Ozarks Indie Book Fest - First Panel Announced

Happy Tuesday, everyone! I have some exciting news to share with you all today. OIBF's official blogger, The Katy, announced the first panel and moderator for the conference in 2017 (October 19-22)! See the video embedded below.


Want to join in the fun? You can grab your tickets to OIBF on the website here.

Interested in being a sponsor or want an item in the welcome bags? Check out this quick rundown of sponsorships currently available!

I'll be there, and I know a ton of other people who will be there, too!

If you think you'd like to be a part of the OIBF anthology, write a quick 1k words and enter it here. Blind judging will choose the top ten! Deadline for entries is 9/30. Deadline for completed short stories is 12/31. Coolest thing about it? ALL the proceeds will be split between two charities: Loving Paws Rescue and Companions for Heroes. Oh yeah! What are you waiting for?



I do hope to see you all at the conference! It's gonna be a BLAST. You don't wanna miss it.

What do you think? Did you enter? Planning to?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Enter an Anthology with Proceeds for Pet Charities

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Today, I'm here to talk with you about an amazing opportunity you may want to take advantage of. If you're ready, let's get rolling!

So, if you didn't already hear about it on my radio show, Ozarks Indie Book Fest is happening in Springfield, MO, October 19-22, 2017. They're donating any and all proceeds from the conference to two charities:

Companions for Heroes

and
Loving Paws Rescue

But the organizers wanted to do even MORE for these two charities. They put their heads together and came up with the idea of producing an anthology with ALL proceeds going to the charities above.

Pretty amazing, huh?

Want to know how you can get involved? Well, here you go:




Fill it out now, later, or whenever! If you write a compelling beginning, there's a great chance of being chosen. No one will know who you are until the stories are chosen. Classy, eh?

Winners will also be announced on the Facebook event page. You can join in the fun here.

You have a few months before your full story will be due. Why not?

Will you be entering?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Author Rachael Brownell on the Air TONIGHT to Discuss GLBB 2017

EEEEEK! Happy Friday, everyone! Tonight, I have the very great pleasure of interviewing author Rachael Brownell on A Daily Cup of Jo. Please join us, LIVE, at 5:30EST. Would you like a link? Here ya go!

Linky

Here's a breakdown of the show:

Your hostess with the mostest, Jo Michaels, of the Jo Michaels blog, interviews author Rachael Brownell about her book convention, Great Lakes Book Bash, happening in Kalamazoo, MI, October 27-28, 2017.
We'll be discussing why she holds GLBB, what inspired her to do the first one in 2015, and what plans she has for the fun in 2017! Conventions are popping up all over the United States, but so many authors have been duped out of their money. Know where to go and who to trust. Only the most trusted conventions and signings are talked about on A Daily Cup of Jo.

Follow Rachael on Facebook and Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/RachaelBrownellAuthor  and  https://twitter.com/HoldingOn2013

Check out the conference website: https://greatlakesbookbash.com/

Hope you find the time today!

If you were there, what did you think? Any questions for Rachael or me?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

UTOPiAcon2016 - Packing and Prepping for Authors

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, we're talking about all the things to help authors get ready to attend Utopia 2016. There will be posts by the other official bloggers to help those of you who are readers get your stuff rocking and ready to go, and posts by the other official author bloggers that'll give different tips than I do below. Since I'm an author, I'm hitting this post from that angle. If you're ready, let's dive in. This will be a longish post.

If you don't have tickets to Utopia yet, get them here. Right now. This isn't a conference you can afford to miss.

You can get your room at the Millennium Maxwell House here. There's a block for the conference, and the discount code is 1606UTOCON. Be sure and mention it if you call.

Transportation to and from the airport is provided by the hotel, but if you want to jaunt around Nashville somewhere the hotel won't take you, you'll want to visit Utopia's partner, Lyft. Use code UTOPIA2016 for a free first ride up to $20!

Now, let's move on to packing essentials.

