ComiCon: I'll Be There in Three Days!

by Marsha Ward  @MarshaWard

Several months ago, I was invited to share a booth with a friend at Phoenix ComiCon. I went back and forth before I decided to give it a go. Now there are four of us authors in the booth.

ComiCon begins Thursday, May 25, and runs through Sunday, May 28.

I'm not positive whether or not I'm a good fit for the event. I write Westerns. ComiCon celebrates popular culture, particularly in the fields of SciFi & Fantasy. But before Firefly, there were Westerns, right?

If nothing else, I can take the expenses off my income taxes in several categories, including Advertising and Fees.

Although ComiCon is not strictly a book event, authors do participate, in both booths and at "Artist Alley" tables. For me, this will be an adventure in marketing, putting my author brand out there, conquering fear and anxiety, and trying to be an extrovert for four days.

I've been working on what books to take, how many copies of each book, how to display the books, how to decorate the booth, and other details. I've sent a ton of questions to my friend, read the policies of the show innumerable times (and I'm sure I missed something!), and even had nightmares.

Yes, nightmares. Horrible, vivid nightmares of having my car stolen from downtown Phoenix, thus stranding me 150 miles from home. Once I got my parking secured, though, the nightmares went away.

The last couple of days, I've been working on handouts. One handout showcases my major series, "The Owen Family Saga," and the other has a headline of "WESTERNS, America's Timeless Fiction," with photos of nine of my works, plus fifteen QR code links to various sites on the reverse.

I also made a ring-bound set of cards with large QR codes for those who wish to go purchase ebooks on the spot. Or just look at one of the books at Amazon.

Why all the QR codes?

In view of the demographic of the attendees, I've decided to take a minimum amount of paperback books, because this crowd is more likely to buy and read ebooks. I'm attempting to make it easy for them to purchase books of mine that catch their interest!  

There are tons of apps for reading/scanning QR codes. I'm hoping many attendees will have such scanning apps.

So much goes on at ComiCon that I probably won't be sitting around watching my feet swell as I thought at first. I might get to go roam a little to take in a panel, or just wander around and see the sights. I'm sure there will be cringe-worthy costumes, but some are likely to be spectacular--even if I don't know what show or comic book character they represent.

My friends have advised me to have fun. By gum, I'm going to have fun. Really, truly.

I'll be in the Four Carat Press Booth in the Lower Level Exhibit Hall, Hall Six, Booth #1797, against the south wall. Come say hello!

Payson Book Festival

I’m excited about the first annual Payson Book Festival, coming up on July 25. As well as giving a short presentation in Room 401 at 11:00 a.m. on “Literacy Begins at Home: Build Reading into Family Activities,” I'll be at Table 46 in Room 403, where I’ll autograph my novels for you to purchase. The Festival will have lots of free family-oriented activities, including the chance to meet and talk with 60 authors from around Arizona, who write in many genres. Workshops, kids’ activities, entertainment, and door prizes will be part of the fun. Food vendors will also be there.

Come up to cool Rim Country for a Saturday full of great activities for your family on July 25, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Payson Book Festival will be held at Gila Community College, 201 N. Mud Springs Road, just off Highway 260 in Payson, Arizona.

Here’s a radio interview on June 5 that I did with KRIM-FM’s host Phanie. Learn about how I began writing, how the Owen Family Saga evolved, and the Payson Book Festival’s roots.

Bay Area Book Festival Defends Author Solutions Sponsorship

I follow David Gaughran's excellent blog. I think all writers should do so, especially if you are an independently publishing author - or have such aspirations.

David gave us an enlightening message today:

Originally posted on David Gaughran:

I discovered yesterday that Author Solutions was sponsoring the inaugural Bay Area Book Festival – something at odds with the breathless verbiage on the event’s site:

A new kind of book fair… the largest, most innovative, and most inclusive… [we will] create the nation’s leading book festival.

The event doesn’t take place until June, so I thought it was a good time to try and stage an intervention.

Shame on @BayBookFest for accepting sponsorship from known scammers like Author Solutions. What the hell were you thinking? #Baybookfest
— David Gaughran (@DavidGaughran) March 19, 2015

After I sent that tweet I felt a little bad.

Maybe the organizers didn’t know the full history of Author Solutions. Maybe they weren’t aware of the specific scam that Author Solutions runs at events like this. Deciding to give them the benefit of the doubt, I emailed the Executive Director of the festival, Cherilyn Parsons.

