Tag Archives: Emerald City Writers Conference

ECWC Sunday

Barbara Vey -- October 5th, 2010

Gerri Russell and Judith Laik

Sunday morning at conference is usually quiet, but Emerald City Writers’ Conference still managed a full morning of workshops. I attended one with Gerri Russell and Judith Laik who presented costumes worn in medieval and regency times. They both wore outfits from the time periods that they write about and offered insight into the styles and the reasons for them. A fascinating workshop and one very young aspiring writer was thrilled to try on her first corset.

I was excited beyond belief to be asked to be the closing keynote speaker and wasn’t really nervous about it. My only concern was putting people to sleep and after hearing Alyssa Day and Brenda Novak give inspiring speeches the previous days only added to the anxiety factor. I didn’t actually taste my lunch, but soon it was time for me to mount the stairs to the stage. My only thought was, “Don’t trip.” I didn’t.

Sisters Laurie London and Rebecca J. Clark

All in all, I think it went pretty well. I talked about my love for all things romance and my start at PW. After acting out some of my adventures, I finished with my feelings about authors and the job they do. My hope was to inspire and excite them all to get home and write with renewed vigor. I was invigorated and hopefully it rubbed off.

ECWC Committee Members

Cherry Adair again offered her challenge to Write the Damn Book and people lined up to sign up. I see this as a great start to next year’s conferencewhere the keynote speakers will be Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love.

Bottom Line: My heartfelt thanks to ECWC for inviting me and I look forward to returning in the future.

Giveaways

From Debby Guisti: More news from Seekerville!!! The mega www.Seekerville.blogspot.com October Birthday Bash giveaways include a GRAND PRIZE random drawing for a KINDLE filled with Seeker books!!! In addition, a critique by Literary Agent Natasha Kern will be given to a lucky blog visitor on October 27th. More than 50 additional gifts will be offered in October so be sure to stop by often to leave a comment and your email address. Here is this week’s fantastic lineup: Monday ~ Barbour award-winning author Mary Connealy, Tuesday ~ Steeple Hill Assistant Editor Emily Rodmell, Wednesday ~ Revell award-winning author Julie Lessman, Thursday ~ New York Times Bestselling Author and Speaker Bob Mayer, Friday ~ Genesis and Golden Heart Winner Pam Hillman, Saturday ~ The Best of Seekerville with Seeker critique giveaway. Don’t miss the best party on the Net held each day in October!!!! See you in Seekerville!!!

From Dianna Love: 2010 NY Comicon – Dianna Love will be giving away Belador tshirts to promote the new Belador series she’s writing with Sherrilyn Kenyon that debuts with Blood Trinity on October 19th. To get a shirt at Comicon, pick up a temporary Belador tattoo at the Sherrilyn Kenyon booth then put it on and find Dianna who will give you a shirt when she sees your tattoo.

Please check back later today when I post about the Lady Jane’s Salon event from Monday Night.

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ECWC Booksigning

Barbara Vey -- October 3rd, 2010

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Editors Rose Hilliard and Tessa Woodward

Big day today at the Emerald City Writers’ Conference as the halls filled with writers preparing to pitch their stories to editors and agents. You could feel the anxiety and tension in the air and I don’t blame them. They go in groups of about 6 per table and pitch as a group. That has to be nerve wracking. I can imagine how hard it would be one on one, but having to try to sell your book while having others watch would do me in. So, kudos to all those brave souls who put their hearts on the line for what they believe in.

Mary Buckham, Barbara Vey, Deborah Schneider

Plenty of workshops and panels to choose from. I was fortunate enough to be in one with author Mary Buckham and librarian Deborah Schneider. We talked about Books, Blogs & More – Building Name Recognition. There was a terrific mix of published and unpublished authors who were in all stages of the publishing process. Deborah told them how to get their books into libraries, Mary explained how to work together and pay it forward and I said how important I felt social networking is to an author’s career. Thanks to all who attended.

