type this post in tears. For reasons I don't want to go into, I had to cancel my ACFW conference.

This was probably the hardest thing I've had to do so far in my writing journey. I won't be pitching to editors. I won't be seeing old friends I haven't seen in a year, or meeting new ones I've met only online. I won't be able to meet with my agent for the first time or catch up with my fabulous critique partner. I won't be sitting in classrooms learning great new writing techniques or gleaning from the experience of published authors. I won't be able to help with the volunteering. I won't be eating 5-course meals and being treated like a queen. And I won't be attending the awards banquet to be present for the slight chance my name is called as the first or second place winner in my category (which, actually, as nervous as I was last year, this may be the only good thing about not going).

I also feel bad for my roommate who now has to find someone else to share with since I bailed on her. If you are attending and need a roomie (or know of someone who does), PLEASE let me know.

Seriously, I am heartbroken right now. I was SO looking forward to this conference. I know that giving it up is the right decision for my situation. Still, knowing it doesn't make it easier.

So...

I doubt next year's conference will be within driving distance for me (like Indianapolis is), but I will be praying that God will make a way for me to attend.

In the meantime, I will be spending a bit of time grieving and feeling sorry for myself. I will also be praying for everyone attending this year. Have some of that delicious food for me - especially the desserts! I'll be thinking of you throughout conference weekend and wishing like crazy I could be there, too.

Indianapolis or Bust!

I did it! A few days ago, I went ahead and registered for the ACFW conference in Indianapolis. And I'm so geeked!

Last year, I attended my very first ACFW conference. Bummer that it had to be in Denver. Yeah, right. The only bummer is that I didn't have a chance to enjoy that beautiful state. But I did have an incredible mountain view from my hotel window.

The only reason I was able to attend last year is because my dad paid for it (love that guy!). And I can honestly say, the conference was one of the best gifts I've ever received. Yes, it was that awesome!

So this year I'm excited because I don't have to fly. Indianapolis is only about 5 hours from me and I'll be driving. Or, I should say, my husband will probably drive me there and pick me up. He has business near the Indiana border anyway, so it works out great. I'm looking forward to some quality car-riding time with him. Plus, I know I'll actually arrive. I'm so bad with directions I once got lost in my own neighborhood.

All I need to do now is find a roommate and I'm all set. Oh - and an outfit for the awards banquet.

Needless to say, I absolutely can't wait until September. Here's what I'm looking forward to:

Tim Downs. Tim is this year's Keynote Speaker. I've never heard him speak and haven't read his books (shhhh...) but I've heard he is a wonderful and entertaining guy.

Excellent teaching. Some of the workshops I signed up for: 12 Crucial Questions to ask about your novel by Gayle Roper. It's not a dirty word - theme by Leanna Ellis and Shelley Shephard Gray. Writing Suspense by Terri Blackstock. The Top 10 Strategies to Becoming a More Productive Writer by Joseph Benz. The Art of Self-Editing by Abingdon Press editor, Barbara Scott. Need I say more?

Pitching. This year will be a little different because I have an agent currently pitching my work to various publishers. But that doesn't mean I sit back and let him do all the work. I am setting an appointment or two with editors I think may be interested in either the manuscript already making the rounds or my new manuscript (which I'm feverishly trying to complete before September). Every contact will help move things along.

Reconnecting with Family. Even though I had never met any of the writers at the conference last year, from the minute I stepped into the hotel lobby, I felt at home. From my roommate Michelle (SO sad she won't be there this year!) to my critique partners (hi Val and Heidi!) to best-selling authors to professional editors, everyone was so amazing. Warning - if you think you'll just be a wallflower, ha! You're guaranteed to get smiled at, talked to, prayed for, and dragged around by the hand. Oh - and also be prepared to get the stuffing squeezed out of you! Lots of hugs to go around!

15 Minutes of Mentorship. Mentorship appointments are new this year. In lieu of an agent or editor appointment, we can choose a mentoring appt. with authors Colleen Coble, Deb Raney, Randy Ingermanson, Jim & Tracie Peterson, Lynette Eason, Lena Nelson Dooley, or Margaret Daley. Since I don't need an agent appointment this year, I'm taking advantage of this excellent addition. Not saying who I chose, but hello. I'd relish 15 minutes with any of these incredible authors to ask questions, get advice, or simply "talk shop."