View original 1,145 more words

Indie Author Hub Writing & Publishing Conference - June 7, 2014

Indie Author Hub is throwing a party . . . well, it's really a Writing & Publishing Conference, but if I know anything about the people involved in the planning and execution of the event, it will be immensely fun, as well as exceedingly informative!

 

It all takes place at the Courtyard Marriott, 1600 N Freedom Blvd (200 W.), in Provo, Utah. Here's a link to the particulars, where you can register to get in on all the good stuff.

Did you notice the price??? What a sweet deal! It doesn't include lunch, but you have several options for feeding yourself. Details on the site.

Here's a sneak peek at the schedule:

7:30-8:30 – registration/complimentary bagels and juice
8:30-8:40 – Welcome/door prizes
8:40-9:30 – Keynote Amy Harmon NYT bestselling author
9:40-10:30 – 1st breakout
10:40-11:30 – 2nd breakout
11:40-12:30 – 3rd breakout
12:30-1:30 – Lunch
1:30-1:40 – Welcome back/winner of cover contest/door prizes
1:40-2:30 – Panel: The Pros and Cons of Indie, Traditional, and Hybrid Publishing. Amy Harmon, Stephanie Fowers, Rachael Anderson, Heather Moore, Andrea Pearson, Rachel Ann Nunes
2:40-3:30 – 4th breakout
3:40-4:30 – 5th breakout
4:40-5:30 – 6th breakout/complimentary snack
5:40-6:30 – 7th breakout
6:40-7:20 – Mass author book signing 

With 21 Breakout Sessions, this is a don't miss event, so, if you have any interest in Indie Publishing, DON'T MISS IT!

Come Listen to a Prophet's Voice

This is what I'm doing this weekend:

If you are interested in learning more, you can go here to watch the live video.

A Little Respite - Then Diving into Writing

Having promised the protagonist of my next novel that I'll start writing his book within the next month, I have my work cut out for me in the weeks ahead. However, having presented two--yes, that's TWO--classes at the ANWA Writers Conference over the weekend, I need a little respite before I dive into the deep waters of the writing experience.

Besides my own need for physical rejuvenation, my house could use a little attention. Er, make that a LOT of attention. Papers are piled up on every flat surface, including the floor. I've managed--just barely--to keep my bills paid, but that's mostly due to the miracle of auto payments, for which I am very grateful. A question asked in a church meeting the week before chilled me to the bone: "What if the Internet went away?"

I think we all have become very accustomed to that miracle, but I suppose it's a big possibility that it could disappear someday. Certainly it could if people without scruples decided it would suit their agenda for that to happen.

But I'm wandering off track. The question above needs my attention in another venue, not this one.

I need more sleep to catch up on the deprivation under which I've been coasting along. I need a few good meals. I also need to locate a good local dentist who happens to be on my dental plan. Good luck to me in that!

I hate going to see the dentist, any dentist, and I hate even more that I haven't secured one who wouldn't make me feel guilty about the stretch of years during which I haven't had dental coverage and/or the money/desire to see one.

Alas and alack! The time has come. I'm paying in pain. Even with my high tolerance for pain, I've reached my limit. This weekend was almost unendurable due to the pain in my mouth. I hope my face didn't reflect that fact. I tried as much as I could to mask it. Now I have to spend my respite time finding someone to put me into more pain. When that wears off, I can begin to write in peace.

Do any dentist suggestions come to your mind?

Things I learned at a recent Writers Conference

A week ago I attended a writers conference in Utah, from which I learned quite a lot of things. Let me get out my "Hannah Montana" notebook so I can go over my notes (Don't mock me; it was a cheap remainder at the dollar store):

• One presenter reminded me that "You don't fall in love with the plot, you fall in love with the characters," and "If you have a strong plot you'll write a great book, but if you have strong characters, you'll have a great career."
• Another borrowed an acronym from me and gave me credit. Thanks! BIC HOK TAM
• I need to buckle down and create a budget, not only for my personal life, but for my business.
• I really need to learn how to do Styles in MSWord.
• If your name is big enough, you can turn your class into a commercial.
• Book signings are most often a waste of time for mid-list to niche authors.
  
• Kevin's Eleven Tips rock! Now, where is that digital recorder hiding?
  
