It's one of my favorite times of the year again. Nope, it's not my birthday and nope, I'm not celebrating a holiday. I'm excited about something you won't find pre-printed on your wall calendar, but it's till something that makes my heart skip a beat and start craving the smell of paper and ink.
It's time to register for the annual LDS Storymakers Writers Conference!
The Storymakers conference is my very, very, very favorite writers conference. I've attended for - hmm . . . five years, I think? Maybe six? Each year, the conference gets better and better. Bigger names, more agents, expanded classes that teach everything from the basics for beginning writers to the nitty-gritty details for experienced authors. I'm super excited about this year's conference as it will be my first time attending as a soon-to-be published author. I can't wait to dive into all the classes on promotion, book signings, website design, and taking care of business (my tax lady will love me for taking that class!).
LDS Storymakers Writers Conference
April 23-24, 2010
Marriott Hotel
Provo, UT
Guest speakers include:
Jessica Day George, author of The Dragon Slippers series, Princess of the Midnight Ball, etc.
David Farland (aka David Wolverton), author of NYT's best-selling series, The Runelords.
Aprilynne Pike, author of Wings
Bree Despain, author of The Dark Divine
Elana Johnson, contributor of QueryTracker.net blog
Matt Whitaker, writer & film director
Christian Vuissa, film director
Nephele Tempest, agent from The Knight Agency
Laura Rennert, agent from The Andrea Brown Literary Agency
Krista Marino, editor from Delacourt Press
Now writers, wipe that drool from your chin and hop on over to sign up for the conference right now!
If you're already signed up for the conference, I recommend you check out the Show Your Love contest the Storymakers are holding through the month of February.
Conferences
Showing posts with label Conferences. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Conferences. Show all posts
And the winners are:
HISTORICAL FICTION
1st Place - “Repentence” Terry Montague
2nd place – “Fisherman’s Daughter” by Melinda Sanchez
3rd place – “Girl from Gurian” by Jewel Adams
GENERAL FICTION
1st Place - “Dance the Ghost (With Me)” by David West
2nd place – “Funeral Procession” by Linda Peterson
3rd place – “The All New George McDonald” by Don Carey
NON-FICTION
1st Place - "Lost: One Sheep” by Danyelle Ferguson & Heather Justesen
2nd place – “Teaching Special Spirits” by Danyelle Ferguson
3rd place – “Welcome to the Motherhood” by Cindy Williams
MYSTERY / SUSPENSE
1st Place - “Where Safety Lies” by Frank Holdaway
2nd Place - “Sign of the Owl” by Kathleen Perrin
3rd place – “The Neighbor” by Susan Tietjen
SCI-FI / FANTASY
1st Place - “Space Corp General” Don Carey
2nd Place - “Fairy Dust” by Tina Scott
3rd Place - “Stone Still” by Laura Taggart
4th Place - “Natura” by Jennifer Jenkins
ROMANCE / WOMEN’S FICTION
1st Place - “Wind Song” by Rachelle Christensen
2nd Place - “Take Back the Night” by Danyelle Ferguson
3rd Place - “Tess” by Terry Montague
4th Place - “Butter Diggers” by D. D. Hunt
YOUTH FICTION
1st Place - “Lunaratus”
2nd Place - “Danny the Undead”
3rd Place - “Fields” by Jennifer Jenkins
4th Place - “Dragon Unchained” by Susan Tietjen
5th Place - “Matched” by Allyson Condie
GRAND PRIZE WINNER
“Newtimber” by Karen Hoover
Karen won an Alphasmart Neo & Content Edit
SUPER GRAND PRIZE
“Sonya Silent” by Rebecca Birkin
Rebecca won an Amazon Kindle II
HISTORICAL FICTION
1st Place - “Repentence” Terry Montague
2nd place – “Fisherman’s Daughter” by Melinda Sanchez
3rd place – “Girl from Gurian” by Jewel Adams
GENERAL FICTION
1st Place - “Dance the Ghost (With Me)” by David West
2nd place – “Funeral Procession” by Linda Peterson
3rd place – “The All New George McDonald” by Don Carey
NON-FICTION
1st Place - "Lost: One Sheep” by Danyelle Ferguson & Heather Justesen
2nd place – “Teaching Special Spirits” by Danyelle Ferguson
3rd place – “Welcome to the Motherhood” by Cindy Williams
MYSTERY / SUSPENSE
1st Place - “Where Safety Lies” by Frank Holdaway
2nd Place - “Sign of the Owl” by Kathleen Perrin
3rd place – “The Neighbor” by Susan Tietjen
SCI-FI / FANTASY
1st Place - “Space Corp General” Don Carey
2nd Place - “Fairy Dust” by Tina Scott
3rd Place - “Stone Still” by Laura Taggart
4th Place - “Natura” by Jennifer Jenkins
ROMANCE / WOMEN’S FICTION
1st Place - “Wind Song” by Rachelle Christensen
2nd Place - “Take Back the Night” by Danyelle Ferguson
3rd Place - “Tess” by Terry Montague
4th Place - “Butter Diggers” by D. D. Hunt
YOUTH FICTION
1st Place - “Lunaratus”
2nd Place - “Danny the Undead”
3rd Place - “Fields” by Jennifer Jenkins
4th Place - “Dragon Unchained” by Susan Tietjen
5th Place - “Matched” by Allyson Condie
GRAND PRIZE WINNER
“Newtimber” by Karen Hoover
Karen won an Alphasmart Neo & Content Edit
SUPER GRAND PRIZE
“Sonya Silent” by Rebecca Birkin
Rebecca won an Amazon Kindle II
This past weekend, my hubby and I attended the annual LDS Storymakers Writers Conference in Provo, Utah. And let me tell you all - IT WAS AWESOME!!!
I had an incredible time with my writers friends, meeting with editors from various publishing companies and even from the Ensign magazine. The Storymakers conference is my all-time, absolute FAVORITE writers conference I attend each year. I've been to several different workshops and conferences, and have never been to one as awesome as this one. Thanks so much to all the Storymakers!
John and I attended Boot Camp again this year. What's that? Well, basically it's when all the Storymakers torture us because of our poor writing. Just kidding! It's an optional section of conference that fills up really fast. Friday and Saturday morning, some of the conference attendees got up super early to attend a special "mini-conferece" with published authors and get more one-on-one critiques to improve our writing skills in many areas - characterization, dialogue, and exposition to name a few. I joined the Non-Fiction table this year, which was led by C.S. Bezas. She was an incredible instructor! Wow. I learned so much from her and the other writers at my table. Thank you, Cindy! I can't wait for next year. I hope you'll host the non-fiction table again!