Spiritual Refreshing. If you think this conference is only about growing in the craft, think again. With a prayer room (and prayer room attendants) available around the clock and praise and worship before every general session, I'm ready for some heart growth! This conference is a wonderful time to reflect and listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit. It's a good time to ask God to "Show me your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths" (Ps 25:4) and to "Direct my steps by Your Word" (Ps 119:136). Yes, God wants us to bask in the teaching so we can learn and grow. But more than anything else, God wants us to come away closer to Him. And the conference coordinators do everything they can to make that happen.


To be treated like a queen. Let's be real. I don't get many opportunities to be treated like royalty. But at last year's ACFW conference, I truly felt like a queen (or at least a princess). With five-course meals fit for the finest, a hotel that looked like a palace, staff that went out of their way to accommodate requests, and an awards banquet that had me in awe, it was nice to be pampered. I so can't wait to experience the royal treatment again this year.

Time away from the family. Sound mean? Maybe. But I truly look forward to some time to focus on my writing without the demands of my children (and they can be demanding!) and distractions of a house that needs cleaning and the phone that keeps ringing. I am confident that a few days away will only help me be an even better wife and mom when I return.

Get all the details on this fabulous writing conference on the ACFW.com

See you in September!

ACFW Conference 2009 - final thoughts

So it's been about a week since the conference. In some ways, it seems like longer and in others, it seems like just yesterday I was arriving at the Marriott hotel. But one thing is sure - I'll remember it forever. Overall, the ACFW conference was more than I hoped it would be. And that's saying a lot, because I expected it to be fabulous!

For those of you who are considering attending next year's ACFW conference (it's in Indianapolis - yay!), especially if it will be your first time, I've posted a few thoughts about things I wish I had done differently. Things I WILL be doing differently next year. Hopefully they'll help as you start planning.

Things I will do next year:

1. Take a later flight. It was great to get there early and everything, but getting up at 2:00 AM in order to make my flight is not something I'll do again. Especially because I was so tired I missed out on some meetings I really wanted to attend. But, oh yeah! This is a non-issue since I'll be driving next year. Woot!

2. Pack lighter. Not that I packed a ton of extra clothes, but I'll definitely be smarter about packing. The most important thing is to save some room for those books you'll be bringing home. Not just the ones you purchase from the bookstore, but the FREE ones you'll get (yes, there are great freebie books!). I also needed additional room for my tote bag and the portfolio binder I received at registration.

3. Take more pictures. Seriously, why even bring my camera if I'm not going to fill up the memory card? I took about a dozen pictures. That's it! Yes, I got a few great shots of my friends, but I'm now kicking myself for not snapping photos of the book signing, the workshop leaders, worship time, the authors I adore, Debbie Macomber...Argh! I'm so lame.

Next year, I am determined to fill up that card!

4. Schedule more appointments. I didn't know this until, like, Saturday, but you can schedule additional appointments with editors and agents if they are available. I was thankful I got the two I signed up for on my registration form, but if I would have known, I probably would have asked for a couple more. It can't hurt to try, and who knows? It might just end up being THE ONE I've been hoping for.

5. Be more assertive. I was actually proud of myself. I thought my shyness might overpower me at the conference, but I did ok. I talked to people I didn't know and tried to look self-assured, even when my knees were knocking. But I still held way back when it came to agents and editors. I knew they didn't want to be bothered...especially by me! But watching other authors, and hearing stories of how their impromtu pitch landed them a request, makes me think I need to step out of my comfort zone and assert myself. This one will NOT be easy. But it's one of my goals for next year.

6. Volunteer! OK, I volunteered this year, too. But I'm so glad I did! It helped me to meet people right away and gave me something to do while I waited for my room. Plus, it was the least I could do to give back to this wonderful organization. Oh - and I also got a really cool writers clock out of it. :-)


I'm already counting down the weeks until next year's conference. Yes, it really was that fabulous.

Here's hoping you'll be there, too!

ACFW Conference 2009 - FINAL DAY

I was both sad and glad when I woke up on Sunday morning. Sad that the experience was over and I had to say goodbye to all of the wonderful friends I'd made. And glad to be going home to my family and getting back to my life again.

