Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I know. Technically the most wonderful time of the year isn’t for a couple more months, but for many of your favorite Christian authors, next week is close.
Me and roomie Jen Cvelbar
It’s time for the American Christian Fiction Writers annual conference. Six hundred or so published and aspiring authors descend on a venue (in this case, the Gaylord in Grapevine, Texas) for 3 days of learning, pitching projects to editors and agents, networking, and all around camaraderie. There’s something incredible about being with people who Get. Me. Who know that the voices in my head don’t mean I’m crazy ;). (Here’s my recap from a couple years ago.)
I’ll be attending a five hour long course by Allen Arnold about “Using Chaos as your Canvas” and oh boy do I need that right now! I’ll attend shorter workshops on settings, writing in layers, making a career out of writing novels, and I’ll be hostess for a session on indie publishing.
Janice Thompson, me, Martha Rogers, Crystal Barnes at the genre dinner
There’s the genre dinner where some people will dress up in costume from the era they write, etc. I’ll probably go as a frazzled writer :). At the zone breakfast, I’ll sit with other writers from Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska. One year, I sat between Mary Connealy and Julie Lessman!!! AH! I was so excited! But I’d taken my medication too early and it gives me an upset stomach if I don’t eat with it :p. Another year, I sat with Deb Raney and Jocelyn Green.
That breakfast with Julie and Mary – none of the pics came out great…
Saturday night is the Gala. Everyone dresses up and the Genesis (unpublished) and Carol (published, no relation ;)) Awards are given out. Usually there’s a live stream. If you have some time to turn on YouTube while you’re sitting around doing something else, you can watch last year’s. The last award acceptance speech by Linda Brooks Davis is hysterical! You can stream it here.
But there’s something so incredible about standing in a ball room with 600 others, the ones who get me, and worshiping the Most High together. It never fails. I cry during the first praise and worship session every time.
Me, Erica Vetsch, and random photo bombing waiter
This year, I’m headed down early. I leave Monday and will drive about halfway. Tuesday, I’ll head for either Dallas or Tyler, depending. I have cousins who were displaced after the floods in Baton Rouge last year. They’ve resettled in Tyler, but one – who is bed/wheelchair ridden from spina bifida – is having surgery sometime soon. I’ll go wherever they are to spend a few hours together. When you’re that close, you almost have to! My roommate and dear friend Jen Cvelbar (writing as Jennifer A. Davids) flies in Tuesday evening. I’ll pick her up and she’s indulging my desire to go to Tom+Chee for dinner then IKEA on Wednesday (hey! We don’t have either around here!). Wednesday, we’ll go to the conference hotel. I’m meeting with my agent. Thursday, conference begins in the afternoon. We have lunches and dinners and breakfasts scheduled with friends and our critique group as well.
Me, Julie Lessman, Becky Wade, & Casey Herringshaw – we took this picture AT LEAST a dozen times… this was the best one ;).
It is one of the highlights of my year, and I know that holds true for many others as well.
As for that writing in chaos thing? My goal was to have the first draft of the next Crowns & Courtships done before I leave, but that will take a miracle. Life has been fairly chaotic the last few weeks and the words haven’t flowed easily at all. I’m having a huge sale starting tomorrow and lasting a week. I’d hoped to have it up for preorder as a part of that, but I’m not sure it’s going to happen :/. I’d appreciate your prayers for the words to come.
I’ll work some while I’m gone, especially Monday night, but mostly I’ll enjoy the squeals and hugs from people I only see once a year, holding on tight for what seems like an eternity, because it won’t be enough. It never is.
But, for me, it is the most wonderful week of the year ;).
In fact, I wrote about it in Finding Mr. Write. My debut offering is partially set at a writers’ conference based on ACFW’s. It’s always free for your Kindle. If you’haven’t snagged it yet. you can here.
If you could join us and meet your favorite Christian author, who would it be? Is there an event you look forward to every year?
Here’s the deets on the sale – all books are on Amazon and can be found at bit.ly/moncado.
The title and cover for Crowns & Courtships 2 hasn’t been revealed yet! My Facebook group will be the first to see it! I’d love to see you over there if you’re not already!
When she's not writing about her imaginary friends, Carol Moncado is hanging out with her husband and four kids in the big yard of their southwest Missouri home, teaching American Government at a community college, reading, or watching NCIS. She's a member of ACFW and RWA, President and founding member for the MozArks ACFW group, and a category coordinator for ACFW's First Impressions.
Enjoy the conference, Carol. Drive safe! Who would I like to meet if I were attending…you, of course. :)
Carol, I wish I could be there with you all this year! One day I’ll get back to the US and go to another ACFW conference. Have a fabulous time :)
I pray you have a blessed and wonderful time.
Hi Carol! Safe travels and enjoy your conference and visits with family, friends, and fellow writers! Enjoyed reading A Heart of a Prince. Still thinking about the message and thoughtfulness of the prince. Looking forward to the rest of the series! Best wishes! Happy Writing!
I can’t wait! Hope to meet you there!
Praying for you as you write, travel, etc. I’d love to meet you, of course, and a lot of other gals whose work I’ve been enjoying!! If you ever make it to a Mt Hermon writer’s conference, let me know – I live 5 min. away :-)
Enjoy, and hug everyone for me! Maybe next year…
Aw! Thanks, Jill! I’d love it if you were there!
I’d love to see you again, Narelle! It is a super long trip for you though… :/
Thank you, Lucy!
Thank you, Renate! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I’m working hard to get book 2 almost done in the next few days before I leave!
Will you be there, Janet?! We will have to find each other!
Margaret – Mt. Hermon is on my writer’s conference bucket list! Maybe someday… I’d love to say hi!
I will! And you say that every year :(. It’s not exactly close for you either though :/. Miss you!
Can’t. Wait. To. See. You! There will be ear-splitting squeals!!!
I am so glad you will be going to the conference, Carol! I am an avid reader and would love to attend and meet ALL the wonderful authors. Not possible, so I look forward to reading more about the conference and seeing lots of pics.
Keep safe and enjoy it!
Uh, yeah there will! And I have a fun surprise for you Tuesday after we eat dinner, check in, and are ready for dessert!
I’m sure there will be pics all over Facebook, Twitter, Instagram… all of those!
:D :D :D
There’s no way I could pick a favorite! I’d be thrilled to meet one of many authors!
It is always such an awesome and encouraging experience to be around a group of people who “get you”, isn’t it? I played Bible Bowl in high school and always enjoyed attending the tournaments where I got to gather with a bunch of others who also understood and loved the game.
Wish I could be there! Though I’d likely have to be a writer to attend, huh? ;). Enjoy your time there. I have too many favorite authors that I wouldn’t be able to squeeze everyone into the same table, even if the table had 20 chairs!
I would LOVE to attend and meet my favorite authors. I don’t have just one, because I have enjoyed the wealth of good writers that we have been blessed with. Becky Wade, Pepper Basham, Rachel Hauck, Denise Hunter, Susan May Warren, Caryl McAdoo, Denise Weimer, Heather Gray, Elizabeth Maddrey, and many, many more would be on that list. But I also have a list of authors that I still want to read, so my TBR list is long! One of my favorite parts of these conferences is seeing all of the pictures that people post and hearing their stories. Have fun!!!
Yes I’ll look for you!
Hope you had a wonderful time! I would love to meet Julie Lessman…