Meeting Lisa Mangum & Tristi Pinkston

Lisa Mangum (left) Author of the Hour Glass Door trilogy.

Tristi Pinkston (right) Author of: Dearly Departed, Secret sisters, Agent in old Lace, Season of Sacrifice, Strength to endure & Nothing to Regret (I hope I didn't leave any out!)

Both fabulous writers and wonderful ladies! I've been wanting to read the Hour Glass Door and now I have a signed copy (cheer). Can't wait to dive right in. Dearly Departed was another book I wanted to read, but (weep, weep) her book was sold out at the conference. Next time I better be quick. That will have to be one I pick up at the bookstore, web or the library.

Meeting Stephanie Black

At LDS Storymakers conference I met some fantastic people among them was Stephanie Black, author of Methods of Madness, Fool Me Twice, and Cold As Ice. Her new book Rearview Mirror is coming out this fall. Quite often when I attend these conferences I feel so inadequate. I put these published authors up on a pedestal thinking they are untouchable and if I manage to get the chance to speak with them I would melt in their very presence. Well, when I met Stephanie, they didn't have to scrape me from the carpet, but I found she was so down to earth as you will see by visiting her blog http://www.stephanieblackink.blogspot.com/. Very approachable, funny and intelligent. We talked about how we both love the editing process becasue that is where all the magic happens! A big shout out to Stephanie Black, Whitney Award winner and my favorite mystery/suspense author!

LDS Storymakers Conference

My head is still throbbing from all the info I tried to cram in it last weekend. The LDS Storymakers conference was wonderful. If you get a chance to go, go, it is so worth it. I've been to several conferences and so far this was the best! I'll be posting pictures of some wonderful writers I met. Also, watch for some notes and writing tips on the different classes I attended: picture books, query letters, description, and a lot of other great stuff. For now, I need a nap. Can't wait to apply all I've learned to my writing. Happy writing everyone.

Almost Conference Time

I feel like a child again on Christmas Eve, just anticipating all the great stuff I'm going to learn at the LDS Storymakers Conference this weekend. I've been  looking forward to this for about 4 months now! Waahooo, can't believe it's finally here! I'd better get some sleep before the Bootcamp tomorrow!

Inadequate

An understatement.
When the teacher askes you what genre you write, don't ask "What's a genre?"
Protagonist? Antagonist? What are those?

I had a lot to learn to say the least. I learned quickly. I read just about every book out there about writing and I add to that list every week or two. I was (still am) a spunge and will never stop learning.
I will be posting a list of what I have found to be the best resources for writers as far as books go. And you will find, several authors agree with me. These will be your "go to" books that you'll want to buy and keep handy.

Taking The Plunge

       For many years people would ask me, "What are you going to do with your life?" and in my most excited and enthusiastic voice, usually a little bit high-pitched, I would would respond, "I'm a stay at home mom."
      "Well, that's great but what do you want to do for the rest of your life?" Was always the response. Like I wasn't contributing to society or making my mark on the world raising kids.
      That was what I was plannig on doing for the rest of my life, but I had this uneasy feeling that ate and ate away at me until I couldn't stand it anymore. Someting was missing, but what?
      So I decided, I wanted to write and I checked a towering stack of books out at the local library and set to work studying these books about writing. The first book I read was about writing for children- don't even remember the title. I read a few others and decided, no way is writing for me. So I kept looking...
      I'm a very creative person and thought I might trying crafting or start my own scrapbook business, but I realized I couldn't do those things forvever. For a long time I did nothing, but life just didn't feel right; I didn't feel complete. A year or two passed with me wandering here and there, and I turned back to writing. I took a class and dove in...