What to Pack - Clothing

• Enough shirts/jeans for the duration. You may find you want to change midday, so bring at least two more than you think you'll need.
• Socks, underwear, and pajamas. Again, bring a couple more than you think you'll need. *I feel like I'm obligated to explain myself, so here goes. It gets hot. We're in Nashville, TN, in June. You sweat. It's gross. Enough said.* 
• Comfortable shoes. You'll be on your feet all day. Trust me. Heels are cute, but if you can't stand up in them for more than a few minutes, leave them at home.
• A fancy dress or outfit for the awards (don't forget shoes).
• A light sweater or hoodie (it gets cold in the panel rooms).
• Toiletries: Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, hair stuff, deodorant, smelly good stuff, mouthwash, makeup (if you so choose). Good news: If you forget any of these things, the hotel has a sundries shop!
• Bathing suit! Yeah, the hotel has a pool!

What to Pack - Exhibitors

• Your Transient Vendor's License. Get more info here.
• Books. How many should you bring? Well, for any convention of this kind, there's a business formula. I wrote a blog post about it here. Utopia had well over 800 people attending last year, to give you an idea. It's always wise to do a pre-order form, too. The lovely Maria Pease created a walkthrough for you on how to do that. See it here. You can also bring out-of-stock order forms (if you choose).
• Something to put your books on. This can be a stand, a box, or something of that nature, but you want to show them off and make them look pretty.
• Pens. For the love of all that's holy, don't forget your pens! Sharpies, too!
• Swag. If you made it, bring it! The hotel has a rule about homemade food (you can't give it away), so be sure anything is store bought and wrapped properly. There's a contest for best swag, so be sure you kill it!
• Your Author Banner. Yeah...
• Table Decorations. While the hotel will cover the table with a standard cloth, you may want to bring a runner or banner to make it yours/pretty. 1/2 table = 3' and a whole table = 6' There are contests for best UTOPiA2016 REVOLUTION themed table, best solo table, best table decoration, and best shared table, so be sure you discuss with your table mate.
• Your Smile. This might be the most important thing on the list.

Remember to transport your books in a way that prevents them getting banged up or damaged in any way. I usually put mine back in the packing material they came in after I check them over for defects. No problems yet.

If you need to find a roommate or need to ship your books to Nashville ahead of you, here are a couple of resources:
We Are Going to Utopia. This is an unofficial Facebook group for the folks attending the conference. Just post in there that you're looking for a roommate, and you'll get responses. Same for shipping your books ahead. Several folks are willing to accept the shipments and store the books until the conference date arrives.
If you want, the hotel will also hold your books for you until you arrive. There's a fee for this, but you can find out more about it here. It's on the bottom of the page.

Leave bad attitudes at home, please! Ain't nobody got time for drama.

If you'd like to go ahead and plan your schedule out, visit the sched website here. Confused about how it works? That's okay! The bloggers will be discussing it next month.

GET TICKETS TO UTOPIA HERE.

Be sure and pay all the other official bloggers a visit this month! You don't want to miss a thing!

Week 1: Jo Michaels and Maria Pease
Week 2: Shana Benedict and Delphina Miyares
Week 3: Toni Lesatz and Ren Reidy
Week 4: Ashley Bodette and Kathryn Grimes

Sorry this was such a long post, but they're gonna get longer! I hope you're ready.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

How Many Books Should I Bring to XxX Author Event?

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, we're going to address a question that gets asked allll the time:

How many books should I bring to this author event?

Well, I have an answer for you that works with every author event you'll ever attend. So, get your clicking fingers ready and let's get going!

An author event is a lot like a trade show. There will be people buying, browsing, and selling. For this calculation, you'll need numbers. Most of the time, if you look around or ask, someone will be more than happy to share ticket sales numbers in order to help you out.

You should bring books based on the number of people at the event. If you're afraid you'll run out, do a pre-order form for folks who'll be attending so you can guarantee you'll have copies for those who are interested.

