Here I go again...

But not on my own.

I'm heading off to NEW JERSEY for the NJRW Conference! Can you believe it? If you'll remember, I registered for this conference at the urging of Jen-T and some of the other CherryBombs earlier this summer. This is my first conference, and I'm a wee bit on the butterflies-engulfing-my-torso side right now. I'm also ready to jump right out of my skin from excitement!

I didn't get all of the things done that I wanted to have done before this conference. I'm not anywhere close to being finished with my WIP. I don't have anything to show to anyone, really. I feel like a slug, since I had such high hopes this summer of being able to show something to someone. But alas, that is not to be.

Instead of feeling disappointed, or like a total flop of a failure, I've decided to just enjoy the trip. I've worked my butt off (almost literally) this summer, and this is my reward. I didn't go to RWA Nationals in Atlanta. I haven't gone to any of the local VRW Chapter meetings. I basically have been a wanna-be writer lately. But I'm going to make up for all that this weekend.

I did, however, join a critique group, and that has been interesting. My crit partners are both amazingly talented, and I sometimes feel like a fake. Their stories are so different from mine. But then again, those are THEIR stories, from THEIR hearts and souls and experiences. Mine is from ME. That's not bad, right?

I'm excited to finally get to meet Penny and her daughter Sheryl. I also get to meet Jen-T. I am picking up McB this afternoon, and she's riding up there with me. I'll get to meet RobinS. Plus, and this is just HUGE, both Jenny Crusie and Bob Mayer will be there. There will also be a mini-orchard full of Cherries, including both Lani Diane Rich and Alesia Holiday from the Literary Chicks. I feel like Alice, getting ready to jump down that hole. "No, drink ME", says the little bottle I have stashed in my bag!

If you're a praying person, send up a few that I will have a relaxing weekend. If you're not, then just send me some happy thoughts. I know that there are people that deserve this trip more than I do, but I'm not sure that anyone needs it more than me. I just wish I could pack up Charity and bring her along. Well, there's always Nationals in Dallas next year. So. There you have it.

Jersey bound, baby!