Diary of a Conference Coordinator: Conclusion

Sunday is always low key at the Pennwriters Conference. Dress slacks and sports coats give way to blue jeans and t-shirts as everyone prepares for the trip home.

Silly me, I thought I might get to take in a workshop or maybe two on this last day. However, I didn’t take into consideration the hotel bill which needed reconciled.

I did get to sit down and chat a bit with agent Lucienne Diver over breakfast. And agent Uwe Stender and I had a nice talk in the Hospitality Suite during a lull in the action.

One of my perennial favorites is the basket raffle. With Barb Lockwood and Don Jodon as my assistants, I called out the winning numbers and gave away three tables of gorgeous baskets and goodies. I even won three of them myself, including the chocolate lovers basket. No, I didn’t rig it.

When the last basket was awarded and I’d thanked everyone for coming, the place emptied out, leaving Lisa Kastner, Jackie Shaffmaster, and I to make a final study of the bill.

The 2009 Pennwriters Conference is in the history books. It’s over! I’m free.

I’m also immensely grateful for all the speakers, agents, and editors who presented superb workshops and panels; for my team and all the volunteers who jumped in to help at a moment’s notice; to Mary Alice and Richard of Mystery Lovers Bookshop for guiding me and supporting me through the whole process; for the hotel staff who solved all problems as soon as they cropped up; and to my family who allowed me to spend long days in my office working on details without complaining.

There were few moments that will stick with me from the weekend: Paula Matter arriving Friday night with a Conference Coordinator Survival Kit containing munchies, wine coolers, and a greeting card for each day of the conference. Dancing in the hallway with Lisa Scottoline to music from a wedding reception going on at the same time as our keynote dinner. Having drinks with my Sisters in Crime on Friday night and feeling like the belle of the ball. Our impromptu quartet singing the Mahna Mahna Muppet song in the Hospitality Suite Sunday morning…

There are many more.

Was it worth it? YES. Am I happy I did it? YES.

Will I do it again? NO. But I’m happy to offer future conference coordinators the assistance and support that I’ve been shown.

THE END.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Mom Update

Image
It’s been a while since I wrote anything about my mom. If you follow me on Facebook, you’ve probably noticed a number of posts recently about long nights in the ER with her. I appreciate the kind concerns and prayers from friends and family. But while I know they’re well intended, the “hope she gets well soon” sentiments cut like a finely honed blade. Mom isn’t going to get well. She has good days and bad. More and more of the latter. Today’s “good days” are about the same as the bad ones a couple months ago. She has vascular dementia. In addition to her mental slippage, her legs have grown weak and uncooperative, adding to her pre-existing balance issues. We plead with her to call for assistance to get out of bed. Unfortunately, she can’t remember that she’s had numerable falls lately, so she continues to try to get up and around on her own, resulting in more falls. And in more trips to the ER. She has dislocated her right hip twice now. She’s hit her head more times
Read more

The 2010 Confluence Writers' Retreat and Flood

Image
For days, the weathermen had been forecasting “THE FLOOD.” With melting snow pack combined with heavy rains, they were suggesting everyone pack up the women and children and move to high ground. Of course, our writers’ retreat was scheduled to be held at Paddler’s Lane , on the scenic banks of the Youghiogheny River in Confluence. “Confluence.” As in the point where the Yough (pronounced “Yawk”) is joined by the Casselman River and the Laurel Hills Creek. As in the place I spend a large portion of my summer at our camp. I scoffed at the panic mongers. Flood? Heck, it floods every spring. I ain’t afraid of no stinking flood. So off I went. Loaded up the car Friday morning under sunny skies and headed east, with joy in my heart. A whole weekend with my Sisters in Crime in a gorgeous house with lots of food. And writing. Oh, yeah. Lots of writing and—better yet—workshops with Ramona Long . First stop: Panera Bread in Uniontown where I met Sandy Stephen, Susan “ West of Mars ” Gottfried, a
Read more

A New Face

Image
I've been hearing over and over lately that I need to get new headshots done. People who only know me from my online presence complain when they meet me that I don't look anything like my picture. Hmmm. Is that good or bad? I'm still not sure. However, the fact that I now wear my hair a lot longer than I used to is a fact I can't deny. The problem with new photos is...well, I'm older than I was when I had those last ones done. If I could get away with posting a picture of me when I was 25, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Seriously, inside my head, that's still what I look like. Outside? Not so much. But I caved in this weekend. After shooting over 60 frames, I came up with four that I like. So I'm posting them here and asking for a vote. Which ONE photo should be my new "face" for my online persona? Choice #1 Choice #2 Choice #3 Choice #4 Leave a comment with your favorite. Okay, I get to make the final decision, so this
Read more