Home from Charlotte, it will of course take me about a week to process through She Speaks in my head. I will say there was graciousness and loveliness exuding from the pores of the women in my session for which I am eternally grateful.
I took exactly 9 photos the entire weekend and one of them was of me with these two sweet things. Emily is on the left and Brittany, the right. Emily has already been able to process some of what she’s been learning and it is worth a click over to check her out. These two are both super cute and I almost believed I was their age for at least one meal.
My editor Andrea Doering spoke in my session as well, and she had great things to say about what editors are looking for when they listen to authors pitch their books. I think her perspective was really helpful and I would love to share some of the things she and I shared in our session. Just not today. Today is re-entry day.
And let me tell you, I need a re-entry day because conferences? They suck the smart right out of me. Do you ever find that when you get around people, you do really weird things that you would never do in a normal situation? Take this for example:
This is me and Mary DeMuth. You know, the one I want to be when I grow up? Well. There I am with Mary and what do I have in my hand? A book Mary wrote? No. A book someone else* wrote. But inches from the book someone else wrote is the book that Mary wrote. Not just any book, her memoir book. Her beautiful, redemptive, difficult-but-worth-it read, Thin Places. Now, I already have a copy, so I’m thinking Oh, I’ll leave that for someone else. But hello? There is Mary. WITH A PEN IN HER HAND. Ready to sign a copy of her memoir. And I could have been all Hey Mary, I’d love to have a signed copy of your memoir because that is all kinds of awesome. But no. Instead I have to put me and my big self and someone else’s big book right next to her and get a photo. And not get a book. Because I was under the influence of conference brain-suck. In my defense, I had just finished teaching my session and I had no common sense left up there. But still.
So if you ever go to a conference and you get the chance to have one of your favorite writers sign their memoir, don’t sit next to them with someone else’s signed book in your hands and get a photo without getting a signed copy of their book. Especially when the books are free. Did I mention that?
Thank you all for your words of support and encouragement. I was blessed to be a part of such a great conference and now I’m also feeling blessed to be home. So come back tomorrow for Tuesdays Unwrapped, my favorite day of the week. After being away, I’m seeing those moment-gifts more clearly. It’s true what they say about absence and the heart.
*Christa Allan‘s book is the one I’m holding (Walking on Broken Glass) and I look forward to reading it!
this post makes me smile …
tracie @ {tsj} photography´s last [type] ..meet them – grace
Likin’ your shorter hair cut!
Love your hair and that shirt in your last photo. The books were free and you still didn’t get one? Wow. You were suffering brain-drain, weren’t you? I’m sure Mary understood completely. Can’t wait to hear what you brought away from the conference.
Southern Gal´s last [type] ..A funny- a birthday party and a baby
You totally make me laugh. Loved, loved, loved seeing you. Send me your addy and I’ll send you a majorly signed Thin Places book!
I have been following your blog for a while but have never made a comment. I am so glad you are enjoying the She Speaks Conference. I love Proverbs 31 Ministries. I wanted to attend but could not. I look forward to future posts on this conference as well as everything else!
Angie C´s last [type] ..Inspiration Monday- Domino Magazine
It was so great meeting you and thank you for calming my fears about my book proposal error! I took my camera and took not one picture… but that’s okay. I was there to learn, and learn I did.
Hope your presentation went well. I missed it, but ordered the CD. Can’t wait to hear it.
Have an awesome, blessed day today!
Heather
Oh wow! LOL…I am very glad that your session went so well though! I was praying for you. Knew it would be great because you have an incredible way of putting into words the things we need to hear most! Enjoy reconnecting with your family today! I am looking forward to “Tuesdays Unwrapped” tomorrow…see you there!
