Perparing for the Spring Fling Conference in Chicago

My first conference, ever!

      By Jaye Shields

            I am over-the-top excited (and super duper nervous) about my very first conference. Tomorrow morning at 6AM I will depart SF for the windy city for Chicago’s Spring Fling Conference. If I manage to remember how to speak, I have an editor appointment with Tessa Woodward from Avon. I was planning on pimping my novel Secrets of the Sky, but decided otherwise since it’s actually the third in a trilogy. What do the experts say? Good idea?

            But I’ve got bigger things to worry about. Like what to wear…So here’s a brief glimpse of what I plan on cramming into my gigantic red suitcase.

 ·       Every pair of foxy heels I own. Should I also bring my Viking Boots??

o   P.S. Every self-respecting woman should own Viking Boots

·       Hot Rollers (Yes I realize this will take up half my suitcase) I need to rock big bouncy Carrie Underwood hair. If I go au natural I’ll look more like a Cali Hippie girl.

·       Five copies of my hottest scenes to read at the late night Hot Reads get together.

o   Note to self: wear bright red lipstick for this to distract everyone from my crimson-flushed cheeks

·       Slacks, Blazer (I went on this epic hunt for a cute blazer but they were all too expensive) Instead, I’m going to be rocking my plain black one with an unidentified stain on the sleeve.

I’m going to be rooming with a charming lady whom I plan on venting all my querying and pitching woes to if all does not go well. This is when I’ll treat her to a cosmo or something. I told her that they should serve writer themed beverages. Like a JK Rowling-tini or something.

Anyone else have any fancy author-themed drink ideas?

There’s tons of fun workshops. There’s this one I’m in desperate need of…Go From Contest Diva to Published Author.

            More like contest bitch-slapped diva in my case.

Some judges are just rough. I’m not planning on entering contests anymore. So far the only thing I’ve gotten published has been sans-contest, so maybe that’s a sign. Last year I got a ton of lame contest feedback for my urban fantasy novels. By lame, I mean half the judges loved it and half the judges hate it. How the heck am I supposed to go from there?

There’s plenty more fun workshops planned:

     Rejection: A Love Story (Right up my alley until about a month ago)

    Ghost Hunting Through the Ages

    Evil 101

   Can This Manuscript Be Saved? (Something I’m wondering about my trilogy right about now)

Does anyone have any conference horror stories?

I’ll give you all mine when I come back. I’m sure I’ll have plenty of cringe-worthy moments.

But you’ll still love me, right?

XOXO   Jaye Shields

About Me:

Born and raised in the grunge capitol, I took my love of music and poetry from the Pacific Northwest to California. Now I live in Alameda, a quaint island town in the Bay Area. Graduating this month with a degree in Anthropology with an emphasis in Archaeology, I'm just itching to climb some more pyramids. When I'm not in school, I'm either working at VW or taking long walks along the Alameda beach and gazing at the the outline of San Francisco in the distance.

Oh yes, and I'm a travel nut. Let's all go to Paris...