Confluence, making friends, and writing

I was at Confluence in Pittsburgh the end of July, and it was wonderful. My three hour writing workshop went exceedingly well. The panels I participated on were fun, as well as the panels I attended. A friend of mine was facilitating the Saturday morning writing exercises and asked me to co-facilitate. That was fun too. I got to see my roomie from Worldcon Interaction, and I got to meet an old friend from Critters. I actually met so many lovely people at Confluence. It's a very warm and friendly con, and I spent a large amount of time chatting with folks both in and out of the con suite. It's a con that if you can get your room on the same floor as the con suite, it is definitely worth it. They had the most outrageously funny musical. Apparently they also have their own theater group that worked hard producing the musical play. It's definitely a con to relax at, though I can't say that I did. Being that it was my first time at Confluence, I wanted to see and do everything, and I almost did.

I got to stay with a lovely couple, Jim and Laurie. It was great to be around people who value books as highly as I do. They have the most amazing library. Another guest at their house was Lawrence Dean, a famed Filk singer from the UK. I got to hear him sing, and yes, now I have his cd. They also ran the most amazing and intriguing party. I was able to chat with the incomparable William Tenn about matters concerning the world, truly a once in a lifetime experience.

When I got home, of course, I ran immediately into the regular worlds with all its problems. But I didn't care, because I was on a Confluence high of energy and high spirits. A few days later, I was sick. A friend told me that was my coming down from my huge expanse of energy. No matter, it was all worth it.
I've been writing like a maniac. I actually wrote at Jim and Laurie's house, as well as at Confluence. I always write like a maniac. I just want to be able to write faster without so much needed editing. I've been sending out stories to magazines, query letters to agents for my fantasy novel manuscript, and writing a new fantasy novel that I never intended on writing. I belong to the online Critters critique group, and they have really inspired me.

Three editors have asked for another story. I've got to get back to writing.

Writing Workshop at Confluence 2006

I enjoyed facilitating the Special Workshop at

Confluence 2006
http://www.parsec-sff.org/confluence/
The Eighteenth Annual Literary Science-Fiction and Fantasy Conference in Western Pennsylvania
July 28th -30th, 2006
Four Points by Sheraton Pittsburgh Airport

Writer's Workshop:
Writing Characters that Drive Plots Wild

The talent in the room was immense, and I'll be looking for those names in the future.
Confluence itself is warm, hospitable, intellectual, and fun.
I had so much fun, that it is difficult to say what I liked best.
If you've never been to Confluence, put it on your list to attend.
It's a blast!