Pacific Northwest Writers Association's annual summer conference is one of the biggest in the Northwest. There are always interesting people at this low key, casual conference who are pursuing publication in every fiction genre imaginable, as well as nonfiction and literary. PNWA usually boasts a good number of editors and agents that are equally well-pursued by attending writers. I like meeting these writers because they're full of great stories and a bright hope that's pretty contagious. They want information and an "in" in the publishing world, and if they can combine the two in the offered workshops, all the better.

I presented the seminar, Internet Promotions for Every Writer, on Thursday afternoon to a packed house. Because of the nature of the program, I determined that a PowerPoint show would best demonstrate select effective promotional author websites and MySpace pages, podcasts, YouTube book videos and blog sites. I'd requested a projector when asked about AV needs prior to the conference. But my looooong experience as a speaker, teacher and trainer compelled my distrust of having what I need "provided" at a speaking venue so I bought my own projector. I also took a multiplug and extension cord. Good thing, too, as the large room was not only devoid of requested AV, it had striped wallpaper. Wheeeeeee! Next time I'll take a screen, if the gig is local. Thanks goodness I had a fabulous support team with me--my critique partners Lisa Wanttaja and DeeAnna Galbraith. They helped me set up and took down afterwards when I was meeting attendees. Lisa also videoed my presentation, which I'll edit and post to my site and on DVD that I'll make available as a "gift with purchase" of any of my books.

I had such a great time at PNWA, that it made me nostalgic for the early days of MMMmmm pre-published authoring when I attended every RWA (Romance Writers of America)annual conference in some far away city in the dead of summer with a couple thousand other romance writers. All of us were full of great stories and bright hope, too. I'm not doing RWA this summer, though the site is closer to Seattle than it has been in years. A couple of my critique partners are going to San Francisco on Wednesday and I'm sending with them my best wishes and fond hellos to old friends I'm sorry to miss seeing this year. But there's always next summer . . .

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMelinda