Return from utopYA Con 2014

Hello Friends!

I’ve returned from the energy-filled utopYA Con in Nashville, Tennessee this past weekend and I’ve got LOTS to share with you!

First, I’d like to thank everyone for all of those “Meows” while I was there. It was great meeting all of you and I enjoyed signing my bookmarks and postcards. I’ll have to think of another contest for my next conference/convention.  :)

Second, I have to say that utopYA Con was amazing! I’ve been to several writing conferences and conventions but never anything like this! As soon as you walk through the doors, everyone is super friendly, willing to help out and it’s like one big family. There were also many, many first-timers this year and it was stunning to hear how utopYA practically doubled in size from last year. You know that they’re doing something right!

Next year, utopYA Con will experience a few changes to handle the amount of people attending and to make it even more fabulous. UtopYA Con 2015 will be four days (instead of three) – June 18, 19, 20 and 21 (that’s Thursday through Sunday). The panels and exhibitors are planned for Thursday and Friday. Saturday is scheduled for the Author Signing, UtopYA Awards and Dance Party and Sunday might resemble the TED talks. The theme for UtopYA Con 2015 is Time Travel and the slogan is: Write Your Own Future (I love it!!). Tickets are available now at: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/utopya-2015-write-your-own-future-tickets-11253334025?aff=erelexporg#
 

And finally, I’ll be sharing lots of pictures and information about utopYA over the next several blog posts. So stay tuned and check out this funtastic event. 

Until next time ~

Guess What I Just Did?

So, after thinking about it for months and months, debating whether I should do it or not, I decided to just go for it…

I booked my flight and bought my ticket to UtopYA (I’m dancing around the room while trying to type)!!! Both tickets are actually nonrefundable so I have to go!   :)

I’ve wanted to attend UtopYA since I first read about it a few years ago but it’s in Nashville… nowhere near where I live. So, I just watched and listened from the sidelines, thinking about how cool the whole event sounded and all the amazing authors who attended.

But now, I get to go and see all of those amazing authors, attend great workshops and meet new people! Not to mention, I love the tagline: Take Me to Your Reader. The little aliens are also very adorable.    :)

Have any of you gone to UtopYA? What did you think about it? What was your best/favorite memory? What advice do you have for newbies? Are any of you going this year?

Now, I’m off to plan my trip!

Until next time ~

SCBWI - Los Angeles

 WOW! It's hard to believe that a week has gone by since I've attended this wonderful conference. Of course, I meant to blog before I went (got too busy). Then, I meant to blog during the conference but I barely had time to breathe let alone blog during all of the events taking place (Downtime? Who had any downtime there?). So now, I am finally getting the chance to talk about my adventure.

This was my first SCBWI conference ever! I had to fight the California traffic and managed to arrive at the Hyatt at 7:35 - ten minutes before my first scheduled workshop. Aaarrrgghhh! Not only did I have to wait in line to register, I had to figure out where the room was located - all in ten minutes. Not the best way to begin but I did make it - only five minutes late.  :)  I learned a lot from Jolie and had the wonderful opportunity to meet Sherri (only I wouldn't see her again until Saturday night). I also found out that there were 1,234 people at the conference; no wonder why I couldn't find her!


The keynotes were absolutely amazing! I loved, loved, loved Tony DiTerlizzi! He was a standup comedian and rock star author all rolled into one. I also have a new author crush on Ruta Sepetys. Her speech was so moving and emotional, there was not a dry eye around me.

Arthur Levine, Sara Shepard, Patricia MacLachlan, Dan Gutman, Karen Cushman, Bryan Collier, Clare Vanderpool, Deborah Underwood, Deborah Halverson and Gary Schmidt all gave fantastic keynote speeches. Many of them I would love to listen to again!

I will be posting some highlights from the keynote speeches later on so come back again to check out more about these great authors!

Saturday night was the Hippie Hop and Jennifer got her groove on! I love dancing and this poolside party quickly became the place to be. Many people dressed up in their hippie best and the dance party rocked until 10:30 pm. Sherri found me here, of all places, and I also got to meet Katrina and Sheri. We quickly became the Awesome Foursome and danced our butts off until the end.

Sunday morning was difficult for many people after the Hippie Hop. But, we managed to drag our butts out of bed and attend the Agents panel and the Picture Book Panel. Great information was given and I'm glad I went.

Looking back, I am grateful that I had the wonderful opportunity to attend this exciting conference. I departed with so much information that I'm still trying to process all of it; it was very overwhelming! However, I left this conference inspired by so many outstanding authors that I am excited to use their wisdom to work on my piece of writing.

Until next time ~