Monday, September 26, 2011
I just got back from the most amazing conference ever. The 2011 American Christian Fiction Writers Conference was held in St Louis at the Hyatt Regency. Fabulous hotel and staff, by the way. From the left this is Denise Hunter, our agent Karen Solem, me, and fabo editor Ami McConnell.
Everywhere I turned, I saw writers being Jesus in the flesh there, from praying with us all for Di to sacrificially giving up a spot beside an agent or an editor for someone else. Loved being part of it!
But, ahem. Those of you in attendance may have noticed my handsome hubby in a tuxedo jacket, um, over jeans. It was not planned that way. He packed his entire tuxedo to wear. I'd just slipped into my fancy dress. I heard him call for me with more distress in his voice than I'd ever heard. "My pants aren't here," he said. I pooh-poohed the notion. I was sure I'd packed it. We looked EVERYWHERE. Those slacks were nowhere to be found.
He had nothing else to wear but jeans that he'd worked in at the church. They were covered in sawdust, but there was no option other than sweats. So we shook off the dust and wiped them down with a damp washcloth. He put them on and I had Ami and Becky, my editors from Nelson, tell him whether or not to wear a tie (the decision was not to) and he went with a ruffled shirt and tuxedo jacket over jeans. It was dark enough that no one seemed to pay any attention.
When we got home, the first thing we did was try to find those missing trousers. They weren't here. We checked everywhere. I was beginning to think someone had stolen his slacks. But why? My mystery brain evaluated and rejected every possible scenario. If someone was going to steal his trousers, wouldn't it be logical to take the entire suit? But something had to have happened to them.
Then Dave started the laundry. They were in the laundry bag. I distinctly remember him asking me if those black slacks were dirty. I said, "Yes, but I thought I put them in the bag. I must have missed." No, I didn't miss. The trousers fell off the hanger onto the floor and ended up in the laundry. We've had a good laugh all evening about it. And I'll always remember Dave in that very stylish getup. :)
How about you? Have you ever done something that made you blush?
Labels: ACFW Conference, St Louis Hyatt Regency
Colleen Coble
posted at
9:32 PM
Comments (6)
Monday, September 27, 2010
I have to wonder if reading my books has made my Dave more romantic. You tell me. Our first Christmas he bought me--a BLENDER. It was all I could do not to cry. A blender? Really? When we'd only been married 3 mos. Not lingerie? Not perfume or jewelry? A KITCHEN appliance?
To give him credit, he'd heard me say I'd like to get a blender. But the poor man had no clue a blender wasn't a suitable gift for a newlywed. Over the years he got better. But then a few years ago he started buying more romantic gifts. It strangely coincided with my publisher steering me toward more romance. Coincidence? You tell me. At this event pictured here (the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference in Indianapolis last weekend) he gave me a black diamond necklace. If I'd won the award I was up for, he was going to give it to me in front of everyone! That is SO not my quiet husband's usual manner. Only love would drive him to do something like that.
I hardly know what to think! But I'm sure liking it!
Now it's your turn. What is the most romantic thing your significant other has done? What do you WISH he/she would do?
Labels: ACFW Conference, American Christian Fiction Writers, jewelry, romance
Colleen Coble
posted at
9:31 PM
Comments (6)
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Did you hear that scream this morning? That was me leaping out of bed to pack. Two days. TWO DAYS! Then the five of us will be together at the
ACFW conference. This is the highlight of our year.
Amber Zimmerman, Di's daughter, is a fabulous photographer. If you click on her name, you'll be taken to her website. Anyway, she's going to take some fun pics of the five of us this week. If you listen closely, you'll be able to hear us laughing starting on Thursday.
I'm taking gluten free chocolate chip cookies (made with almond flour) and some fabulous candy for snacks. We're going to see our fabulous agent, Karen Solem, as well. I haven't seen Karen in a year and can't wait to hug her. She was laughing yesterday when we talked and wasn't sure she'd recognize me. I told her she'e recognize my loud voice. LOL My darling Ami McConnell will be there. I just saw her at Thomas Nelson two weeks ago, but it will be fun to be all together again. Natalie Hanemann and Allen Arnold are both coming from Thomas Nelson too, so all of my peeps will be in one place. That just NEVER happens so to say I'm excited this week is an understatement. :-)
I'm looking forward to my mentoring appts too. I'm chatting with ten gals about their careers and I adore talking about writing.
All in all, there will be too much coffee, too much laughing, too much chocolate (Debrand truffles) and too much camaraderie to stand it. Oh wait, is that even possible? :-) Oh and MAJOR news! I'll get to see The Lightkeeper's Bride for the first time!!!! It is shipping to stores this week.
What about you? How is your week going. Need us to pray for you or have something you want to share we can rejoice with you about?
