Invisible Deadlines and Staying the Course

 

“So how’s the writing coming along?” asks every person who knows you’re a writer.

(Better than "So when's your book gonna get published?" by a landslide, let me just say!) 

How many of you know the progress question can strike you different at different times? When we are on a roll with our current WIP the answer will more than likely gush from an endless well of enthusiasm. (Possibly to the dismay of the well-meaning friend who now knows more about your main character’s emotional journey than they had time for.) I don’t know many writers who don’t like talking about their stories. Kinda goes with the territory. We’re storytellers after all. There’s a story to be told even in writing a story. Confused yet?

On the other side of the coin there are dry seasons where talking about your inspiration, or lack thereof, sounds about as appealing as a case of the stomach flu. (Having just visited that toilet bowl let me assure you, not fun.) Maybe you lost some writing time, or perhaps you’re battling a bout of the dreaded malady that shall not be named (writer’s bl***) Eek!

Many of our ships haven’t come in and we are still on the journey to publication. So how do we stay motivated when life inevitably steals our free time? I mean, it’s great if you can treat writing like a job instead of a hobby, but until you’re earning a paycheck you’re not technically accountable to anyone but yourself (and perhaps those imaginary friends anxiously pestering you for their HEA.) We may set our own deadlines but, let's face it, we made those up. We fall behind, no biggie. We're not in breach of contract. No panicked all-nighters to catch up. We re-adjust and try again. It’s good to have a goal, keeps you focused but when the road is long, you’re getting weary of rejections and hearing all the good news of your writing friends leaving you in the dust. How, then, when times get hard, do you find the strength to stay the course?

I’m here. Pounding the pavement with you. The heroine in my own story, hear me roar! ;) And I’ve got some sustenance for your journey.

-Write because you love it! Not because you want to get rich and quit your day job. It doesn’t mean the road will be easy, but it sure seems easier when you’re enjoying the journey.

-Stop comparing yourself to other writers. It’s a trap! Your story, your voice, your journey, they are all unique. Strive for greatness but let your story unfold naturally. You'll be surprised by how much you learn and grow in those unexpected detours.

-Stay positive. It’s easy to get discouraged in this business. Critiques, rejections, and criticisms aren’t usually all that palatable. Treat it as a learning experience, and don’t let positive feedback get trampled under the negatives. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Respect theirs but keep your chin up and keep believing in yours.

-Get an accountability partner. And check in. Ever make excuses to yourself? You were busy. The kids were sick. The house wasn’t going to clean itself. It’s easier to stay on track when someone else will know if you’re slacking off. Get yourself a goal and let someone know you're chipping away at it.

-Build a team. Support other writers. Be a critique partner. Endorse your friends’ books. Encourage and be encouraged. Sometimes it hard to see others succeed when you’re still floundering, but when your time comes, and especially until then, you’ll want those people by your side. Iron sharpens iron.

-Don’t give up! I’ve heard it said that successful authors are just writers who refused to give up. Don’t let anyone steal your passion and your dream. Keep writing until you reach goals and then write some more.

 

Happy Friday! Have a blessed weekend!

**************************************************************************************************************

Amy Leigh Simpson is a writer, singer, runner, foodie, coffee-lovin’-chocoholic. When she’s not dreaming up saucy love stories sprinkled with suspense and mystery, she’s chasing around her two adorable tow-headed toddler miscreants (Ahem)—boys, playing dress up with her miracle princess baby, and being the very blessed wife to the coolest, most hunky hero on the planet (sorry, ladies—taken). Though Amy doesn’t use her Sports Medicine degree for anything but patching up daily boo boo’s, she enjoys weaving medical aspects into her writing. Represented by the oh-so-wise and dashing Chip MacGregor of MacGregor Literary Inc.

 

Facing Discouragement about God's Calling

Today I decided to pull a post from the archives because I felt a nudge about how this applies to the new year. Are you facing discouragement today? Do you see 2015 as another year you're entering with a heavy heart and not-yet-realized dreams? Then I hope today's post encourages you! Be of good cheer-- God has not lost sight of you or your dreams.

