One Of These Days!

One event every writer's conference I'm aware of has is a book signing. Published authors attending the Conference have the opportunity to meet their readers, sign books/book marks, sell more books (through the on site book seller which is a local book store), and have their pictures taken while signing a book, posing, or with a fan. The Conference promotes the authors and the general public is invited - nope, encouraged to attend.

Desert Dreams was no different.

Someone noticing me may have thought I wandered through the tables. The truth was very different. My Intention? Soak up the feeling of being at a book signing, imagine me sitting at a table, meeting my readers, signing my books/book marks, etc. One element of Intention is to see and feel yourself 'as if'. This book signing event manifested that opportunity for me.

Who did I decide to photograph?

Kris Tualla

Terri Molina

Genre-istas - Kris Tualla, Terri Molina

Genre-ista Alumni - Erin Kellison

Shelley Coriell

Laurie Schnebly Campbell

Genre-ista Guests

Shelley Coriell and

Laurie Schnebly Campbell

Genre-ista Guest-to-be Barbara White Daille

Vijaya Schartz

Vijaya Schartz - I moderated her workshop

Ann Charles

Ann Charles - She and Jacquie Rogers are the reason I even have a blog in the first place.






Amy Jarecki - I met her through this blog and then in person at Desert Dreams.

Amy Jarecki

Here's what it looks like to be surrounded with your books. One of these days!

Here's what it looks like to be surrounded by people wanting to buy or have you sign your books. Another One Of These Days! photo

My Intention is to be a published author and attending Desert Dreams brought me closer to its manifestation.

www.JudithAshleyRomance.com
www.RomancingTheGenres.blogspot.com
www.FreeReadsFromTheGenre-istas.blogspot.com

© 2012 Judith Ashley

Conference Connections the Bob Mayer Way

Prior to attending the Desert Dreams Conference, I read Bob Mayer's work on how to get the most out of attending a conference. I highly recommend it prior to going to a conference because it is packed with great ideas on how to use your conference time to enhance your writing, your contacts, and your brand.

What I practiced is 1) staying out of my room; 2) having my business card with me; 3) engaging in conversations and exchanging cards with the people around me.

Here are some of the writers I met at the meals!

Nikki Kimbel, writes now but is also The Original Mudpie Queen

Margaret Boone Rappaport, is on FB, and writes science fiction for women.

Janice Brooks, writes contemporary women's fiction and has published two books.

Elizabeth Blake, editor/author of "How I Met My Spouse" a compilation of true short stories from 42 couples.

Because I was out of my room and chatting with people, I also met

Bernadette La Mazza, playwrite and author

Prior to the conference I met two women. One on the conference Yahoo loop and one through an earlier post on this blog.

Patricia L. Brooks, president/founder, of the Scottsdale Society of Women Writers, I met on the loop. We met in person at the conference. Hopefully our schedules will allow us to connect again when she visits Oregon.

Amy Jarecki, author of 'Adventure Kissed by Romance' I met on this loop. She has an interesting blog. I really liked her series on Donald Maass' Breakout Novel Workshop.

As you can see, I collected the business cards of seven women while at Desert Dreams. I actually talked to many more and passed my card out.

In 2010 I met Christie Walker Bos and Courtney Lewis who have joined me on Romancing The Genres. You just never know when a chance conversation and the exchange of contact information can lead to a longer relationship.

Bob Mayer is right. Have a plan when you attend a conference or in keeping with the focus of this blog - know your Intention when you attend a conference and look for those Synchronicities. I'm very glad I did!

© 2012 Judith Ashley

www.JudithAshleyRomance.com

Registraion: A Time To Connect and Reconnect

Most of the time, when I embark on an adventure, I look for Synchronicity and have a clear Intention before hand. That was true for my 2012 Desert Dreams experience.

I volunteered for Registration and was assigned to the first shift. One of the best things about volunteering is you get to Register first, meet other volunteers, and meet and greet a group of attendees. Since I subscribed to the Desert Dreams Yahoo Loop, I knew names and could put faces to them. I'd also 'met' other writers on the loop, but that's another story.

Because of the organization of Shelley Coriell, Registration was ssmmoootthh and almost 50% of attendees had their registration packets by the end of our shift. Shelley has mastered being organized without being controlling.

I met and worked along side of Taylor Lee and Nina Benneton and renewed my connections with Robin Kramme, who I'd met and talked to at Desert Dreams in 2010. One of the added gifts I've found from regularly attending smaller regional conferences is I make friends and stay in touch in between.

Why did I volunteer for Registration duty? My Intention was to support my Desert Rose Chapter at the Desert Dreams Conference. Shelley had been a guest at Romancing The Genres and I may have met her in 2010 but I was able to really put her name and face and writing together when she guested with us in April. (She writes Young Adult. Check out her website by clicking on her name). One of the first people I spotted as I walked in the Registration area was Robin Kramme, who I met in 2010. At that time we'd shared our writing goals and dreams; this time we took the time to catch up on what had happened in the intervening two years. My Intention is to remain in contact with Robin until I see her again. You can click on her link to read a bio as she is one of the LitSisters. Click here to read about her play!

Nina Benneton and Taylor Lee are new acquaintances. Taylor is active with the Indie Book Collective, a great organization that supports independently published authors. Nina is an author with Sourcebooks. Check them out. I think you'll find them interesting and accomplished women you'd like to get to know.