Some pretty exciting stuff happened at conference this year. Like I said, I met with some editors. Heather Justesen and I pitched our new non-fiction book, Lost: One Sheep to Lisa Mangum at Deseret Book. She really liked the advance chapter and outlines we sent her. She gave us some great feedback on structure so it's not so overwhelming for the reader. Lost: One Sheep is about service and how it leads to missionary opportunites.
I also chatted with Kirk Shaw from Covenant Communications, which is the publisher who currently has Teaching Special Spirits. So far, everything is looking great in that area. TSS is out to readers for evalution. I enjoyed chatting with Kirk and now he has a face to take back with him to put with the TSS project.
The other exciting thing happened during the Storymakers First Chapter contest. I submitted four chapters into the contest . . . and two of them won! Lost: One Sheep won 1st place in the Non-Fiction category and Take Back the Night won 2nd place in the Women's Fiction category. It was so awesome, exciting, overwhelming, and completely humbling. All I can say is wow.
Each year, the Storymakers entertain us. This year, they really went the extra mile with an awesome video. Totally fun stuff!
And now - for some Storymakers Conference photos . . .
Danyelle & Heather Justesen catching up on gossip while relaxing in their hotel room. Notice the totally cute Tinkerbell skin on Heather's computer. I want one too!
Danyelle and Haley Freeman Hatch, author of A Future for Tomorrow. I love Haley's book. It gives such hope for those who have or are struggling with anorexia.
Dude - my babysitter was at the conference!!! She came all the way from Kansas! This is Kaitlyn - she's 16 and an incredible aspiring writer. You go, girl!
Ah yes - a picture of me and my hubby. It's funny, but I don't think
we've ever actually come home with pics of just the two of us. It's kind of nice.
Notice the stubble ladies? He hasn't been able to shave since the accident. He's kept it trimmed,
but he can't shave it all off. And let me tell you - I'm really liking the new look. Very sexy.
Dean Lorey and John. My hubby was really excited to meet Dean, who is an author and screenwriter. He wrote My Boyfriend's Back (Disney), Friday the 13th: Part 9, Happy Gilmore, and some other big movies I forget now. He's also the author of the Nightmare Academy series. Dean sat with us during lunch and John picked his brain. I hope you find it again, Dean. Seriously, Dean's a really nice guy - even if he did write a Freddie Krugar movie. :)
Friends from Oz - John, Danyelle, Kaitlyn, and Keisha. If you can't tell, Kaitlyn and Keisha are related. They look like sisters, but are actually mother and daughter - and both are writers! It was awesome to have them come for the Storymakers conference!
Who in the world is that crazy bunch of wackos?
Oh yeah! That's my AuthorsIncognito group! Man, I just love these guys . . . and this is just a small representation of our group!
Danyelle & Tristi Pinkston, author of Nothing to Regret, Strength to Endure, and Season of Sacrifice. Tristi is an awesome friend, but I must say I was quite disappointed when she didn't dress up this year. Although, I must admit her contest entry about Stella and Tedward went a long way to making up for her lack of disguise. On a more serious note, Tristi is one of my biggest supporters. She has talked me through many rough writing patches. I know I would not have finished Teaching Special Spirits without her support. Love you, Tristi!
Two totally cute chicks! Danyelle & Heather Justesen.
We just had to show off our first place certificates for our chapter from Lost: One Sheep. Are we awesome, or what? Heather has a book coming out this October. Just in time for Christmas, everyone!
This year, John and I also attended the Whitney Awards Gala. We had a great time and got to sit with some pretty awesome authors - Jessica Day George, Brandon Sanderson, and Greg Luke. Very cool stuff - and a HUGE thank you to Kerry Blair for being so awesome and sitting us at their table. Here are some fun pics from the evening . . .
You can't quite tell from this picture, but the person across from James Dashner (the announcer) is J. Scott Savage dressed up as Stephenie Meyer (who didn't show up for the Gala) to announce the winner for Best Speculative Fiction.
Heather Justesen and Danyelle
Danyelle and Gregg Luke, author of Do No Harm.
I had a great time talking with Gregg during the Whitney Award dinner. He's a super nice guy. I'm really excited to read his medical thriller!
John and Brandon Sanderson, author of the Mistborn series, the Alcatraz series, and the totally cool person who gets to finish THE Robert Jordan's final novel.
The Bodacious Babes!
Julie Wright, Crystal Liechty, Danyelle, and Jessica Day George.
Congrats to Julie on landing Jessica Day George's totally awesome agent. And congrats to Crystal on finding out she's having a beautiful baby girl! Jessica - it was awesome to meet you!
Danyelle and the awesome Kerry Blair, author of way too many books to write here!
Although my very favorites are her Heart/Baseball series. Love them!!!
Danyelle, John, and James Dashner, author of the award winning 13th Reality series.
Danyelle, Michele Ashman Bell, and Josi Kilpack.
Can I just say, five years ago when I attended my first Storymakers conference, I was TOTALLY star-struck and nervous to meet Michele and Josi. I had admired their writing and read their books over and over and over and over. But I soon discovered they are both the most generous and supportive women I've ever met. What a blessing they've both been to my life and writing!
And this, my friends, is the stack of books being shipped back to my house. Some of these books are for contest prizes on my blogs. Hee hee!
Sunday, my friend Robin opened her house to my friends. John, Isaac, and I had an awesome afternoon & evening visiting with everyone who stopped by. Thanks so much for coming everyone. Of course, I totally forgot to get my camera out until the end - so I missed lots of photo opportunities, but here are a few pics from later in the evening.
Isaac & Alayna
Alayna and her Daddy, Ben.
Look how huge that bear is! It's almost as big as Alayna!
Kimmy, Robin, & Danyelle
Danyelle, Isaac, and John with Dana & Jared Wise
Two totally goofy guys with laundry baskets on their heads.
Michael & John
Robin & Danyelle, crashed on the bed & laughing at the guys!
This was one of the most awesome parts of the night.
Dan Marrott is the missionary who, with Elder Jeff Beard, taught me the first discussion.
Dan was also the one to baptize me many months after the first discussion.
Here we are - 15 years and three months later. It was great to catch up with him and introduce him to my hubby.
John's taking the picture and Anna wouldn't take her eyes off me to look at the camera!
We were smothered with hugs and kisses for the rest of the day. It was awesome!
I had an incredible time with my writers friends, meeting with editors from various publishing companies and even from the Ensign magazine. The Storymakers conference is my all-time, absolute FAVORITE writers conference I attend each year. I've been to several different workshops and conferences, and have never been to one as awesome as this one. Thanks so much to all the Storymakers!