###

"He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it." -- 1 Thessalonians 5:24 


Hi, writer friends! Today I want to talk about something that-- after five years of being a part of this writing journey-- is close to my heart. And that is... disappointment. I see so many friends go through the ups and downs of hope and disappointment, and believe me, I've been there myself. Maybe that's how you're feeling today. Perhaps you didn't get the feedback you were hoping to receive from a contest, or an editor you really respect recently rejected your manuscript.

Image by  Evgeni Dinev from FreeDigitalPhotos.com

I'd venture to say that every. single. writer. experiences disappointment in this journey. For some, the disappointment cuts so deeply, they feel like giving up. Others actually do give up-- they walk away when their hearts just can't seem to take anymore rejection. The mountains just seem so high.

Let's get real for a minute. Writing is not for the weak of heart. It requires diligent adherence to deep vision, and dismissal of all those outside voices vying for your attention. You know the ones. Over time, they just seem to get louder, don't they? Have you ever caught yourself letting these sentiments echo in your heart?

• An editor isn't going to like that.
• Your hook isn't strong enough.
• Why are you doing this, anyway? It's not like you have any actual readers.
• Your characterization falls flat.
• Your dialogue is stilted.
• A scene describing a pencil would be less boring.
• Wait a second-- did you just rehash the exact plot from While You Were Sleeping?

As writers, we have this crazy hard job of simultaneously putting 100% of our hearts into our stories-- weaving the fabric of our being into the fabric of our characters' struggles-- and protecting our hearts from criticism and rejection. Have you ever noticed that some people are better at one than the other? When I first graduated with my M.A., I was excellent at receiving criticism. Believe me, I was well used to professors criticizing my rough-draft essays-- it was just part of the process for everyone. But you know what? As I've gotten farther along on this writing journey, criticism has actually gotten harder-- in a way-- to receive, because I find myself investing more and more emotion into each story. And that's okay.

Some people think, "If I could only get published, everything would be easier." And while, yes, I personally think having real-life readers (as opposed to merely imaginary ones) does make things easier, at the same time, publication brings its own set of rejection and disappointment. Maybe your sales numbers aren't what you want, or you're having agent troubles, or you got a round of really harsh reviews on your story.

The writing world goes a little something like this: rejection. rejection. rejection. rejection. rejection. rejection. rejection. hope. rejection. rejection. a sale!!! rejection. rejection. rejection. rejection. a sale!!!

And repeat. 

Image by vorakorn,from FreeDigitalPhotos.com

But here's the thing. If we aren't careful, we can allow ourselves to become crushed in this process. It's like we've been in an emotional battle of sorts, and we come out wounded and scarred along the way from overly-harsh criticism and dreams that seem to have crashed and burned. 

That's where 1 Thessalonians 5:24 comes in. "He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it."

And with that in mind, I want to issue a challenge to you today.

God. is. faithful.

Do you believe it? 

Do you really believe God is faithful? And if so, that leads to my second question. Do you believe God has called you?

Because if you do, then you have a responsibility to protect and to chase your dreams. Through all the pain, and all the disappointment, and all the rejection, the One who has called you is stronger. He has a much bigger plan through it all, and He has not led you down this pathway only to desert you. If you feel like giving up, hold on-- cling to Him as you never have before, and you may find unexpected growth and opportunity when you least expect it.

God has a purpose for your stories. That purpose is greater and bigger than anything you can imagine. He's promised that. So don't give up on Him. There is a reward for those who are faithful to the calling. Imagine if your favorite novelist had thrown in the towel just before publication. How would your own life be different? Your writing journey? What if God wants you to be that author for someone else? Maybe even for the next generation?

And don't forget that God's promises are sometimes different from our own. Maybe God never intended for you to be a NYT bestseller, but He does want your story to forever change the life of the elderly widow down your street. Be open to where His plan leads, because the ultimate fulfillment is in following Him, and learning to see writing as a form of worship.

So, what do you think? Do you ever find yourself discouraged by the ups and downs of writing? What promises do you hold on to to keep you going?

###

Ashley Clark writes romance with southern grace. She's dreamed of being a writer ever since the thumbprint-cookie-days of library story hour. Ashley has an M.A. in English and enjoys teaching literature courses at her local university. She's an active member of ACFW and runs their newcomer's loop. When she's not writing, Ashley's usually busy rescuing stray animals and finding charming new towns. You can find Ashley on her personal blog, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. She is represented by Karen Solem.

The first post is always the hardest

There really should be a song with that as a line.

