Tuesday, September 30, 2008

The Good, The Bad, And The Super Exciting!


The ACFW conference was, as it always is, a wonderful experience! My brain is still processing all that I learned and trying to remember all the new faces I met. I created some new friendships and had a blast hanging out with my crit buddies, and meeting my agent in person, finally! Rachelle is awesome and I'm still thrilled to death that we're working together.

I had two extremely wonderful highlights of this year's conference. The first happened quite unexpectedly. The second, well, we knew it was coming! First things first, a MASSIVE Congratulations to my dear friend and critique partner, Jenness Walker, who WON the Genesis award for Romantic Suspense! That's us the night of the Awards Banquet. I have to say I think I was even more excited than she was. I am so proud of her, and cannot wait until I hold her published, autographed first copy (okay I'll take the second or third copy..) in my hands. She's a talented author who really inspires me and I'm so blessed to have her as one of my critique partners. It's so important to have people in your life reading your work who really 'get you'. She'll probably say she's faking it half the time, but whatever. :0)

The second really cool thing that happened was totally a God thing. I love it when He does these things!
On Friday night all the Wordserve clients went out for dinner. It was a wonderful evening although I have to say, I think Rachelle represents the most eclectic (no, I did not say eccentric...) bunch of authors I've ever met! I had a blast getting to know them. I sat beside a writer called Patti Lacy. Never heard of her, but we started chatting. As writers will, of course we talked about our books. Duh. When she heard I had written a book with the Vietnam War as a backdrop, she was so encouraging. I told her it's been a really hard book to get any editors interested in, and she basically looked me straight in the eye and said something like, "Don't give up on that story..." Anyway, as I said, it was a really encouraging conversation because I've been quite down about this book not garnering the interest we'd hoped for.
So, Saturday morning rolls around. I'd already had three editor appointments by this time and was about to go in for my last one of the conference. Up to this point I hadn't been pitching Yesterday's Tomorrow, just Hidden in the Heart. Rachelle told me to go ahead and pitch both to this editor, so I did. I have to say it was the fastest fifteen minute appointment I ever had, and the best. For the first time, I actually felt comfortable talking to someone about my work, and although I'm sure I probably rambled and bumbled a bit, she seemed interested. And then she asked for the full manuscript.
I think I might have passed out at that point were it not for the fact that the next appointment was standing there, and I knew we were out of time...I had to clap a hand over my mouth to stop myself from asking, "You know it's about Vietnam, right??"
Yeah, she knows. And she wants to read it anyway.

Isn't that just like God?
When the world says no, He says "Oh, really? Watch what I can do..."
He's so awesome and I am so undeserving, but so, so blessed.

Even if nothing comes of this, I will never, ever forget that moment in time. Not just because an editor wants to read an entire manuscript of mine, but because I knew without a doubt that I was sitting in the middle of one of God's stories.
He's the most talented author I know.

What a privilege it is to be a part of His book.

5 comments:

jenness said...

Aw, shucks. :-) Thanks, Cathy. You're the best! And I'm expecting a first (or maybe second. NOT third. ha) autographed copy of YT pretty soon here... :-) Thanks for being such a great crit and conference buddy!

Rosslyn Elliott said...

Hi Cathy,

Thanks for this update! It's great to hear about what the other Wordserve clients were doing at ACFW. I wish I could have been there at dinner to meet everyone, but I'm glad you all had a fun time. Next year, I'll be there. I love meeting "eclectic" people. It makes me feel right at home.

Thanks for adding me to your blogroll! I added you as well. I like adding people to my blogroll, but I'm sometimes shy about asking. :-)

Gwen Stewart said...

Hi Cathy,

Wish I could have been there too. Rosslyn and I both heard crickets chirping this year, but I will meet you, her and many others in Denver next year.

I like an eclectic group and have been known to hobnob with the eccentric ones as well. I went through college as a music major, after all. 'Nuff said. ;)

I'm so glad you received encouraging feedback and had a wonderful time meeting everyone.

Rebecca said...

Exciting news.....what hope!

Betsy St. Amant said...

What a great post. =) I love moments like that. And I love your comment about being in God's story. An honor indeed!!