Southern Christian Writer's Convention
by
Deborah Malone
Well that is usually the case, but I'm going to give you a special insight into what goes on at a writer's convention. First I drove for an hour to pick up another writer friend and both of us crammed all of our luggage and books into her car. The back seat was full and the trunk was full. Fortunately there was enough room in the front for us. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you that my GPS took me the long way around getting to her house. That's including dirt roads! After loading up we take off for the 2 and 1/2 hour drive. We hadn't seen each other in a while so we talked non-stop in the car.
Finally we arrived at our destination and checked in the hotel. We went out for supper and of course had to stop by the Lifeway book store on the way back. I picked up two books from the bargain shelf and when I went to purchase them was told it was buy two and get one free! Whoop! A free book. Night was uneventful and we were up early the next morning. We had a little time before we had to be at the convention so we went to Bear Bryant Museum at University of Alabama. Wow - it was fun looking at the history of football. Then on to the stadium to get a view of this huge venue. We missed the tour by a few minutes. Maybe next time.
Now on to the convention held at First Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. First thing to do is set up my author table and hope that readers will stop by and take a gander at my Trixie Montgomery Cozy Mystery Series.
The rest of the day is spent attending classes, listening to speakers and meeting old friends we haven't see in a while. I was blessed to be in a room with Joe McKeever who is an author, minister, and artist. He is known for sketching your portrait in 30 seconds. I watched person after person come and sit in front of Joe to get their keepsake. I was fortunate to be Joe's first sketch of the day.
We ate a good supper of spaghetti provided by the wonderful cooks at SCWC. By the time we got back to the hotel room we were beat. It was time to get a bath, put on jammies and curl up in the bed with a good book. It was nice to be away from the routine and to be able to relax for a while. That is until there was a knock on our door at 4 am in the morning. I remember hearing the knock but thought I was dreaming. Debra, my friend who went with me, discovered the knock was coming from someone who had the wrong room. Really! at four in the morning? Well we were up by then so it was time for a little snack and some girl talk until six in the morning. Then we were able to get a couple of hours before it was time to get up again and start the day all over again.
One great thing about going to a convention is that you get to rub elbows with other authors. The keynote speaker for this year was Cindy Woodsmall (yes I spelled it right) who writes Amish fiction. I'd read several of her books and was thrilled to meet her and have her sign a book for me. Yes, us authors are awed by other authors. At the end of the convention the writing awards are announced. I was thrilled to learn that I'd won second place in magazine articles.
Debra Collins (Author and Friend)
Now the day has come to and end and it's time to say good-bye to our old friends as well as our new friends and hope to see them again next year. We're tired but happy to have had the experience. I'm already looking forward to Southern Christian Writer's Conference 2016. Now there is just one more stop before we get home. That was Top of the River Restaurant in Gadsden, Alabama. If you live anywhere near this area you have to go visit this one of a kind place. Here's what we had to eat: mustard greens, fried pickles, slaw, and the best cornbread ever. Where is the fish you say? Well, turns out neither one of us like fish, but boy do we like the fixins. If you're a writer or aspire to be a writer please check SCWC out for next year. It is sponsored by David and Joanne Sloan and their family. It is one I look forward to attending every year! Now you have the inside scoop on what goes on at a writer's convention.
Deborah Malone's first novel Death in Dahlonega, finaled in the American Christian Fiction Writer's Category Five writing contest! Deborah was also nominated for 2011 and 2012 Georgia Author of the Year in Novel category. She has worked as a freelance writer and photographer, for the historic magazine "Georgia Backroads" since 2001. She has had many articles and photographs published, and her writing is featured in "Tales of the Rails," edited by Olin Jackson, as well as the "Christian Communicator." She is a member of the Georgia Writer's Association, Advanced Writers and Speaker's Association and the American Christian Fiction Writers. 
