Can you tell by looking at my desk what time of year it is??? It's NJ's annual SCBWI Conference time!!!! Well, it was this past weekend and my desk looks like it! The inside of my brain probably looks like this too, stuffed and messy with so much information!Highlight #1: OK my number one highlight is really silly but an agent, who I thought seemed super nice, came over to me and said that I had a great smile and that I looked like such a nice, happy person, someone nice to know. I told you it was silly, but it was one of my highlights! Highlights, I tell you.
Highlight #2: was Richard Peck was our keynote speaker!!!! OMG! He was amazing. He was funny and serious and funny and made me cry three times. I was relieved, when in the bathroom later, I heard other ladies say they had cried too. (Note to self - it was not just female hormones... phew!)
He was so approachable too. Later, I walked over to him - wait, let me say that again... I walked over to HIM... OK, so for those of you who might not know... I get star struck around authors, agents, and editors. Usually I am an idiot - my tongue becomes ten times too big for my mouth and all grammar and vocabulary fly out of my brain. I don't know what got into me, but I walked over to him, put out my hand, and said, "Mr. Peck, my name is Sheri Oshins, and I just wanted you to know how moving your speech was. It brought tears to my eyes and I thought, just maybe, you might have done this at least once before." He squeezed my hand and laughed and said, "Maybe once or twice. I am so glad you enjoyed my speech, Sheri." *chills*
Later, when I stood on line for him to sign his books, he remembered me and we chatted a teensy bit more - couldn't hold up the line you know!!!!
Highlight#3 : sitting down with Michelle Poploff, VP of Random house to discuss my WIP. She had some great suggestions and I can't wait to finish this draft so I can begin again - it's like a sickness, isn't it? A word disease!
highlight#4: hanging out with all my writer friends and meeting agents and editors and not being scared to talk to them.
Throughout this week, as I have time, I will be blogging about what I learned so I can share all my knowledge with all of you!
Discussion: If you feel like it - what's the most embarrassing thing you've ever done at a conference in an editor's or agent's presence? I once forgot the title of my WIP. Just a total blank. It was so painful. The published writer next to me said, "Well, if you can't even recall your very own title, that's not a good sign," to which all the editors and agents within earshot laughed. I can laugh now, but at the time... DOH!