• I should have gone to some #2 choice classes instead of my first choices. I should have stuck with my #1 choice at least once. Live and learn.
• If your hands hurt, practice a self-preservation technique when extending one for a handshake. Or surprise a new acquaintance with a hug instead? Or give them the Colombian elbow? I'll try those out next year.
  
• It's time to experiment with a podcast. (Let's see, that's Styles, podcasting...and PowerPower is already on the list to master. What else?)
• When you're exhausted, ditching class makes good sense.
• It is such a treat to see existing friends and make new ones.
• Contacts can be THE key pathway to a successful career, along with "Yes, I can do that." Ask Kevin J. Anderson.
  
• I like chicken you can cut with a fork.
• Don't put in the bookstore more than two copies each of novels that are not YA, dystopian, or thrillers.
• Write the damn ahem, darn book!

And how was your week?

And the Winners Are . . .

Western Writers of America, Inc., the writers' organization that celebrates "Literature of the West for the World," has announced the Winners and Finalists for the 2012 Spur Awards. Winners will receive their award plaques in a gala ceremony on June 16, 2012, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

2012 Spur Award Winners and Finalists

BEST WESTERN LONG NOVEL
Winner:
Stephen Harrigan, Remember Ben Clayton, Alfred A. Knopf

Finalists:
Thomas Fox Averill, Rode, University of New Mexico Press
James Lee Burke, Feast Day of Fools, Simon & Schuster

BEST WESTERN SHORT NOVEL
Winner:
Johnny D. Boggs, Legacy of a Lawman, Five Star Publishing

Finalists:
Joe Henry, Lime Creek, Random House
Alan C. Huffines, Killed by Indians 1871, Texas Wesleyan University Press

BEST ORIGINAL MASS MARKET PAPERBACK
Winner:
Johnny D. Boggs, West Texas Kill, Pinnacle Books/Kensington

Finalist:
Cameron Judd, The Long Hunt, Signet/Penguin
Dusty Richards, Between Hell and Texas, Pinnacle Books/Kensington

BEST FIRST NOVEL
Winner:
Meg Mims, Double Crossing, Astraea Press

Finalists:
Tammy Hinton, Unbridled, Roots & Branches/AWOC Publishing
Stephen B. Smart, Whispers of the Greybull, High Mule Publishing

BEST WESTERN NONFICTION – HISTORICAL (TO 1900)
Winner:
David L. Bigler and Will Bagley, The Mormon Rebellion, University of Oklahoma Press

Finalists:
Paul L. Hedren, After Custer, University of Oklahoma Press
Richard White, Railroaded, W.W. Norton & Company

BEST WESTERN NONFICTION – CONTEMPORARY (1900 TO PRESENT)
Winner:
Frederick H. Swanson, The Bitterroot and Mr. Brandborg, University of Utah Press

Finalists:
Jim Kristofic, Navajos Wear Nikes, University of New Mexico Press
Rachel St. John, Line in the Sand, Princeton University Press

BEST WESTERN NONFICTION – BIOGRAPHY
Winner:
Paul Magid, George Crook, University of Oklahoma Press

Finalists:
Louis Kraft, Ned Wynkoop and the Lonely Road from Sand Creek, University of Oklahoma Pres
Richard D. White, Jr. Will Rogers: A Political Life, Texas Tech University Press

BEST WESTERN SHORT FICTION STORY
Winner: (TIE)
Rod Miller, “The Death of Delgado,” Western Fictioneers
Clay Reynolds, “The Deacon’s Horse,” Ink Brush Press

Finalists:
Shann Ray, “The Great Divide,” Graywolf Press

BEST WESTERN SHORT NONFICTION
Winner:
Paul Andrew Hutton, “The Alamo, Well Remembered,” Wild West Magazine

Finalists:
John R. Wunder, “That No Thorn Will Pierce Our Friendship,” Western Historical Quarterly
Mark Dworkin, “The Wild West’s Premier Mythmaker,” Wild West Magazine

BEST WESTERN JUVENILE FICTION
Winner:
Candace Simar, Birdie, North Star Press of St. Cloud

Finalists:
Johnny D. Boggs, South by Southwest, Five Star Publishing/Gale
Nancy Oswald, Rescue in Poverty Gulch, Filter Press

BEST WESTERN JUVENILE NONFICTION
Winner:
Don Nardo, Migrant Mother, Compass Point Books/Capstone

