Conferences: 2008 Edition

I will be at ACFW and teaching a class called Writing the Inspirational Romance 101. I will be signing there.

 I'm also going to RWA and will be signing at the big event on Wednesday.

Camy, maybe we could hook up on Wednesday to say hi at least.

I think breakfast at 7:30 is fine on Thursday and if some have to leave for the meeting that's okay. We'll get to at least see them for an hour. You can tell I don't go to the meetings.

Margaret 

Hey there, the ACFW in Minn will be my first conference so I have lots of questions.

First off is accom. When we register with the hotel, we book a room. But if you share a room, do you each pay the full price or is it split?

What if you book by yourself and then someone asks to bunk with you later?

Or do you all team up beforehand?

Anita Mae, you split the cost of the room. The price quoted is for the room--not per person. Some people have 4 to a room.

I can't wait to see you.

Margaret 

Okay, thanks, that solves that problem.

Next - for the 4 editor/agent chats, do you actually get your 4 choices, or do you pick 4 and they fit you into one available?

You may give 4 choices for editors and agents, but you're only guaranteed one editor and one agent. Sometimes you can get scheduled for more, but you won't know who or when until you get your registration packet at the conference.

 But don't sweat it if you don't get your top choices. You have lunches and dinners to find their table and sit with them. In some ways, that's nicer because you're more relaxed and can chat rather than have the pressure of the ticking 15 minute clock in your appointments. But if you do sit with them at meals, don't forget that there's eight other people there too who'd like a chance to talk. Granted, some won't but I've sat at tables where one person dominates the agent/editor's time and the rest of us can't get a word in edgewise.

Dream --

I will both be going to the RWA conference and signing on Wednesday night.  I'd love to meet with the group from here, just let me know when.

Janet

Okay, it's a week later and no comments...does that mean I shouldn't have booked a room in the 'South Tower'?

Dream, I am so glad to hear you're in the south tower too. I don't mind walking to the conf but it's always nice to walk with someone.  (indoor or out)

Yes, not only did I notice that reg'n was open, last night at 0100 hrs my time, when I was sure I wouldn't overload the system, I went on and registered.

The hardest part was deciding what genre to register under. I mean I've written 4 contemporary books and 1 historical but 3 of the contemporary are with an editor as we speak (I think).

I really want to pitch my historical so I picked that one but I didn't like that I had to chose one over the other since all the editors/agents that I picked represent both.

Okay, now that my bed and reg'n is confirmed, I'm getting hyped.

In addition to signing Wednesday night at the RWA conference in San Francisco, I will also be signing at the Steeple Hill event for Love Inspired (Terri Reed will be signing for Love Inspired Suspense at the same time) -- I'm not sure which books we will be signing (I have several books out around that time and it could be any of them).

The signing will be on Friday, August 1 from 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. in Salon C in the Golden Gate Hall.

Janet

Dream, for ACFW, either one works for me.

Camy

I would prefer Thursday for ACFW at this time.

Margaret 

I wish...living in michigan with four kids...tough to go anywhere! 

Now you're really making me wish I could go to the conference.  I've already done my quota of two major conferences for the year though so it'll have to wait until next year.

Janet

So sad I won't see you this year, Synner!

Camy

Anita Mae -- I would like to meet you some time. Hopefully, hopefully --

Janet

I cry during worship in church...I'd better bring a bucket, too.

So what do they sing? I heard it's an ad lib or something?

Hey Merrilee - that's neat - that you would fly to Minn, rent a car and then drive to SD and I live in Sask - 1 1/2 hrs north of ND so I'm driving to Minn. It'll take me about 15 hrs to get there.

And, I will also be visiting - my mom lives in Thunder Bay, Ontario - about 4 hrs drive north of Minn. She has cancer (4 tumors and is refusing treatment) and after the conf, I will go spend some time with her. As with your aunt, I don't know how long she has. She is still walking each day but she tires easily.

I'm looking forward to meeting you.

Anita Mae,

I look forward to meeting you, too. I'm driving to SD because even with the price of gas, it is more expensive to fly to Rapid City than to rent a car and drive. We used to joke that you could fly to Minnesota, but you had to stop at the SD border and finish the journey to SD by stage coach. When we lived in Chicago, my dad's family had a reunion near Rapid City, but it would have cost us $1,200 to fly there. So we flew to Denver for $200 and rented a car and drove 6 hours to go to the reunion.  

I'm sorry to hear about your mother. I keep her in my prayers. Merrillee 

Dream,

As they say, "it's a small world." I was born in Rapid City, but we moved when I was quite young to Montana. We moved back to South Dakota when I was 10, but we lived in the eastern part of the state. I set my Jan. 2009 book in South Dakota. It was kind of fun writing about all the things I remembered from when I lived there. I had help with some of the recent details from friends who still live South Dakota.

Merrillee 

Wow, thanks for showing me the way to this board, Dream. I'll be in San Francisco and I'll be signing at the bookfair as well.  I would love to get together with you all.  Looking forward to seeing you!

Lisa

Okay, I thought we were having breakfast on Friday. It's Thursday? When? I think I have a committment.

Margaret 

If Thursday doesn't work, Margaret, maybe we could try Friday breakfast at 7:30 --

Janet