Santa Barbara's Writer's Day

After picking up a grande latte from Starbucks, Maggie and I hit the road for another Writer's Conference. The annual SCBWI Writer's day was held at Cal Lutheran, which is practically in our own backyard, making the drive short and very easy to tolerate.
Oh, I love the feeling of anticipation, hope and impending inspiration that one gets enroute to an event like this. You never really know what the quality of the speakers will be. Expectations are always high and you hope that part of their message might resonate with you. I wasn't disappointed.
The five spotlighted new authors each delivered a unique perspective of what their road to publication was like. Although halfway through most of them, I couldn't help but dream about what I would say when I'm given the opportunity to do the same...the powerpoint show of my old Greenwood yearbooks, pathetic pictures of the piles of revised drafts, the endless rejections slips...oh, I can hardly wait.
I was really impressed by all of these highly articulate, passionate writer's who persevered their way to published glory. My hats off to you Heather Tomlinson, Jay Asher, Rene Colato Lainez, Barbara Jean Hicks and Denise Gruska. You were all fabulous!

I got to see my fabulous writing teacher, Val Hobbs who is a faculty member of the SCBWI/V/SB chapter and author of Sheep and Defiance and like a thousand other books; Greg Trine, author of The Melvin Beederman Series and winner of the Most Promising Young Adult manuscript contest (yeah, Greg!); Newbery author Susan Patrone who delivered a very funny account of her winning the big honor; Alexis O'Neill, the unflappable organizer who brings it all together and countless other writing friends from past conferences and writing groups. It's a great crowd and it feels good to be a part of it.

Thanks to all who made the event great. Until next year.