I spent the weekend in Indianapolis last week-end at a major writer’s conference, learning more about the writing craft, and talking with other professionals. It’s nice to spend a few days out of the year with people who are as weird as me. “Weird” is truly the word I wanted to use. It just isn’t normal to want to spend hours every day sitting at a keyboard making up stories. Sometimes it’s easy to doubt your own sanity.
Although I took notes like mad at all the great classes–high points for me were getting to hear the great Janette Oke (Love Comes Softly) speak and applauding like crazy as my agent, Sandra Bishop, won the “Agent of the Year” award.
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But the highest point of all was being inspired by one lovely African American mother who came to our multi-author book signing. She had her three daughters in tow, and all of them were buying books and talking to favorite authors. “That daughter over there is in law school,” the mother said. “And the middle one is planning on becoming an engineer.” “The youngest wants to be a writer. All three are straight-A students.” She held up a copy of my book she had just purchased. “There are over 400 Christian novels in our home. That is how I’m raising good girls in a rough world,” she said. “By giving them plenty of books written by Christian authors.”
And then she said the thing that I will carry forever in my heart. “Thank you for writing what you write.”
