The Write Stuff Conference

First and foremost, I had a chance to hang with my publisher Karen Syed.  She’s fun and clever.   Her latest innovation is a coupon eBook with Smashwords.  The title and dollar amount are printed on to the hand-sized paper.  Since the product is paper, it can be signed.  The many people made the event a wonderful experience: Kathryn Kraft of The Lehigh Valley Writer’s Guild was the chairperson and did a detailed job of handling the event.  Met other Echelon Authors, Kieryn Nicolas,  Nicole Zoltack and Jon Gibbs.    Two stand out presenters: Keith Strunk and Jonathan Maberry.   Keith’s class, “The Author as a Storyteller” was a basic overview of outline and timing when presenting one’s story.  ( Taking in his theatrical presentation and book reading was a bit like being in the audience of  a play.  No secret he’s an actor.)  The night before, he reassured me that it was totally fine to be at the event later than 7:30 a.m. Nothing beats having your laziness affirmed.   I had a chance to chat with Jonathan Maberry.   I was impressed with this self-effacing, gentle man.  After my lunch of pasta and iced tea, I sat in one of Jonathan’s classes.  He suggests that you pay yourself everyday you write.  He recommends a dollar.  At the end of the week, spend it on yourself.  If a day comes and goes and you’ve written nothing, you take your days, “wages” out of the cookie jar.     His bio is so large that I could never list his many books / talents.  Jonathan writes a new book every three months!  Here is his respectable bio: http://www.amazon.com/Jonathan-Maberry/e/B001JSF8TK Last but surely not least, I sat next to a writer / professor from The Steel City, Clay Morgan.  He is presently working on his book, “Matthew, Mark, Luke and Zombies”.  The title alone will sell the book.  His dry, crooked sense of humor kept my sanity when the,”Social Networking” session unexpectedly shifted into the, “extra-lengthy mode”.   At the Book Fair, Karen and I manned the tables and enjoyed interacting with a some of the attendees.   After two brownies, (and a cookie that Karen successfully refused), I grabbed my black trench and found my way back to the highway – completely revived.