But how many, right?

I'm getting there.

Besides your pre-orders, you should bring 1% of the total number of bodies coming through the doors, and you should bring twice that many of any new release you might have.

Let's go through my books and use a number of 1,200, and we'll assume it's a conference for readers and authors of young adult and new adult.

1% of 1,200 is 12. So, I'd want 12 each of my YA and NA titles, and 24 of any new release (which I don't have right now).

Will I sell them all?

No. But I'll have enough on hand. For older works, I usually cut it to .5% of the number.

Here's a rundown:
I, Zombie - 12 (it sells reallllly well)
M -12
The Bird - 6
Mystic - 6 each of the smaller, individual books (novellas). Total would be 30.
Markaza - 12
Mystic collection (5 in 1) - 6
Fractured Glass - 12
The Indie Author's Guide - 6

So, in total, for a YA/NA conference, I'd have 96 books on hand. If there will be adult readers, too, I'd bring this in addition:
Yassa - 6

That makes it 102. No way do I sell all these, but 1% is a good rule of thumb to follow (business wise).

That was about how many I took to the last conference I was at, and I only brought home 40 books.

I know that seems like a lot to have afterward, but I sold 62, which comes out to around 5% of the total number of people attending. That's realllly good, and I didn't have to turn anyone away without a novel in hand.

I could probably have taken half that many, and I wouldn't have had so many to cart back home, but I always go big. *shrugs* At least I have giveaway books on hand! I was able to donate a number of them to a hospital recently, so that made it all better!

There you have it. I hope that clears up some questions. 

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Book Junkie: Not-So-Anonymous and Kim Holden Q&A - utopYA Con 2015

Happy Friday! Wow, it's the weekend already. How awesome is that? Following along with my usual Friday meme from now on, I'm bringing you all a snippet and link to the official utopYA Con post of the week. This time, it's from Ashley Bodette over at Book Junkie: Not-So-Anonymous. Let's get going!

From Book Junkie:

I am so excited for this year's keynote speakers for #utopYA2015!  Not only will we get to hear their amazing keynote addresses, but each of the keynote speakers will also be answering 10 questions in a blog post interview on utopYA's webpage! 

And I'm super excited to let you all know that EIGHT of those ten questions will come from readers like YOU!  This week, I am accepting questions for Kim Holden here on my blog.  That means you have eight chances...

See the rest here!

If you missed the other posts from the official bloggers, check them out:

Jo Michaels Blog - Marissa Meyer Interview
A Book Vacation - Heather Hildenbrand Guest Post
Paisley Reader - Denise Grover Swank and Lauren Miller Q&A

Now quit staring at your screen and get going to ask those questions!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

UtopYA Mindset: Lift as You Climb

Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm gonna discuss the heart and soul of UtopYA con. It's something you can feel in the air when you're surrounded by the people who attend, and something I believe in with every fiber of my being. Grab your coffee and a comfy chair and let's get going!

Lift as You Climb

As a saying, this is pretty easy to understand, right? As you move your booty up a mountain, you pull the people trailing you up, too. Why? What's the point? If you've worked your arse off to reach those heights, have the mad skills to do it quickly, and are on the top of your game, why should you help others and/or not step on them or cut them loose?

Imagine this:

You start at the foot of the mountain with fifty friends. Your confidence is high and you begin your climb. Thirty people stay on the ground because they're afraid to fail or fall. There's no time to go back and support any of them or talk them through how to begin.

So, you and twenty are now on your way.

You're climbing, dangling, sweating like a pig, but you pull into the lead. You're laughing, talking, having fun with your friends. Way back in the back, five folks are falling behind. Five behind you stop to pull those people forward so you don't bother. Who has time to pause and give advice?

Still, you're in the lead and only ten people are anywhere near you. A little over halfway, and you're feeling pretty awesome. You chance a look back and see the people on the ground having a cookout, eating steak, having a drink, and laughing together. Sweat drips into your eyes and stings. But you're still in the lead, so you press on.