Brenda Novak

Brenda Novak was the keynote speaker at the luncheon and used Cinderella as her inspiration citing the words to her song, “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes.” Brenda encouraged the writers to set goals and believe in themselves. She started her writing career out of necessity. After five kids, she needed a job that she could do at home. After finishing a book, she thought, “Maybe I could do that.” Obviously, she could.

Back Row: Josie Malone, Susanna Fraser, Marie uhart, MG Braden, Jami Dovenport Bottom Row: Laura Navarre, Mimi Barbour, Amber Scott, Crista McHugh

Back Row: Josie Malone, Susanna Fraser, Marie Tuhart, MG Braden, Jami Dovenport Bottom Row: Laura Navarre, Mimi Barbour, Amber Scott, Crista McHugh

The bookfair is always one of my favorite parts. I enjoy walking around and talking to all the authors about their lovely covers and interesting books. One thing the conference did this year that really impressed me was having a special contest that involved writers of e-books. You were given a card with all the e-book authors listed and you had to find them and have them stamp your card. This was a terrific opportunity for readers to meet the e-book authors and chat with them about their books without any physical books there. One lucky winner will walk away with a Kindle that will allow them to purchase the books of the authors they just met.

Bottom Line: A special treat today as I can once again do a Drive By Video (yes, I finally learned how to download them to the new website). Please enjoy meeting debut author Katherine Chloe Cahoon who I predict everyone will know her name in the next few years.

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Emerald City Writers’ Conference

Barbara Vey -- October 2nd, 2010

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The Emerald City Writers’ Conference officially kicked off yesterday with a Wine and Chocolate Party for first timers. Unfortunately, I found out about it with only 5 minutes to go. All the wine was gone (big surprise), but lots of terrific chocolate left. The hospitality committee was still there and really willing to go that extra mile. When I mentioned that I needed a lint brush (hint: never pack a fuzzy robe with black pants), they immediately offered to run out and find one for me. How sweet was that? And speaking of hospitality, between Twitter and Facebook, I’ve mentioned my love of Diet Coke. Well, I got a surprise cooler delivered to my room from author Lori Lyn filled with the fizzy stuff I’m addicted to. Only day one and I love it here!

Alyssa Day

The keynote speaker for dinner was Alyssa Day. She went through the roller coaster ride of being a author from rejection to success. Using the quote, “Never give up, never surrender” from the movie Galaxy Quest, Alyssa related it to the process of getting published. When she told her mom she was going to be published, her mom said, “That’s nice, now are you going back to being a lawyer?” Alyssa let the audience know they weren’t alone and to rely on other writers for support naming her special friends for being there when the going got tough. She announced that she’s leaving for Japan for 2 1/2 years in a couple of days. From laughter to some tears, Alyssa nailed the opening of conference by giving the group the ok to be authors no matter what…and they loved her for it.

Cherry Adair and Kimberley Hornsby

Cherry Adair took the stage to give out certificates to those writers who took her challenge last year to “Finish the Damn Book!” The line of people who earned Cherry’s adoration stretched almost half the length of the ballroom. After they all received their certificates and pins, a winner, Jenna Bayley-Burke, was randomly picked and Cherry will pay for her trip to the Romance Writers of America conference next year in New York. Congratulations Jenna!

Editor/Agent Panel

Now it was time for the Editors/Agents panel. They held a captive audience as people scribbled notes about the speakers that could use when the time came for them to pitch their books. Afterward, the writers got together for Pitchfest! where they could practice their pitches and receive feedback. Any little edge helps.

Bottom Line: In the hotel gift shop they sell Sleepless in Seattle chocolates, playing cards, t-shirts, mugs and the movie…17 years and still going strong.

