Chicken Soup for the Chocolate Lover's Soul

Oh my goodness, I'm shouting for joy here! My first big sale! I'll make $200.00, but who cares about the price--it's national publication I'm excited about. Yea! Chicken Soup for the Chocolate Lover's Soul comes out in November with my humble story in it!! Look for "It Turns to Love," when you buy the book. This means signing books in stores. I'm tickled, I tell you, just tickled! I want to thank my mother, who told me I could change the world, and my husband, who supported my every dream... Oh that's my Academy Awards speech, sorry. Anyway, cheers to all, for the good success of Chicken Soup for the Chocolate Lover's Soul, and blessings to the dear ones who approved my story.

Volunteering at a Writer's Conference

If you are a writer, attend writer's conferences. And, once you have attended a conference once, go back as a volunteer. This is what I just experienced at the Oklahoma Writer's Federation Write On! 2007 Conference. Last year, at the OWFI Conference, I soaked in the wonderful atmosphere of being surrounded by a few hundred writers in one room, met agents and editors, and hobnobbed with like-minded people from all over the U.S. It was a great time. This year I did the same, with the added bonus of volunteering as a committee chair and a shepherd for a speaker. One of my most enjoyable highlights was getting to know the sweetest children's book author, Gwendolyn Hooks, the author I served as shepherd. Another huge blessing was listening to a lady in the bathroom pour out her heart about the death of her husband. Since the main theme of my memoir is grief and I've lived through quite a bit of that myself, I felt God had placed us both strategically in the bathroom at the same time. I missed half of a lunch workshop and it was so worth it. This was a tiny taste of what God does when we move out of the way and seek to be hidden in Him. This is my continuing goal as a writer and as His child. You truly do get back what you give, and then some.