By the time you read this I will have returned home, but today I am writing this post in a bit of a rush because I’m packing to leave for the American Christian Fiction Writers national conference in Nashville. I’m the world’s most introverted person and am seriously hearing impaired, so conferences take a lot of energy for me, since I have to actively listen and read lips when people are speaking to me and I tend to get overwhelmed in crowds.
Still, attending conferences is important for me as a full-time author. I have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with my agent and editors and discuss my career. I attend classes to further my craft. A writer never stops learning. I meet people in person that I only know from Facebook. I am blessed to be able to spend some time mentoring other writers with critiques and one-on-one appointments. The food is always wonderful and the worship quite literally Divine.
I love to travel, but I’m not a huge fan of flying. I’m not afraid of heights or take-off/landing, but there’s something seriously not right about being imprisoned in a relatively small tube, cramped into a seat without enough room to even stretch my legs. Did I mention I have claustrophobia? So, yeah, window seat for me, thank you. I have to be able to see outside or I’ll have a panic attack. Earphones and The Texas Tenors music helps to calm my nerves. So there’s that.
But I’m not complaining. I am blessed to be able to do what I love most in the world–write stories for my favorite people–
My readers. Love you all!
On the shelves now or available online at Harlequin.com.
~~Love Courageously~~ Publisher's Weekly Bestselling, award-winning author of 30 novels, Deb Kastner enjoys writing contemporary inspirational western stories set in small communities. She feels especially blessed to be able to include faith as a natural and genuine part of her characters' lives. Deb lives in beautiful Colorado with her husband and a pack of miscreant mutts. She is blessed with three adult daughters and two grandchildren. Her favorite hobby is spoiling her grandchildren, but she also enjoys reading, watching movies, listening to music (The Texas Tenors are her fav), singing in the church choir, and exploring the Rocky Mountains on horseback.
Hope you enjoyed your time at the conference. Being in a crowd with limited hearing would be VERY difficult- I admire your courage. There is something to be said for being around like minded people, it can be refreshing for the soul. Blessings:)
Thanks for sharing. My aunt was hearing impaired and I can understand how stressful large crowds could be. Also when folks mumble and do not enunciate clearly.
Conferences are inspiring as one meets with like minded individuals, be it at the National English teachers conference or a church conference. Always fun meet people from other parts of the country. The food is tasty and scrumptious, nice break from cooking.
I am not fond of flying and I am not claustrophobic. I like to be in the driver’s seat, and it takes a lot of trust to have somebody else that I cannot see at the controls. Short flights are ok, but I am not fond of international flights, eight hours to Germany or 15 hours to Japan. But I know God is in control and so I try to rest in his arms.
Happy writing! Enjoy the last few weeks of summer.
I admire your courage to travel and go through crows with claustrophobia and hearing impairment– it must be really hard. Thanks for sharing.
I hope you enjoyed the conference, Deb. I’m with you on flying. I have claustrophobic tendencies, especially on an airplane. I feel like others are using up my air. :)
Deb,
I hope you were able to come away from the conference refreshed. My husband is the same way with crowds. I on the other hand love meeting new people, yet I’m finding as I get older I’m becoming more like him. I’ve also found I like the quiet. (It’s better to read in.)
I met so many lovely new people and praise God, didn’t get totally overwhelmed even once during the conference, although I had to go lay down for a while one afternoon due to a migraine. It was totally worth it!
I’ve only taken one international flight, but it was definitely different. I know what you mean about being in the driver’s seat.
Thanks, Priscilla. I really tried to put myself out there despite my internal and external handicaps, and found I wasn’t as stressed as I expected to be.
I know, right? And then I had one of those nightmare return trips. A baby in the seat behind me who not only wailed, but kicked my seat for the whole flight and had a dirty diaper. We didn’t take many vacations when our kids were little so we missed the whole “flying with small children” thing, for which I am now grateful.
The conference really did fill my creative well. I’m physically exhausted and can’t yet take time to wind down due to a book deadline, but I think it was worth it.
Deb, so glad you got to attend ACFW. When I see all the posts about conferences, I wish I could go, too. This will be the first year in a long time that I won’t attend any writer’s conferences. I can’t complain though because I have made a trip in March, April, May, June, July and August this year. I’m ready to stay home for a change. No wonder I don’t have time to fit in a conference this year.
I admire your courage to attend ACFW. I hope it was worth while.
Wow! That’s a lot of travelling. I’m jealous! Hopefully I’ll see you next year at one of the conferences.
It was. I met a lot of new friends as well as some I’d only known from Facebook. Wonderful!
It will be challenging to work when you are tired, however my counselor says that exhaustion releases emotions and. Issues we struggle with. Perhaps you will be able to add something to your writing or just appreciate home. Take time to process. It must have been challenging to be with many people. I love the titles of your books.
Thanks for sharing your experience and giving us a little insight of who you are.
I enjoyed seeing all the pictures from the conference, some of you even Deb! I can understand being an introvert and how much energy you must exert to just be around people. It’s exhausting thinking about it! But at the same time, like you said, it’s a must when you are a full-time writer! If you took things in chunks, it might be a bit more manageable :-)
Anyway, I hope you did have a little fun & came away learning some new things and new story ideas :-)
I’m also an introvert but I told myself to be brave and attended the Christian Fiction Readers Retreat right before ACFW. Isn’t it amazing how God blesses us when we step out of our comfort zone!