I have so many thoughts regarding the Writer’s in Paradise Writing Conference at Eckerd College that just ended this Saturday. I have so many emotions.

Let me start with some facts:

1. Approximate amount of money spent on the conference fee, transportation, lodging, food, gas, miss = $1600
2. Total number of author signatures obtained: 3 (from Laura Williams McCaffrey, Ann Hood, and Dennis Lehane)
3. Size of my workshops: 12 of us students in the YA workshop with our leader Laura Williams McCaffrey

Some thoughts:

1. My favorite moments were the “Best of” Brunch and the Dennis Lehane craft talk
2. I loved everyone I met and am so grateful to have been accepted into the YA workshop and to work with such brilliant writers and readers
3. LWM was brilliant and beautiful and such a great leader of our group
4. Though some of the details were not as well done, overall the conference was a wildly successful conference
5. The opening to Donuts in an Empty Field was read during Writer Idol (second day) and although I submitted a rather short ‘page’ it made it all the way through. Who doesn’t like donuts?
6. Though I didn’t get instructions to sign up for the student reading, I made it onto the waiting list and everybody was able to read through the excellent stepping up leadership of Allison from our YA group.
7. All the readings were worth going to
8. The YA workshop was excellent
9. I have plans to edit and finish and send off my manuscript from this workshop

Thank you fellow writers and readers. Perhaps I will see some of you next year because I already know I’d like to go back.