I love writer's conferences. I've heard friends who work in other industries groan about the conferences they have to attend and I know how lucky I am to be a writer. I can't say it enough, I simply love being around other writers where I don't have to explain myself when I refer to the voices in my head or talk about the fictional world and characters I've created as though they are real. There's an energy to the room when a group of writer's converge. I'm among my people.

This month I'm attending two huge conferences and I'm in heaven. Last weekend was the Pacific Northwest Writer's Conference in Seattle. This is the first conference where I've had the honor of wearing a "Finalist" ribbon on my badge. Of course, I loved the respect it garnered, but I really enjoyed the way it was an ice-breaker. Complete strangers would strike up conversations with me that started with a compliment, "Congratulations" or a question, "What do you write?" I hate that awkward silence you find in the elevators when you know you all have something in common (writing/reading) but you don't know what to say. The ribbon eased the way and opened the doors to all kinds of interesting conversations I might not have had otherwise. Alas, I didn't win the contest, but being a finalist was wonderful and I was thrilled to see my friends win. They deserve it. Congratulations Shelly Shellabarger (1st place), Leah Maupin (2nd place) and Marni Donnelly-Folsom (3rd place)! And, a shout out to my fellow finalists: Ciara Stewart, Kristina McMorris, Lisa Marie Wilkinson and Kathleen Cherry!

And now, even though I'm a bit brain-dead from the last conference, I'm gearing up for the next one. The biggie. Romance Writer's of America national conference in San Francisco, where I'll have even more in common with everyone in attendance. Not only do we all love to write and read, but we specifically love women's fiction and romance. I get that breathless excited feeling in my throat just thinking about it. I'll pitch to an agent and editor and I'll look for opportunities to introduce myself to other agents and editors in the hopes I get to hear those sought-after words, "Send me something." And, I'll meet other writers. Writers like me who love books with an emotionally-satisfying ending. People who still believe in the good in others and in the healing power of love. I know I'm going to laugh a lot, cry some, and feel a bit of every other emotion in-between. I'll learn more about the craft of writing and the industry as it stands today. I'll make new friends and reconnect with old ones.

When I see someone wearing a Finalist ribbon I'm going to say "Congratulations" or "Tell me about your book."

And I know from experience that when I return home, I'm going to be itching to dive head-first into my own stories.

I love conferences.

So, apparently, a lot of emails people have tried to send me have been returned as undeliverable. At first we thought it was just emails coming from Microsoft employees but then it spread to include AOL and kept going.

Living with my IT guy sure has perks. He found the problem was in a new spam filter in the server that all of our email goes through. He got it fixed and now emails are getting through.

If you've tried to contact me in the last week, I'm sorry your message didn't get delivered. Try again. It should work now.

Ah, computers...gotta love them even when you want to throw them out the window.

My holiday weekend started on Wednesday when we loaded up my parents-in-law's boat and headed out to the San Juan islands (in Washington State for those of you unfamiliar with them). The first night we anchored out here:


After dinner the rain started, quickly followed by a lightning and thunder storm that reminded me of Arizona monsoons rather than the usual storms we get here in the Pacific Northwest. My kids were a little scared by it ("Mama, will the lightning sink our boat?") but us adults thought it was thrilling to be right in the middle of it all.


All weekend we put out crab pots and caught enough to 1.) entertain my boys as they watched them swim around in the tank or play with their claws after they were, um, deceased, and 2.) eat like kings the entire time!


Here's another picture of the crabs, out of the water:


Although we were woken in the middle of the night by more flashes and booms, we woke up to a clearing sky and warm weather, so we headed out to explore the islands...


...and passed a couple ferries...


...and a seaplane...


...and settled for the night here, nestled up against Orcas Island.


We all know about tides, but seeing it is quite another matter. Check out this picture of the exact same spot as the last picture, but taken at low tide. Pretty cool, huh?


The San Juan islands are a grouping of hundreds of islands of varying sizes. Some are large enough to support whole communities. Others are tiny and privately owned with huge homes tucked into the trees and expensive yachts tied up to the dock. Others, like this tiny one below, are just there waiting to be explored. One of these times I'm going to have to take a kayak with me to do just that.


