I’m finally getting around to sharing about my conference experience and by now, many of you have probably read all you want to about the conference! I put up a number of pictures on my Facebook page and still need to upload to my author fan page. But things take time and life has been more than hectic since returning.

The great thing about attending the conference is reconnecting with friends. Some I talk to every day via the internet and others I chat with every year at the conference. One of my dearest writing buddies lives several states away from me–but we chat every day. I shared a room with her this year at the conference. Shannon McNear is a great writer and upcoming published author.

Another dear friend, Jill Eileen Smith, has been on this writing journey with me since the beginning. We met early on at the conference when neither of us was published, but we encouraged each other. That’s why it’s important to connect at a conference–the encouragement will keep you writing.

Jill wanted to get a picture of me with my award–The Camera Never Lies won the Carol Award this year! I was completely stunned and shocked, and also very humbled. The award definitely told me that my mother isn’t the only one who enjoyed my story!

I also got a shot with Susan Downs. She was the acquiring editor for mysteries then at Barbour who bought The Camera Never Lies (then named Portrait of a Murder).

Thanks for believing in me Susan! I wish I could have thanked more people during my speech, but since I failed to write one, believing that I wouldn’t win, I was blessed to get any words out at all.

I took many more pictures of friends, both old and new and you can view them on my Facebook page. There are just too many to name in this post.

I do want to mention someone I met for the first time and I’m so glad I did. I was recently interviewed on Gate Beautiful, a Blog Talk radio show, coming on right after Judy Gann of Library Insider, and wouldn’t you know?–I saw next to her several times at the conference. She’s a dear woman who had plenty to share with me about a few things I’m going through right now. Call it a Divine appointment.

Next year’s conference is only 50 weeks and counting.