My list of demands: Diet Coke

I don't know what it is about these writing conferences that I go to, but I always step out of them absolutely certain that I can do this and at the same time certain that I don't know anything like I need to know to do this.

That's OK. This one in particular was fun. Jodi Thomas is just so much fun to listen to. Another funny thing is that I haven't yet met one bestseller that acts like a superstar author. Of course, I believe she makes #4 (Emilie Richards, Debbie Macomber, Laura Castoro, Jodi Thomas...yep, only 4) so this may be like the tattoo question and I just travel in the wrong group.

When I'm a superstar, I'm going to travel with an entourage of at least one. And I will demand Diet Cokes everywhere I go...even in the Pepsi hotels. I'm going to be hardcore that way.

And it was nearly a total bust as far as contest entries go. Clearly, I have to spend more than one night pulling my stuff together. But, thanks to the purple paint story, I did win a second place certificate, so the first spot in my entourage is already filled. And she's very resourceful so I'm sure Diet Cokes will pose no problem.

Saturday was a day cram packed with concrete information. It was so much fun. I may have already forgotten everything I put in. And I sat at a table with two very new writers who'd never been to a writers conference before...so I was the expert at the table. They asked questions. I made up answers. I'm sure they sounded good. I mean, I've been to one whole other conference. What else is there to know?

On the way home, I was so going to write, write, write as soon as I walked in the door. Instead, I read one of the Jodi Thomas books I bought in one long session. Goodbye, Saturday.
Today I've attacked both the laundry needed for my luxury vacation at the lake beginning tomorrow and the contest entries for the next conference in Maumelle. If I don't do better with these, there will be pouting. I felt a pout coming on but it was averted through my second place win. And a Route 44 Diet Coke on the way home. Seriously, Diet Coke makes a difference.