Finalists:
Jean A. Lukesh, Wolves in Blue, Field Mouse Productions
Linda L. Osmundson, How the West Was Drawn, Pelican Publishing

BEST WESTERN DRAMA SCRIPT (FICTION)
Winner:
John Logan, Rango, Nickelodeon Movies

Finalists:
Jonathan Raymond, Meek’s Cut-Off
Miguel Barros, Blackthorn, Rogue Pictures

BEST WESTERN DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT (NONFICTION)
Winner:
Cindy Meehl, Director, and Julie Goldman, Producer, Buck, Cedar Creek Productions

No finalists

STORYTELLER AWARD
Winner:
Bryan Langdo, Tornado Slim and the Magic Cowboy Hat, Marshall Cavendish

Finalists:
Mary Casanova. The Day Dirk Yeller Came to Town, Farrar, Straus & Giroux
Mary Dodson Wade, Henrietta King, Bright Sky Press

BEST WESTERN POEM
Winner:
Rod Miller, “Tabula Rasa,” Port Yonder Press

Finalists:
Floyd Collins, “What Harvest: Poems on the Siege & Battle of the Alamo,” Somondoco Press
Larry D. Thomas, “The Red, Candle-lit Darkness,” El Grito del Lobo Press

BEST WESTERN AUDIOBOOK
No Award Given

BEST WESTERN SONG
Winner:
Jon Chandler. “Morning Star Moon,” Western Dog Publishing

Finalists:
Wylie Gustafson, “Raven on the Wind,” Two Medicine Music
Bob Thomas, “The Cowboy,” Easy Bob Music

Congratulations to all of you!

First Annual BOB Contest Winners!

The 20th Annual Writers Conference hosted by American Night Writers Association, Inc. (ANWA) had a number of wonderful innovations, but one of them impacted the lives of the writers listed below in a different way. They were all winners in the First Annual BOB Contest.

What does BOB stand for? That's Beginning of Book, or the first 500 words of a book-length work in the seven categories below. Entries were each evaluated for quality against a list of fiction techniques by three judges, and the results were derived according to points received. Each contestant received scoring sheets from the judges. The entry with the highest point total received the Grand Prize, a Kindle e-reader.

Over sixty entries were turned in for the contest, and the results were announced at the Luncheon on Saturday, February 25th. Congratulations!

ROMANCE
1st Prize: (TIE)
Tina Scott, FAREWELL, MY DENMARK
Tiffany Brown, APRIL JUNE MARCH
2nd Prize: Debra Erfert, BUCKET LIST OF HOPE
3rd Prize: Debra Erfert, CHANGES

WOMENS/GENERAL FICTION
1st Prize: Theresa Sneed, ESCAPE
2nd Prize: Chava Cannon, THE BEGINNING
3rd Prize: Tanya Parker Mills, LAPS

CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOK
1st Prize: Jan Martin, MISS MOUSIE AND MRS. McGREGGOR'S CLOSET
2nd Prize: Britney Gulbrandsen, I’M AWESOME
3rd Prize: Kathy Atwood, MAYBE IT’S A ZEBRA

HISTORICAL FICTION
1st Prize: Susan Aylworth, ALL THAT GLITTERS
2nd Prize: Della May Olson, TANGLE CREEK
3rd Prize: (3-WAY TIE)
Diane Post, BLOOD AND HONOR: A MOTHER'S HERITAGE, A DAUGHTER'S REVENGE
Peggy Shumway, WHEN STRANGERS CALL
David Haynes, THE LEGEND OF GEORGE STAPLES, BOY AMONG THE SIOUX

NONFICTION/MEMOIR
1st Prize: Ramona Zabriskie, WIFE FOR LIFE: THE POWER TO SUCCEED IN MARRIAGE
2nd Prize: Heather Hunter, STEALING ASHES (MEMOIR)
3rd Prize:  (TIE)
Stacy Whittemore, IT DIDN'T COME WITH INSTRUCTIONS
Christi Hibbert, THIS IS HOW WE GROW: Insights on losing, living, and loving from the psychologist, the mom, and me

YOUNG ADULT FICTION
1st Prize: Megan Oliphant, FAIRY GODFATHER
2nd Prize: Tanya Parker Mills, THE SCHOOL OF GUARDIANS (Mid)
3rd Prize: DeAnn Huff, MASTER OF EMOTION

