I am excited!

And you should be too, because I will have my wife in attendance at the conference. And I only won a single seat. Therefore . . . I have chosen to give my coveted winnings to a reader of my blog.

Here are the details of the contest prize:

http://ldstorymakerauthors.blogspot.com/2010/02/show-your-love-for-storymakers-contest.html

So…  what will you bid? Friend suggestions on facebook? A slew of tweets on twitter? Buying copies of my book for friends? Blogging about my awesomeness? Coming to my book launch party in two weeks and bringing 10 members of your reading club?

One of my twitter friends ( @DragonWrangler ) suggested a Lamborghini and a dragon. She didn’t specify the color or breed of the dragon, so that is still under review. Not acceptable if it would eat me.

Let’s get creative here! My book release is just two weeks away. Perhaps you can do something to help me spread the word. That would be worthy of a seat, don’t you think? And don’t forget, I have a mail list here on my website. In the right sidebar. You could somehow use that to your advantage, I am sure.

Let the bidding begin!

(Note: In order to win, you actually need to be attending the Storymaker conference. Details here:  http://www.ldstorymakers.com/conference_2010.php )

I look forward to your imaginative offers. *GRIN*

Of course, if you decide to do something like facebook friends, I will need to see the results first… otherwise, you are all talk.  The winner will be chosen by merit and selected with random.org if I like more than one idea. I will make my decision on March 17th, the day after my book launch.

Tags: Conferences, Contests

Cause and Effect. Occasionally in life a person is able to point to specific events which caused other things to happen. I can honestly say, that without this particular writers conference, and the fact that I attended last year, and that I met specific people who also attended, I would not be published next month.

Sure, the classes were awesome. I learned so much that I couldn’t take notes fast enough. But the networking . . . meeting people I had known in the blogosphere . . . was priceless. Without this conference, I would not have made the contacts necessary to learn what I needed to know, and finally get that contract.

Do you live close to Utah? Or can you afford to fly? I highly recommend this yearly event as the best conference in the west. Don’t let the title of the conference scare you off. Although presented by the LDS Storymakers group (a group of published LDS authors, both regionally and nationally published), this is not an LDS sponsored event. There are plenty of folks with other religious views who come to this conference and say that it is one of the best they have ever attended.

Here is a link for more information:

http://www.ldstorymakers.com/conference_2010.php

Come see us! I will be presenting a class on setting up an author’s website with a couple of top-notch guys.

Hope to see you there!

(P.S.  There is a contest going on for the conference! If you are attending, check this out:  http://ldstorymakerauthors.blogspot.com/2010/02/show-your-love-for-storymakers-contest.html )

Tags: Authors, Conferences, My Writing Life, Publishers, Writing Tips

While at the LDS Storymakers Conference, I was talking to Tristi Pinkston, and right next to her was sitting the famous Lu Ann Staheli. I say famous because it seems as though I have seen her name in many, many places in the LDS blogosphere. Have I said that LDS Storymakers is the best conference I have ever been to? SUPERB. I met so many cool people there. But I digress . . .

Tristi asked me to do a review of an ARC she had with her, which made my heart skip a beat. Another review? Thank you Tristi! But then, shock of all shocks with which I have ever been shocked: Lu Ann said, “Daron, would you like to do another review?”

Good thing I didn’t fall on the floor dead right then and there. That would have been embarrassing.

Well, Lu Ann, here is the review I just posted on Goodreads. You are a fantabulous writer.

***
When Hearts Conjoin

This is one of the best non-fiction books I have ever read. Even though I knew what the outcome of the story would be as I turned the pages, I was pulling for the Herrin family, especially Erin, as I read about their struggles over all of those long, trial filled years. She is one tough woman. Congratulations to both her and her husband Jake for their beautiful family and the happiness they have found together. What a wonderful testament to forgiveness, love, and miracles. I am sure that Heaven has many special blessings yet in store for them. May God continue to bless the Herrin family!

And as for the co-writer of the book, Lu Ann Staheli, I was mightily impressed by her skill in weaving the tale. This is the first work of hers I have ever read. Only a driving need for sleep allowed me to put the book down, and then only until I knew I had time to finish the other half of the book in one sitting.

Fantastic. Go get this book.

Tags: Book Reviews, Conferences

I am off to the LDS Storymakers Conference tomorrow and Saturday.

I have been looking forward to this for an entire year.

If I get the chance, I will post during the conference!

Tags: Conferences, My Writing Life