John and I attended Boot Camp again this year. What's that? Well, basically it's when all the Storymakers torture us because of our poor writing. Just kidding! It's an optional section of conference that fills up really fast. Friday and Saturday morning, some of the conference attendees got up super early to attend a special "mini-conferece" with published authors and get more one-on-one critiques to improve our writing skills in many areas - characterization, dialogue, and exposition to name a few. I joined the Non-Fiction table this year, which was led by C.S. Bezas. She was an incredible instructor! Wow. I learned so much from her and the other writers at my table. Thank you, Cindy! I can't wait for next year. I hope you'll host the non-fiction table again!
Some pretty exciting stuff happened at conference this year. Like I said, I met with some editors. Heather Justesen and I pitched our new non-fiction book, Lost: One Sheep to Lisa Mangum at Deseret Book. She really liked the advance chapter and outlines we sent her. She gave us some great feedback on structure so it's not so overwhelming for the reader. Lost: One Sheep is about service and how it leads to missionary opportunites.
I also chatted with Kirk Shaw from Covenant Communications, which is the publisher who currently has Teaching Special Spirits. So far, everything is looking great in that area. TSS is out to readers for evalution. I enjoyed chatting with Kirk and now he has a face to take back with him to put with the TSS project.
The other exciting thing happened during the Storymakers First Chapter contest. I submitted four chapters into the contest . . . and two of them won! Lost: One Sheep won 1st place in the Non-Fiction category and Take Back the Night won 2nd place in the Women's Fiction category. It was so awesome, exciting, overwhelming, and completely humbling. All I can say is wow.
Each year, the Storymakers entertain us. This year, they really went the extra mile with an awesome video. Totally fun stuff!
And now - for some Storymakers Conference photos . . .
Danyelle & Heather Justesen catching up on gossip while relaxing in their hotel room. Notice the totally cute Tinkerbell skin on Heather's computer. I want one too!
Danyelle and Haley Freeman Hatch, author of A Future for Tomorrow. I love Haley's book. It gives such hope for those who have or are struggling with anorexia.
Dude - my babysitter was at the conference!!! She came all the way from Kansas! This is Kaitlyn - she's 16 and an incredible aspiring writer. You go, girl!
Ah yes - a picture of me and my hubby. It's funny, but I don't thinkwe've ever actually come home with pics of just the two of us. It's kind of nice.
Notice the stubble ladies? He hasn't been able to shave since the accident. He's kept it trimmed,
but he can't shave it all off. And let me tell you - I'm really liking the new look. Very sexy.
Dean Lorey and John. My hubby was really excited to meet Dean, who is an author and screenwriter. He wrote My Boyfriend's Back (Disney), Friday the 13th: Part 9, Happy Gilmore, and some other big movies I forget now. He's also the author of the Nightmare Academy series. Dean sat with us during lunch and John picked his brain. I hope you find it again, Dean. Seriously, Dean's a really nice guy - even if he did write a Freddie Krugar movie. :)
Friends from Oz - John, Danyelle, Kaitlyn, and Keisha. If you can't tell, Kaitlyn and Keisha are related. They look like sisters, but are actually mother and daughter - and both are writers! It was awesome to have them come for the Storymakers conference!
Who in the world is that crazy bunch of wackos?Oh yeah! That's my AuthorsIncognito group! Man, I just love these guys . . . and this is just a small representation of our group!
Danyelle & Tristi Pinkston, author of Nothing to Regret, Strength to Endure, and Season of Sacrifice. Tristi is an awesome friend, but I must say I was quite disappointed when she didn't dress up this year. Although, I must admit her contest entry about Stella and Tedward went a long way to making up for her lack of disguise. On a more serious note, Tristi is one of my biggest supporters. She has talked me through many rough writing patches. I know I would not have finished Teaching Special Spirits without her support. Love you, Tristi!
Two totally cute chicks! Danyelle & Heather Justesen.We just had to show off our first place certificates for our chapter from Lost: One Sheep. Are we awesome, or what? Heather has a book coming out this October. Just in time for Christmas, everyone!
This year, John and I also attended the Whitney Awards Gala. We had a great time and got to sit with some pretty awesome authors - Jessica Day George, Brandon Sanderson, and Greg Luke. Very cool stuff - and a HUGE thank you to Kerry Blair for being so awesome and sitting us at their table. Here are some fun pics from the evening . . .
You can't quite tell from this picture, but the person across from James Dashner (the announcer) is J. Scott Savage dressed up as Stephenie Meyer (who didn't show up for the Gala) to announce the winner for Best Speculative Fiction.
Heather Justesen and Danyelle
Danyelle and Gregg Luke, author of Do No Harm.I had a great time talking with Gregg during the Whitney Award dinner. He's a super nice guy. I'm really excited to read his medical thriller!
John and Brandon Sanderson, author of the Mistborn series, the Alcatraz series, and the totally cool person who gets to finish THE Robert Jordan's final novel.
The Bodacious Babes!Julie Wright, Crystal Liechty, Danyelle, and Jessica Day George.
Congrats to Julie on landing Jessica Day George's totally awesome agent. And congrats to Crystal on finding out she's having a beautiful baby girl! Jessica - it was awesome to meet you!
Danyelle and the awesome Kerry Blair, author of way too many books to write here!Although my very favorites are her Heart/Baseball series. Love them!!!
Danyelle, John, and James Dashner, author of the award winning 13th Reality series.
Danyelle, Michele Ashman Bell, and Josi Kilpack.Can I just say, five years ago when I attended my first Storymakers conference, I was TOTALLY star-struck and nervous to meet Michele and Josi. I had admired their writing and read their books over and over and over and over. But I soon discovered they are both the most generous and supportive women I've ever met. What a blessing they've both been to my life and writing!
And this, my friends, is the stack of books being shipped back to my house. Some of these books are for contest prizes on my blogs. Hee hee!Sunday, my friend Robin opened her house to my friends. John, Isaac, and I had an awesome afternoon & evening visiting with everyone who stopped by. Thanks so much for coming everyone. Of course, I totally forgot to get my camera out until the end - so I missed lots of photo opportunities, but here are a few pics from later in the evening.
Isaac & Alayna
Alayna and her Daddy, Ben.Look how huge that bear is! It's almost as big as Alayna!
Kimmy, Robin, & Danyelle
Danyelle, Isaac, and John with Dana & Jared Wise
Two totally goofy guys with laundry baskets on their heads.Michael & John
Robin & Danyelle, crashed on the bed & laughing at the guys!
This was one of the most awesome parts of the night.Dan Marrott is the missionary who, with Elder Jeff Beard, taught me the first discussion.
Dan was also the one to baptize me many months after the first discussion.
Here we are - 15 years and three months later. It was great to catch up with him and introduce him to my hubby.