The weekend ended with a spectacular fireworks show right above the boat in Anacortes. Unfortunately, I don't have pictures of that because I was snuggling with my 3-year-old under a blanket and didn't want to get up to get the camera. The best part of the show, I'd have to say, was the "applause" all the boats gave by honking their horns when the show ended. It made us feel like we were part of some secret society.

Ahhh...have I told you how much I love summertime?

I spent the last five days with a fifteen-year-old girl who I love as much as my own children. She is smart, fun, sassy, does incredible impressions, and has a heart of gold. We shopped, pigged out on candy, went out to eat, got our nails done, drank smoothies, and talked. It was the talking that I cherish the most and that hit me in the gut like a cannonball.

You see, my sweet fifteen-year-old is dealing with some tough social times. Hearing her describe her pain takes me right back to my high school years and the torment I felt. The aching need to be loved and understood; to be valued for who I am even if I don't know who that is. The desire to have everyone like me. The secret wish to be the most popular, most pretty, most talented. The knowledge that I've messed up in the past but only if people understood that I've changed and would take me for who I am today...

Why do some people seem to come out of the womb with a logical brain in their heads that tells them not to worry about what other people think and others, like me and my 15-year-old, come out struggling every step of the way? Why is it easy for some people to fit in and be liked and for others to fight for every friend?

I wouldn't change my life -- not one single experience -- because I know the sum of those moments have created the life I have now and the person I've become and I'm happy. But, I ache for my 15-year-old who has to live it and learn her life lessons the hard way just like I had to. I find myself giving her advice that she doesn't want to hear. I find myself making plans to go confront the bullies at her school...which would make it all worse.

All of you who have teenagers in your life: What do you do when times get tough and your hands are tied? How do you help?

I've been so busy working on another round of revisions that I forgot to share my good news. I am a finalist in the Pacific Northwest Writer's Association (PNWA) literary contest in the romance category! The winner will be announced at the conference on Saturday, July 19th. I'd appreciate any and all crossed fingers and winning thoughts you want to send my way!

I don't enter many contests, for various reasons, but as I neared the end of writing my most recent manuscript, HUSH, and felt very confident about it, I knew I had to enter it in this contest. You see, the PNWA conference has a special place in my heart. It was the first large conference I ever attended back in 2000 when I started pursuing a writing career. I wasn't even sure if I wanted to write fiction or non-fiction, but I had one fiction manuscript completed and I headed to the conference excited and nervous for my first agent and editor pitches. I'm sure everyone knew I was a newbie, but I felt so alive in the presence of other writers, talking about stories and writing, that I launched head-first into my dreams after that conference. The pitches went fine and I even worked up enough courage to make an elevator pitch to a well-known agent. I was walking on air after receiving a request from him!

So, this year I'll be returning to that conference, a lot more educated about the craft and business of writing. But I'm still going to be excited and nervous. This will be my first conference where I get to wear the "Finalist" ribbon on my badge!

If you're going to the conference, stop me and say "Hi!"

Last weekend my husband and I loaded up our boys in the car and took off for a night at the new Great Wolf Lodge in Grand Mound, WA. This is the first Great Wolf Lodge on the west coast and, judging by the number of people there, it won't be the first. Even though there were a ton of people, it never felt too crowded, surprisingly.

The main attraction is, of course, the indoor waterpark with a tot area, wave pool, waterslides, and much more. There's something for everyone. My boys, ages 3 and almost-6 loved the wave pool and swimming with mom and dad in the recreational pool the best. I loved that the water was warm. (My Photoshop wasn't working so I had to borrow these pictures from the Greatwolflodge.com site.)


Someone at the resort was very smart when they came up with the idea for the wristbands which serve not only as your admittance to the waterpark, but your room key and debit card all in one! No lugging around wallets and keys and worrying about theft!


My boys also loved sleeping in their Wolf Den bunkbed, complete with their own TV where they could watch Spongebob!


We came home on Saturday night and put the boys to bed. A short time later we heard a funny noise coming from their room. I crept in and was informed by my youngest that his brother was crying. I crawled up onto the top bunk, rubbed his back and asked what was wrong. He let loose with a huge sob and choked out, "Wait!" When he finally calmed down enough to talk he told me he was sad that we weren't still at the waterpark and he wasn't sleeping in his wolf den. Poor little guy.

