Fabulous as Always

[Love Is Murder Conference]

Did you enjoy yourself at LIM? I don't know how you could not, from great panels to a crimescene program with two savvy police officers, great meals, master classes, evening entertainment, self defense tips and more!

Those of you who heard me speak know I did indeed talk up teen literature to anyone who would listen. I really enjoyed my young adult panel with Harriette Robinet and Kim Sullivan on Friday. Harriette is always so smart and interesting with her Edgar judging and school visit experiences, and Kim had so many good tips to add about writing non-fiction for teens and also fantasy.

The panel on getting an agent was pretty impressive also, though frankly I felt like the one who didn't belong with those impressive ladies: Jamie Freveletti, Ann Voss Peterson and Kathy Steffen. Ann's done something like 9 books in two years, so what is my excuse to not have #2 done in a year? :) Those three certainly did make me feel welcome at my first panel speaking as an author. That's a role I am not ready for, I think, in many ways. I can talk libraries until everyone around me is asleep (and if you heard me you know this is true), but something feels so personal about speaking as an author.

I also had the pleasure of returning for the librarian panel with Marlene Leonardi from the Palatine PL and Susan Gibberman, my coworker at Schaumburg Twp. Library. Susan's voice was gone, but that did not stop us - she just whispered and we gave her excellent points!

My final panel on Sunday was romance writers and this group was amazing fun: Tess Gerritsen, Ann Macela, Evelyn David and Margot Justes. We even had some horse jokes among the savvy writing and marketing tips. It made me want to write romance. I was lucky to moderate, a role I'm much more comfortable with!

I started writing something Sunday night for a new anthology, but am feeling overwhelmed with all the information I took in. Where to start?

What's the first thing you did when you went home?