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What if you’d gone to
conference? Would you have learned that one
thing you needed to get published, network, or zoom ahead? No worries
because I have several solutions for you!
(For those folks that did go to
conference, remember to send out
thank you notes to the agents and editors you met. Remember to follow
through with your submission. Too many people start to second-guess
themselves and don’t send. Raise your chances, if the agent or editor
asked—they asked! Send it!)
With a few exceptions, most of
the conference is now available for
your listening pleasure. This year’s conference workshops and sessions
were recorded by Billy Wyatt. The CD’s are MP3 compatible and very
reasonably priced. You can find the sessions you either missed or would
like to study by going to www.acfw.com/conference.
Then scroll down to the very bottom of the page and click on the link.
An amazing benefit of having these sessions recorded is that you can
order the past conference. I’ve ordered the entire conference two years
in a row because I learned so much that the education overwhelmed me.
I’ve also picked out certain
topics to fill in holes in my
knowledge. Having the MP3 option allows me to review at my leisure.
Additionally, this format supports the need for exercise! Download it
on your MP3 player and hit the road for a walk or play it while on the
treadmill. My personal favorite is listening on the elliptical trainer.
How holistic can you get by training mind and body!
Another wonderful option this
month is to read all the special
edition reporters in the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Ezine.
It’s called the Afictionado. Months before the
conference,
Michael Ehret assigns reporters to each workshop, late night chat,
continuing education, and special event through the entire week! Each
reporter has already signed up for that specific class and will be
writing what they learned and sharing their experience for the Afictionado
during the month of October. Look for it to be available October 15th,
2009. You can find it at www.acfw.com/ezine. Remember to
browse past editions for needed nuggets.
Monday, October 5, 2009 - 8 PM
EST join us for a chat with the
American Christian Fiction Writers Book Club. It’s free to members and
the public. The book is, The House in Grosvenor Square.
You can click in here: www.acfw.com/fchat. Then don’t
miss the next on Monday, November 2, 2009 when we chat about the book, It’s
Not About Him. The ACFW Book Club meets by phone chat once a
month. The dates and times are posted at: http://www.acfw.com/workshopsnchats.shtml.
Speaking about books, did you
hear who won our Genesis (up and
coming unpublished) and Book of the Year (published) author contests? A
collection of titles, in many different genres, from ACFW members
represent an excellent reading list. Print this page from the American
Christian Fiction Writers website and take it with you to the bookstore
or put the titles on your Christmas list: http://www.acfw.com/boty.shtml.
Learn more about the Genesis and how it builds up new authors at this
link: http://www.acfw.com/genesis/.
You’ll be seeing these authors on bookshelves in the future.
Another amazing place to go for
information is the ACFW Main Loop.
This is for members only, but it doesn’t take much to become a member.
Take a look at just a few of our benefits and see if you’d like to
join: http://www.acfw.com/memberbenefits.shtml.
FOR EVERYONE
Subscriptions to ACFW Private Email Lists
Access to ACFW Private Forums
Monthly E-zine
Critique Groups
Resources, Tips, and Archives on the ACFW Members Only Site
Exclusive Online Writer Courses
ACFW Book Club
Member Rates for the Annual ACFW National Conference
Local and Regional Zone Groups
FOR PUBLISHED AUTHORS
Free Advertising of New & Upcoming Books
Group Book Signings and Promotional Efforts
Host Online Author Chats in Our Public ACFW Chat
Author Interviews Posted Online
Eligibility to Win the ACFW Book of the Year Award
Teaching and Mentoring Opportunities
Best of all, you become a member
of a large family of Christian
writers like yourself! Scroll down to the bottom of the page on the
website and click to fill out your membership form.
The membership fee is less than
$1 a week! It’s important to note
that the writing business industry is heavily represented in the ACFW
membership and the e-loops. We have agents, authors, publicity firms,
and publishing house editors as standard participants.
Once you’ve realized it’s too
late for this year’s conference, life
is not over. There are many supportive ways to gain the education and
support you crave as we all plan toward next year in Indianapolis. Mark
your calendar. The American Christian Fiction Writers Conference will
be the third weekend of September 2010. Build your knowledge now so
that you’ll be prepared when conference registration opens late spring.
Set aside a little every month to plan for the cost of travel,
registration, hotel, and meals. Remember to plan for the possibility of
attending the optional Early Bird (one intense day of deep learning
prior to conference start.)
By the time Indianapolis, 2010,
rolls around, you’ll be well
prepared. You won’t miss out because you’ve gained insight through
reading the Afictionado each month and participated
in the book
chats with the ACFW Book Club, surfed the American Christian Fiction
Writers website at: http://www.acfw.com,
become familiar with your membership opportunities, grown through the
main loop, local chapters, and optional prayer loop, and planned ahead
to meet all your new friends! Best of all, you’ll know what to expect
from hearing the 2009 conference recordings. You might have even
entered the Genesis or Book of the Year contest and be looking forward
to the ACFW awards banquet.
Did you miss out? Well, isn’t
this just the beginning?
The American Christian
Fiction Writers Awards 2009
2009 Mentor of the
Year- Donita K. Paul
2009 Membership Service
Award- John B. Olson
2009 Editor of the Year
Award- Ami McConnell, Thomas Nelson
2009 Agent of the Year-
Award Steve Laube, The Steve Laube Agency
2009 Book of the Year
Contest
Debut Author-
A Passion Most Pure by
Julie Lessman
Lits- Sweet
Caroline by Rachel Hauck
Long Contemporary-
Symphony of Secrets by
Sharon Hinck
Long Contemporary
Romance- Controlling Interest by
Elizabeth White
Long Historical (tie)-
My Heart Remembers by
Kim Vogel Sawyer, and I Have Seen Him in the Watchfires
by Cathy Gohlke
Mystery- For
Whom the Wedding Bell Tolls by Nancy Mehl
Novellas- Stuck
on You in A Connecticut Christmas anthology by Rhonda Gibson
Short Contemporary-
Family Treasures by
Kathryn Springer
Short Contemporary
Suspense- Broken Lullaby by Pamela Tracy
Short Historical-
Family of the Heart by
Dorothy Clark
Speculative- The
Restorer’s Journey by Sharon Hinck
Suspense- Fossil
Hunter by John B. Olson
Women’s Fiction-
The Shape of Mercy by
Susan Meissner
Young Adult- The
Big Picture by Jenny B. Jones
ACFW 2009 Genesis
Contest
Contemporary Fiction-
Jennifer Griffith, Magpies in Trees
Contemporary Romance-
Christy LaShea Smith, The Bridge Between
Historical Fiction-
Christine Schmidtke, Unveiled
Historical Romance-
Lacy Williams, Marrying Miss Marshal
Mystery/Suspense/Thriller-
Alan Schleimer, Q.doc
Romantic Suspense-
Jan Warren, Katherine Octavia, C.I.A.
Science-Fiction/Fantasy/Allegory-
David Fry, Lies To See
Women’s Fiction-
Cathleen Armstrong, The Church of Last Chance
Young Adult-
Gretchen Hoffman, Rewind
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