The next morning, we hopped on a plane and headed back to Kansas City. Rob & Anna were sooooo excited to see Mama and Daddy!
John's taking the picture and Anna wouldn't take her eyes off me to look at the camera!We were smothered with hugs and kisses for the rest of the day. It was awesome!
Our trip was fabulous, awesome, incredible . . . .truly, there's no one word good enough to describe it. Being home with my family is equally wonderful. I hope that next year, we'll be able to take the whole family out like we did two years ago for a long family visit. Let's keep our fingers crossed!
Some of my author friends just emailed me to say they are hosting a Teens Only writer's conference this summer. The line-up of authors looks incredible! Click here to check out the website. If you are a teen - or you're the parent of a teen interested in writing - this is an AWESOME opportunity! I know most of these authors from the LDS Storymakers conference and they host the best writing classes ever!
Here's some additional information:
Here's some additional information:
2009 Teen Writers Conference
"Living the Writer's Legacy"
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Ages 13-19
- $32.00 Registration fee
- plus optional $7 box lunch
- Check-in: 9 a.m.
- Workshops: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Weber State University:
Shepherd Union Building Rm 404
Shepherd Union Building Rm 404
3848 Harrison Blvd.
Ogden, UT 84408
Ogden, UT 84408
*********************************************************
Presenters include award-winning authors and editors:
James Dashner
J. Scott Savage
Jessica Day George
Michele Ashman Bell
H.B. Moore
Julie Wright
Annette Lyon
Ronda Hinrichsen
Matthew Buckley
Jewel Adams
C.S. Bezas
Tamra Norton
Preston Norton
Josi S. Kilpack
So, it's not my birthday yet. In fact, my birthday isn't until November. But my totally awesome hubby surprised me a little bit early this year.
It all began about one and a half weeks ago. He asked me if I would be upset if I received my birthday present early, then only get a card on my actual birthday.
I said, "I guess that's fine. Why?"
He replied, "Well, I want to order your present, but it's too big to hide until your birthday."
Whoa! That really got me thinking. I started guessing all sorts of things that would be "too big" to hide until my birthday - such as a new couch, the dining room table we've been saving for, someone to paint our house . . . The list goes on and on. Each time I would make a guess, my hubby's standard response was to fold his arms, put on a total neutral facial expression, and not say one single word.
The stinker.
So I waited.
And I waited.
Then I waited some more. (Hey one and a half weeks can be a really, really long time when you're waiting for a surprise!) I kept watching out the window from some big delivery truck to stop in front of my house. But did it come? Nope.
Then finally, Saturday afternoon, I got it!
Of course, my hubby couldn't just give it to me. Nope. That's too easy. Instead, he hid it in the garage and told me to go search for it.
Huh. Man, I was really, REALLY hoping it wasn't a power tool!
So, I searched.
It didn't take me long before I found a simple white envelope with Happy Birthday, Dear! written across the front. I picked it up and turned towards John & the kids.
"Hmm . . . what could this be?" I asked.
I opened up the envelope, and I found the following coupon book:
Each page was signed by one of the kids or John. These are the files John made to print out the coupon book, so you don't get to see all the cute signatures. Sorry!
Signed by my daughter, MJ.
Signed by my son, Isaac.
Signed by my daughter, Anna. I'm sure someone helped her. :)
Signed by my son, Rob.
Signed by my awesome hubby.
Wow! I was so surprised! I had been trying and trying to figure out a way I could financially afford to go to Time Out for Women all year. But something always happened before I could purchase a ticket to any conferences that came close enough I could attend. I even applied for a scholarship to attend this conference, but then realized I wasn't going to have enough money for the gas, hotel, and food. I was so bummed. Especially since my Relief Society was planning a group trip to this particular conference. (You can find out more about TOFW here.)
What I hadn't realized was that John had started saving his lunch money and plotted with my Relief Society secretary (Sister Brown) to plan it all out. I hadn't realized Nancy could be so sneaky!
My sister, Cheryl, even got in on it. After I told her about John's question & trying to figure it out, she texted and called my hubby. Then she would deliberately call me and egg me on. She never said she knew. She would just ask me, "So, did you get your present yet? What do you think it is?"
Yep. That's my sister. :)
Then I found out, there were actually a group of ladies at church who knew about the surprise. Man. I definitely have some very sneaky friends! I never once guessed anyone knew anything!
It was funny when I stopped my friend, Charlee, at church to tell her I wasn't going to be able to come to her Adults Only Halloween party. She got a big smile on her face and said, "Yeah. I already knew you wouldn't make it."
Yep, like I said - Sneaky friends.
Aren't they awesome?
But my hubby is the awesomest of them all. He's incredible. I don't know how I got so lucky to have married a man so considerate, generous, and totally fun. I'm so blessed that he's my best friend. I often tell him that I'm the lucky one in our relationship, but that he got stuck with me for eternity. Hee hee!
It all began about one and a half weeks ago. He asked me if I would be upset if I received my birthday present early, then only get a card on my actual birthday.
I said, "I guess that's fine. Why?"
He replied, "Well, I want to order your present, but it's too big to hide until your birthday."
Whoa! That really got me thinking. I started guessing all sorts of things that would be "too big" to hide until my birthday - such as a new couch, the dining room table we've been saving for, someone to paint our house . . . The list goes on and on. Each time I would make a guess, my hubby's standard response was to fold his arms, put on a total neutral facial expression, and not say one single word.
The stinker.
So I waited.
And I waited.
Then I waited some more. (Hey one and a half weeks can be a really, really long time when you're waiting for a surprise!) I kept watching out the window from some big delivery truck to stop in front of my house. But did it come? Nope.
Then finally, Saturday afternoon, I got it!
Of course, my hubby couldn't just give it to me. Nope. That's too easy. Instead, he hid it in the garage and told me to go search for it.
Huh. Man, I was really, REALLY hoping it wasn't a power tool!
So, I searched.
It didn't take me long before I found a simple white envelope with Happy Birthday, Dear! written across the front. I picked it up and turned towards John & the kids.
"Hmm . . . what could this be?" I asked.
I opened up the envelope, and I found the following coupon book:
Each page was signed by one of the kids or John. These are the files John made to print out the coupon book, so you don't get to see all the cute signatures. Sorry!
Signed by my daughter, MJ.
Signed by my son, Isaac.
Signed by my daughter, Anna. I'm sure someone helped her. :)
Signed by my son, Rob.
Signed by my awesome hubby.
Wow! I was so surprised! I had been trying and trying to figure out a way I could financially afford to go to Time Out for Women all year. But something always happened before I could purchase a ticket to any conferences that came close enough I could attend. I even applied for a scholarship to attend this conference, but then realized I wasn't going to have enough money for the gas, hotel, and food. I was so bummed. Especially since my Relief Society was planning a group trip to this particular conference. (You can find out more about TOFW here.)