Someone behind you slips and is dangling from the people above. Those folks stop, throw ropes, drop anchors into the rock face, and proceed to haul that dangler up. However, one person is determined to pass you. (S)He closes in, causing you to regain your focus and resume your climb.

Faster you both go until the unthinkable happens, and you get passed. You sneer, snarl, and start sweating again as you pick up the already unbelievable pace you've set. Sheer will allows you to pass that person. They stumble and slide backward, almost to the mid-point of the climb. Why? Because they asked for your hand and you didn't give it to them when they needed it.

A few more feet and you'll be at the top. You strain, push, give it your all, and arrive with a puffed up chest, exhausted muscles, and the title: best of the best.

But you're all alone. You pace, you peer down from the edge, and you pick your teeth with your nails while you wait.

One by one, the others begin to trickle up to the top with you. This is when the strangest thing happens: They lean over and pull others up, helping them to make it that last few feet.

You walk over and try to shake hands. But no one will talk to you. Though you're surrounded with people who began as your friends, you're now a stranger to them. Those slights of not taking the time to help, rescue them when they needed it, or plant an anchor to give them a chance are remembered.

What did they arrive at the top with? Camaraderie. Friendship. Trust in one another. Willingness to help and to be helped.

Eventually, you go back to the bottom and home. After all, there's no reason to stay if you have none of the above, right?

While you may remain King or Queen of the mountain climb forever, you didn't pay your knowledge forward and lost out on what you could've had.

That person you didn't give a hand to? (S)He goes on to party and climb with these people regularly, is well liked, and enjoys success along with those others who helped and were helped.

~

Do you get the idea?

Even though you have what it takes to get to the top alone, if you don't help others along the way, what will that success get you besides infamy (and infamy for what)?

I love this idea. It reeks of everything I hold near and dear. There may be people out there I've pissed off along the way with my opinions or openness, but there are far more who I've helped avoid mistakes by speaking out. If I have it or know it, I'm willing to share it.

At UtopYA, you find most people are of the lift as you climb mentality. It's an awesome conference and atmosphere I thrive in. You probably would, too.

What do you think? Have you experienced either being left behind or being the one on top?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

UtopYA Con 2014 - Take Me to Your Reader - Images and Information

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Wow! I just spent four days in Nashville, TN at my first writer's con. It was amazing, and I'm gonna share my experience with you.

Let me begin by telling you about the amazing people I met. I may accidentally leave someone off this list (if I do, you have my deepest apologies). I'm also gonna say a little about each one. Beware, this is a long list and in no particular order!

