ACFW Conference Rocks

Pam Hillman here.
If you write Christian fiction and can only go to one writer’s conference this year, go to ACFW in September. It’s in Indianapolis and the dates are September 17-20, 2010. All the details can be found at the ACFW Conference pages here.
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Go. Browse. Salivate! lol
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I’ve been to every ACFW conference except 2004. And that was the year I was a double-finalist in the Golden Heart and went to RWA for the Golden Heart awards ceremony instead. I really, really, really wanted to do both, but just didn’t feel I could justify two major conferences in one year. I’ll never regret going to RWA that year (I won! Yippee!), but I’ve always regretted not seeing and hearing Francine Rivers speak. But I’m sure I’ll get the opportunity to hear her again. The Golden Heart? Maybe not ever again.
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Oh, speaking of Francine Rivers reminds me of some of the AWESOME-EST keynote speakers we’ve had at ACFW. Karen Ball is an absolute hoot, and so is Liz Curtis Higgs. They are both wonderful speakers who will keep you in stitches if you ever get the chance to hear them. James Scott Bell and Angie Hunt will keep you spell-bound too. This year, Tim Downs is the keynote speaker at ACFW. I’ve never heard him speak, but I’ve heard he’s very entertaining. Can’t wait!
And before I get to the nitty-gritty of what makes the ACFW conference the best thing going, check out the list of editors and agents attending this year. It will make you positively drool. Can you imagine so many industry professionals in one place? As Ruthy would stay, Oh.My.Stars!
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Oh, wait, there’s something ELSE. I went to Indy in March and the hotel is comfy, the food is great, there’s a gym, and…hold on to your horses…a Starbucks! Yes! Oh, and I didn’t use the gym because there is a riverwalk not too far away, museums, and did I mention there are TONS of restaurants within a very, very (hmmm, very must be the word of the day!) very close in walking distance? And a mall attached to the hotel if I remember correctly.
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Okay, I said I was going to get down to what makes the conference the bestest ever, but there’s more before I get to that…
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I love, love, love the ACFW conference. I love the food, the fellowship, the worship services, and the friends. I love having 500 people there, and I know at least half of them by name. And the other half, well, all I’ve got to do is smile and speak to them, and we’re instant best friends. So, technically, I know them all.
Now, where was I?
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Oh, yeah.
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What makes the ACFW conference the best? Something I plan all year for?
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Wait, I just thought of something else. How many of you start your diet right after Christmas so that you can lose that 20 lbs before September?
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Show of hands now.
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Uh-huh…that’s what I figured. Moving on…
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Let’s see. What have I mentioned so far?
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Food. Check
Worship. Check
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Agents and editors. Wowzers! Check!!
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Networking. Check
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Oh, stop the presses. Hold your horses. Put the BRAKES on!
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I HAVE to mention the best roommate ever! Robin Miller, aka Robin Carroll. Robin and I started rooming together several years ago, something like 2006, maybe. We talk, and talk, and talk, and talk, and talk. Lord, can that woman talk. It’s not my fault. Honest! I’m quiet and kind of shy.
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Back to the topic at hand.
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In addition to all that above, there are the Seekers. The Seekers are there in abundance. Last year, Tina hosted a Treasure hunt so that people could get stickers of all of us and put them on their maps.
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And all fifteen of us had a get-together and got to gab for hours on end. And then we meet in the lobby or somewhere every night and unwind. Everyone is welcome to join the circle. You don’t have to know us. Just join in!
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So, sign up for ACFW. We’ll have a ball in Indy this year!
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Click here to read past Seekerville posts about the conference.
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PS. Please forgive all the exclamation points! All other punctuation buttons on my computer are apparently broken!
Ahem