What I hadn't realized was that John had started saving his lunch money and plotted with my Relief Society secretary (Sister Brown) to plan it all out. I hadn't realized Nancy could be so sneaky!
My sister, Cheryl, even got in on it. After I told her about John's question & trying to figure it out, she texted and called my hubby. Then she would deliberately call me and egg me on. She never said she knew. She would just ask me, "So, did you get your present yet? What do you think it is?"
Yep. That's my sister. :)
Then I found out, there were actually a group of ladies at church who knew about the surprise. Man. I definitely have some very sneaky friends! I never once guessed anyone knew anything!
It was funny when I stopped my friend, Charlee, at church to tell her I wasn't going to be able to come to her Adults Only Halloween party. She got a big smile on her face and said, "Yeah. I already knew you wouldn't make it."
Yep, like I said - Sneaky friends.
Aren't they awesome?
But my hubby is the awesomest of them all. He's incredible. I don't know how I got so lucky to have married a man so considerate, generous, and totally fun. I'm so blessed that he's my best friend. I often tell him that I'm the lucky one in our relationship, but that he got stuck with me for eternity. Hee hee!
This past weekend the semi-annual conference for my Church. The first session started Saturday morning at 11 AM (CT).
Saturday morning, I overslept a little. Our youngest had been up several times the night before and I have been battling a nasty head cold. I meant to get up by 7:30 AM to run errands and get home on time to get dinner in the crock pot before the first session started. Instead, I woke up at 9 AM, and barely got back from the store at 10:55 AM. It took me another 45 minutes to get the groceries put away and dinner into the crock pot. I wasn't too upset because we using our DVR to record all the sessions and I knew I could go back and watch what I had missed.
Just before I got home, my husband received a call from work, with something urgent that had to be taken care of. He got the kids settled for conference, then ended up working all through the first session. I joined them just before noon.
Right after the morning session ended, my phone started ringing. My hubby, who had just finished working, answered it - hoping it wasn't going to be from work! It wasn't. It was my awesome friend, Amy. My hubby handed me the phone saying, "Amy says she could hear screaming all the way from Kansas this morning."
Uh oh. I knew right then I had missed something important while putting away the groceries.
I put the phone to my ear and said, "What did I miss? What am I supposed to be screaming about?"
Amy just could not believe I hadn't heard. So she went on to tell me that during the Saturday morning session, five new temples were announced - including one for the Greater Kansas City area, and another for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
I remember saying, "Are you kidding me? Is this a joke? Are you sure?" I couldn't tell you how many times I repeated that as I logged onto my computer and headed out to LDS.org. And there in the Newsroom was the announcement.
A temple for Kansas City.
A temple for Philadelphia.
I just could not stop crying. What an incredible blessing from Heavenly Father. During my visit to Utah, Amy and I had talked about how there were two things I truly missed since moving to Kansas. 1 - my wonderful friends, and 2 - having the blessings of a temple nearby.
And now, the members of the church in this area are going to be blessed with an incredible temple.
My hubby and I gathered the kids together to re-watch President Monson's announcement. I told the kids President Monson was going to tell us where new temples were going to be built and that I wanted them to listen closely so they could tell me the locations. My youngest son sat on my lap, and my oldest daughter sat next to me, while my oldest son and youngest daughter sat on the floor. Tears welled in my eyes as I listened to the announcement, and joy filled my heart as I watched my oldest daughter's face fill with excitement.
"Wow!" she said, "Kansas City's getting a temple!"
We paused the broadcast and talked about the importance of temples, about how Mommy & Daddy were married there, and how our family would be together forever because of that blessing.
My four year old son said to my seven year old daughter, "Now we can go there and get married to be together forever, too!"
My daughter replied, "No, Rob. You're supposed to get married to someone else, not your brother or sister, silly!" :)
I also talked with them about what a huge blessing it will be for our Church members in Pennsylvania, too. That's where I grew up and, like here in Kansas City, we drove 4 to 4 1/2 hours to get to the Washington DC temple. We would leave super early in the morning, and return very late at night, just for the opportunity to serve in the temple for two or three hours.
And then, my four year old said, "We need to pray to Heavenly Father to thank Him for the temples."
And so we all folded our arms, and our little four year old gave a short, but truly sincere prayer full of faith and gratitude.
He said, "Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for the temple in Kansas and in Pennsylvania, and that I can give my Mommy a hug."
It was one of those sweet, tender moments a mother treasures forever.
It will probably be about three years before these two temples are completed, but oh, how excited and grateful I am for each of them! As more information becomes available, I'll share it on my blog.
Saturday morning, I overslept a little. Our youngest had been up several times the night before and I have been battling a nasty head cold. I meant to get up by 7:30 AM to run errands and get home on time to get dinner in the crock pot before the first session started. Instead, I woke up at 9 AM, and barely got back from the store at 10:55 AM. It took me another 45 minutes to get the groceries put away and dinner into the crock pot. I wasn't too upset because we using our DVR to record all the sessions and I knew I could go back and watch what I had missed.
Just before I got home, my husband received a call from work, with something urgent that had to be taken care of. He got the kids settled for conference, then ended up working all through the first session. I joined them just before noon.
Right after the morning session ended, my phone started ringing. My hubby, who had just finished working, answered it - hoping it wasn't going to be from work! It wasn't. It was my awesome friend, Amy. My hubby handed me the phone saying, "Amy says she could hear screaming all the way from Kansas this morning."Uh oh. I knew right then I had missed something important while putting away the groceries.
I put the phone to my ear and said, "What did I miss? What am I supposed to be screaming about?"
Amy just could not believe I hadn't heard. So she went on to tell me that during the Saturday morning session, five new temples were announced - including one for the Greater Kansas City area, and another for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
I remember saying, "Are you kidding me? Is this a joke? Are you sure?" I couldn't tell you how many times I repeated that as I logged onto my computer and headed out to LDS.org. And there in the Newsroom was the announcement.
A temple for Kansas City.
A temple for Philadelphia.
I just could not stop crying. What an incredible blessing from Heavenly Father. During my visit to Utah, Amy and I had talked about how there were two things I truly missed since moving to Kansas. 1 - my wonderful friends, and 2 - having the blessings of a temple nearby.
And now, the members of the church in this area are going to be blessed with an incredible temple.
My hubby and I gathered the kids together to re-watch President Monson's announcement. I told the kids President Monson was going to tell us where new temples were going to be built and that I wanted them to listen closely so they could tell me the locations. My youngest son sat on my lap, and my oldest daughter sat next to me, while my oldest son and youngest daughter sat on the floor. Tears welled in my eyes as I listened to the announcement, and joy filled my heart as I watched my oldest daughter's face fill with excitement. "Wow!" she said, "Kansas City's getting a temple!"
