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ACFW Dallas Sat

10/16/2012

Saturday was a full day which started off with an editor interview and my Continuing Education class. But the best part was getting to meet Canadian-bred-American, Donna Schlater. I'd met Donna online while working on a novella project and it was a blessing to finally meet and spend some time with her during lunch.

Donna Schlater and Anita Mae Draper at the ACFW conference in Dallas, TX, Sep 2013.

The big event on Saturday afternoon was my hostess duties for Bonnie Calhoun while she presented her workshop, All About Facebook. Bonnie really needed more than one workshop for this because she's chock-full of information to give out and every bit she releases seems to return with 3 or 4 questions. It was hard for me to concentrate of my duties when I was trying to take notes which is a point for the future... don't volunteer to be a hostess in a class you really want to attend for the information. It's too hard to give 100% to both.

And then came the Gala Awards Dinner which was broadcast on a live blog for all the members who weren't able to attend. I have many photos of this event on my ACFW Dallas 2012 page, but I'd like to leave you with this year's pic of Charlie's Inkies...

Inkies in Texas: Lisa Richardson, Jennifer AlLee, Dina Sleiman (in front), Gina Welborn and Anita Mae Draper in Dallas, TX, Sep 2012.

ACFW Dallas Friday

10/14/2012

Back: Valerie Comer (Canada), Anita Mae Draper (Canada), Lucy Morgan-Jones (Australia), Cherie Gagnon (Canada), Ian Acheson (Australia), Cathy West (Bermuda), Cathilyn Dyck (Canada) Front: Christine Lindsay (Canada), Iris Munchinsky (Canada), Grace Bridges (New Zealand) Missing: Kara Isaac (New Zealand)

Friday morning breakfast was a special time as the ACFW Beyond the Borders group got together. We are the non-American ACFW members and although most of us assembled were from Canada, members also came from other Commonwealth countries. There are also members from other nations of the world, but these are the ones we enjoyed breakfast in Dallas with.

Much of Friday passed in a blur. I didn't make it to all the workshops I signed up for because of editor appts for me, or for people close to me. From the first ACFW conference when someone stood outside waiting for me - to offer a hug to congratulate or comfort me - I've tried to be there for a few others. The hardest part is the waiting. And while waiting, you see others emerge from their appointments - some stoic, some red faced, others in tears or trying to hold them back. And you wonder how you'll be received and if anyone is interested in the work you've laboured over.

My appt that day went well. I don't know if anything will come of it, but the editor remembered me and said to have my agent send in my manuscript. Time will tell.

Inkies in Dallas, Sep 2012; Back L to R: Jennifer AlLee, Dina Sleiman, Anita Mae Draper, Front L to R: Lisa Karon Richardson, DeAnna Dodson, Gina Marie Welborn

The noon meal was my chance to meet fellow Inky, DeAnna Dodson who lives in Texas and was only at the conference for the day. DeAnna is also the only Inky who is an agency-mate at Books & Such Literary Agency, and we had lots to talk about.

The meal time went too fast, and then there was an extended workshop before the General Session which included the State of ACFW Address by ACFW President, Margaret Daley. On the heels of that came the Keynote Address with Michael Hyatt. I have to admit that I was a bit put off by the latter. Yes, Michael imparted some very good information, but I felt like his speech was one long info-mercial where he tried to sell me his book on how to write a book. This is the first keynote address I've attended where I haven't walked away inspired.

Friday night dinner is traditionally the night when clients dine with their agents or publishers, and the rest of us go cruising the town. Last year I attended the My Book Therapy party on the roof top of our hotel with the spectacular St Louis arch in full view.

But this year I was part of the Books & Such Literary Agency and was going out to dine with several agency-mates, or Bookies as we're called. The consensus was Love & War in TEXAS in Grapevine.

Love & War in TEXAS restaurant, Grapevine, Texas, Sep 2012

I enjoyed the whole meal from meeting the Bookies to the platter of Texan food.

The trip back to the hotel was also an event as we passed dust still swirling from the old bridge the city had blown up since we'd passed that way earlier. I'd chosen to spend time with new-friends instead of watching a part of history be destroyed. I'm glad I chose the happier event.