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When Librarians Meet Authors

Barbara Vey -- October 1st, 2010

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Hanging Peppers at Pike Place Market

I couldn’t have picked a more picture perfect day to land in Seattle. Mary Buckham picked me up at the airport and we quickly dumped my luggage at the hotel so she could take me on a whirlwind tour of Seattle.
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The lush greenery, the blue water (all over) and white capped mountains all looked postcard perfect. Mount Rainer rising over it all was breathtaking. The idea of floating bridges kind of scared me, but I tried not to show it. I did pass up driving in the mountains because, yes, I am chicken. So, we stayed in the city and spent hours tramping through Pike Place Market.

in the city and spent hours tramping through Pike’s Place Market.
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I didn’t realize how huge that place was. There are shops and stalls that cover 3 floors. There’s lot’s of art, crafts, jewelry and flowers. It seems like miles of beautiful flowers that were so reasonably priced that I wanted to buy just bunches and bunches of them. And the food! Everything you can imagine. Lots of honey, jellies, jams, tons of fresh fruits and vegetables and then the fish market. A great tourist attraction is when they start throwing the huge fish to each other. People gather all around to snap pictures. I wish I would have had more time to explore, but we had a library event to get to.
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Authors at King County Library

King County Library is the second largest library system in the country. Library Public Programing Coordinator Debbie Schneider is the organizer extraordinaire of the event that she co-hosts with Mary Buckham. This fourth annual event introduces librarians to authors. Set up like speed dating, there are tables, labeled by genres, that are assigned authors. Every 15 minutes the bell rings and librarians change tables and get to meet the writers to learn about them and what they’ve done and are working on. This gives the librarians a chance to see what’s new out there and find some new and exciting choices of reads to buy and offer their customers. It’s a definite win-win situation.
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While I met some authors that I can’t wait to try, I was also thrilled to see some authors there who I already knew and enjoy

Librarians at King County Library

their work like Julia Quinn and Jane Porter. The librarians walked away with loaded gift bags, books, stuffed animals, t-shirts and bookmarks. But the definite highlight was the chance to interact with the authors that they can now go back and recommend to their patrons and to me, that’s the most precious gift an author can get.
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Today is the start of the Emerald City Writers Conference and I can’t wait to get started. The library event was the appetizer and now I’m ready for the main course.
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Bottom Line: I did get to see the Space Needle and it was truly amazing.

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Follow the Yellow Brick Road…

Barbara Vey -- September 30th, 2010

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Space Needle

I’m off to the Emerald City Writers Conference in Seattle. Another place I can check off my bucket list. I’m especially looking forward to seeing the Space Needle built in 1962 for the World’s Fair because it was such a big deal when I was a kid. So futuristic. I’ll be doing a panel and presenting the keynote on Sunday. It’s really a thrill for me. I saw the roster of authors attending and realized that I’d read many of them, so it will definitely be fan girl time for me.

Then on Sunday night I leave for New York. It’s one of those crappy red-eye flights that will stop in Detroit and then arrive in New York about 9:30 in the morning. Can’t imagine how I’ll be looking at that time. But, after a quick nap, I’ll be attending Lady Jane’s Salon where I’ve been invited to act as emcee. The talented authors reading from their books will be Janet Mullany, Donna Hill, Leanna Renee Hieber and returning star Sabrina Jeffries. It’s always an entertaining evening with proceeds going to charity.

Woman Road Warrior

Tuesday I was invited to the 5^th Annual Celebration of Woman Road Warrior Day in Chicago, but I couldn’t make it. Last night I received an email letting me know that I won the award for the Literary Division.

Barbara Vey Woman Road Warrior � Literary Division. Barbara is a popular blogger for Publishers Weekly based out of Milwaukee. She “Goes the Extra Mile” to book shows and conventions around the world finding and delivering to her readers guidance and appreciation for the fun, fine and fantastic in contemporary books. She has particularly encouraged young readers and has a faithful following among literati of all descriptions. Thank you Barbara.

I’m so amazed I could burst and just sick that I wasn’t there when it was announced. They’ll be sending me the award and I’ll be sure to take a picture of it. It’s on my calendar for next year so I don’t miss it again. Thanks so much to the Woman Road Warrior group for this great honor.

Bottom Line: “I don’t deserve this award, but I have arthritis and I don’t deserve that either.” ~ Jack Benny