We paused the broadcast and talked about the importance of temples, about how Mommy & Daddy were married there, and how our family would be together forever because of that blessing.
My four year old son said to my seven year old daughter, "Now we can go there and get married to be together forever, too!"
My daughter replied, "No, Rob. You're supposed to get married to someone else, not your brother or sister, silly!" :)
I also talked with them about what a huge blessing it will be for our Church members in Pennsylvania, too. That's where I grew up and, like here in Kansas City, we drove 4 to 4 1/2 hours to get to the Washington DC temple. We would leave super early in the morning, and return very late at night, just for the opportunity to serve in the temple for two or three hours. And then, my four year old said, "We need to pray to Heavenly Father to thank Him for the temples."
And so we all folded our arms, and our little four year old gave a short, but truly sincere prayer full of faith and gratitude.
He said, "Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for the temple in Kansas and in Pennsylvania, and that I can give my Mommy a hug."
It was one of those sweet, tender moments a mother treasures forever.
It will probably be about three years before these two temples are completed, but oh, how excited and grateful I am for each of them! As more information becomes available, I'll share it on my blog.
This past Saturday was AWESOME!
The day started off with my hubby and I attending the Kansas State Special Olympics Soccer Tournament with our oldest son, Isaac. His team, the Olathe Trailblazers, played two games. The first was against Gardner. The confusing part of playing Gardner is that their team shirts are Gold & their coach shirts are black. Olathe's team shirts are gray and the coach shirts are gold. See how it can be confusing?
Let's start off with the team cheer . . . (Isaac is #10)
I was so impressed with how well everyone worked together as a team! They passed the ball to each other, took turns shooting goals, etc. It was really awesome. Below is a clip of their first game. Isaac intercepted the ball twice from the Gardner team, ending with a goal!
Here are some fun pictures of Isaac during the half-time break.
Isaac & Dad
Isaac with his friend & team-mate, James.
The Olathe Trailblazer's won their first game 12-05.
The next set of games, Olathe played Wichita for the gold.
I was really, really hoping we wouldn't have to play them this year. This is the one team I've encountered so far, that doesn't adhere to the Special Olympics standards. SO is supposed to be about giving individuals with disabilities opportunities to play sports, exercise, have social interaction, develop relationships, and develop good sportsmanship. Everyone is a winner. Heck, our parents cheer when the other team scores a goal. This is how Special Olympics is supposed to be.
Not Wichita though. The only thing they care about is winning. They yell at their kids to pick up the pace, they complain to the refs if anyone on our team accidentally touches another player or the ball with their hands (which in any other game is just over-looked as long as the players aren't hanging on another player's jersey to slow them down or aren't picking up the ball). Those same parents also over-look it every time their child or other team-mate shove, trip, or kick a member of the team they're playing against.
Last year was really difficult. It just happened that last year AND this year, the woman who is the most vocal (and who encourages her son to play however it takes to win) set up her chairs next to my chairs. It's really, really, really hard for me not to turn around and smack someone who's yelling rude things about my son. So what if he tripped and fell over the ball. Holy cow! Like that's never happened in any other soccer game setting. The reason he tripped was because her son pushed him!
On the other side, her son got really frustrated with two of our players (Isaac & James) because they excel at intercepting balls, then passing off to other players. My son got pushed a lot because he challenged other players for the ball.
I was actually really proud of Isaac though. He got really frustrated at one point and just walked off the field and told his coach, "I need a break." Then he sat down with me and my hubby and told us how hard the other team was and that he didn't like them pushing him. He took a five minute break, then went back into the game. I was so proud of him! He really did a great job.
I tried to find some video clips from the Wichita game, but lots of them had the other woman making remarks and I didn't want to post them. I do have to say, as much as Isaac got tripped and pushed around, I felt much worse for Rachel, who has tons of persistence and is totally brave, but not as physically as strong as the other kids. She literally got pushed, shoved, and run over a couple times every quarter. One quarter, the Wichita team goalie kicked the ball right into her face. But what would she do? She just got up, shook it off, and kept right on playing. Man, she's one tough chick and one of my role models.
Final score: 07-12 Even though Wichita won, I have to say I still feel like our team was the real winner.
The Olathe Trailblazers:
Back Row: Our totally awesome coaches!
Middle Row: Robbie, Chase, Evan, Rachel, and Isaac
Front Row: Larry and James
After the last game, we took Isaac out to celebrate at McDonald's. Then we went back home to tell Uncle Mike and all the kids about how awesome Isaac and his team played.
Later that day, I had the opportunity to attend my Church's Relief Society broadcast. Before the broadcast, all the ladies gathered for a delicious dinner. Many sisters brought soups, salads, or desserts to share. It was yummy-licious! The best part, was that the men all came to take down the tables AND do the dishes! Yeah!
After dinner, the ladies all went into the chapel to watch the broadcast from Salt Lake City. The General Relief Society presidency all spoke. My two very favorite talks were by Sister Barbara Thompson (2nd Counselor of the General Relief Society) and President Deiter F. Uchtdorf. I've shared a bit about each person's message below.
Sister Julie B. Beck spoke about our roles as sisters in Relief Society and the great work we do. I absolutely loved it when she said, "The real power of our world-wide sisterhood lies within each sister." Sister Beck talked about how the Relief Society was a formal part of the restoration, and was charged to organize, teach, and inspire Heavenly Father's daughters, to prepare them for the blessings of eternal life. As sisters today, we need to:
1. Increase faith & personal righteousness
2. Strengthen families & homes. Our homes should be a refuge from the evils of the world.
3. Serve the Lord & His children.
Sister Sylvia H. Allred talked about temple worship. I loved her stories about church members faith in Honduras and other far-away countries, and the sacrifices they made so they could travel to the Mesa, AZ temple to be sealed forever as a family. Today, many of those faithful members now have temples in their own countries. What an amazing blessing!
Sister Barbara Thompson was another really fun speaker. I loved it when she said, "Relief Society is not just a class on Sunday. It's not just somewhere to go if we aren't teaching in Young Women's or Primary."
She also said,
"We need not rush around finding things to do or causes to take up.Remember, most often, the help needed is in our own homes, neighborhoods, and communities. A kind word of encouragement, a note of thanks, a phone call, a loving smile, a helpful deed, and a reminder that God loves us is often what is needed most.
We need women to step up and be strong.
We need women to declare the truth with strength, faith, and boldness.
We need women to set an example of righteousness.
