Author Bio: For over three years, Kathleen L. Maher has been an active member of ACFW, 19th Century Hiswriters, and Civil War HIStory, gleaning from the best historical romance writers in the business. She co-founded CROWN Fiction Marketing Network whose purpose is to promote CBA fiction set in the 19th Century America. She placed second in the inspirational category of RWA's 2009 and 2010 Launching a STAR contest and semi-finaled in this year's Genesis. She lives in a 100-year-old farmhouse with her hero, John, their three children, and two Newfoundland dogs.Good morning from Upstate New York! Our leaves are changing and the autumn winds have brought a nip to the air. Thank you for inviting me in to your warm, cozy blog, and I have brought some cyber pumpkin-chocolate-chip bread and coffee for all of us to share. (Recipe to be posted on Friday on Susie's Fun in the Kitchen Friday post.)
Susie, I was so geeked out (an industry term, of course) to finally meet you last week at ACFW’s annual conference. Ha! Truly it was one of the highlights of a fabulous week. It was my first time attending, though I’ve been a member of ACFW since 2008.
Where do I begin? The workshops. Oh. My. Gosh. Julie Lessman and Ruth Axtell Morren initiated me into the joy and wonderment of writing workshops. They talked about building romantic tension in our manuscripts in their class A Kiss is Not Just a Kiss. They should have told us that a hand-fan and a fainting couch were prerequisites for the course, because I thought I would swoon at least five times as they read excerpts of their zesty romantic scenes. Talk about inspiration to write! They had me at Julie’s opening croon of Herman Hupfeld’s famous song from Casablanca.
My next mountain top experience was a stellar meeting with an agent. For the sake of anonymity, I will not mention her name, or the fact that she shares red hair and her surname with one of my favorite actresses and comediennes of all time. . . . But let’s say I am cautiously optimistic after she requested my proposal and told me to cancel my other agent appointments and to seek out editors, instead. Keeping fingers, toes and eyes crossed. . . .
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| Kathleen and Debbie Lynne |
Another highlight was rooming with my BFF and critique partner Debbie Lynne Costello, and Christie-, Carol-, and Maggie Award finalist debut author Melanie Dickerson. They were so supportive and sweet and hilarious. How can you not be inspired after spending time with such great writers and wonderful human beings? I tried to absorb their attitude like a proper sponge.
God kept pouring out on me while there. I have to tell you I almost did not attend. Well, that is a minor understatement. It would have been impossible for me to attend if not for a series of miracles. Moses parting the Red Sea has nothing on Debbie Lynne Costello. She paved the road to St. Louis for me with Hobby Lobby canvas tote bags. She literally sold them to raise my funds. And when obstacles seemed insurmountable, she talked me through them like a professional counselor!
I got to meet the beautiful and ever-saintly Kim Vogel Sawyer, who I must admit, left me feeling a bit star-struck. It was like meeting one of my heroes, and she was so gracious and encouraging. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have come at all. After judging my Genesis entry this year, she encouraged me to come to conference with the incentive of meeting her in person. She introduced me to Susan Downs of Summerside, with whom I had a meeting later in the day. And then Kim prayed with me, and I can’t describe the hope that filled my heart. After a year of hardly being able to put words on the page God gave me exactly what I needed.
It was a week I will never forget. Hand-tailored to my needs and heart’s desires. Thank you, Jesus for meeting me at ACFW 2011. And thank you Susie for having me here today to share my experience with your readers. Miracles do happen! Don’t stop believing.
Website: http://www.kathleenlmaher.webs.com/
Blog: www.fictionaddictionfix.blogspot.com/
19 comments:
Welcome, Kathleen! I'm so excited you've stopped by my blog.
Disclaimer: I have no idea why blogger is wigging out on me and has your bio highlighted like that. I can't seem to get it fixed. I apologize for that. It could be entirely operator trouble, but alas, it's still there. I will keep trying.
What a thrill to be here Suzie! Thank you so much. The highlight thing was probably my lack of computer skills. heehee But isn't is great that I highlighted myself in narcissistic fashion? how self important is that? ;)
You're so funny! Now the highlighting is gone, but the font changes on my intro and the spacing is off. It's not like that when I'm posting and editing it. Just crazy!
Hopefully, I'll get this blogger thing figured out one of these days. Thanks for being so understanding!
Well, I managed to remove the highlighting, Susan - sorry if I messed up other things while getting it off. lol
Kathleen, I couldn't agree more about ACFW. It was superfantabulistic! I'm still reliving certain moments and meetings.
Aside from all the wonderful workshops, and all the stardust floating around so many ultra-famous authors (grin), I also particularly enjoyed Jenny B. Jones' devotion. Got nothing? OK...God can work with that!
How awesome. Exciting, nerve racking wonderful. It great that you were able to go. And congrats on being a finalists.
I hope this opens many doors for you
Blessings
Tina P
Delia, I couldn't agree more about Jenny's devotion. That really stuck with me, too. Thanks for your technical Jedi skills. :D
Thanks, Tina P. I pray for wisdom and strength to keep walking through those doors. :)
So glad you got to go Kathleen, but now I'm jealous! JK - I'm happy for you and this post makes me even more eager to attend the conference. Soon, I hope. Can hardly wait!
Best wishes & praying for you in regards to your agent.
Tammy
Delia,
Thanks so much, dahling! I appreciate your help. You are a technical genius. What would I do without you? I don't want to think about it!
Kathleen,
I sent a plea for help earlier today to Delia and didn't realize that she, the stealth techy that she is, would already have had time to get to it. I just thought it adjusted. I should know better. LOL
Tina P. and Tammy,
Thanks for stopping by!
Susie
Hey Susan and Kathy,
It was great meeting both of you at conference. Kathy, when we met I felt like I'd known you half my life. There was never an awkward moment. God knew we were meant to be best friends. And you having been such a blessing to me. God is truly the one who gets all the glory. He laid it on my heart that you should be at conference, gave me the idea, sent the generous people to buy the bags, and kept me from ever feeling overwhelmed while doing them (which was a huge miracle in itself!). He has GREAT things in store for you, my friend.
Sheesh make that HAVE been such a blessing. Note to self: always reread posts BEFORE posting. Otherwise don't reread. heehee
Debbie Lynne, it is easy to be a blessing when you hang out around people who believe the best about you! ;)
Tammy, thanks for visiting. I wish you had been there, because you were one of the peeps I would have loved to meet! Here's to next September.
Hi, Debbie Lynne. Conference was so awesome, wasn't it? Such an amazing group of people are in ACFW.
I'm so proud of Kathleen. It was definitely a God thing that brought us together too.
I so love being a child of God and a daughter of the King!
Kathleen, I'm so proud of what you've accomplished. And to think, you were going to quit writing just a year ago. Obstacles tried to bring you down, but you rose victorious with our savior. You go girl!!! What an awesome experience to be living in God's favor. Wish I could have been there to give you a big hug when you shared your agent news!! God Bless you!! And congrats on all your success!!
I wish I could have been there! Thank you for enabling me to live vicariously through your blog post! =)
Hi, Leann! Hi, Tammy! I'm so thrilled for Kathleen. She was the first person (outside of my family) who ever looked at anything I'd written. She was a gift from God to me. She still is actually.
I was heartsick when she said she was going to stop writing. But I believed in her and trusted in God. HE had a bigger plan, and got her back to writing so that she can share her words with the world.
I SO agree. Thank God for God! =)
Hi Kathleen, it was wonderful to meet you in person and hear more about your journey to ACFW. I am excited about what God is doing for you.
Blessings,
Carrie
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