Colorado Writers Conference, New Friends, Cool Books and Ramblings

My local RWA chapter, Colorado Romance Writers, put one one helluva conference this past Friday and Saturday here in Denver. As you know from reading my other posts about conventions/conferences, etc., I'm not much of a joiner, and I usually find myself hiding out in various corners (literal or metaphorical). (Just as an aside: I can't count the number of times during the conference that one writer/agent/editor or another described herself as "an introvert, who hates these kinds of things.") So, I'm not alone in my inability to cope with powerful, chaotic energies. (Although, the aforementioned introverts rarely understand -- consciously, anyway -- the effect of cumulative energy/vibrational patterns, etc. Doncha just love quantum physics? Mostly the introverted tendencies are seen as personal weaknesses.) The members of CRW should be proud! We did good!

It was especially great to meet an email writing friend -- Sharie Kohler, the author of historicals and paranormals (one of her paranormals, "Once Bitten, Never Shy" kicked buttocks on the contest circuit over the last few months) -- in person. She's even more delightful, warm and endearing in the flesh. She brought one of her awesome crit partners with her to the conference -- Tera Lynn Childs, who writes chick lit and romance -- and I'm now pleased to count her among my writing buddies. In fact, it was thanks to the two of them (in addition to the always-present warmth of the members of CRW) that made this conference such a positive experience for me.

I also have to say that my evolution as a moving-toward-being-published paranormal author continues. Even though I know better, and as a psychotherapist and hypnotherapist I continually teach this stuff, Lynda Sandoval reminded me at her workshop that writers must set clear intentions, take risks and be unwilling to blindly stumble down well-worn paths simply because they're well-worn. Or because those paths worked for someone else. Thank you for the kick in the butt, Lynda! I'll follow the "rules" if they work for me. If they don't work, I'll make my own rules. I also got reminded that as tempting as it is to give away all my power to those in publishing authority positions, I'm the driver of my bus. I have to feel good about whatever professionals (editor, agent, etc.) I affiliate with and not be so worried about whether or not I'm OK for those folks!! They have to convince me that they're good for me as much as the other way around. Funny how we have to re-experience things until we finally get them!!

Just got the new Charlaine Harris book ("Dead as a Doornail") and loved it, as usual. I slammed through it very quickly and wished it was longer. Also got the new Jim Butcher book, "Dead Beat." Love him. His writing style makes me smile so wide my cheeks hurt. (Facial cheeks, that is. HA!) I love clever writing and multi-layered characters. I hope I get the chance to chat with him at the Writers Weekend coming up next month.