I sat in the lobby at 6:00 AM, doing my work. The hotel was not as quiet as the past couple of days, as many writers had to catch an early flight home. At about 7:30, I grabbed a final Starbucks and went up to get ready for breakfast.

Another buffet...another yummy breakfast. I sat with my new friend Hilarey and some other ladies I hadn't met before. At one point, I went to take a bite of food and something bright pink caught my eye. It was an envelope with my name on it. Seemed like the mail fairy had been there when I wasn't looking.

I opened the envelope and got teary as I read the note from my friend, Jenness Walker. Jenness and I had been part of the same crit group a couple years ago. When our group broke up, we remained in contact. Jenness even called me from the conference last year at 11:00 at night to let me know that Mind over Madi had placed 2nd in my category. Unfortunately, I was in bed at the time, but my husband spoke to her. Wasn't that sweet of her to do?

Oh - and be sure to check out Jenness's debut novel, Double Take, coming out next month! I've read her work and I'm confident in telling you that you will not be disappointed. I haven't read any portion of this novel yet, and I can't wait to get my hands on a copy!

Her note was encouraging and it really made my morning. I stopped by her table after breakfast and we had our picture taken together:

After breakfast, it was packing up time and believe me, it took me a looong time to arrange it so everything fit in my suitcase. I hoped and prayed all those extra books I was taking home didn't weigh enough to put me over the 50 pound limit. I did not intend to shell out $75!

Had a last minute thought to take a picture of the mountains from my balcony. It was gorgeous! I only wish I was closer. Next time... Anyway, here are a couple of those photos:

Said my goodbyes and sat in the lobby while I waited for my shuttle. Had a nice talk with Jacque Alberta from ZonderKidz. She told me a funny story about being stalked and then we discovered we went to the same high school, which I thought was pretty cool. She lives in the Grand Rapids area, as I do, and grew up only a couple miles from where I live now.

Shuttle arrived and the ride to the airport was pretty quiet. Everyone was exhausted...

I got through security without incident and had two hours until my flight, so I settled in an uncomfortable chair and read a book (I'm reading Megan DiMaria's Searching for Spice right now. It's a fun read! Got it signed at the conference, too. :-))

Flight home was a little bumpy but we arrived in Detroit as scheduled. I have to insert here that on both flights (to Denver and back), I had a window seat and both times was seated next to a nice young couple. What was even nicer was that they kept to themselves. LoL. But I did feel bad about having to use the bathroom and making them get up out of their cramped little seats so I could pass. For not flying since 9/11, and being a little nervous about that, my overall travel experience was very pleasant.

The best part was seeing my husband and daughter standing there, waiting, as I neared the baggage claim. It felt so good to hug them again.

The drive home normally takes about 2 1/2 hours, but was closer to 3 1/2 because we were stuck in construction for a large chunk of it. Ugh.

Finally, at almost 11:00 PM, we pulled in the driveway. And to add an appropriate cliche' it really was home sweet home...

So that's my account of my conference experience. Hope I didn't bore you to death, but instead, encouraged you to start saving your pennies for next year's conference. I know I am! And I'm thrilled because it will be held in Indianapolis, which means I can drive and don't have to fly.

Yay!

On Monday, I'll post my conference after-thoughts. And then, when I receive the teachings of all the classes and listen to them, I'll try to blog about what I learned - and hopefully pass the wisdom on to you.

Thanks for coming along with me on the journey - if only virtually. Hope to see you at the conference next year!

ACFW Conference 2009 - Day THREE

Me with new friend, Hilarey Johnson

You might want to grab a cup of coffee or Diet Coke because this is going to be a long one....

Well, Saturday was probably the best and worst day of the conference for me. Woke up again before the crack of dawn and went down to the lobby to get some work done and weed out some of the gazilion emails loading up my inbox. Grabbed another Starbucks on the way back up to the room to get ready for the day.

Breakfast was served to us this time - eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, muffins...let me just say, we had no chance of starving and every chance of gaining five pounds (which I did, by the way, but let's not tell anyone.)

After breakfast, we again headed to our Continuing Education workshops. And again, I skipped out (but remember, I will be getting the MP3's!). I wandered around, chatted a bit, and mentally went over the pitch I would be giving to an agent in a couple of hours.

