Don't Miss This!

Want to write a book? Learn the secrets to getting published? Refine your craft and respond to the call to write? Then you'll definitely want to attend

The 2011 Write to Inspire Conference in Elk Grove, California!

This is going to be a great time of fellowship and learning together. Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, come join us as we explore:

• Editor, Friend or Foe?
• What's in an Agent?
• Refine Your Craft
• The Power of Storytelling
• Taming Your Writing Dragons
• Finding Your Voice
• Marketing?? Yikes!
• Write Your Passion

As an added bonus, the conference is running a contest where you can get the chance to pitch your project to me for possible representation! So take the time for you and your call. I'd love to see you there! Check out the details here.

Oh, and let me know you're coming so I can be sure to look for you.

Karen

The Premiere Writers' Conference

I'm so excited! It's almost here. That event I anticipate all year long!

The Mount Hermon Christian Writers' Conference.


If you've attended, you know exactly what I mean. If you haven't, well...DO SO! This conference not only has the best and biggest faculty and staff every year, but it's situated in the middle of the California Redwoods. From the first day to last, you're surrounded by a community of people who are passionate about words and writing, and by some of God's greatest beauty.
And the music! Oh, friends, the music is glorious. Just take a listen to David Talbott's talent, and imagine an auditorium ringing with the sound of David's music and voices lifted in praise to God.

What's not to love?

Yes, it's an expense, but one well worth the investment in your writing craft and career. Whether you're published or unpublished, if you want guidance, feedback, and encouragement Mount Hermon is the place to find it. In spades. But you'll find something else there as well.

Hearts dedicated to serving God and one another.

It's that spirit that makes this conference truly special. The sense that while we're working to refine writing, to build our careers, there's something deeper underlying every workshop conversation, and gathering. Something good and godly. Something that knits us together, brings us joy and laughter as we learn and share.
Something that stays with you long after you leave.

I've heard it over and over from folks who've attended: what they found at Mount Hermon was far more than they imagined. Yes, they found help for their writing. But more than that, they found friends. And nurture for their souls.

And that, friends, is what it's really all about.

So come join us this year. You won't regret it.

Peace!

More Notes from the Road

Wonderful, wonderful Palm Sunday service here. It's been a bit cold, but we sat outside anyway. I snapped a shot to show you what it looks like where we were sitting, at the back of the auditoriumand realized I caught Robin Jones Gunn, Patsy Clairmont, and Jan Silvious sitting there on the second bench/pew from the back (Robin's peeking behind Patsy to grin at me, Jan's on the other side of Patsy). (Okay, okay, the picture's so small you can't tell it's them. Trust me. It is. Really!) Anyway, it was nice outside. We could hear everything from inside the auditorium, and we got to listen to the wind whispering through the Redwoods all through the service. At one point I looked up and the tops of the trees seemed to be dancing as we lifted our voices in songs of praise. What an amazing setting for thanking God for all He's done for us.

Now, you notice the blue sky in the background? First day we arrived here, Dave Talbott, the conference host, warned us that bad weather was on it's way. Not just cold, but by Sunday we'd be clobbered with hail! Were we worried? Not on your life. We just said we'd pray the bad weather away. Mount Hermon has that effect on people. All this beauty in nature around us reminds who is really in control. So we determined to pray the bad weather away. The temp dipped, but every day so far here's what we've seen:


We've had blue skies and even some sunshine. Not a single hailstone has shown up. Yay!

I'll fill you in on more of Mount Hermon later. For now, let's get back to our adventures on our way to the conference grounds. As I said, Robin and Marion were coming in a day later than planned, so Julee and I stayed another day with Francine, Rick, and dear ol' Shabah. So Wednesday dawned bright and early, bringing another call from Robin. The doctor told her she was in no shape to travel, so she couldn't come to SanFran to play with us. After some weeping and wailing and whining on our part, we told Robin of course she should stay home the extra few days to gain strength before coming to the writers' conference. We promised to take good care of Marion, rang off, loaded up the car, and hit the road for SanFran.

On the drive down Julee, who'd met Marion when she went to England last year with Robin, regaled me with stories of Marion. "You'll love her! Just watch for a pixie of a woman with a crown of white hair and a lovely smile."

An hour or so later, we'd arrived at our hotel, The Stanford Court, which was ensconced on Nob Hill. With an hour or so until Marion's planned arrival, at which time we'd hie ourselves across the street to tea at the Fairmont hotel, Julee and I went to check the lay of the land. The cable car stop was right on the corner, so we hopped aboard (I kept waiting for the Rice-a-Roni song to start!), and rode down the hill to the financial district. Happy day, there were Starbuck's galore! So we stocked up on coffee, walked around a smidge, then back on the cable car to go await Marion.