Carol and Adam Kunz - These two were like a mini comedy troupe. But, Adam did carry the big bucket of books Tia and I were dragging down the hall to our table. Carol is now in possession of both I, Zombie and Depression Cookies. She was so frikkin sweet!
Casey L. Bond - She was even more amazing in person than she is online! I know, how's that possible, right? But it's true!
Felicia Tatum - Known her online for a while, met her face to face at the con. She's got a wicked sense of humor.
Carlyle Labuschagne - I was thrilled to get to meet this extremely classy lady. She's adorable, fun, and always had the biggest smile. Probably the only time I'll ever get to hang out with her because she's from South Africa. Priceless (like her accent!).
Misty Provencher - She was so cool. Her face was painted with awesome curls and adored with gems. She huggled everyone and handed out amazing salted caramels.
Amy Evans - Adorable! She was so friendly and cute. I wanted to chat with her for hours, but time restraints held us back.
Bethany Lopez - Another author I was sooo very excited to meet! She brought her daughter along. It was awesome to have a young adult there!
Christina Mercer - She sat next to me Friday night for the Fan Invasion event. Very elegant lady and so fun to chat with. Strong sense of self-confidence radiated from her being.
Toni Lesatz - She is my coffee goddess. Seriously, between manning the table and running hither and thither, I had zero time to visit Starbucks. Toni shows up and hands me a cup. I almost died it was such a sweet gesture. Friends for life. Seriously. I adore thoughtful people. If you don't know Toni, get to know her.
Sarah Ashley Jones - Just as amazing in person as she is online. No. More so. She's always laughing, smiling, and having fun. Plus, her dress for the awards was stellar! So beautiful.
Eva Pohler - Wow. She's such an interesting lady. I only got to sit down with her once on day 1, but I'm so glad I had that chance. There was a dinner at the Parthenon in Nashville with her on Sunday that I didn't get to go to, but how awesome is it that she set that up?
Elizabeth Kirke - Loved her dark mark tattoo. She's a humble, sweet soul with a charm about her that you miss once you walk away.
Michelle G Miller - Such a pretty lady! She was soft spoken, very tall, and super sweet.
N. L. Greene - Probably one of the sweetest people on the planet. She's crazy adorable, talks about her baby girls all the time (love), and smiles at you in a way that lights up your soul. Besides that, she's fun to hang out with (yeah, I made her sing, too!). *evil grin*
S. G. Daniels - Had to stalk her in order to meet her face to face, but so glad I did. She was lovely. Ever meet that person who radiates awesomeness? That's her.
Donna Dull - Didn't get but a moment or two here and there, but this lady will melt your heart. She's a recovering introvert who never missed a new connection as she ran around like crazy. Always had a smile on, and was super duper friendly.
Nely Cab - Stalked her down, too! Met her last year at the Decatur Book Festival and said hello, but didn't check out her books until this year. She's petite, cray cray adorbs, and soooo pretty!
Susan Burdorf - I only saw her for a moment as she ran up to collect the prize for the scavenger hunt giveaway she was doing, but we shared a hug and a few words. She loves all her UtopYA peeps so much!
Natasha Hanova - I did a piece on her blog about the writing business, and then I saw her at a table right across the way from me! I squealed, ran over, and gave her a massive hug! We got to chat a couple of times. She's so nice, open, and approachable. Meet this lady!
Chelsea Starling - I think about her and have to smile. She's kinda nutty, sosoooo elegant, always smiling, and delivers joy as she flits from person to person like a butterfly. Oh, and this lady has style! She was always very well dressed (like, to the nines every single day).
Megan Curd - Reminds me a lot of me. Prefers jeans to a dress, is fun and funny, and loves all things creative. She brought her L glass, but I didn't have time to touch it. Sad. I had a moment to chat with her, and she's also very down-to-earth real. Felt like I was chatting with an old friend.
Barbara (BJ) Sheldon - Not someone I knew before UtopYA. Holy wow am I glad I met her. There was never a dull moment. I think I did a little too much preaching at her table, but she was a JOY to hang out with once I talked to her a little. Can you say 80's dance off? Yes we did. She was fun, gorgeous, and so... Well, the only word I can come up with is Princess-like. Yes. Grace. She glittered like runway Barbie at the awards program.
Bella Roccaforte - Possibly one of the most brilliant marketing minds I've ever run across. She has fire-engine red hair and I could feel the smart radiating from her. It took two moments of engagement to realize: This lady has it together. Analyst, real, and classy. Yeah, no way am I letting her out of that lunch she suggested we have!
Lisah Stephens - Just had a moment with her, and it passed very quickly, but she seems really nice. Every time I saw her in passing, she was wearing a smile. All good with me!
Krystal Wade - Yoga teacher! (I have since been informed she was not the yoga instructor. LOL! She was the one talking about yoga early in the morning and my brain made the jump. Incorrectly, I might add). I don't know how people could even move, personally. We discussed snakes (and compared photos) and her three acres. Oh yes. This was one exhausting weekend! But she was centered and relaxed (even without the yoga), always with a smile on her face. Conversation flowed like water over rocks. She smiles and it lights up her whole being. Adore!
Nanette Del Valle Bradford - Her outfit for the awards was amazing! Yeah, she got my compliment. I didn't have a chance to sit down and chat with her, but we were part of some of the same discussions. She's a keen person and has those eyes that show you she's working things out in her head as those around her talk.
Justine Vandale - Came all the dang way from Canada! She was sooooooo nice! Just a tiny little thing with a huge personality. Loved her quick wit and wicked sense of humor. My favorite: "Nice accent you have there." *grin* Yes, she did. I was cracking up.
