I'm still recovering! I met and talked with SO many people I know I will leave out half the names if I even try, but here is the tip of the iceberg and a recap:
Day 1:
To start the day off, the faculty paraded across the stage with "one word" to inspire. Oh boy, I didn't know about this. Luckily I am at the end of the line with Lisa Yee so we have plenty of time to throw words back and forth. But it doesn't take me long to think of one. "Possibility" of course! But about halfway through, someone else says my word! Help! So I scramble to think of another one and hope no one else says it! "Sold!"
Jacqueline Woodson's opening speech was inspiring, and then it was fun to sit in on Sarah Darer Littman's and Debby Garfinkle's workshop in the afternoon. They had lots of great tips--and were funny!
In the afternoon, the San Diego chapter of the SCBWI had an amazing reception for me in the Regents dining room to celebrate winning the Golden Kite Award. I was really blown away. Flowers! A beautiful cake! Food! And of course, lots of chocolate! They know how to throw a party! Here I am with Grace, Arlene (the chapter RA), and Nicole, ready to dig into the cake.
That evening, I went to a cocktail party poolside, and there I met so many people, that honestly, only later I started connecting the dots and putting screen or LJ names together with real names and faces. It was so much fun. The lovely and talented
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marperez organized the whole thing, and she had her work cut out for her, because ahem, some authors can't remember directions or tell the difference between "lobby" or "poolside."
Day 2:
On Saturday, my husband and daughters drove up from San Diego and we went to dinner at McCormick & Schmitt's in Beverly Hills. Our maitre 'd was a dead ringer for Richard Gere--maybe it was him! After dinner we went back to the hotel for the Jade Jubilee. Jessica, my younger daughter, expected some sedate music or something along the lines of "smooth jazz" as she called it. She was pleasantly surprised that these writers know how to party. We all danced until we dropped.
Day 3:
Sunday was the Golden Kite luncheon. I was a wee bit nervous--I mean, have you ever seen the Century Plaza Ballroom??!! It's like, three freaking footballs fields big! And I was last to go up which kind of builds the tension, if you know what I mean (translation: I hardly ate a bite of my lunch) but then when I got up there, someone (will the guilty party step forward?) jumped up and hooted my name which made me laugh, and then right after that,
jo_no_anne, organized a WAVE with
d_michiko_f, and
sruble which totally cracked me up and made me forget I was nervous. Thank God I never turned around and saw
this, my head as big as a Volkswagon on the screen behind me (Honey, why didn't you tell me about that big piece of spinach in my front tooth?)
Here I am with my family, Jessica, Karen, Dennis, and Ben when it was over. It looks like my husband is smiling because of the award, but he is giddy with relief that when I gave my speech, my last word . . .
fffff turned into
fabulous instead of a word that Zoe might use. I love playing with his mind. : )
There wasn't much time to think (or to jump up and down like a kid) because immediately afterward I had a workshop to give! The attendees were great and had lots of good questions. And then off to a booksigning for the Golden Kite winners. It was a jam-packed day.
Day 4:
Without any speeches or workshops to give, I slept like a baby the night before. Or maybe it was just that I was so pooped I went into veg state the minute my head hit the pillow.
On this last day, four editors spoke on a panel about publishing and books. Editor, Alvina Ling said that at Little Brown they don't use the term "chick lit" but instead call it "Young women's commercial fiction." Yes! Later when she was in my line to get a book signed, I hopped up and hugged her and told her I hoped her term caught on! I like it so much better. The other editors were inspiring too and it was interesting to hear their insights and the pressures they are under.
And of course, the final goodbye keynote by Jane Yolen was awesome. She had been very sick the night before but still managed to be poised, witty, and inspiring. Cheers for Jane!
Finally it was time to go. I had a two and a half hour drive home in bumper-to-bumper traffic, but it gave me lots of time to think about all the great talks I heard, and people I met (oh my god!), and the funny things people said and did (disco mermaids?) Yes, driving alone in my car, laughing, I am sure helped me get wide berth from the other cars on the road. Come to think of it . . .I did make it home in just under 2 hours. Thank you, SCBWI!