ACFW Dallas Thurs

10/11/2012

Thursday was the official beginning of the conference and I'd arranged to meet fellow Inkwell blogmate, Jennifer AlLee, for breakfast at the 24 hrs Starbucks Coffee shop down near the lobby. This would be the first of many times I'd spent in this comfortable lounge which served both the coffee shop and bar.

After a quick breakfast, Jen went to her volunteer position at the registration desk while I headed to the 8:30 Early Bird Session, Writing in Scenes, presented by Nancy Kress. This was an excellent workshop on effective scene construction. Click the link for a summary of this workshop.

The Early Bird Session ended at 12:30 and I went looking for the rest of the Inkies, texting as I went. Thank Goodness for texting! I remember my first few conferences when I could never find people, but being able to text has changed all that. So efficient.

We met at the same restaurant I ate at on my first night there - Jacob's Spring Grille and enjoyed the luncheon buffet. One thing I wasn't crazy about was our table as we sat in the corner near the door with a clear glass wall separating us from a long line of hungry people. I was very conscious of those people as I ate, but Jennifer AlLee, Dina Sleiman, and Lisa Karon Richardson enhanced the meal delightfully. I especially liked the unique coffee cup and slanted saucer. And no, the blue square is a geometric design and not a price sticker. LOL

Geometric designed coffee cup and slanted saucer at Jacob's Spring Grille, DFW Hyatt Regency, Dallas, TX. (Note the blue square is part of the design and not a price sticker.)

To backtrack a bit, when I'd gone back to the room the night, there had been a message for me from Penny at Harlequin talking about a Thurs meeting. I'd been tickled pink as well as confused because I didn't have a meeting arranged with anyone from Harlequin and I didn't know a Penny who worked their, either. But I'd remembered somewhere during the morning that I had been wanting to meet up with Penn, an eHarlequin hostie. I just never knew her name was actually Penny. I met Penny and Love Inspired eHarlequin hostie, Danica Favorite, in the Lounge and shared a grand hour or so with them.

eHarlequin Host Penn, Danica Favorite, and Anita Mae Draper at DFW Hyatt Regency, Dallas, TX.

At 3 pm, everyone met for the first General Session. This is the time when Barbour Publishing surprises someone with their very first contract and I had dreamed of having my name called. Since Becky Germany wasn't able to make the event, ACFW president, Margaret Daley, did the honours, but when she read out the names, mine wasn't one of them, although I wouldn't take anything away from the people who's names were called.

I'd been waiting to hear Michael Hyatt as he was the Keynote Speaker and when he finally did, it was good. I didn't cry or get emotional like I've done while listening to other Keynote speakers, and now, weeks later I can't remember much of what he said, but I remember thinking at the time that it was good.

The best part of the assembly was the worship session. And then came our first of several sit-down meals - excellent food and inspiring people to eat it with. And the cheesecake was perfect although I ate it before I thought of taking a photo.

At 7 pm I was with Jennifer AlLee at the Spotlight on Abingdon session where I heard publicly what I always knew - that Jen is one of their best authors - Yay, Jen! - as well as a lot of other good and interesting things about Abingdon itself.

Next was a workshop from 8:30-9:30 pm on Platform Boosting E-Newsletters with Thomas Umstattd. If you've ever met Thomas, you know he's a fast talker. He knows what he talking about and he has a passion for it. I knew it was going to be a fast session, and it was jam-packed from the get-go. I was reporting on this session for the ACFW ezine, Afictionado and you can read my write-up on the ACFW website at the above link.

And the evening still wasn't over because a 9-11 pm Books & Such Agency Come and Go was happening and since it was my first Agency event, I was bound to go. Hosted by one of the B&S agents, Rachelle Gardner, the social gathering was the perfect opportunity to meet my fellow agency-mates.

Books & Such Literary Agency

I walked around proudly with a Books & Such Literary Agency ribbon attached to my name tag ribbon stream for the next several days and encountered many authors who asked where I'd found the 'agent' ribbons. It was fun to reply that, as far as I knew, Books & Such was the only Literary Agency supplying them. Wanna bet we see more at the 2013 conference?

This seems like the perfect time to thank Mary Keeley and Janet Grant for taking me on as a client of Books & Such. I'm still pinching myself, and so very grateful for the vote of confidence.

