A time of... Friars!
Yes, I'm just back from the SCBWI-Ventura retreat which was held at the Renewal Center of the Santa Barbara Mission, a relaxing and inspiring setting, complete with Friars who answer to a calling higher even than the calling to write for children.
Highlights of the weekend? I learned that The Blog Squad were kindred blogging spirits who understand the remarkable power of the web AND, even if they don't write kids' books themselves, have that same fun, generous spirit that I encounter at every SCBWI event I attend. (And, I see from the comments in the post below this one, that at least one of the Squad is a Fibber.) I got to meet Roxyanne Young from SmartWriters.com, learn from her, see her rocking book AND thank her for my honorable mention in SmartWriters W.I.N. Contest (that has, by the way, a rather remarkable track record of winning picks). And thanks to Barbara Jean Hicks and Alexis O'Neill, the dynamic force behind the event, I am awash with ideas about what I'll be doing when I have my book and am visiting school. Plus I got to thank Alexis in person for asking me to come speak.
As if all this wasn't enough, I met great people who shared a similar desire to think about the less fun/glamorous business side of the business, not just the creative side, and were willing to share everything they knew on the topic. I think you all will get to meet them in time, too, as I'm hopeful many will join us here in the kidlitosphere.
Good times indeed.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
Happy to hear you had a good time!
Awww, thanks. It was a blast. And your blog AND your recent contest came up quite a few times, I must add. So it was kinda like you were there, Lisa. I hope you had fun, too....
More details, please, when you have a mo'.
And I'm reminded how much I love that song, and to update my iPod with S&G. "Preserve your memories; they're all that's left you."
Hi Greg,
This is my first offical blog post. Thanks for all your insights at the retreat. You really helped make blogging believers out of all of us! Never mind that I was up all night checking out interesting blogs - I am a bleary-eyed blog reader!
Thanks again!
Hi Greg,
Okay, this is my virgin post in the blogosphere (a word which I now understand). I wanted to thank you again for your enormous generosity in making what the Blog Squad told us applicable to us as children's writers. The two presentations really were the yin and yang of blogging.
You've inspired me--now I'm off to read blogs!
Hey Greg!
Your presentation was great--inspiring, informative, and funny. Thanks again for opening our eyes to the possibilities!
Hey there Barbara, Terry, and Mary. Great hanging out with you this weekend. The amazing thing is that there was no one there who I didn't learn from, so thanks back at ya. AND welcome to the blogosphere!
Hi, Greg. You've inspired two firsts: my first blog, and my first (two) fibonacci poems:
The Retreat
Rain,
Books,
Talking,
Listening,
Learning about blogs
and school visits, and meeting friends.
The Friars' Club
A
huge
mansion
in Santa
Barbara, with birth-
day cake daily? Where do I sign?
Thanks again, Greg, for your generosity and insights. I look forward to more conversations.
Thanks for the link luv, Greg. It was great meeting you and all the others at the retreat. A nice change from the marketing conferences I usually attend. I've posted the video of your mini interview over at www.biztipsblog.com -- my first attempt and shooting and editing a video. Thanks for being my first subject! I'll be watching you blog...
Post a Comment