We need women to be anxiously engaged in a good cause
We need to live that our lives bear witness that we love our Heavenly Father and our savior, Jesus Christ, and that we will do what they have asked us to do.
We can be a righteous army of women, armed with love, compassion, kindness, service, and faith. We can be a mighty force for good in this world."
President Deiter F. Uchtdorf was the speaker who made me cry. Several times during his talk, it felt like he was speaking right to me. Like he was looking into the camera, past all the other women, and was speaking just to me. He didn't just make me cry though. His story about the differences between his wife's cooking and his own make me laugh! I loved it when President Uchtdorf said that sometimes we sisters focus on what we are lacking and don't look at what we do really well. And his story about his wife always apologizing for what she thought was "less than perfect" hit home, and reminded me that it's okay to not be on top of everything 100% of the time.
President Uchtdorf also shared two principles to help us find peace and joy. They are Creating & Compassion. For those of you who don't think you have talents of significance, Presidnent Uchtdorf said,
"Think again and remember that you are a spirit daughter of God. You may think that you don't have talents, but that is a false assumption, for we all have talents and gifts, every one of us. The bounds of creativity extends far beyond the limits of a canvas, or a sheet of paper; and do not require a brush, a pen, or the keys of a piano. Creation means bringing into existence something that did not exist before. Colorful gardens, harmonious homes, family memories, flowing laughter.
What you create doesn't have to be perfect. So what if the eggs are greasy or the toast is burnt. Don't let fear of failure discourage you. Don't let the voice of critics paralyze you, whether that voice comes from the outside or from the inside.
If you still feel incapable of creating, start small. Try to see how many smiles you can create. Write a letter of appreciation. Learn a new skill. Identify a space, and beautify it.
The more you trust and rely upon the Spirit, the greater your capacity to create. That is your opportunity in this life, and your destiny in the life to come.
Sisters, trust and rely on the Spirit as you take the normal opportunities of your daily life and create something of beauty and helpfulness. You improve not only the world around you, but also the world within you."
The whole broadcast was incredible. If you missed it, I highly recommend going to the Church website, and watching the broadcast. The Church now has a new movie player called LDS Move Player. Nope I didn't spell that wrong. That's the name, odd enough as it is. Odd name aside, it's a great tool. You can download the conference and watch different speakers - with no pauses or buffering. It's great! If you don't have time to watch it over the internet, the transcripts of each talk was just posted as I finished this blog. You can print them out to read.
As you can see, my Saturday was filled with fun and inspiration - a great combination!
The day started off with my hubby and I attending the Kansas State Special Olympics Soccer Tournament with our oldest son, Isaac. His team, the Olathe Trailblazers, played two games. The first was against Gardner. The confusing part of playing Gardner is that their team shirts are Gold & their coach shirts are black. Olathe's team shirts are gray and the coach shirts are gold. See how it can be confusing?
Let's start off with the team cheer . . . (Isaac is #10)
I was so impressed with how well everyone worked together as a team! They passed the ball to each other, took turns shooting goals, etc. It was really awesome. Below is a clip of their first game. Isaac intercepted the ball twice from the Gardner team, ending with a goal!
Here are some fun pictures of Isaac during the half-time break.
Isaac & Dad
Isaac with his friend & team-mate, James.
The Olathe Trailblazer's won their first game 12-05.
The next set of games, Olathe played Wichita for the gold.
I was really, really hoping we wouldn't have to play them this year. This is the one team I've encountered so far, that doesn't adhere to the Special Olympics standards. SO is supposed to be about giving individuals with disabilities opportunities to play sports, exercise, have social interaction, develop relationships, and develop good sportsmanship. Everyone is a winner. Heck, our parents cheer when the other team scores a goal. This is how Special Olympics is supposed to be.
Not Wichita though. The only thing they care about is winning. They yell at their kids to pick up the pace, they complain to the refs if anyone on our team accidentally touches another player or the ball with their hands (which in any other game is just over-looked as long as the players aren't hanging on another player's jersey to slow them down or aren't picking up the ball). Those same parents also over-look it every time their child or other team-mate shove, trip, or kick a member of the team they're playing against.
Last year was really difficult. It just happened that last year AND this year, the woman who is the most vocal (and who encourages her son to play however it takes to win) set up her chairs next to my chairs. It's really, really, really hard for me not to turn around and smack someone who's yelling rude things about my son. So what if he tripped and fell over the ball. Holy cow! Like that's never happened in any other soccer game setting. The reason he tripped was because her son pushed him!
On the other side, her son got really frustrated with two of our players (Isaac & James) because they excel at intercepting balls, then passing off to other players. My son got pushed a lot because he challenged other players for the ball.
I was actually really proud of Isaac though. He got really frustrated at one point and just walked off the field and told his coach, "I need a break." Then he sat down with me and my hubby and told us how hard the other team was and that he didn't like them pushing him. He took a five minute break, then went back into the game. I was so proud of him! He really did a great job.
I tried to find some video clips from the Wichita game, but lots of them had the other woman making remarks and I didn't want to post them. I do have to say, as much as Isaac got tripped and pushed around, I felt much worse for Rachel, who has tons of persistence and is totally brave, but not as physically as strong as the other kids. She literally got pushed, shoved, and run over a couple times every quarter. One quarter, the Wichita team goalie kicked the ball right into her face. But what would she do? She just got up, shook it off, and kept right on playing. Man, she's one tough chick and one of my role models.
Final score: 07-12 Even though Wichita won, I have to say I still feel like our team was the real winner.
The Olathe Trailblazers:
Back Row: Our totally awesome coaches!
Middle Row: Robbie, Chase, Evan, Rachel, and Isaac
Front Row: Larry and James
After the last game, we took Isaac out to celebrate at McDonald's. Then we went back home to tell Uncle Mike and all the kids about how awesome Isaac and his team played.
Later that day, I had the opportunity to attend my Church's Relief Society broadcast. Before the broadcast, all the ladies gathered for a delicious dinner. Many sisters brought soups, salads, or desserts to share. It was yummy-licious! The best part, was that the men all came to take down the tables AND do the dishes! Yeah!
After dinner, the ladies all went into the chapel to watch the broadcast from Salt Lake City. The General Relief Society presidency all spoke. My two very favorite talks were by Sister Barbara Thompson (2nd Counselor of the General Relief Society) and President Deiter F. Uchtdorf. I've shared a bit about each person's message below.Sister Julie B. Beck spoke about our roles as sisters in Relief Society and the great work we do. I absolutely loved it when she said, "The real power of our world-wide sisterhood lies within each sister." Sister Beck talked about how the Relief Society was a formal part of the restoration, and was charged to organize, teach, and inspire Heavenly Father's daughters, to prepare them for the blessings of eternal life. As sisters today, we need to:
1. Increase faith & personal righteousness
2. Strengthen families & homes. Our homes should be a refuge from the evils of the world.
3. Serve the Lord & His children.
Sister Sylvia H. Allred talked about temple worship. I loved her stories about church members faith in Honduras and other far-away countries, and the sacrifices they made so they could travel to the Mesa, AZ temple to be sealed forever as a family. Today, many of those faithful members now have temples in their own countries. What an amazing blessing!