Well, her arrival time came. And left. An hour past the scheduled arrival, I went to cancel the tea. I mean, sure, Marion would probably be game to try and make it. After all, she's English and tea is always welcome. But Julee and I talked it over and we figured after the storms, delayed flights, possible turbulence on the LONG flight over, she just might prefer a bit of a rest.

As I was turning from the concierge's desk, in walked someone who fit Julee's description to a 'T' walked in. It was Marion, and she was all Julee has said and more. Fun, in a far better mood than I would be after all she'd endured, and game for an adventure. So once she was settled in her room, we made our way back to the cable cars and went on to Fisherman's Warf. We walked and talked and soon felt like fast friends. Dinner was at Bubba Gumps--Yummy!--and then we grabbed a cab back to the hotel. Now, I must confess that the cab was...well...okay, let's be honest. DISGUSTING! I don't know what the stains on the seat were, nor did I ask. But short of levitating, there was no way to avoid sitting on them. Once we got back to the hotel we agreed. No more cabs! Some adventures just didn't deserve repeating.

I'll share more tomorrow, but the night is wearing on and I lead early morning worship here at Mount Hermon. Which means hitting the hay far earlier than usual to ensure I'm at least somewhat coherent at 7 a.m.

Blessings to you!

Karen

Notes from the Road

Wow, never meant to be out of touch this long. It's been a whirlwind trip so far. We had a great drive down to California. BEAUTIFUL weather, safe travel, and loads of conversation. Usually Julee and I put the music on, crank it up, and bop our way across whatever state we're in. I'd even loaded a CD holder with all the right genres, which basically is a mix of everything. But it's been awhile since we've been together, and we were so deep in conversation 5 hours had passed and we hadn't even looked at the CDs. I can't wait for the drive back home on Tuesday. So much has happened, you know we'll talk nonstop for the 7 1/2 hours home. (Probably a mercy to our hubbies that we've got those hours to talk ourselves out...)

We got on the road, Dutch Brother's coffee clutched in our paws, nice and early Sunday morning. Pulled into the driveway at Francine and Rick Rivers's home around 4:30 that afternoon. We'd planned on spending the night there, enjoying Francine and Rick's company, then it was on to San Francisco to meet author Robin Jones Gunn and a friend from England, Marion Stroud. Marion had never been in SanFran before, so we were all going to give her the grand tour for the next two days.

Well, best laid plans, and all that.

The worst storm in 20 years clobbered England, so Marion's flight was canceled. We were notified of this fact by a basso profundo Robin, who also informed us she had the respiratory flu and would also be flying in a day later. No worries, though. That gave us another day with Francine and Rick! We had a wonderful time talking and laughing, and playing with their dear German Shepherd, Shabah. He's 11 now, and his hind legs aren't cooperating so well...reminded me of my darlin' Bo. So it was a kind of bittersweet time, since it's entirely likely he won't be around a lot longer. But I had a blast playing with him all the same. He followed me to bed each night, toy in his massive mouth, big brown eyes pleading. I'd send him out of the room, only to have him peek around the corner, ever hopeful. You gotta love dogs!

Oops! Palm Sunday service here at Mount Hermon is about to begin. No way I'm going to miss Dave Talbott playing piano and organ, so I'll stop for now. But I promise I'll check back in soon and fill you in on the rest of the trip so far.

Peace and blessings to you this Palm Sunday.

Karen

California, Here I Come!

In case you wondered, the mini-workshops aren't done. But I've been immersed in getting ready for the Mount Hermon Christian Writers' Conference next week. My editor, Julee Schwarzburg (pictured at right), will be here Saturday, and then she and I will hit the road early Sunday morning. I can't wait. Julee has been one of my closest friends for lo these 20+ years, and we love going on road trips together. So I'm getting my workshop materials printed and ready, packing my suitcases, loading my CD folders with just the right traveling music (we love Bruce Willis's Bruno album), and basically going in frantic circles doing all of that and keeping up with work.

I'll check in during the conference to let you know how things are going. It's going to be loads of fun since not only will my editing compatriots be there, but a number of my B&H authors. This will be my 10th year at Mount Hermon, and I'll keep going as long as they want me. It is, in my opinion, the best writers' conference out there. Yes, there are others that are very good, but Mount Hermon is the best from the standpoint of workshops, faculty & staff, and location. I mean, you can't beat the Redwoods!

But you know the best thing about going to a writers' conference? You're surrounded by people as crazy as you are! These folks don't blink an eye when you tell them your characters kept you up all night arguing with you about where the story is going. And they're right with you when you bemoan the unpredictability of what will and won't sell. What's more, not one will roll his or her eyes when you jump into a lively debate about when to use semicolons.

So here's to the total package: a road trip with a good friend and spending time with people of like minds and insanity.

Peace!

Karen