The first step is the hardest...

The first date the most uncomfortable...

The first page the hardest to fill...

Hence, the first blog post is always a wee bit disconcerting.

Will they like me? Do I have anything to add to the conversation? Was I crazy to volunteer for this assignment? (Yes, I actually volunteered :-) )

My handsome boys

I am many things. I play many roles. Maybe you can relate... This week, I will be a wife (well, every day for 19 years!), I will be a mom, I will homeschool my kiddos, I will teach graduate level classes, I will prepare for the MBA classes I'm taking, I will write, I will lawyer, I will be a friend, a mentor, a house painter, a box packer. I will be many things, but most of all I am a Christ follower.

My two beautiful girls

It's easy in the rush of life to say I'm a Christ follower, but not take the moments to pause. To read my Bible. To pray. To pick up the phone and encourage a sister who needs it. To ask God to help me see the world as He sees the world.

Yet, if I don't, everything else I do is meaningless.

A waste of effort.

A puff of hot air that will disappear without notice.

So today, I sit next to you (go ahead, imagine I'm in the room with you). Maybe I have a white latte. Maybe you have a mug of exotic tea. Maybe a candle burns in the corner, scenting the air with spice. Either way, I'm with you. As your peer. As your friend. As a fellow Christ-follower who doesn't get it all right. But as someone who wants to.

I look forward to sharing this journey with you.

Oh, I'm also having a big giveaway this month on my blog. Feel free to pop over and join the fun. There's fiction, nonfiction, Christian living, and pampering in this little giveaway. You can join in here.

Guest Interview: Cindy Sproles

This Fall I had a chance to glance at the upcoming titles as part of an article I wrote for Library Journal. When I read about Cindy Sprole's upcoming release, Mercy's Rain I was intrigued by its summary. I love women's fiction that dares to handle contemporary issues all while maintaining a faith perspective. Misconduct in the pastorate and spousal abuse are hot buttons that the church must address and I have not seen them tackled often in Christian fiction. As a yankee turned belle, I also love reading Southern fiction of any type and Cindy's Appalachian setting is one of my favorites (especially since we are blessed with another mountain-based writer here, Pepper). I'm thrilled to share her answers to questions on writing and publication. She has some great insights to share!

1) Where were you when you received the "call" from an editor for the first time?

I was sitting at my desk editing devotions. As the executive Editor and cofounder of ChristianDevotions.us (Christian Devotions Ministries), I spend a lot of time editing submissions. I think my eyes were rossed when my agent contacted me with news from that first editor. I did that “palm-to-the forehead” smack. My agent had shopped this novel for well over a year and a half, and when we got that first nibble, my response was, “Finally!”  It’s always a thrill, whether it’s your first note of from an editor or your hundredth, to get that nod of approval.

2) What was your journey to publication like?

Pretty text book. I’ve been told over and over, the average author is six to ten years in training before they land a solid contract with a large house. I’ve never been a quitter, so rejections were something I rarely took to heart. Well, let me qualify that statement. I took the suggestions to heart but the rejections themselves, not so much. I understood publication was tough and you’d have “pay your dues.” Occasionally, I’d have a pity party – you know, the old “It’s never gonna happen” thing. But giving up was never an option for me.

I learned at my very first writer’s conference, that if I wanted to write for God my words may
never end up in a book on the shelves of a bookstore. Rather, they may be meant only for the
person sitting next to me. That was something I wrote down and still have hanging on my
computer. I’m grateful every day for those words from author, Alton Ganksy. They have, over
the years, kept my writing attitude in check.

I will say one other thing. The day, I stopped “looking” for acceptances and simply moved on to
the next project, was the day I stepped out of the way and stopped trying to do God’s job for
Him. Once I relinquished my work back to Him, great things began to happen. 

3) Do you have any writing rituals?

Give me a big glass of iced tea and a portable heater at my cold feet, and I’m good to go. I listen to mountain music (i.e dulcimer and autoharp), not for inspiration, but because I love the relaxation it brings me. Oh, and I talk out loud as I write.

Since my voice rings in the mountain dialect of the Appalachians, I frequently say phrases aloud
to be sure I hear how they sound before I write them.

4) The setting of Appalachia plays a prominent place in your novel. How can we as writers root
our stories in a sense of place?