SPECULATIVE FICTION (SCI FI/FANTASY, ETC.)
1st Prize: Peggy Urry, PROVIDENCE
2nd Prize: Jennifer Griffiths, PANDORA
3rd Prize: Kristy Carlton, MEMORY CATCHER

GRAND PRIZE WINNER
Bonnie Harris, ENCODED SECRETS (YA)

National Day of the Cowboy - July 23

Saturday, July 23rd, is the annual National Day of the Cowboy, and the Barnes and Noble in Redlands, CA will be hosting the "Read 'em Cowboy!" book fair. A portion of sales from the book fair will go to the Western Writers of America's Homestead Foundation, so please consider participating.

It's not necessary that you physically attend the event (though the more, the merrier!). By using vouchers you can download and print from the event's Facebook page, you can make a purchase at any Barnes and Noble store, and a percentage will go to Homestead.  If you buy online at www.bn.com/bookfairs, just enter the Bookfair ID# (10510444) when prompted at checkout.

You can make these purchases in-store (preferable, because the donated to Homestead is higher) or online anytime from July 23rd through July 28th and B&N will honor the vouchers/Bookfair ID#  The amount B&N donates back will vary from 10% to 20% of all sales, depending upon the grand total of qualifying sales.

Here's a great excuse to add to your Western library (books, music, movies all count),  do some early Christmas shopping, or just support Western Writers of America . You'll also be helping to clue booksellers in about the National Day of the Cowboy - and reminding them to stock more Western titles!

Writers Conferences?

My usual schedule includes attending two to three writers conferences a year. I've had some unusual expenses, though. I'm considering dumping one I usually attend,

and saving money to attend another I haven't been to for a while.

Then there's another one I've never attended. Should I go to it, instead?

How do you determine at the beginning of the year which conferences you'll attend?

What factors do you consider? Give me reasons why I should attend a particular conference. Make me want to come!

The floor is yours: 

Something New

See my brand new widget to the right? Feel free to go get your own copy and put it on your site.

See you at the American Night Writers Association (ANWA) Writers Conference on February 25 & 26, 2011!

Yes, it's a New Look!

Blogger has added a lot of nifty gadgets to the whole blogging experience, and I'm excited to take part in this beauteous makeover. I've started with a new template for a new look. It wasn't until after I had already chosen this color scheme and variation on the "Simple" theme that I noticed the well-laden bookcases showing along the sides. What serendipity!

I'm looking forward to forging onward with the story of Marie Owen. One of my writing organizations is holding a "Week of Writing" or WoW this coming week, and although I haven't told the organizer yet, I intend to take part. Here's to many good words spilling forth during the days ahead.

In other creative endeavor news, a few weeks back, my church's choir sang a hymn that I arranged. What a thrill that was! I'm going to continue arranging and writing music, now that I've installed and learned a little about a great notation program I bought a while back. It's far superior to the one I had before.

Aside from my adventures in the legal system as a member of a county grand jury--that's not a bad thing, mind you--I've been pretty much a stay-at-home lately. I need all the hours I can get to do all I have on my plate. I did accomplish a task today that's been hanging fire for a while, so I'm feeling pretty good about that. I'm also looking forward to a Writer's Retreat in a couple of weeks. That will be fun, and I hope restorative, and fruitful on the word count side.

On Tuesday, I'll have another book review. I hope you'll enjoy it.

Going the Extra Mile

Last night it started to snow again. By this morning there was an accumulation of a couple of inches here--nothing much for those used to driving in snow, but enough to make me ask myself if our church meetings would be canceled because of the unique circumstances of members of our congregation.

Our boundaries are long and thin, extending over twenty miles along a state highway. Our church building is on my end of the highway, so it's not usually a big trial for me to get to church in iffy weather. I could even walk there, if I really needed to.

The highway, however, winds over hill and dale, through forest and glen, over several two-lane sections interspersed with divided highway. For the next two years, there is a seven-mile section of reduced speed for major construction. There are several long grades, and places where the roadway ices up. In inclement weather, it may be closed until the plows come along.

I called my "home teacher," the man who, with his wife, has a special interest in my welfare (The LDS Church is famous for its home teaching and visiting teaching programs that aid members in looking out for one another). I inquired about the possibility of our meetings being canceled. He said he would check into it.