Tia Silverthorne Bach - My roomie! She's also my coworker at INDIE Books Gone Wild. I love that she wasn't a huge party animal who kept me awake. Know what she did every night? Worked! I love that kind of dedication to a client. She worked while I read myself to sleep. It was a wonderful arrangement and I couldn't have asked for a better roommate. In the mornings (it was super early) she bounced right out of bed with nary a groan. *win* Finally getting to meet her in person, she was everything I hoped she'd be. I'm very lucky to be able to call her friend. She's just beautiful inside and out.
Terri Barber - Adore! We talked for a long time when she stopped by my table to gather her pre-ordered books. Why did she pre-order them? Because they're different. Not the same old stuff. I'd be willing to bet she and I would have lovely, long conversations about books we've read. She was so open and willing to meet someone new, too! What a sweetie! Oh, and I loved her hair! Too cool!
Megan Toffoli - She had me cracking up on more than one occasion. She smiled the whole time. I don't know how she didn't have a massive headache at the end of the day. But she kept going. I ran into her a lot! It was awesome.
Shelley Custer - For an introvert, she was very outgoing! I loved meeting her and chatting. She's got a big smile and is always bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. You'd love her.
Stacey Nixon - Yeah, from the UK?! She was there and was totally fabulous. When her and her crew got on the elevator to go to the awards, they stole my breath away. Stunning ladies! They were also loads of fun.
Allyson Gottlieb - This is one young lady you have to meet. She's such a ray of sunshine in every situation. Not often you get to meet someone like her. Very giving, sweet, and man was she happy to be at UtopYA. I don't think anything could've erased her smile.
Amber Shawl Garr - Wow. She was radiating happy the whole weekend. I have to say, she's a lovely edition to this list. I could go on and on about how gracious she was. Stopping now before it gets weird. LOL
Kat Nequette - How much awesomesauce can be packaged? Kat. And that's a lot. I was so happy she came by my table to say hello and pick up her books. We also got a picture together! *squee* She was another one I reallllly wanted to meet! So glad I did.
Michelle Hart - She worked the hell out of UtopYA Con. It was completely amazing to meet her. She's such a beautiful young lady with a killer smile and a huggles attitude. Adorbs!
Kelly Risser - One of the lovely ladies who'll be working on "the anthology that turned into a novel with five different sections written by five different authors" with Tia, N. L. Greene, Casey, and me. Kelly was so easy to talk to and her brain was like clockwork. She spit out so many ideas, I wanted to hug her for being awesome!
Chelsea Fine - Just as her name sounds. She's gorgeous, clever, and refined. Like many of the people there, she always had a huge smile and approachable attitude. I only spoke with her for a moment, but she was funny and gracious.
Mary Ting - Made her way over to my table and introduced herself (yeah, she was on my list of must-meet authors). I got a hug and a number of nice words from her before I made her enter our book giveaway for IBGW. Well, she won! Well deserved, too! Mary always had a big smile and a great attitude. Must meet!
Teal Haviland - Beautiful woman with an equally beautiful daughter. They were so stunning at the awards. And that little girl of Teal's completely rocked the dance floor at the after party!
Nancy Byers - Yes. This lady! I'd been waiting to meet Nancy for a long time, too! Luckily, she stopped by my table at the Fan Invasion and I got the chance! *grin* She was lovely. So much fun to chat with.
Kendall McCubbin - Who came all the stinkin' way from Scotland! Yeah she did. It was the most amazing, thrilling, fan encounter ever! She's another youngling I couldn't get enough of. Always had a smile and was having the best time! She's also remarkably brilliant for one so young. I was impressed.
Janet Wallace - She's the amazing woman who created UtopYA Con. I never got more than a moment to speak with her, but she had a lot going on. I'm not one to bog people down with my presence. Janet was a beautiful speaker with a wicked sense of style. I loved her outfit every single day. Besides, she's the one who found us Gennifer Albin as a keynote speaker. I'll get to that in a moment. But if you ever have the chance to sit down with Janet, do it. Then write me and tell me about it so I can pretend it was me. *grin*
Christine Marquette - I spoke with her every chance I got. She's a wealth of information and so very creative. She's so tiny, I was scared I was gonna break her when I hugged her. I do believe we got a picture together, but I can't remember. I look forward to working with her in the future. Yeah, we talked shop. LOL
S. M. Boyce - I was soooo happy to meet her! It was like basking in the glow of the sun from close range. She's bright, sparkly, and has a killer smile. I adore people who are bouncy and full of life. She's one of those people. I can't wait to get to know her better! Wish I'd had more time at the dance party to chat with her, but we were going out as she was coming in. Gah!
Ginny Gallagher - Flooded her bathroom because of a shower curtain misunderstanding, used all her clean towels to soak up the water, and still arrived downstairs looking fab (with a funny story to boot). Spent a lot of time with Gin. She sat with us a lot, chatted when she could, and had a great sense of humor. I adore her to pieces.
Regan Claire - My table neighbor, reviewer of I, Zombie way back when, and bubbly as all getout. She was such a sweetie and you could tell she was there to work her books. Always had a smile, a kind word, and watched our stuff for us a couple times when Tia and I both had to run out. She was great.
Kris Lindemann Seek - I've only had a few people come up and tell me how awesome my blog is. Kris was one of those. It made me feel so good about what I do here. She wasn't afraid of anything (or didn't seem to be), and I loved meeting her so much.

