Despite the frigid weather, I dragged myself away from a cozy fire to attend my first Professional Series meeting in Seattle with the SCBWI Western Washington family.
So glad I did. Not only did I have the pleasure of putting real faces to those I've known only by name or blog, but I also got to meet and greet loads of new ones. Plus seeing others I remember from schmoozing together this past year in Bellingham.
The program included the fab-u-lous Martha Brockenbrough who facilitated interviews with Young Adult Novelists Lisa Schroeder and Liz Gallagher. Favorite tips? Lisa encouraged us not to feel pressured to do everything (ie. blogging) unless we enjoy it. Both Liz and Lisa showed us that even if we have a full-time day job, we can still find time to create great stories.
The hour flew by, and then the icing on the cookies showed up in the form of Jolie Stekly who shared a fresh look at voice by using songs on the top of the charts right now. Lots of "aha" moments for us in the audience. Thank you, Jolie!
The dreaded three-hour drive home became a delight when my carpooling driver gave me the gift of the most romantic how-I-met-my-husband story I've ever heard! I was afraid I'd be dropped off at my car before it ended, but she didn't leave me hanging. Thank you for sharing!
WHAT I'M READING THIS WEEK: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time(M. Haddon), Bronx Masquerade (N. Grimes), Smiles to Go (J. Spinelli), and Honey, Baby, Sweetheart (D. Caletti)
Thank you so much for the *sweetest* comment EVER! I had to even share with my husband that I was described as the icing on the cookies. Shucks! He got a kick out of it too. I love it. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat write-up, Angelina! Glad to hear you enjoyed yourself. It was great to finally meet you! I'm reading (well, listening to) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime right now, too. Parts of it I absolutely love, but other parts of it annoy me, so I'm split right now.
ReplyDeleteI love Curious Incident. I think it's the most perfectly plotted book I've ever read. And btw, girl, you are a fast reader!! I cannot keep up with you.
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