When I lived in New Orleans, this meant rolling the ladder down to the parade route, picking up Popeye’s chicken and gorging myself on cream-cheese filled king cake. Those were the days.
But, now that I am active in my local chapter in North Louisiana, it means our conference is right around the corner, and it stirs such excitement!
I supposed I really got excited when the promotional stuff started rolling in. I’ve been pulling out t-shirts from Lisa Jackson, writing books from Bob Mayer, and hundreds of bookmarks from every kind of author. Each day my co-coordinator updates me on the critiques being offered in the silent auction (Let’s just say I’m saving my pennies), and last week we did the walk through and slotted our workshops. Receptions are planned, rooms are books, and I’m trying to figure out how to fit into some of my cuter clothes.
But the best part is getting to see old friends -Okay, Keri’s not that old:) – and the possibility for meeting new ones. I love a good conference. In fact, at the last one I attended (Silken Sands) I met my roommatesfor Nationals this year. See? You just get to meet the nicest people, and every one loves to talk about what I love to talk about – books, who’s buying what, and what the future looks like.
No one else in my family gets it. But perhaps, they don’t understand that this world-my writing world- is another family for me. So I am super-pumped about my family reunion. And, okay, I am still going to the Mardi Gras parades up here. I’ll eat some king cake for y’all.
How about you? Tell me about your favorite conferences. Meet anyone really cool? Make a BFF?
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I met Melissa at Nationals in Dallas! And hey, Amy, I met you last year at NOLA’s conference.
When you get that fitting in the cuter clothes thing worked out, could you pass me the secret?
Wishing you all the best for your conference, Amy! I have a brother-in-law who lives outside Shreveport. If only I could have worked that out. Shoot! It would have been great to meet you and see Keri again.
The RWA National Conference in Dallas was my first big conference. Totally overwhelming. And the darn fire alarms kept going off, starting in the middle of the night and continuing into the next day. But I did meet some great new friends. Waving at you, Keri!
And learned more than I thought possible. All in all, it was a wonderful experience.
Oh yes, Amy, I dearly love conferences. And I know exactly what you mean about your “other family” — your writing friends. So many of mine are friends-by-email, and it’s such fun when you actually get to meet them and talk face to face. I made a wonderful friend in San Francisco last year, who’s turned into a CP for me and has introduced me to a circle of her close email friends. I can hardly wait for DC when I get to spend time with her again — and get to know those of you who’ll be there.
I must admit, Amy, just thinking about your conference I find myself turning an attractive shade of pale green and thinking I really have to get serious about eating less so there’s less of me to truck off to DC — that’s my main problem. Well, I guess exercising more would help, too. But I have to admit that wanting to eat stuff that tastes good is a major temptation. I’m tall, so people keep patting me on the back and telling me I don’t have a problem. Right. I know I have a problem, and so do my cuter clothes.
Now isn’t that a stupid woman response to the genuine pleasure of seeing old — no, established friends and making new ones? But I need to get thinnnnnner!
I met Keri at the NOLA conference last year. Funny thing is – we already knew each other. Well, kinda. I’d seen her post many times on the PRO loop and then I do beleive she had some people monitoring her pregnancy a couple of years ago. I remember waiting for the day she had her son and then hearing about it.
And, Melissa, I so wish you could have made that happen. It would have been fun to meet you and I think it’s going to be a great conference.
Beppie – I will be in DC this summer. I can’t wait to meet you – skinny clothes or not.
And as to clothes, I mostly stop worrying about it. I worked out today and opted for the skinny frappachino at Starbucks. That’s about all I’m willing to do
I love going to conference. At RWA and M&M I’ve met people who’ve become very good friends and each year I can’t wait to see them again in person.
Your conference sounds great and I so wish I could be there. Hopefully we can all meet up in DC this year.
I’ve been to the South Dakota conference a few times. During one of my first, I attended a break-out session by Bob Mayer and learned a lot. I still have his writing manual.