Captain's Log, Stardate 07.31.2005 WARNING: BOOK-LENGTH TALL TALES Just got back today from RWA National Conference held in Reno , Nevada . Good conference, although a bit overwhelming because of the sheer number of people--around 2,200 attendees. I drove up with Marilyn Hilton , who's in the ACFW San Jose group, and her friend Anne Kim, a technical writer who used to work with Marilyn and lives in San Jose as well. Anne writes Asian Chicklit, with a bent toward Mainstream Literary fiction. We had a real "Thelma and Louise" weekend, the three of us. The drive to and from Reno went quickly as we talked. We met up to eat meals together and somehow never had a problem finding three seats at the tables despite the large number of attendees. I couldn't imagine going to National by myself. It was fun to laugh and exchange opinions. I met up with one of the "Fab Four," Cheryl Wyatt . It was great to talk to her again. I me...

Me and Cheryl Wyatt (two of the Fab Four)

Me, Shelley Bates (RITA Winner!), and Marilyn Hilton (Thelma & Louise cohort!)

Me and Sophia Nash (RITA winner!)

Me and Kathryn Caskie (isn't she gorgeous in her dress?)

Captain's Log, Stardate 07.18.2005 One thing has pervaded my writing the past few days, and that is my " Mission " verse, John 12:32: "I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me." The Greek says "lifted up from the earth" or lifted onto the cross. But I like to also see the further implications of this: With Christ's sacrifice, he'll draw people to himself. Meaning, if I "lift him up," or if I emphasize aspects of Christ's sacrifice in my writing, he'll draw people to himself. I'm rather post-modern in that I'm not comfortable with blatantly evangelical fiction, although I realize there is a place and an audience for it. I prefer showing what a true Christian would be like--flawed and struggling. Stumbling and learning. Stubborn, humbled, and then lifted up. That's what my Christian walk is like, and I relate to characters with the same. So the past few days, I've been rethinki...

Captain's Log, Stardate 07.11.2005 I'm taking an online marketing class and it's a bit overwhelming. There's so much information and so many options for a writer, whether Introverted or Extroverted, whether pre-published or multi-published. What's most overwhelming is the realization of how much extra work goes into marketing a book. Just ONE book. I couldn't imagine trying to market two books of two different genres like some authors do. There's so much I need to learn, like how to write a press release for my book, how to write an informative article on a topic touched on in my book, how to find various media avenues for my book. Aack! I would consider a publicist's fee as money well spent. One great thing is that the instructor gave me some terrific ideas about places to submit articles about my book and the topic it touches on, embryonic stem cells. These are ideas I would NEVER have thought of myself. Thinking like...