Killer Nashville 2012

What is your favorite season of the year? Spring? Fall? Mine is conference season. And it's here now.

This year's Killer Nashville mystery writers' conference in Nashville, Tennessee closed yesterday. It was another great conference. 

My conference highlights:

* Dr. Bill Bass (founder of the University of Tennessee's "Body Farm") presenting the opening session.

* Agent/Editor Round tables - 2 page (kind) critiques with feedback from publishing professionals & a chance to submit a manuscript.

*The Killer Nashville Crime Scene - a mock crime scene attendees try to solve. The winner gets a free registration to next year's conference.

*Presenting the workshop "Using Archetypes to Create YA Characters: Heroes, Villains, and Sidekicks" with my friend, Cate Hart. Nervewracking, but fun!

*Seeing writer friends.

I look forward to next year. Until then, the Killer Nashville community meets year-round on the conference blog.

My Highlights of the 2012 SCBWI LA Conference

1. Sitting at the SCBWI MidSouth table just a few feet away from the podium as Ruta Sepetys accepted the Golden Kite award for Fiction for her amazing novel Between Shades of Gray.

2. Brian Collier’s inspirational speech on the seeds of our art that are planted throughout our lives.

3. Chris Rylander’s workshop on writing humor.

4. Seeing old friends again and meeting new ones.

It's Conference Week!

Tomorrow I fly to Los Angeles to attend my first SCBWI LA national conference. I'm excited to get a manuscript critique, attend workshops, and reconnect with old friends. AND my entire critique group is going!

I finished my last (for now) revision on my latest Work In Progress yesterday. Soon I'll be querying agents.

More later.