One Week From Today!

One week from today, I'll be in New Orleans. Moment of truth here - the first year I went to the Saints and Sinners Literary Conference, I wasn't that into the city. I figured that I'd go to the conference every other year. Then Katrina hit, and I felt as if I had to show my support, so I went again. I was glad I did. There as no way to see what it was like 9 months later and not fume. Most of the things that made me angry still haven't changed. But I also had a change of heart about the city. Somehow, it crept under my skin and into my heart and now I look forward to going. Part of it is the huge creative charge I get out of the conference. Another part is that I've learned to avoid the "straight" end of Bourbon Street and stick to the rest of the quarter. Huge difference. I look forward to hearing the steady clip-clop of the carriages down Decatur, eating a burger at Yo Mamas, praline shopping, and bringing home more books than I know what to do with. Ian Philips sent me an email saying he and Greg won't make it this year. I'll miss hearing Ian giggle, and seeing the way Greg quietly adores him (I'm such a sucker for love), but there will be plenty of wonderful friends and new people to meet. Oooh! And my publisher will be there. How cool is that? I'll have to talk her into lunch. Hmm. I'd bet she'd appreciate Yo Mamas. I spent most of this evening on my initial prep work for the conference. I still have to practice my reading, time it, cut it, practice it some more, but my promo stuff is ready now. I LOVE the new covers of my books. I mean, I liked them a lot when I saw the jpg files from my publisher, but when I printed them on the promo stuff? Incredible. (It helps that Helen Madden gave me a tutorial on how to improve the quality of the image for print, but the new art is awesome) I'm entering that Zen-happy state, which means I'll be annoyingly chipper for the next week. But never fear, I'll come back from NOLA with a case of the blues and be back to my regular old self.