Mary Joy @Seeds of Encouragement Sewn with Grace´s last [type] ..Amazing Love from my Husband Overcomes the Trauma of an Accident
Our little lunch together huddled at the bar turned out to be one of the best hours I spent at the conference. I loved getting to know you. You have a tender, beautiful heart and I thank God for what He’s doing in you and through you. You’re truly beautiful inside and out! (((Hugs)))
looks like you had a ball!!!
the lamb´s last [type] ..New Home
Sweet pictures! I have sleepless nursing-mommy nights brain drain so I can relate in a weird way…
Anna´s last [type] ..Fiction I’m Looking Forward To
Hi Emily! Love the pictures…beautiful. Made me feel “that” young again just thinking back to sharing a meal with the 3 of you beauties. I can’t quite compose my thoughts for a post yet, but I’m thrilled you had a chance to take a picture with Mary, it’ll be a memory marker for sure. (I found myself doing the same thing, very uncharacteristic of me). I’ll have to add her book to my wish list. Praying it may be a day of ‘some’ rest for you… procrastinating on my catch-ups…loving the familiar sounds of my family
Your story cracked me up. Been there done that at a conference as well as at Women of Faith… EMBARRASSING…
Kim´s last [type] ..A day of rest
brings back memories! love your hair by the way and can’t wait to hear more about the conference!
So wonderful to hear your session and meet you this weekend!!!! You were a huge part of stirring my excitement for this next year… you know, the year I write my first book proposal. And, hey, brain suck robbed me of the opportunity to meet authors or get a free book… what was I thinking?
My children keep asking me questions today as I walk around like a zombie… no words left, no facial expressions, just a strange after-conference glow about me. Yes, re-entry deserves its own day.
xoxo, lisa
glad you’re back! definitely have to set up something for the girls this week! love you!!
I totally understand Emily. It takes me a long time to process something like that. I can’t wait to hear all about it.
I like your shorter hair too!!
Linda´s last [type] ..A Grateful Heart
For the record, I don’t know how old you are. I only know that you are F.U.N!
See you on the far rt.
girl, that is totally something I would do! glad we live on the same planet. i like the weather here.
lara´s last [type] ..off to play
Emily!!! I just wish I’d met you earlier in the weekend!! You are adorable and I think we need to do the blogger to book deal and book deal to blogger next year….. of course, there’s that part about NO ONE wanting to hear the sad story of my book deal gone south.
Welcome home!
Dayle´s last [type] .. Postcards From The Road
Big fat sigh of longing…all of those awesome writers, all of those free books, all of those cool girls. I’m glad it was wonderful! And I look forward to reading more about what you learned, post-re-entry of course. I hope I’ll get to go one of these years!
The Scooper´s last [type] ..On Belonging
Welcome home! I have to say, your story of Mary and the book gaffe made me laugh and laugh. Probably because it reminded me of a major gaffe I made at a book signing with Anne Lamott, whom I totally worship. I got up to the table, all nervy and hand-wringing, and handed her the book to sign, and she opened the front cover, and readied her pen, and then looked up at me and said, “Um. This isn’t my book. Do you still want me to sign it?” And I died 1,000 deaths of mortification, because I had mixed up my books and handed her the other author’s book (she had also spoken at the conference). And so I finally rifled her book, Anne’s book, out of my purse, and handed it to her to sign, and slunk away and practically cried I was so humiliated. And you know Anne Lamott — frankly, she was probably totally irritated with me! It doesn’t seem like she would do real well with that kind of thing. Sigh.
P.S. Did you get a haircut or have I never noticed that you have super cute short hair?
Michelle DeRusha @ Graceful´s last [type] ..High Horse
looks/sounds wonderful and i can’t help but fight the pangs of jealousy!
glad you had fun and lovely women, as you no doubt would.
welcome home!
I agree with patty from above, fighting pangs of jealousy here
I am thrilled that you had fun and am amazed at all that Father is doing through your writing! Cant wait to have a copy of your baby in my hands!
Hey Emily. It was our honor to have you at She Speaks again this year. And it was my pleasure to see you at the author’s coffeehouse on Saturday night … when we were all so tired and brain-overloaded we seemed punch-drunk!
I’ll never forget your sweet but confused face as Lisa Whittle introduced herself and asked for your contact info and mumbled something about writing, assuming you knew what she was talking about about. Glad I was there to “interpret.”
Hugs to you ~ Rachel
It was such a pleasure to meet you at She Speaks. You are truly adorable in every way. Adorable and smart. I learned so much from your session and had to control one of those explosive, every-body-turns-to-look laughs all the way through.
Amy
I love your hair short.
consider me your weird not on topic commenter for today.
Emily@remodelingthislife´s last [type] ..Enjoy The Path You Are On