The conference was absolutely wonderful and for all of you who weren't able to come, I highly recommend starting right now to save a tiny bit every week so that you can attend one of the upcoming ones.
As everyone can see, I made it home safely and in one piece. My website and the Blueboard didn't fare so well. This morning, my entire website and the message board went down... and apparently it is still down, many hours later. The entire server had a major power outage (I am calling it a meltdown, until I hear a better term for it) and over half their clients lost their websites. Mine was just one tiny one in the entire explosion. I'm glad I'm not on the other end of that outage! They have a lot of clients screaming and yelling at them. (Like THAT is going to help them fix the problem faster?)
But I digress. Getting back to the subject at hand, there's something very special about this particular conference. It's unique in that it's so intense and so very gynormous. (Yeah, I know. That's not a real word. But I love it so I'm saying it anyway.) People were there from all around the world and someone was there from all of the US states except one. (South Dakotans, where were you?)
Massive amounts of love and friendship literally dripped and radiated from everyone the entire time of the conference. Not one person ran over anyone else (that I saw) or climbed on top of anyone else to get a little higher on the ladder of success. Instead, people everywhere were sharing ideas and hints and suggestions to help each other reach higher pinnacles of success. My heart warmed and beat faster as I felt all the love and caring people around me reaching out to their fellow writers and illustrators.
I've always personally had a very dedicated goal: When I finally reach the top of that ladder of success someday, I want to have all my friends there to celebrate with me. What a cold, lonely place it would be if one were up there all alone! Apparently most of the people at the conference felt the same way, if one can judge from the love and sharing that went on during those four days.
The Keynote speakers were all amazing. Each one brought something different to the attendees. There were dozens of breakout sessions. Two of them I taught (thank you, everyone who attended and let me know how helpful they were!) and the rest I had to pick and choose just one from a big handful that I wanted to attend. Some were very informative, others incredibly inspiring, but all were well worth the time (and tuition cost) it took to be there.
When I went to the conference, I was pretty much depressed and discouraged with my own life and lack of success. (Yes, it doesn't matter where you are in your writing/illustrating career, you can still feel that way.) I came away inspired, rejuvenated, and ready to WRITE and SUBMIT. "Rejections, beware! I will persevere over you, no matter what." (That's ONE thing I WILL ramrod over and stomp on to get higher up the ladder of success - rejections.)
I saw new books of people I care about. I saw Blueboarders books, too. What talented people we have on the message board! (Which is DOWN at the moment, by the way. The server had a major meltdown and it took over half its clients' websites and email with it. I'm still waiting for it to come back up. Perhaps in another hour or so? I hope!)
During the conference I got to talk to some of my favorite people - Judy Blume (what a lovely woman she is!), Bruce Coville, Bruce Hale, Linda Joy Singleton (I got to room with her!) Dianne De LaCasas, Katie Davis, (she did a podcast interview of me about the Blueboard... watch for it to be online sometime in the next week or so!) Melody de Leon, Molly Blaisdell, and my two "almost" roomies, Linda Whalen and Danna Smith, Harold Underdown, (no, Harold was NOT almost my roomie!) Emma Dryden, Rukhsana Khan, Steven Malk, and so many Blueboarders I thought at least half the people in attendance must have been members of the message board! What a privilege and joy it was to spend time with each of you during the conference. Thank you so much for sharing yourselves with me. I loved every minute of it.
To whoever it was that accidentally took the first page of my upcoming book, Civil War Drummer Boy, mechanicals during my promotion workshop, I'd very much like to have it back, since it's the only copy I had of it! It was my fault for putting all the freebie handouts on the same table with it and I know you didn't realize it wasn't there to take home with you... but it's the ONLY copy I had of it and I had gotten it just three days before the conference. I still need to check it out thoroughly and let my editor know if I see any historical inaccuracies in it. Please let me know who you are and I'll send you my mailing address.
Some of my favorite quotes from the conference are:
Donna Jo Napoli - "Writing terrible things makes readers better people."
And from one of the workshop session leaders, Michael Kripalani - "Be prepared to enter a competitive market ... (and)... know exactly what you want to accomplish."
Richard Peck gave us my favorite quote, though. "Had I been limited to writing what I know, I would have produced in forty years a total of ONE unpublishable haiku."
The most embarrassing moment and biggest thrill of the conference for me, personally? When a Blueboarder (who ARE you?) called across the luncheon table to me, "YOU are Verla Kay? Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for the Blueboards!" And then she started bowing down to me with her arms over her head. LOL! What a moment that was for someone who has always felt like she was on the outside of the window, with her nose pressed up against the glass, watching all the love and wonderful things happening on the other side of that window. Suddenly, I was transported to the loving side of that window and it was one of the most memorable and happy moments of my life. Thank you.
And thank you, too, to all the rest of you Blueboarders - there were so MANY of you! - that came up to me and introduced yourselves. The love radiating from all of you was so special to me. I bow down low to each of you in thanks for your support and continued sharing with others on the message board. YOU are what makes that message board such a special place. It would be nothing without the people who come there to gather and share information.
It was an incredible conference, one I will continue to attend, no matter what the sacrifice it takes to get me there! It's well worth every penny spent to attend.
Thank you, Lin and Steve, for conceiving the idea of SCBWI, for building and maintaining this incredible organization, and for continuing to put on such fabulous informative and inspirational conferences.
Have a wonderful day, everyone. Life is good.
5 comments:
Wonderful, heartfelt post. I had a great time as your roommate. Let's do it again next year (g).
Sounds perfect to me, Linda. I'm ready!
So sorry I missed the opportunity to say hello Verla! But there is always next time! It was my first summer conference. I was so in awe of everything and wanted to be everywhere at once. I did have my blueboarder button with me, which helped me to meet a few fellow blueboarders. (Ravyn2002)
Oh, Christine, we will HAVE to meet next time, then. Save a big hug for me, will you? :-)
Aw, Verla, your post made me both teary and inspired! It was clearly an unforgettable time -- and yes, I'm saving up for next year, one penny at a time. Thanks for sharing your experience with us -- and thanks for the community of support and inspiration on the boards! Cheers!
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