Post Conference High

There's so much to say about the fantastic Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Colorado Gold. Fabulous! I know I'm biased because I've been a member for over 15 years, but even so, this is a wonderful venue for writers of all genres. Not only are the workshops fantastic, the folks putting in on are knowledgeable, friendly, and know what it takes to facilitate a successful writers conference.

The photo above was taken at the Thursday night pre-conference launch party that's given for all the volunteers and agent and editor guests. I stole this one off Janet Lane's blog (thanks, Janet). From left to right, we have: Scott Brendel, Janet Lane, Kay Bergstrom, Susan Smith, me, and Lawdon, who's drinking water. Water! Kay has a soda! What's wrong with you people? Believe me, there was plenty of booze to imbibe because I partook quite a bit that night.

This party is one of my favorite events at conference. It kicks off the mood with lots of energy and breaks the ice with our agent and editor friends. Agent Becca Stumpf of Prospect Literary was there again this year after snagging RMFW member Bonnie Ramthun for a client at last year's conference. I enjoy Becca quite a bit and if I didn't already have an agent you can bet I'd be knocking at her door.

We got to pal around with Janet Reid (FinePrint), Kaitlin Heller (Del Rey), Christine Hogrebe (Jane Rotrosen Agency), Kristin Nelson (Nelson Literary), Emmanuelle Alspaugh (Judith Ehrilich Literary), Jenny Rappaport (The Rappaport Agency), John Helfers (Tekno Books) and Sally Kim (HarperCollins). Drink in one hand, plate of yummy catered goodies in the other, and chatting about books and publishing. Is this a dream come true or what? :) Janet and Jenny recognized me from Twitter.

On Friday afternoon, I audited the critique session with Del Rey editor Kaitlin Heller. It's great to see an editor in action and Kaitlin did a wonderful job leading the critiques. She's a sharp editor who made very helpful observations and suggestions on the 8 participants' work. I'm eager for her to read Mystic Taxi and I emailed my agent this morning about sending her the manuscript. Fingers crossed she likes it!

That evening was the conference kick-off dinner, which was a buffet-style Mexican feast. I'm a vegetarian so I walked away starving, but everyone else seemed to enjoy their meal. My measly salad of lettuce, cheese and salsa didn't go very far and I was so hungry by the time we headed up to party hardy in the hospitality suite that I hung out by the snack table and gorged on junk to fill up.

I learned Kaitlin is as big a Hunger Games fan as I am and had just finished reading Catching Fire, which I brought with me to read on the plane. Suzanne Collins is a genious and a goddess. I haven't read a book this good in a very, very, very long time. At the Saturday night banquet, Kaitlin wore the mockingjay pin featured in the story that she got at Borders. It's too bad we don't have a Borders here in Bend. I checked online, and though the Borders site mentions there is such a thing, you apparently have to go to a brick and mortar store to buy one. So not fair. Aargh! I want my mockingjay pin and I don't want to have to drive 140 miles to get it. *pouts*

Sheesh, I've rattled on, haven't I? But I'm not done yet! I have much more to tell you so I'll save it for later. To read another blog about one of the best conferences in the country, aka the Colorado Gold, visit Betsy Dornbusch's blog.

A beautiful day in the neighborhood

Though it's all I can do to keep from stepping on my droopy eyelids, I made it to Denver without a hitch! Got up at 3 am, left the house in Bend at 4 am, plane left at 5 am. I know I was a zombie for most of the trip. I can't sleep on planes. And the way they pack you in, OMG, it's like snuggling with strangers. My shoulders still hurt from scrunching.

I flew Alaska Airlines from Redmond, Oregon, to Portland, and the prop plane is so cute! Not as tiny as the puddle jumper United uses, but it has that nostalgic pre-jet feel. The extra noise and jostling about is similar to an amusement park ride and may have contributed to my inability to sleep.

I zombie-walked from one gate to the next to board my flight that would take me from Portland to Denver. Yeah, a lot of flying for not so great a distance, and though there are direct flights from Redmond to Denver, they cost twice as much. Some day I aspire to take one of those much coveted direct flights. *Note to publishers: please buy my books. kthxbye.

The only problem with arriving in Denver so early is that there's nothing much to do until the party tonight. No one else is here yet. I did take a nap, didn't sleep so good, and I'm still groggy. The high altitude may have something to do with it. My roommate won't get here until 6.

While I wait, I'm tweeting (of course) and savoring the second book in Suzanne Collins' YA series, CATCHING FIRE. I started reading it today and I've already suffered the leaky eye syndrome twice. I'm not even at the halfway point, but man, this is powerful stuff. If you haven't read HUNGER GAMES or CATCHING FIRE, you're missing out on something truly phenomenal. No kidding.

I think I'll go read some more, then maybe take another snooze. I'll let you know tomorrow how the party went, depending on how well I'll be able to think through my hangover haze.

Preparing for Conference

The Card No One Will See At Conference *cries*

It's an exciting time preparing for the Colorado Gold conference. It's not like I have a lot to prepare for, like I'm not giving any workshops this year, and I won't be signing books. But there's mental preparation. And preparing my husband for the time I'll be gone. And preparing to get up at oh-dark-thirty so I can catch a 5:00 a.m. flight Thursday morning. Chances are I won't be conscious for the evening's launch party, my favorite part of conference!

I failed at preparing business cards in time to take with me, and it's totally my fault. I didn't even think about it until last week, but I ordered them anyway. I just tracked the UPS shipment and it's not due to arrive until Friday. My flight leaves on Thursday. Yeah, I'm screwed. So I'm posting a graphic of my lovely card that I won't get to hand out over the weekend. Wah!

The dog will spend tomorrow in daycare so I can at least get my errands done, and do some last minute housework as well as pack without having an oversized puppy that eats couches under foot. It's $20 well spent. And she has fun. I think. It's hard to tell with her because she prefers people to other dogs, but that's how it goes. The socializing is good for her.

Writing. Yes, I'm doing some. A little. Not enough. I have more characters in this new book than I've ever had in previous ones, but it's a different type of book. About community and friendship and forgiveness, and not about bad guys trying to take over the world. Though there are bad guys. And ghosts. And a freak storm with a mind of its own. You'll see. :)

I have a couple of ads to design by tomorrow, though my creative mind is seated more in my story than my layout. Sigh.