Deborah Cooke: Author

Hello, everyone. I’m back home and catching up. Wow – what a great conference they host at the New Jersey RWA each fall! If you are an aspiring writer and ever have the opportunity to go, please do so. There were many workshops – four or five tracks in parallel, seven at peak times – and 28 editors and agents in attendance. The conference is of a size that makes it easier to network, and also gives synchronicity a bit of a break.

I ran into a lot of old friends and met some new ones – even connected some faces to long-familiar names. It’s wonderful to meet people you know from online communities in person. I have lots of new books to read and a list of some others to hunt down, a fistful of business cards from the booksellers I met, a whole lot of scuttlebutt to consider, and – the best conference souvenir of all – a ton of excitement about getting back to work.

I also brought home a new friend. His name is Herman, I’ve decided, and before you get any ideas, he fit in my carry-on. He’s so cute and was a gift. I’ll introduce you later this week.

One final note – my workshop went well, which is always a relief. It’s a workshop I like a lot but have also taught numerous times. So, I’ve decided that it’s moving into the archive right here on Alive & Knitting. Look for it tomorrow – it’s called “The Holy Grail of Voice” and it’s about – big surprise – finding your voice as a writer.

And now, I have to get organized…