What's Going On Around Here?

This week I have been enjoying WriteOnCon from the comfort of home. (Sometimes in pajamas, yes.) If you're a writer, you really need to check it out, I'm talking complete GENIUS! The creative minds that put this together ought to be showered with American Beauty roses & yumdelish Godiva chocolate--in colossal downpours!

As I'm relatively new to this whole writing gig, this is my very first conference. Saying I LOVE IT would be an understatement. I find myself hanging on every word, and stowing away gobs of incredibly useful information. I've even stepped out of the shadows to leave a comment or two--complete with spelling errors.  It isn't lost on me that leaving permanent dialogue around the blogosphere at 2am is not the best of ideas. And for anyone (but writers, especially), spelling mistakes that can't be corrected, are beyond painful. Sigh...

Anyway, back to the conference. Because I have absolutely adored my time reading and watching and learning this week, I have come up with a fool proof plan to get my butt to the next SCBWI or any other writing conference within a hundred mile radius. Little did I know I could be so diabolical, moihahaha (yeah, that would be my evil laugh).

And the idea you ask? Well, here it is: I'll tell my hubby it will be like a second honeymoon. And don't we deserve some alone time? We'll be away from the kids, staying in a hotel. Sure they'll be others around, like a few hundred people actually, but what does that matter? Sans kids, excitement, I won't have to cook, and best of all--I'll get to actually meet some of the folks in this field that I look up to. Whatd'ya think?

Definitely a winner, right?!?

I'll scamper around pitching ideas in elevators, and he can hold my hand. What a lucky guy!

No, but seriously, Writeoncon has whet my appetite for more.

I want, I want... (pouting helps, maybe some tears) --I'll keep you apprised of any news on this front.

Besides chilling with the Awesomeness, I'm thrilled to say that I just brought on a new reader. Armed with chocolate (how many deals have been brokered with this tasty treat, I wonder) I called her up and asked if she was interested. She jumped at the offer, and even told me that the chocolate isn't necessary, she's been wanting to read my work for forever. Gasp! Who turns down chocolate? It makes me wonder. Perhaps she's an alien! I mean, seriously, she simply cannot be human. But she is totally fabulous, so I'll try not to judge.

I've also come to terms with the third novel in the Lillian Riece series. I've finally put some order to the chaos in my mind. I had a seriously grueling pow wow with my assistant this morning. Sitting on my bedroom floor, folding mounds of laundry while basically having a one sided conversation with my eight-year-old. She'd thrown out some crazy ideas and I'd nodded, pointing out any redeeming qualities in her thought process, and then following it up with 'What about x, y and z'?


I'm not sure what I'd do without my little assistant.  I've also read both Lillian Riece novels to her (minus the age inappropriate details and language). Out of the blue, today she told me that the characters are very much alive for her--which I'd suspected months ago when she began frequently comparing how my MC (Lillian) would react to events happening in my daughter's everyday life. The characters have always been alive in my mind, to hear someone else say it is sort of mind blowing. WIN!

Now I'm off to WriteOnCon, where, incidentally, I hope to see you. And if any of my dear blogging buddies have ideas on how to bring my hubby on board with my uber secret conference plot, please do share!