Another Giveaway!

It's writers conference season people. And to get ready for this, you're going to want a new laptop messenger bag for all the stuff you're going to be lugging around.

What conferences, you ask....

The LTUE... here's the shameless plug for the conference I was supposed to be a part of. Note, they moved the dates so that it is now the same weekend as the Boise Kick-off Competition for clogging. And since I haven't figured out how to clone myself yet, I can't do both. So disappointed. But that doesn't mean you have to miss it.

Life, the Universe, & Everything XXIX, the symposium on science
fiction and fantasy held annually at BYU, will be February 17-19,
2011. We have a new venue this year: the BYU Conference Center (better
parking!). Registration is $20 in advance or $25 at the door; any
student with a current ID can get in free.


The symposium has panels, presentations, and workshops on writing,
art, media, and a lot more. The focus is science fiction and fantasy,
but a lot of the information is good for writing in general.


Guests of honor are James Dashner and Steve Keele; special guests are
David Farland, Jessica Day George, Tracy & Laura Hickman, Lisa Mangum,
L. E. Modesitt Jr., Howard Tayler, and Stacy Whitman.

And speaking of conferences that I have to miss, check out the 
19th Annual ANWA Writers Conference
"Writing at the Speed of Life"
American Night Writers Association will hold its
19th Annual Writers Conference

in Phoenix, Arizona on  February 25 & 26, 2011

More, you ask...
How about the LDStorymakers Conference May 6-7 in Salt Lake City, Utah

Another great one...
Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers Conference
June 13-17 in Sandy, Utah

I'm guessing you need a $50 CSN gift code about now.
So many conferences, it's a writer's dream come true.

Here's what you need to do...

1-Tell me what your favorite writer's conference is
(if you have one)(or if you have more than one)
2-Be a very cool person (follower of this blog)
3-Oh, and if all else fails, just say any old thing you want,
but you have to say Something.
4-your e-mail address, so I can tell you if you win

Alright, the $50 CSN giveaway ends February 4.

Behold the Awesomeness

It's here. You're getting it minutes after I did.... my next book cover. Yes. The second book in the Alvor series.

Coming April, 2011.

Now, tell me what you think....

missing... spare time... if found call...

My life seems like a laundry list. My goal this week is to get organized enough that I can spend time on all the things I need to do and then not feel guilty when I take a few minutes doing nothing on my list. Or overwhelmed. Or discouraged. Or defeated. Yes, this list goes on too.

I feel like I'm going back to school. I need to memorize a ton of things and take a three-day test in October. The idea is to certify to become an Irish Dance teacher (TCRG). The good news is that I have talented people who will be helping me in this ominous task. But it still feels like an ominous task to me. If you have no idea what it takes to certify, here's a taste.

[QUALIFYING MARK 70%]

In order to pass the written and practical exams, you need to know Ar Rinci Foirne inside and out.

There are 30 ceili dances to learn from 3 different parts of the book.

Practical exam in teaching ceili [QUALIFYING MARK 70%]

You will be required to teach parts of different dances from the handbook "Ar Rincí Foirne" to a group of dancers. The examiners will choose the dances and their parts.

As part of this section you are also required to demonstrate that you are capable of performing the basic steps required for Céilí dancing. i.e. sevens, promenade step, etc...

Written music exam [QUALIFYING MARK 70%]

You are required to learn the 38 set dancers stated by An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha.

On the day, nineteen set-dance tunes are played and you are required to identify and state

- the tune by name

- its timing, and

- give the number of bars in the step and the number in the set.

The marks for each tune will be allocated as follows:-

Name of tune - 2 marks

Timing - 1 mark

Bars in step & Set - 2 marks (only if both are correct)

You are also required to know five tunes: Reel, Slip Jig, Single Jig, Double Jig and Hornpipe.

You are required to identify each tune. There is one mark per tune.

And that's it. Did you get all that? Whew. So, this is my "new year's resolution" if you want to call it that. I never thought I would end up in a position where I would have people around me to help and a dance school to work with where I didn't have to run the whole company by myself. And that's why I'm going to do this. After Irish dancing for fourteen years, I finally will have the icing on the top of all of that experience. And I will prove once and for all that cloggers can Irish dance just fine, although I think the stigma has been melting away over the last ten years.

It's official. I'm An Daire now. Coming soon... a new sign on my fence and on my studio. Soon as in next month probably.

Oh yeah, I'm absolutely still running the Boise Cloggers. That is my baby.

And I'm still writing.

And I still have to finish writing a play... very stressed about this.

And run the household in my spare time. Breathe....

No Regrets

2010 wasn't a year that will go down in the history of time as the best year ever for me, but as I look back, and especially forward, I have no regrets.

Someone reminded me of how excited I should be about some of the things I have. And I am.

Confession... I'm Irish dancing again. And loving it completely. Four of my kids are dancing too and I can't even begin to describe the joy that brings to me as I watch them dance. It's like a miracle. I didn't think it would be possible to find again, but now that I have it, I'm not letting go. Thanks Christy for reminding me how deep my love for Irish dance runs and that I should be proud to be a part of it no matter how old I may be.

Writing....I have a new twist for the ending of the book that I am working on. Now I can't wait to get that piece tied up. It's almost there. Almost. I'm so close. Then I'll write the third and final book to the Alvor series and work on edits for the book I'm now finishing. So far, that's what's on the list.

Published...The next book in the Alvor series will come out in April. Janette Rallison just gave me a brilliant idea for a new first sentence today. Thanks Janette!

Still...clogging after all these years. And loving every second of it! The Boise Competition is the same weekend as the LTUE (Life the Universe and Everything) writers conference down at BYU. I was invited to be a panelist again this year, but I had to step out so I could be here for the Boise Competition. If they hadn't moved the dates for the LTUE, I would have been able to do both. Alas, clogging comes first. But I'm really going to miss the BYU experience. Maybe next year.

LDStorymakers Conference... is coming in May and you won't want to miss it. I'm so excited to get to be a part of this event. We have three agents and three editors coming and all are taking pitches. Right now, all the agents pitch sessions are full, but if you would like to get on the waiting list, e-mail me. There are still spots open for all three editors.

So, bring it on 2011. I'm ready.