IN MY WORDS – Returning home from Blue Ridge Conference is an experience in itself. Re-acclimating to normal day to day life and no longer surrounded by all those crazy, lovable, amazing and creative writer friends. I agree with many of the recent posts on what a marvelous conference we had this year. And kudos to the hard-working, never-slowing-down staff who manage to pull it all together.

But I’m thinking of those who may have been unable to attend and feel like they have missed out. Over the past eleven years, I missed one conference and I was so miserable I wrote a saga of the “Blue Ridge Blues.” : )  My suggestion to those who missed this year is to go back over notes from other conferences. We receive so much material, bring it all home and don’t always find the time to go back to it. Use this time to review and re-visit the conference spirit! Stay active on the Blue Ridge FB page.  I know I missed many people this year including Al & Becky Gansky, Latan, Jan Willis and the list goes on. Please know you were missed! 

The other “forgotten few” are those who may have attended for the first time and felt lost and overwhelmed. I do hope we made you feel welcome so you’ll come back again. Maybe you entered a contest and didn’t win. Congratulations – you are now a legitimate writer who can talk about rejections! Seriously. We have all been there. Perhaps you had appointments that didn’t go as you expected them to. Remember Edie’s farewell speech about God’s scenic journey. He DOES have a plan and a purpose for you. Be encouraged. Think about the inspiring keynotes of T. Davis Bunn, (working on that creative space?) and Steve Laube. I keep hearing his voice in my head saying, “Don’t you dare…!” and it will be my mantra this year to continue the craft of writing. 

Forgotten Few, you are NOT forgotten! Don’t you dare stop writing, there is no excuse.