Sister Barbara Thompson was another really fun speaker. I loved it when she said, "Relief Society is not just a class on Sunday. It's not just somewhere to go if we aren't teaching in Young Women's or Primary."
She also said,
"We need not rush around finding things to do or causes to take up.Remember, most often, the help needed is in our own homes, neighborhoods, and communities. A kind word of encouragement, a note of thanks, a phone call, a loving smile, a helpful deed, and a reminder that God loves us is often what is needed most.
We need women to step up and be strong.
We need women to declare the truth with strength, faith, and boldness.
We need women to set an example of righteousness.
We need women to be anxiously engaged in a good cause
We need to live that our lives bear witness that we love our Heavenly Father and our savior, Jesus Christ, and that we will do what they have asked us to do.
We can be a righteous army of women, armed with love, compassion, kindness, service, and faith. We can be a mighty force for good in this world."
President Deiter F. Uchtdorf was the speaker who made me cry. Several times during his talk, it felt like he was speaking right to me. Like he was looking into the camera, past all the other women, and was speaking just to me. He didn't just make me cry though. His story about the differences between his wife's cooking and his own make me laugh! I loved it when President Uchtdorf said that sometimes we sisters focus on what we are lacking and don't look at what we do really well. And his story about his wife always apologizing for what she thought was "less than perfect" hit home, and reminded me that it's okay to not be on top of everything 100% of the time.President Uchtdorf also shared two principles to help us find peace and joy. They are Creating & Compassion. For those of you who don't think you have talents of significance, Presidnent Uchtdorf said,
"Think again and remember that you are a spirit daughter of God. You may think that you don't have talents, but that is a false assumption, for we all have talents and gifts, every one of us. The bounds of creativity extends far beyond the limits of a canvas, or a sheet of paper; and do not require a brush, a pen, or the keys of a piano. Creation means bringing into existence something that did not exist before. Colorful gardens, harmonious homes, family memories, flowing laughter.
What you create doesn't have to be perfect. So what if the eggs are greasy or the toast is burnt. Don't let fear of failure discourage you. Don't let the voice of critics paralyze you, whether that voice comes from the outside or from the inside.
If you still feel incapable of creating, start small. Try to see how many smiles you can create. Write a letter of appreciation. Learn a new skill. Identify a space, and beautify it.
The more you trust and rely upon the Spirit, the greater your capacity to create. That is your opportunity in this life, and your destiny in the life to come.
Sisters, trust and rely on the Spirit as you take the normal opportunities of your daily life and create something of beauty and helpfulness. You improve not only the world around you, but also the world within you."
The whole broadcast was incredible. If you missed it, I highly recommend going to the Church website, and watching the broadcast. The Church now has a new movie player called LDS Move Player. Nope I didn't spell that wrong. That's the name, odd enough as it is. Odd name aside, it's a great tool. You can download the conference and watch different speakers - with no pauses or buffering. It's great! If you don't have time to watch it over the internet, the transcripts of each talk was just posted as I finished this blog. You can print them out to read.
As you can see, my Saturday was filled with fun and inspiration - a great combination!
I "borrowed" this blog from good friend, James Dashner. He posted it on his blog & I thought the info needed to be shared!
This summer have unfettered access to professional children’s authors, all in the name of charity! Saturday, July 19, several local authors will host a Writing for Charity event in Salt Lake City, with all profits going to The Wheelchair Project. Come hear writers talk about their process, how to write for a young audience, storytelling tips, and the ins and outs of the publishing business. In addition, have your picture book text or first page of your novel (the most important page!) workshopped by professionals.
When: Saturday, July 19, 9 am to 1 pm
Where: Salt Lake Main Library, 200 East 400 South, Salt Lake City, Utah
Cost: $45 (should be tax deductible!)
Event breakdown: 9:00 am -- Registration
9:15 - 10:15 am -- Panel discussion in the auditorium
10:30 - 11:15 -- Break out discussions in topic groups
11:30 - 1:00 -- Small group workshops
Authors include Brandon Mull, Shannon Hale, Mette Ivie Harrison, Ann Cannon, Kristyn Crow, Becky Hickox, Kimberley Heuston, Anne Bowen, Aprilynne Pike, Ann Dee Ellis, Mike Knudson, and Wendy Toliver.
Space is limited, first come first serve. To reserve your spot, mail in the $45 registration fee.
Mailing address: 1176 E 2620th N, Provo, UT 84604-4132
Make checks to: "LDS Philanthropies" (the organization that runs The Wheelchair Project) and write "Wheelchair" in the memo line.
Also include: Your name, age, phone number, and area of interest-- picture book writing, fantasy novel, or realistic fiction novel.
On the day of the event, bring 15 copies of the first page of your novel or picture book text (maximum word count: 300 words) for some hands on workshopping.
100% of the proceeds (after the nominal location fee) go to The Wheelchair Project, a wonderful charity that donates new wheelchairs to people in third world countries, many of whom have never had one. A wheelchair can completely change the life of a disabled person, offering mobility, increased independence, and a chance to go to school or find employment. Because this charity is administered by volunteers with LDS Philanthropy, there is no overhead and every penny donated goes directly to purchasing wheelchairs. This is not a religious charity--the wheelchairs go to the needy regardless of their faith. Thank you for supporting this extraordinary cause!
While in Utah, my hubby and I both had the opportunity to attend our 4th LDS Storymakers Writers Conference. It was awesome! We had a blast with all the Storymakers and our friends from AuthorsIncognito.
Some very awesome things happened while at the conference - one of which was my submission Rebound received 3rd place in the First Chapter Contest. Everyone, quick! Turn cartwheels and shout "Yahoo!"
To find out more about what all happened at the LDS Storymakers Writers Conference and to read Rebound, visit our FergusonAuthors website. Be sure to leave me a comment or email after you read Rebound. Enjoy!
Some very awesome things happened while at the conference - one of which was my submission Rebound received 3rd place in the First Chapter Contest. Everyone, quick! Turn cartwheels and shout "Yahoo!"
To find out more about what all happened at the LDS Storymakers Writers Conference and to read Rebound, visit our FergusonAuthors website. Be sure to leave me a comment or email after you read Rebound. Enjoy!
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