Labels: ACFW Conference, Allen Arnold, Ami McConnell, Natalie Hanemann
Colleen Coble
posted at
8:45 AM
Comments (10)
Wednesday, June 09, 2010
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION IS OPEN!
Did you hear the roar last night? Registration opened for the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference http://www.acfw.com/conference/. I have to admit I was excited myself. If you're on the fence about whether to go or not, hop down on the side of going right this minute. Most of you love checking in here to join in the friendship and fun we share. Those friendships began at conference. When I look back on my life and career, the defining moment that changed everything is when we girls became friends. There is something about sharing common misery that knits us together. LOL In the early days we would rush to get our feedback from an editor then try to glean every bit of positive out of the few scrawled comments. We'd bolster each other up when we saw the dreaded,
not for our house comment. We drank too much coffee and ate too many DeBrand truffles to bury our woes.
I highly recommend cramming four women into a room. There is something about the experience that leaves you never the same again, and it has nothing to do with four women sharing a bathroom. LOL You stay up late sharing your deepest, darkest secrets. You leave that place knowing you have some lifelong friends.
Going to conference is the single best thing you can do for your career and you life. You will make lifelong friends and learn so much about the publishing world. If it feels overwhelming to you, let us encourage you right here on the blog. Tell us what scares you. Ask what publisher you should target. Ask about agents or workshops. We are here to help you.
You know we became such great friends at a conference but where did you meet YOUR best friend? How did it happen? What magic thing bound you together? What do you think makes a friendship last a lifetime?
Labels: ACFW Conference, lifelong friendship
Colleen Coble
posted at
7:36 AM
Comments (17)
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
ACFW CONFERENCE
We were quiet last week but for a good reason. For the first time in three years or so we were all together in one place! Di brought us all DeBrand truffles and Kristin brought us manicure stuff. Fits, doesn't it? LOL We barely got any sleep, but oh it was so worth it! Kimberley Woodhouse
(Welcome Home about her experience with Extreme Home Makeover) got us from the airport. She is a super talented photographer and took some pics of us that we'll be posting later. Girls Write Out's own Jaime Sundsmo was there and we got to "meet" little Chloe whom we've practically prayed into existence. That's her we're all touching!
The hotel (Marriott Tech Center) was fabulous. The staff couldn't be beat, though no matter what we did I couldn't charge anything to my room even though Robin told them three times I was CEO and on the master account. This didn't matter except it seriously cut my coffee consumption since I tended to run over to Starbucks without my wallet. The food was terrific and our servers were just awesome. Everything ran so smoothly with our conference director Robin Miller and conference coordinator Sydney Zech overseeing everything.
The thing that set the foundation for it all was how our president, Cynthia Ruchti, and our conference director, Robin Miller, prayed over the meeting rooms and the halls outside the sleeping rooms. The Spirit just hovered over that place and blessed us all beyond measure. Debbie Macomber's messages as keynote were exactly what we needed this year. I have my 3 x 5 card with my goals all written out and have been mulling over other things she's said.
I got to spend time with my wonderful agent, Karen Solem, this year too. Everything good that's happened in my career I lay at her feet (and Jesus's of course.) She was the lynchpin that got it all rolling in the right direction. And the grand announcement that my fabulous Ami McConnell won Editor of the Year just blessed me beyond measure! She is such a terrific editor and has taught me so much! I was so excited when she won that I could barely speak. I rushed back to the table, grabbed my phone and called her from the banquet hall. When I realized from the giggles around me that I was talking too loudly, I rushed for the hall so I could squeal with abandon. LOL She was thrilled!
I arranged a dinner for the Nelson authors and we had the best time with superman Allen Arnold and editor Becky Monds! I'm so blessed to be part of the family. In the other post for the day, I'll post some more pictures. It would only let me post four. :( I learned something new about Allen. I knew he loved Mexican food but I DIDN'T know he liked to order big bowls of salsa and eat it with a spoon! He ate two bowls of it! My beloved Erin Healy also showed up!
The workshops were exemplary and I learned so much from the advanced class taught by Allen Arnold and Karen Ball. Though some faces paled when he suggested we all do Twitter and Facebook. I was one of the first Christian authors on Twitter so that was one thing I didn't have to change. Okay, this is so Kristin. Late in the morning of the 2nd class, she decided she was going to run to Target and she'd be back before our "graduation." Cheryl Hodde went with her. When K's name was called and she wasn't there, Karen Ball said, "Oh she probably went shopping." It was a joke but the room roared when they found out she actually HAD gone shopping!
And I always get so tickled to see our quiet little Denise up there banging away on the drums. Friends, she is an AWESOME drummer! I'm so proud of her! Rachel Hauck is the leader of the worship team and she just leads us right into the presence of the Lord. I just love that part of it!
