SCBWI- Mid-Atlantic Novel Revision Retreat at Roslyn

So....I just arrived at the conference.  I am so excited.  I am such a nerd like that.  I can't wait to learn and grow and be challenged and hear the speakers and meet new people.  When I go to a conference like this, I always kind of sit down and think, "These are my people.  I love these people.  Book people.  I get these people, and these people get me."  Now maybe that's a bit presumptuous, but that's how I feel anyway. I can talk about my favorite books with the confidence that someone here has read every one of them!  I can admit how hard I work on my writing, how many hours (and years) I've invested with a huge drawer full of rejection letters to prove it.  I can say out loud, "I am not giving up," and every writer knows that the only reason I say that is because I do, from time to time, consider giving up.    But that's okay.  I am myself here.  No pretensions.

While I am sad to miss a summer week-end with my family, I am thrilled for the opportunity to spend a week-end in retreat, in pursuit, in concentration for the cause of writing.  I am grateful for everyone who made it possible.

It is exciting to think that I will be a different person Monday than I am today.  I will have experiences this week-end that will impact me as a writer, as a reader, as a member of SCBWI.  I return home to work with a new enthusiasm and respect for the work.  I will resume my projects encouraged, refreshed, and renewed.

My blog might even get better.

So for now, I will sign off.  I'm going to catch a quick nap before things get rolling, if I'm not too excited to sleep.  And don't worry, I will give you the scoop later.  So perhaps you can be a little encouraged and inspired, as well.