Fall Conference, here I come!

The countdown is almost over in my house...and no, not all of us are counting down to the release of Brisingr, which is the other countdown in my household. Nope, I've been counting the days until the 2008 RMC-SCBWI Fall Conference. Why?

1. We have an especially great lineup of speakers coming: editors Julie Strauss-Gabel (Dutton), John Randolph (Putnam), Melissa Manlove (Chronicle); agent Barry Goldblatt; and a cadre of fantastic local and imported authors.


2. I'm receiving a critique on the opening of Juggling from one of the afore-mentioned fantastic speakers.


3. I'm giving my first presentation to an SCBWI gathering: "Online Critique Groups: A Busy Writer's Best Friend".


4. The weekend will feed my writer's intellect with thoughts about theme, plot, characters, book structure, and all the other fun things we writers try to figure out...


5. ...and it will feed my writer's soul with inspiration, encouragement, time with friends, and laughter with other writers. Because let's face it: you haven't laughed until you've spent an evening with a room full of people who are kooky in all the same ways you are.

So wish me luck on the talk. I'll be back with conference reports next week!

:) Cheryl