So I'm tired but happy today. And so blessed with friends!
Labels: ACFW Conference, Allen Arnold, Ami McConnell, Becky Monds, DeBrand truffles, Erin Healy, Karen Ball, Karen Solem, Kim Woodhouse
Colleen Coble
posted at
8:48 AM
Comments (10)
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Together at last!
As most of you know we just returned from the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference. It's been 3 long years since we've been together and we were ecstatic to be together again. We ate, we laughed, we brainstormed, we painted each other's toenails. Well, I painted Colleen's when she realized her toes were naked 5 minutes before the Book of the Year Award Banquet.
I did my share of goofy things. Big surprise. Got off elevator with a crowd of people and chatted with Rachael Phillips all the way to her door only to realize I was on the wrong floor. Too embarrassed to admit it, I turned back toward the elevator, acting like I'd walked her to her door and was heading back to mine. I rounded the corner and punched the button, shaking my head. A moment later, here comes Rachael. She'd gotten off on the wrong floor too and was too embarrassed to admit it to ME. (Side note: Rachael was offered her first fiction contract at the conference! Yay Rachael!)
Then later the same day I left Cheryl Hodde in our room and she said she'd meet me downstairs in a minute. I got on the elevator--what is it with elevators?--and waited, lost in thought through the ride. A half minute later the doors open I took a step, but there was Cheryl waiting to get on. "How did you get down--?"
Oh. I forgot to push the button.
But I did manage to accomplish a few things while there, scatterbrained moments aside. I met wonderful new writer friends, spent time with agent Karen Solem, Thomas Nelson Publisher Allen Arnold, editor Becky Monds, and publicist Jeane Wynn. That and my Girls too. Where else can I find all these wonderful people in one place?
The only thing missing was you!
Labels: ACFW Conference
Denise Hunter
posted at
9:50 PM
Comments (7)
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
NATURAL BORN MODEL
Some people are just born photogenic, aren't they? Our little Alexa just got her first modeling gig. Now, of course the way she poses has NOTHING to do with the fact she's had a camera stuck in her face since she first blinked in the bright light of day. Our Punky has had more paparazzi following her than Angelina Jolie. :-)
Anyway, she's modeling
here for a fabulous children's designer, Kristine Bercot. If you have kids or grandkids, you will love her clothes! They are the only clothes we've bought for Punky that she wears for several months because of the generous cut. And they wash like a dream. Highly recommended! The website is: http://www.artandsoulboutique.com and you can't miss our Alexa starting in the second row! I see a bright future for that baby with her, er, early training in front of the camera! Doesn't she look like she knows exactly what she's supposed to be doing? LOL
Speaking of clothes, I've been buying a lot of them lately. Heading to the ACFW conference tomorrow and I can't wait! All my clothes were too big. I had 91 empty hangers to fill so I made a valiant effort to at least find something to wear. I've had an untapped resource in my home for fashion: Dave. Can you believe it? He's been telling me I ought to wear this or that but I didn't believe him. He's a GUY! But I started watching What Not to Wear (LOVE that show!) and by golly, he was right! So he's been going with me and last night he talked me into a pair of high heeled knee-length boots. Me! Gulp.
The girls and I are going to be drinking too much coffee, eating too much DeBrand's and staying up way too late. Sounds like a prescription for fun, doesn't it? It will be! I'll miss my hubby, but the days will fly by with as busy as we are. And my fabo agent, Karen Solem is coming this year! Actually, she's the agent for three of us: Diann and Denise too. We hope to grab her for some brainstorming because she's really good at it! If you're coming to conference, make sure you grab us and say hi if we don't see you first!
Labels: ACFW Conference, Bercot Children's Wear, high-heeled boots, Kristin Bercot
Colleen Coble
posted at
8:38 AM
Comments (9)
I just got back from the most amazing conference ever. The 2011 American Christian Fiction Writers Conference was held in St Louis at the Hyatt Regency. Fabulous hotel and staff, by the way. From the left this is Denise Hunter, our agent Karen Solem, me, and fabo editor Ami McConnell.
Delicious
I have to wonder if reading my books has made my Dave more romantic. You tell me. Our first Christmas he bought me--a BLENDER. It was all I could do not to cry. A blender? Really? When we'd only been married 3 mos. Not lingerie? Not perfume or jewelry? A KITCHEN appliance?
Did you hear that scream this morning? That was me leaping out of bed to pack. Two days. TWO DAYS! Then the five of us will be together at the ACFW conference. This is the highlight of our year. Amber Zimmerman, Di's daughter, is a fabulous photographer. If you click on her name, you'll be taken to her website. Anyway, she's going to take some fun pics of the five of us this week. If you listen closely, you'll be able to hear us laughing starting on Thursday. 