So afraid I left someone off! If I didn't mention you in my list and we met, please accept my apologies! That's a long list and there were seven hundred people at the con. Besides all that, I'm getting wordy. LOL

Moving on!

Now, I'm gonna talk about the two keynote speakers!
First up, Sylvia Day!
Her message was inspiring and women empowering. She was so real to me as she stood at the podium and spoke about how she made it in the business. We got some great advice on what to (and not to) do with/during our careers. I didn't get a chance to meet her because I was behind a table for her signing, but everyone said she was a very cool lady.

Next, Gennifer Albin!
You may recognize her name from the cover of Crewel. Yup, the same Gennifer came to our conference. Boy do I have a lot to say right now. Stay with me! She was supposed to be the Friday morning speaker, but her plane was delayed seventeen hours, and she had to sleep in the cruddy airport on a crummy cot. Saturday morning, there she was, bright and bubbly for the con attendees. What got me was she could've turned around and gone home, and not a single person there would've blamed her. But she didn't. She arrived and told us a terrifying story of falling to the bottom of life before clawing her way out to rise to where she is today. It was moving, beautiful, and every woman in the room cried. She's the epitome of everything I want to be when I grow up. I'll shout her accolades from every rooftop.

I got to meet her at her signing the next morning. I put her book down for her to sign, and she started chatting with me like we'd been friends since we were in diapers. She's real, she's beautiful, and she's funny as hell. Time for a photo!

In order: Me, the awesomesauce that's Gennifer Albin, and the amazingness that's Barbara (BJ) Sheldon.

Yassa totally photobombed this. Do you see it? *grin*

Every day we were there, was a marathon. There wasn't a spare moment to make time to find anyone. Had I not come in the day before, I would've missed out on a lot. I'll share tips and hints about my trip over the next week in case you're thinking of attending next year. Then, we'll get back to our regularly scheduled program.

Do you know any of the ladies listed above?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo