More Connections

​This past Friday and Saturday, September 10 and 11, 2010, I attended a writing conference in Boise. And I made connections. Connections with other authors, an editor, and an agent, connections with my own writing, and connections with my past. Wow! That's a lot for one conference to accomplish. With his storytelling skills and emotional presentation, Chris Crutcher dared me to confront my own emotions in my writing. In my 15 minute critique with Cheryl Klein and my first page critique with Cheryl and Jill Corcoran, I learned that the reader has to connect with the main character right from the beginning. A book is not all about plot. All these years I've been told to start right in the action which I mistook as throwing in lots of plot. I made the connection that even though I don't need the strong issues that appear in most of Chris Crutcher's books, there are children who need those books. I still need to craft books that connect with readers on an emotional, real level even if the issues aren't deep and dark. From Jill Corcoran, I learned that I want an agent who is as passionate about my work as she is about her clients. Thank you to Kelly Milner Halls who connected with my daughters and with me as a friend. She is lovely and genuine. Congratulations, Kelly, on landing a passionate agent, Jill.