1. Thrills and Chills
2. Hooks and How To Use Them
3. Sex Scene Viagra
4. Double D’s: Description and Dialogue
5. Writing Hard to Write Characters- The Easy Way

The problem for me was competition in the workshops for my attention.  In the corresponding time frames were these four:

1. Make ‘Em Laugh, Make ‘Em Cry, No Don’t!
2. Nothing for this one… I knew I wanted the Hooks class
3. Character, Action, and Theme Create Plot
4. It’s Not Just Vampires: A Paranormal Panel
5. Unlock, Unblock!

I chose the Thrills and Chills, with Allison Brennan, over the Laughing one.  I felt my story had more thrills than laughs, which was how I decided on which class to go to.  It was a good class, but unfortunately didn’t meet my needs as much as I had thought.  I did enjoy the presenter and I love walking past her books in the grocery stores now, knowing “I MET HER!”  I want to read at least one of her stories.  Especially in the Lucy Kincaid series.

Off to my next class. Hooks… by Terri Brisbin.  I really enjoyed this class, though I am not sure I would be comfortable with her writing.  It might be a bit to “hot” for me, I don’t know.  I’ll have to give her a shot, just to see.  Anyway, I had more appreciation for her as I had had the opportunity to email Terri off and on before the conference, enhancing her class.  She sent me home with some handouts, giving her teaching a longer lasting impression for me.  One of her handouts provides some plot points to hook the reader.  They would soon match into another class beautifully, without my (then) knowledge!

The class ended and we headed off to lunch.
At this point, I am feeling more positive about my experience.
Without thinking much I walked back to the same class room for the third workshop.
Truly, without thinking.

I sat down, and noticed the lovely blonde lady in the front of the classroom.  She was preparing and visiting and seemed a bit nervous.
As I would be, if I were in here shoes.

As the class started, I loved listening to her.  Her voice was angelic.  She used great fluctuation, and pause and laughter.  She told us she took the idea of a workshop LITERALLY, as they passed out homework/worksheets for us to write on as she taught.

Now, I am really loving this.  Teach me on a personal level as to what and how I can improve my writing! Thank you!

About 20 minutes goes by and we are slightly interrupted by a rippling wave of hysterical laughter.  It’s then that I realize I had missed out on the Sex Scene class.

Now, I know what you might be thinking.

Stop snickering.

I was hoping that class might have something about how to make my bad guys look really bad because of their scandalous behavior.  I want to use it in it’s opposite form– not for entertainment, but to show how immorality is actually ruining society and families.  Because that’s how it is in my book.

So, with a tinge of uncertainty, I held my ground and stayed in my seat, as Martha Alderson, The Plot Whisperer began to work a magic spell over me — so much so as to put ALL my doubts aside. She is the WHISPERER.  She spoke right to my heart.

After her class, I was on such a high.  I had to tell her she’d made a deep impression on me, and had altered my writing, in that short hour.  Suddenly, I desperately wanted NEEDED her book.

I told her I was moved and that she spoke right to my heart.  She seemed happy enough to hear that.  I was glad.  And then I bee-lined for the book store (the one they had set up there at the hotel) to purchase her book.

It was sold out.  (Man, am I having a bit of bad luck at this conference or what?)

Oh well. 

Next class: Dialogue and Description.  I was on such a high from the last class, I don’t think I caught much of this one.  I have no notes and nothing to account for my mental or physical whereabouts for that hour.  Literally, I think I was high, remember I’ve not only enjoyed Martha’s class like crazy, I’m over dosing on chocolate. My mind was wheeling around and throwing ideas and questions at me.  We (my characters and I) were in a high octane conversation.

So when the class ended, I only had notes of my own on my book, and nothing from the Double D class.

Somewhere in the middle of this class, I walked out for my Editor Appointment.
I don’t have much to say about it.

I didn’t pitch my book really; I didn’t make a great impression, I’m sure.
I talked about genres and asked for her help on placing my writing into one.
We didn’t come up with anything in those short 10 minutes.
Oh well.

It’s what happened AFTER that appointment that made me glad I took the appointment. As I came out, there was my favorite person of the conference: Martha Alderson.  She was just casually sitting there, and when she spoke to me I am pretty sure I turned around to see the important person she was actually speaking too.

Shockingly, she was speaking to me. (I was so glad I was in that place at that time, or I may never had had the chance to visit with Martha!)

“Well, how did your appointment go?” or something like that, was her question.
From there, I found my bubbly self again and we had a great chat about my book and pitched it to her the way I probably should have pitched it to Jennifer Schober.  Martha asked my WHY I hadn’t pitched it, as excitedly as I spoke about it at that very moment, to Jennifer.

Honestly, I’m not sure.  I wasn’t nervous. I just felt it’s not time to present my work to a real editor/agent.

Further discussion led to Martha using her most motherly skills to get after me about writing the beginning of my story.  “GET TO THE END.  WRITE THE END!” She insisted.  Again, her words were full of encouragement and heartfelt.  I felt that she truly wanted me to see the book to the end.  Not just finish writing it, but to see it in print someday.  Her eyes were alight with a desire to read it, and if that’s not what I was seeing in her eyes, I don’t know what I saw there, and she’s a good actress.

I left her presence again rejuvenated and grateful I was to have had a chance to visit with her one on one, even if it was for only 15 minutes or so.

Ahh.
Just when I thought I was coming down from the high!

Off to my next class.
The Hard to Write Characters.
Can we all just agree now: THEY’RE ALL HARD.

I switched POV shortly before attending this conference.  I’m trying to weave the voice of a 22 year old male into magic.

It’s hard.

So when Beth Andrews began reading a pretty scandalous scene to the class, my ears began to burn. Her heat level was hotter than my ears were used to. However, she made a killer point.

As bad as her guy was, he was the hero to her book.

Right then and there, she had my respect. She knows what she is talking about and was willing to teach us her tricks.  She can write hard characters.  I give her that!  She was spunky and cheerful and I actually grew to adore her by the end of the hour too!

See how cute Beth is!

I’m not at all afraid to approach her her and tell her again how glad I am for her words of wisdom and how bummed I am about her book being unavailable.  She’s likewise bummed that they didn’t order enough. (She said herself- Note To Self: Order as many books as there are registered guests!)  I manage to steal a photo of us together!

After she left, we were then tossed into a great working process of writing that felt like high school homework, but was fun and perfect to push those of us who were participating into really thinking and being creative.

These are two of the worksheets Martha handed out.

Now isn’t that a great story to share behind the inscription or what! Talk about a wonderful gift!

If I wasn’t up to my chin in her YouTube videos and her book, I’d be missing her like crazy.  But since I am watching her on YouTube and reading her book, it’s like she moved in with me. She’s in my house any time I want. Love that.

Plus I have her blog, which you can read and follow to should you be writing…. HERE.

And I am glad that she has messaged me a few times on facebook, with a warm wish to a life long friendship.

Those words are like gold.

{I have a few more posts to go on this conference!  Hang in there with me, we’ll make it! Leave me a chilling comment!  I love those.  Or just say HI, that works too!}