I think your sense of place, or voice, is what is dear to you. For me, it’s the mountains where I was raised. It’s memories of cutting and hanging tobacco, stirring apples over a fire until my arms ached, and listening to the twang of a banjo being played on the front porch. It’s a rich and unique culture, that honestly, has changed little since the early 1800’s. 

It goes back to writing what you know.

If you’re a lover of the ocean and sailing, then your sense of place will ring truest when you
write about the foamy wash that hangs on your toes as the tide slips back into the ocean. Think
about Nicholas Sparks. Ninety percent of his stories take us to the Outer Banks of North
Carolina – a place that is dear to him, and a place he draws us in from the first line of every
book. We can smell the ocean air, feel the wind whip at our hair. It’s what Sparks “knows,” and
what he can best share with his readers.

Here in the Appalachian Mountains, folks are warm and friendly. Many have the heart of a
servant because this is how we’re raised. You help your neighbor and they’ll return the favor
when you’re in need. When I put my readers knee deep in the genuine culture of the
Appalachians, then they can smell the crisp scent on the breeze. They’re transported smack dab
into what I know best – the very heart of who I am, and who the people are that I love so much.
Readers will see and feel the angst and the loyalty of mountain people. If I’m lucky, they’ll fall
in love with this culture as well.

5) How did you decide to tackle the challenging subjects of abuse and misconduct in the clergy?

Who better to misbehave and get away with it, than a man of God? Folks tend to put ministers on
a pedestal refusing to believe they could fall into sin themselves. Setting this type of abuse into a
historical timeframe with an unexpected antagonist allowed me to hit the reader hard. I could
drive in the knife, let the reader feel the pain, and then just when they think it’s over – twist the
knife deeper.

My intention wasn’t to pick on preachers, but this seemed to be an ideal way to address a serious
problem from a unique angle. There is misconduct in every profession. The ministry is no
exception. However, it’s the one profession held in a high esteem . . . even by unbelievers. It’s
because of the calling, the trust, and confidentiality behind the profession.

I wanted this book to cross the line from the Christian market into the secular market with a
subject that not only needed addressing, but addressed in a way the non-Christian would relate. If
I could paint a horrible situation that allowed readers to feel the pain of the abused and the
aftermath, then just maybe, they would be so moved that the only alternative is to help these
women and children who suffer such horrible crimes. Maybe as they discover ways to help heal,
they might just find the power of forgiveness through Christ in their own lives.

6) What is your #1 tip for writers?

Have an attitude of gratitude – Writing is not an entitlement.

It’s a gift from God. It’s an opportunity to allow Him to speak through us. By keeping a grateful
attitude, I am reminded daily, it’s not about me. It’s all about Christ and through Him nothing is
impossible. When I keep my attitude in check, then God can work through me. Together, we
make a great team.

7)   What do you wish you'd realized sooner in your writing journey?

I wish I’d have learned the craft in the right order. By that, I mean when you attend that first, second, or even third writers conference, take classes and workshops that meet you at your current level of writing. Learn from the bottom up. I didn’t know that and I chose classes that were too advanced for my writing level. I learned, but I learned things backward and it made the path a little harder. When you attend a conference, stick to your level of writing. Buy the CDs or the MP3s of the conference.
They do that for a reason. You’ll learn at the right pace, in the right order, and your craft will
improve. Better to move ahead step-by-step as opposed to one step ahead and two back.

7) Would you include a favorite scene in your novel to whet our appetites?

I’ll do better than that. How about the first three chapters? http://cindysproles.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/MercysRainExcerpt.pdf

Writing Your Art Out

If you've hung around the alley at all, you might know that I am a sucker for suggesting this writing craft of ours is an art. But, it is super easy to lose focus that it is artistic when we have many many factors influencing our perspective on books in general. We have the different publishing trends, the yays and nays of writing for today's reader, the incredible competition of talent out there, and the thick skin that must be grown to handle someone ripping your story to shreds and telling you your art just ain't good enough.

Bravo to all who've stuck it out and are here, with hope, passion, and a clear vision of their dream! Phew, what a journey.