ACFW Dallas Wed

10/5/2012

DFW Hyatt Regency, Dallas, Texas

The conference hotel was the Dallas Fort Worth Hyatt Regency which was located right there on the airport property. When I arrived, Kyle, the desk clerk, asked if I had a preference for a room floor. I said that I was from the Canadian prairies and had never been to Texas and that I wouldn't be getting off the airport property much, so whatever room he gave me would be the view I took back to Canada. He assigned me a room on the 8th floor. If you look in the above photo, I was in the left wing and a few windows before the corner.

Now, you have to understand that the airport is surrounded by flat agricultural land similar to the prairies I'd left behind. I was sure he'd would be hard pressed to give me a view I'd remember forever.

I was wrong.

When I opened my curtains at dawn the next day, this is what greeted me...

It was the same view I would see every morning of my stay. What a glorious way to start the day, eh.

I'd arrived on Tues afternoon, and Wed morning found me grabbing a coffee and muffin early and heading down to the conference area where I became a bag stuffer for a couple hours, so-called because we stuffed things in the ACFW bags. The bags this year were big, black, and sturdy and we stuffed them with an ACFW portfolio, the conference book/guide, a name badge hanger, and an info sheet. We were a half dozen strong at the start and about a dozen or more by the time we finished. Around and the around the room we went, pick up a bag, add one of everything as you passed each table, then set the bag in a box and loop around to the start again. Two hours of walking and reaching. That was my exercise for the day!

Free from my only volunteer task of the day, I moseyed around the hotel checking where everything was until Inky Gina Welborn drove up. She was going to the airport to meet Laurie Alice Eakes and Angie Breidenbach, but had parked her car and was taking the free airport shuttle. Having nothing better to do but spend time with friends, I tagged along. It was only a 3-5 min drive to the terminal Laurie was arriving at so we got there lickety-split.

Back at the hotel later, I was on hand to greet new and old friends as they arrived. I always love that part of the conference - when the lobby doors open and someone shouts my name, arms open wide for a hug. It's a special time of reacquaintance.

Authors Laurie Alice Eakes, Gina Welborn, and Angie Breidenbach (all clients of Tamela Hancock Murray)

For supper, we headed to nearby Grapevine, Texas in Gina's car. Inkies Jennifer AlLee and Lisa Richardson would follow a bit later in the shuttle that runs from the hotel to the Grapevine Mall.

Grapevine, Texas, September 19th, 2012

This was my first time driving with Gina and I'd be one of the first in line to say I love this woman. However, I was in the front passenger seat and there were extenuating circumstances which made me cling to the door that had nothing to do with Gina's driving skills. Like a disobedient GPS which didn't seem to understand that sometimes you need to take a detour when roads are blocked off because city engineers were in the process of blowing up a bridge. I thought I handled the quick darts across traffic quite admirably considering I pass three - maybe six cars tops - during the hour it takes me to get from our farm to the city.

Meanwhile, Angie and Laurie Alice provided back seat support.

My GPS says we need to turn . . . that way . . . oh, that's okay there's another one ahead. (Angie Breidenbach)

I offered help by looking at the sun and using my sense of direction to tell Gina where to go. I also texted Jen and asked her to start praying. Of course when she answered, Gina wanted to know why Jen was praying for us. Thankfully, Angie drew her attention back to the road so I didn't have to answer. And then we were there...

I was never lost. I took the scenic route to the mall. And now we're here. Yay, me!!! (Gina Welborn)

We made it and I'm still alive. Thank you, God! (Laurie Alice Eakes)

We ate at the Rainforest Cafe - a treat for me since I hadn't been to one since I visited the Mall of America in Minneapolis, Minnesota back in the 80's.

Outside the Rainforest Cafe in the Grapevine Mall, Grapevine, Texas, Sep 2012

The quick trip back to the hotel was uneventful - an anti-climatic experience to a renewal of friendships. Not sure how Jen and Lisa beat us back in the shuttle...

Upon arriving, I found that my roomie, Inky Dina Sleiman, had arrived. And many, many, other friends. Have I said yet that I love the ACFW annual conference? :)

ACFW Dallas Sat

ACFW Dallas Friday

ACFW Dallas Thurs

ACFW Dallas Wed

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