Monkey Madness Monday: Back From Conference

So, I'm back from conference and it once again, was amazing. Keynote speakers were Bruce Hale, Matt de la Pena, Melissa Sweet, Bonny Becker, and Rachel Vail.

I did a dialogue intensive with Matt de la Pena on Friday afternoon. This was the session for which I had to read Okay for Now and Inside Out and Back Again.

totally stole this from Danny Marks

Friday night was my friend J Anderson Coats release party for her novel, The Wicked and the Just , so right after the intensive, my boyfriend, Mike picked me up and whisked me away to Everett to SoJen Cellars to help J celebrate. Awesome food, and were joined by J's family and fellow writers, Marissa Burt, Marissa Meyer, Danny Marks, and Jennifer Shaw Wolf.

So Saturday rolls around, I'm in the elevator heading downstairs and this guy gets into the elevator with me. He's asking me how I'm enjoying conference, we're chit chatting. The elevator door opens and I say, well, I'm sure I"ll see you around, looks like you're presenting? He says, yeah, I'm this morning's keynote. *palm to face* Yes, I was in the elevator, talking with Bruce Hale, and I made a complete idiot of myself. Yep.

It reminds me of how much of a newbie I still really am in all this and the reason I joined SCBWI in the first place: to meet and network with other writers. I knew NO other writers when I dove into this crazy world. And yes, I've met TONS since, but I still know very few locally, and that is my goal: to meet more in the area. Unfortunately, in my tangible world, I'm incredibly shy, and all the writers here seem to all be in their own secret societies and I don't know the secret handshakes. Even some of the ones I met last year I tried to approach this weekend seemed to have closed their metaphorical doors on me. Sigh. How can this person that is so outgoing on video and online and in her school visits be such a timid mouse when faced with a social situation full of people going through the same kinds of experiences as her? 

The answer: I have no idea.

The solution: Get more involved. That's what I've decided to do. I have no idea HOW I'm going to achieve that. I feel like I'm already a chicken, sans head. First I will make lists. Second I will cross things off list, more than likely, housework will be the first to go. Then I will prioritize all of my "things" I do and see where I can squeeze in any other "things".

Sounds impossible? Improbable?

I don't care. I'm going to do it.

I may need talking off the ledge from time to time.

I may disappear for weeks on end.

I may need to refill my Xanax prescription more often than usual, but seriously, I'm going to do this thing.

So, I was going to talk more about conference, but I think I'll finish that up tomorrow.