I have six books written and edited. And through that, with all the factors above, I admit that I have had my share of failed attempts to write a story for a certain "trend". This is an art no-no. It wasn't from my heart but from my desire to get published. And let's just say, that kinda writing is pretty transparent and thin in the eyes of a reader. Art is at its best when it's about the heart of the artist. No matter how private a person you are, or how business-oriented you might be, you may as well just read between the lines in this Lichtenstein quote:

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/r/roylichten115381.html?src=t_art

Another way to say it:  In order for your writing to be art, you have to put your heart in it.

Let's put all those above outside factors aside when we set out to write a story.

 I don't want the static of the world to interfere with the rhythm of my heart. Can a painter pour his heart on the canvas with the gallery owner tapping him on the shoulder and directing his every brushstroke?

Shut the doors to the outside world, and let your heart do the writing.

When I step back and look at my heart-directed stories it is then that I sense art has sprouted from my ...er...keyboard. Sometimes, after months of putting a book aside, I'll pick it up again and be surprised that my heart's timeline and my character's arc are aligned.

I'd like to believe that God's breath has something to do with it, as well as a little bit of paint:

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/h/henrywardb100771.html

And it's even better when I am in the middle of a story and I suddenly realize that. I might be writing about a situation I've never been in (like a beheading in the 16th century...YIKES), but I have shaped and molded my characters to become an illustration of my own heart journey-without even purposing it! What follows is an awesome ride of discovering greater significance at every twist and turn. And it mustn't be extinguished by quickly fleshing it out, writing only for the market, or worrying about the naysayers. 

If I want my writing to be my art, I must be sure to not only listen to craft podcasts, but my heart:

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/aristotle104151.html

We can't touch our readers, change hearts, and share God with others if we are not writing art onto the pages. And by that I mean:

http://www.brainyquotecom/quotes/quotes/l/leotolstoy109611.html?src=t_art

So, when have you written your art out lately?

The Writer's Alley Weekend Round Up

I don't know where you live, but it's been cold here in Texas. It is the time of year I love to light a fire and burrow under a warm, cozy blanket. The bad thing is that I don't want to get out from under the warmth and tend to waste time...staying warm. Of course, if you grab your laptop and open it up to one of your favorite writing blogs, then your time under the blanket is well spent. Make sure you stop by this week for some good reading and fun at The Writer's Alley.

Special Guest at The Alley

On Tuesday, Julia is hosting author, Cindy Sproles, who will be talking about writing and publishing challenging topics. Her book, Mercy's Rain, releases this month. Make sure to stop by

The Awesome Link Round Up

Six Things Every Writer Needs to Succeed (Writer UnBoxed)

How to Write Better Stories and Finally Win Out (Write to Done)

The Forest for the Trees: How to Cure Overwriting (Live Write Thrive)

Stirring Higher Emotions - Donald Mass (Writer UnBoxed)

The Best-Selling Books of 2014 (Publishers Weekly)

Face Your Fear the Wright Way and Write Your Best Work (Positive Writer)

In Praise of Quitting (Writer UnBoxed)

For Books, Print is Back (Publishers Weekly)

Men at ACFW--Do They Exist?

Casey here: I am thrilled to host my friend and up and coming writer, Andrew Swearingen on the blog here today. Earlier last year, there was a debate on the ACFW loop about men and their presence or lack thereof at the ACFW conference. And it got me to thinking--do we exclude men and their company at our conference or within our writing circles and community? Here's some interesting food for thought. Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below. 

Last September I attended my first writer's conference, with ACFW, the American Christian Fiction Writers.

It was a great experience all around. I loved getting to meet other writers (published or otherwise) and I had plenty of opportunities to talk about my book with agents and editors.

In the weeks after the conference there was a conversation on the ACFW e-mail loop about “Men at

ACFW”. I've worked with the audio video team at the ACFW conference the last few years, so I knew that the organization was made up of mostly women. I thought maybe guys made up maybe ¼ of the conference demographic. Nope. It's more like 15%. One man felt ostracized during the large group sessions, feeling out of place. After all, this used to be American Christian Romance Writers. So the question came up, is there a place for the Y chromosome in ACFW?

For my part, I didn't feel left out in any way. It's true, as a single guy in my 20's, I definitely stood out among the ACFW crowd, but I knew that would be the case going in.

If anything, the hard part was engaging with such a large crowd. However, when the rubber hit the road, we were all writers and we all had plenty to talk about. Most everyone I spoke with was friendly and excited to talk about their book.