A few minutes later, another member, who lives in my area, called and offered me a ride to church. I gratefully accepted, as their vehicle has four-wheel drive. The members who live on the other end of the highway were told that if they didn't have four-wheel drive, they should attend the church service in Payson. We had a shortened church schedule--just the worship service--and returned home.

When the family dropped me off at home, the husband got out of the car and shoveled the snow off my deck before he let me get out of the car. He didn't have to do that. The snow would have melted in a couple of days. He didn't want me to slip, though. He went the extra mile to bless me. (He also asked me to speak in church next week!)

How many times do we go the extra mile in our relationships with other writers? How do we give help to those who are beginning their writing journey? When I was a beginner, many people in the writing community went out of their way to guide me through the pitfalls and snares of the world of writing. In gratitude for that assistance, I have dedicated many hours of time and much effort to aid other writers. Some of this is invisible, some is evident for all the world to see.

I know other writers who feel the same way I do that we have a duty to help others. You will see the evidence of that when you attend the 2010 ANWA Writing Conference on February 27. Eight wonderful writers are sharing their experience and knowledge. Your time and money will be well spent partaking of the joys of that Conference.

What do you, as a writer, do to help other writers?

2010 ANWA Writers Conference

The 2010 ANWA Writers Conference

Saturday, February 27, 2010.

Open to all writers

Register at http://anwa-lds.com/conference.html

The Best Western Dobson Ranch Inn

1666 South Dobson Road

Mesa AZ 85202-5699

480-831-7000 or 1-800-528-1356

www.dobsonranchinn.com

If you are serious about your writing, and ready for the next step,

this is the place to be!

J. Scott Savage, author of the “Farworld” Series, is the Keynote speaker.

Other presenters are:

Aprilynne Pike, New York Times best-selling Author of “Wings”

Doug Johnston, Publicist Extraordinaire

Nancy E. Turner, Author of “These is My Words”

Dr. Pamela Goodfellow, Writing Coach, Editor and Owner of Goodfellow Publishing Services

Sara Fujimura, Author and Magazine Writer

Helen Bair, Counselor and Author of “Finding the Healer in Me”

Marsha Ward, author of the “Owen Family” Series

Book signings at end of conference

For writers travelling a far distance, follow these instructions for hotel reservations at a special ANWA Writer’s Conference discount at “Dobson Ranch Inn”

Phone

Call our Front Desk toll-free – 1-800-528-1356.

Refer to either Group Name: “ANWA” or Group Number: 804341

This will allow our staff to make your reservations for you to receive the ANWA Conference group rate.

Internet (available to book online starting Wednesday, Dec 9)

Go to the hotel website at www.dobsonranchinn.com

At the bottom of the "Reserve Your Stay" box, click on “Groups”

Enter the password – ANWA-Dec

Complete your reservation

For questions contact, the ANWA 2010 Conference Chair Person, Cindy R. Williams at cindywilliams@q.com or

Conference Registrar, Krista Darrach at kristadarrach@yahoo.com

LDStorymakers' Writers Conference

Last weekend I spent time in Provo, Utah, attending the LDStorymakers' 6th Annual Writers Conference. One of the highlights for me was using a newly-acquired account with Twitter to tweet my impressions on the classes and panels for the benefit of several Storymakers and others who could not attend this year's conference.

To pick up my tweets and those of others who were tweeting the conference, go to tweetgrid.com and open a 1 x 1 grid pane. Type ldstory in the gray bar that says twitter (take that off, first), hit search, and soon, you will have a representation of the last tweets on the subject. You can increase them by clicking on the drop down box that controls the number of tweets in the grid.

On Saturday I participated in a self-publishers' panel, and then attended the Whitney Awards Gala Banquet after the end of the conference. As part of the Whitney Awards, I had the distinct honor of presenting a Lifetime Achievement Award to author and cheerleader extraordinaire Kerry Blair.

Photo by Michele Holmes

I didn't tweet during the Whitneys, so go over to WhitneyAwards.com and check out the proceedings via the liveblogging archive there.*

Lest you think participating in writers conferences via Twitter is a substitute for attending in person, forgetaboutit. There is no substitute for being there live and feeding on the creative energy of conferences. You'll come home invigorated to try new things and ready to write.

* While you're at the Whitney site, you can nominate Trail of Storms for a 2009 Whitney, if you feel it deserves notice.