Meet Me at Conference — Lena Nelson Dooley

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It’s the high point of my year and has been since the first regional conference in Houston before we had national conferences. I was blessed to be one of the speakers at that conference.

This is a picture of everyone who attended that conference. We had a great time meeting each other for the first time, people we only knew online.

The conferences have moved through a number of cities, and each one has a special place in my heart. The people we meet, God appointments that moved us along spiritually, physically, or in our writing business. I’ve often had the feeling that I was going to a family reunion where there were a few cousins I’d never met face to face, and I treasured each meeting.

Writing is a solitary business, and being an extrovert, people person, I am totally blessed to spend time with people who understand what I feel when my blood pours out on the page while I’m at the computer. They know it’s not crazy to plot a murder in a hotel elevator, or study what someone’s wearing because you can just see your heroine wearing that very same outfit, or seeing a man across the lobby who is your hero incarnate, or weep with a friend in the prayer room as both of you meet the King of Glory.

High points include being able to encourage a prepubbed author who has become discouraged. Developing friendships with editors and agents, not just my own editors and agent, is a wonderful thing.

Meeting “big name” authors, I’d never get to meet any other way.

Receiving Mentor of the Year award and finaling in the Carol Awards. My list of things like that could fill all the blogs until conference with more stories left over.

So sign up today. And when you see me at conference, be sure to come up and introduce yourself if we haven’t met before. If we have come over for your hug. Because hugs are also a big part of the ACFW Conference.

Comments 0

  1. Lena, it was wonderful seeing you at the conference last year .. and you’re right to point out that it’s the INTERPERSONAL side of the conference that draws many of us. So looking forward to September–

  2. Wow, Lena, I had darker hair in that pic. Almost didn’t recognize myself. What a great time we had, and I haven’t missed one of them yet either. Looking forward to seeing you in St. Louis.

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