(If I can be very honest, I think my history of putting my foot in my mouth has helped me get over my fear of looking foolish.)

But just for sake of argument, let me list the ways that it was difficult being in the “male minority” at ACFW.

1.) It's awkward being the only guy at a table full of women.
2.) It's awkward being a 20-year-old guy at a table full of middle aged women.
3.) It's awkward walking into dinner in a group of all women. (You may have noticed a pattern here. I won't belabor the point.)
4.) Lot of pictures taken of me and with a bunch of women. (some guys would love this, but that's another issue).

5.) Being the default picture taker when the ladies see a photo op.
6.) Telling a female writer that you write Sci-fi and she replies “Oh that's so cute. My 5-year-old son loves Star Wars.”
7.) I had no idea who Lauraine Snelling was (still don't).
8.) Having nothing to contribute when the “Romance Moms” start talking about their grandkids.
9.) Having to be very careful introducing when myself to young female writers (Give me a t-shirt that says “No really, I only want your phone number for networking purposes.”).
10.) Seriously though? There were so few male role models at the conference. I know they're there, but man, as far as speakers, I feel like we guys come away wanting more. I didn't really notice it until Allen Arnold, a speaker from Ransomed Heart Ministries, got up to lead the morning devotionals. Granted Allen is a fantastic speaker who knows how to address the hearts of artists, but his fatherly presence was such a breath of fresh air to me. (I will add the caveat that I am chronically bad at meeting with and talking to men I look up to, which may be part of why I felt so dry in that regard).

However, there are a few upsides of being in the male minority

1.) No lines at the restroom.
2.) Lots of excited women, telling you how glad they are to see more men.
3.) You know who your friends are. It's not like you get to pick and choose. When there are only so many men at the conference, you have little choice but to network with the few guys you meet with.
4.) Realizing that the women don't bite (most of them at least). Even with more and more men attending ACFW, we still need to interact with the other 85%. So this awkward Sci-fi writer needs to cross the aisle and make connections with a few women. And it's not even that bad. Despite the intimidation factor when trying to engage a pack of women, once the conversation starts, most of them are pretty easy to talk with.

5.) I learned to look at the genre, not the gender. Some of the most impactful story talks I had were with members of the fairer sex. And I'm willing to bet that I learned a thing or two from their feminine insight.
6.) Genre crossover. While we joke about the rival “clans” of writers, we can all learn a bit from each other. Some things won't change. Romance writers will always think Spec Writers are a little “out there”. Suspense writers will tell Romance writers to “pick up the pace” and ask “when will there be a dead body”? But we all have something that we can learn from one another. Romance writers can help spice up the romance between the swashbuckling hero and his damsel in distress. Suspense writers can help the Romance writers toss in a plot twist or two. (And we Spec writers can help all of you realize that whatever story issue you're having can easily be solved by the introduction of a Robot Apocalypse).

7.) Unique voice. Amid the season of female voices in a conference like ACFW, male voices are in short supply. It doesn't guarantee anything. You still need to have something that stands out, but it does give us guys a unique position to bargain from.
8.) ACFW Mom's. I have no fewer than 5 mom's in ACFW and it's fantastic. Sometimes after a rough agent appointment, a little hug from “Mom” can go a long way.
9.) Oh and did I mention that my protagonist is a 17-year-old girl? Yeah, female insight into the mind of a moody (telepathic) teen can be quite useful.
10.)  Realizing that maybe, just maybe, it the gender gap isn't as big of a deal as some people would like to make it out to be.

Would things maybe be easier if ACFW were even 30% male? Sure. I long for the day when there are more and more men writing in the Christian market. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” There is something unique that we men get when men can challenge and encourage one another in our endeavors. It has nothing to do with “the dominant sex”. There are ways that men can speak into one anothers lives that women just cannot (and vice versa).

But networking, like so much of life, is not based on working with ideals. You take what you have and you make it work. We musn't get hung up on the “shoulda, woulda, coulda”. If more men come, then great. Fantastic. They'll be invaluable additions to the conference. But even if they don't, I'll still be glad to be a member and proud to call each and every one of those amazing folks family

************************

A lover of all things Sci-fi, Andrew Swearingen writes Speculative fiction, usually involving swashbuckling super heroes, powerful starships, and the occasional killer robot. He works a “real job” for a landscaping company and serves in his church's kids program.