So now comes the worst part of my experience.

I was scheduled for an agent appointment at 11:45, which was the last appointment before lunch. When I got to the "holding tank", I was told very nicely that it would be a few minutes longer because my agent was running behind due to another appointment that had run way long.

No problem.

The appointment-caller finally ushered me over and had me stand just inside the room, which was slightly uncomfortable because there were five pitches going on within a few feet of me and I felt rather awkward standing there. But, whatever. She assured me that even though my agent was running late, I would still get my full 15 minutes.

Three of the appointments left, but my agent was still in deep discussion with a writer.

I think this was the first time I actually twiddled my thumbs. Really.

So finally the other appointment ended and I walked over to the little table and sat down. I won't go into all the details, but let's just say that it's not so much that this agent didn't think my story was right for him/her (not telling who this agent is) but that he/she was pretty snippy in the way they declined it - and even got up after 6 minutes, while I was still sitting, apparently dismissing me. What was I to do? Continue sitting? Of course not. I got up, thanked her for her time, and left.

So much for my full 15 minutes.

I felt that this agent was bordering on rude. I had hoped that even if they weren't interested, I would still be able to talk a little and get some advice.

Guess he/she was a hungry or something. Maybe that's what happens when appointments are scheduled too close to lunch. Or perhaps he/she was just having a bad day. I can definitely offer some grace in this case. But still...not a great experience. Especially when all my friends seemed to have fabulous appointments with requests or, at least, nice conversation.

Wah. Wah. Wah.

OK, enough whining.

So while I bit back tears - NOT due to being rejected (I've had lots of experience with rejection), but how it was done - I debated whether to go to lunch. I decided to go because a) I knew if I didn't I'd be really hungry later and b) because meals are included in the cost of the conference and I'm dutch. I'm glad I went to lunch because I had a nice conversation with Sharon Lavy - what a beautiful heart that woman has.

After lunch it was on to more workshops. I tried to sit in on my first but had to leave because I couldn't concentrate. I went up to the room, prayed and cried, and felt better for it. :-) A good cry and a chat with God does wonders!

At 4:00, I went down for the booksigning. Over 100 authors were there to meet and greet and sign our books. Cool, right? I got a few signed and then went back up to the room to get ready for the awards banquet.

By the way, the bookstore generated enough proceeds to pay for 11 conference scholarships next year. WOOT! To give you an idea of how awesome this is, this year 6 scholarships, total, were handed out. The bookstore sales alone will send ELEVEN. So awesome!

Anyway, Roomie and I went down to the banquet a little early so we could get a first peek at everyone in their gowns and fancy duds. Here's a picture of Michelle and me before the banquet:

The food was great, the atmosphere was electric, and everyone looked gorgeous! (Just look at the above picture and you'll see what I mean.) :-)

Time for the awards...

At our table, there were five of us (out of 8) who were up for awards. Jennifer Griffith (who took first in the Contemporary Fiction category (YAY, Jennifer!). Megan Ebba took runner-up in the Speculative Fiction category, and Candee Fick also took runner-up in the Womens Fiction category. Unfortunately, my crit partner, Val Comer, who was a finalist in the Speculative Fiction category, and I, a finalist in the Mystery/Suspense category, left award-less.

Val and I shared a pity-party hug afterwards, but it's ALL GOOD! I am a little sad and disappointed but the truth is I know my ms needs work and at the risk of getting blasted for using a cliche', it really is an honor just to be nominated!

Congratulations to all the winners! Follow these links for a complete list of winners in the Genesis Contest and the Book of the Year.

Oh - I have to mention dessert, because dessert is ALWAYS worth mentioning. They served us this delectable chocolate mousse cup with a slab of white chocolate with the ACFW logo on top. Is that sweet or what? Below is a photo of Heidi and me as we played Vanna and displayed our beautifully and artistically presented dessert.

Then we pigged out.

After the banquet, Michelle and I were beat and went up to our room for some beauty sleep (not that we needed it, as you can see by the photos).

So that ends my last full day at the conference.

Tomorrow, I will post about Sunday and then on Monday, I'll blog about my conference after-thoughts (because I know you'd love to know!)

Til then...