ACFW: Day Three

Apparently there are two kinds of conference attendees–the ones who either blogged real time during the conference and/or had all their pictures posted within a few days or the ones who dove into their WIP and can’t find time to breath, let alone blog.

Oh, wait … then there’s me. I’m still plodding along, attempting to give the conference the time and attention it’s due while editing 740 manuscript pages. That’s right, seven hundred and forty! (Spelling it out seems to capture more of the challenge…) The joint book and my solo project.

And there’s the kids, the hubby, the broken kitchen appliance: great blogable moments passing me by because my OCD tendencies won’t let me blog them until I’m done with the conference posts.

Here’s one cute story I’m slipping in, though, like a well-placed paragraph of back story. In Dallas, one of the songs we worshipped God with had a line saying, “Jesus, here I am your favorite one.” I LOVED this because we could all sing the claim and be right. Each one of us in that room was his favorite one. Then came a line, “And I will crown you with my love.” The music for this song reminded me of an 80s movie theme, but with Jewish overtones. Very meaningful to sing, and the arrangement captured the angst of a love song to the Lord.

It got stuck in my head. I hummed it for days and would randomly break out into song. One such time, I was driving the kiddos to school. After I finished, Joshua said, “You’re going to put me on his head?!?” Oh, yes, crown him with my love. 🙂

So, what about the conference? I’m going to utilize fragments and let the pictures speak for themselves so we can get through this thing.

(Talking to self) Stop living in the past!

Great breakfast contact with an editor. More scrumptious learning in Deb’s class. Fantastic lunch contact with an editor. It was one of those unplanned opportunity. She went around the table, but never got to us, so she stayed after and talked for a few minutes. I was able to pitch Undiscovered then because we had an appointment with her in just a few hours and we could focus on On the Threshold during that time. More laughing at–I mean “with”–Jim Bell during another keynote. Yummy lunch.

We snapped this pic with Brandilyn Collins right after the meal. She’d been the one to convince us ACFW, with it’s focus on fiction, would be a better fit for our career growth than Mt. Hermon. Which still doesn’t mean we won’t show up in CA some year.

Then the book signing:

Me with Tosca Lee

With Sandra Glahn

With John Olson

Us with the amazing Camy Tang

Then to the best editor appointment of the conference. We walked into the room and heard another editor–one we are personal friends with–telling the one we were to meet with great things about us. (I’m keeping the sweet-talking editor’s identity secret because I don’t want to be name dropping, but she’s an awesome lady and I’m glad to know her.)

And then the banquet!

The Harvest House crew in line behind us:
Susan Meissner, Trish Perry, & Kim Moore

All dressed up!

With award-winning Colleen Coble

And award-winning Jennifer Griffith

One award I was particularly interested in was the historical category of the Genesis competition. Tina Helmuth won second place! I had the pleasure of calling her right after the ceremony to congratulate her.

And to bed.