A shameless, yet rational plug

The view from our cabin

I just got home from a week's vacation in the mountains, which is mostly relaxing, if you don't mind getting up early to walk the dogs, packing and unpacking food every day to go to the lakes, and the 10-hour drive to and from the lodge. At least we take two days.

They're so sweet when they're sleeping.

This particular trip was sidelined to visit one of our friends, a dear young girl who was supposed to be with us on the vacay, except that she discovered her leukemia is back and she had to be in the hospital instead. And, as lightly as I'm trying to say that, my heart is aching with hope and fear and a desire to be on my knees begging God to make it all right.


So now that I've been home for 24 hours, I am a big ball of tired-cranky. My son would call me salty. "Gee, Mom, want some salt with that?" he'd ask if he were here. Since I am here, I can answer him.

"Shut up."

I now get to plan for my next trip(s) in September, back-to-back travels to Monterey, then Irvine. In Monterey, I will be attending workshops to help me become a better trustee for my library. There's always something interesting to learn, plus, well, Monterey. I'm totally looking forward to breakfast at LouLou's on the pier.

Irvine, however, is where the action's at. September 25-27 is the Southern California Writer's Conference. This is our "Los Angeles" conference, which is almost never held in L.A. We used to be in Irvine, then we went to Newport, and this year, it's back to our old Irvine haunts. 

We should christen the hotel with a bottle of something.

This is probably the first of a couple of posts about the conference, but I wanted to let everyone know there's still time to get a discount on registration, a room at the hotel, and even an advanced reader or several.

Go here: http://writersconference.com/la/

I'll be teaching at least one workshop to help people who are on the fence about self-publishing determine whether they want to try it or not. When I'm not teaching, I'll be in workshops learning to grow as a writer and a marketer of my books. 

I know what some of you are saying. "The conference costs money. I can't afford to go to conferences. I get everything I need from YouTube videos, chat rooms, and my writer's group at the coffee shop."

IMHO... no, you don't. Seriously, go here: http://writersconference.com/la/

Here's what a conference gives you (or a good one should): access to industry professionals. These folks are editors, publishers, authors with traditional contracts, people who've been around the block more than once. They can steer you, mentor you, lift you up toward your goal, IF--

If you want to be a better writer and get a book out to the world. (Have I told you where to go? http://writersconference.com/la/)

And if you're worried about the cost, here is something to consider: being an author means you are self-employed. That means you are a business. Businesses need assets, need investment. Writer's conferences are an investment in the business of your writing.

After all this blabbering, I'm still feeling salty, so what are you waiting for? Get thee to that website and register!

INVEST IN YOU. http://writersconference.com/la/