It looks like we'll be going back soon.

I am a changed writer.

In all the years I've been writing and pursuing a career writing fiction novels, I've heard other writers comment on how important it is to have a critique group or partner. While I philosophically agreed with them, I secretly thought it wasn't for me. You see, I tried a critique group years ago when I was writing my first manuscript. My critique partners were three wonderfully supportive women with varying degrees of writing experience and I'm sure I could have learned a lot from them. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to keep their opinions from changing my writing. I lost my voice, if I'd even found it at that point in the first place.

So I walked away from the group and swore off other critique groups.

Over the years I exchanged critiques with other writers a time or two but still had the not-quite-positive experience I kept hearing about. Until last week.

Call it serendipity or fate, but I happened to have my full manuscript critiqued by a published-author friend at the same time as I was critiquing a chapter member's manuscript. Both experiences taught me some things:

1. As writers we are too close to our work. Outside eyes are needed to really see the manuscript for what it is, good or bad.

2. Being asked to critique another's work is an honor so huge we have to treat the work and the author with respect. Our stories come from deep in our hearts. We pour our emotions out on the page then we hand it over and say, "Tell me what you think." We know the judgment is not about us as a person, yet it's hard not to take the feedback personally. So, when giving a critique, do the best job you can to help make the manuscript the best it can be. But, be kind.

3. When receiving a critique, listen with an open mind and do not try to explain or justify why you wrote the story the way you did. If you're too busy thinking up your response, you might miss the comment that will shine a spotlight on the key item that will turn your manuscript from just another doorstop to a published novel. Plus, you won't be there to explain your story to every reader. The words have to actually be on the page and a good critique partner can help you identify what's missing.

4. Critiquing others' work does take time, yes, but it strengthens your own writing immeasurably. I learn from her comments on my work, and I learn about my own writing while critiquing someone else's.

5. If one critique partner or group doesn't work out for you, go find another. Make it be about the writing, not personal relationships.

What are your thoughts on critiques? Love them? Hate them? Any tips?

I've been feeling scatterbrained lately and pulled in dozens of different directions. So, rather than trying to condense my thoughts into one coherent topic, I'm going to ramble. Hope you don't mind.

1. Penny found Desmond. Thank god he didn't die, as I feared would happen. Please don't let dear old daddy tear them apart again. [And if none of that made sense to you, that's okay.]

2. Self-motivation can be fickle. It's been lacking in my house lately but I'm happy to report it's back and not just with regard to writing. I'm eating healthier again and it feels so good I don't know why I ever stop.

3. The year is almost half over. Remember when you were a kid and the day would stretch out into forever? Summer felt like a lifetime. I miss the ability to live so fully in the moment that what came next didn't matter.

4. I've grossly underestimated the value of receiving and giving writing critiques. Never again will I make that mistake. More to come on this later.

5. I'm falling under the spell of the Nintendo Wii, especially the tennis. I'm not sure I want to buy the new Fit package because I could seriously become addicted.

6. Kids are a mother's nightmare in the grocery store. I apologize to all the parents out there who tried to tell me this -- to warn me -- and I didn't believe you. I used to secretly gloat that my kids were so fun to take shopping and, look how well they behave, blah blah blah. What goes around comes around.

7. Ants can find the juice that spilled and dried up on the table even if you can't. And they can tell all their buddies how to find it, too.

8. Caterpillars' waste looks surprisingly like that of a mouse. Stinks, too. Don't ask.

9. The desert in Egypt, at least where the tourists hang out, really is littered with garbage. For whatever reason, I found myself deeply disappointed when I saw the evidence at the feet of my friend Kristin's camel.

I had something interesting happen to me today: I got an email from a character in my last book, HUSH.

Now, I've heard of authors keeping a list of interesting names that appear in their junk mail folders for use in later books, but I've never heard of an existing character sending his author spam. But there he was, Cannon Williams, trying to sell me his proven method for reducing debt.

I'm just glad he wasn't trying to teach me how to lengthen my, um, parts.

Enjoy your long weekend (if you're in the States, of course)!

If you're a mom, I hope your Mother's Day was a relaxing as mine. I slept in and then, after I woke up, I lazed there for another hour reading. I don't get enough reading time with two little boys running around so this was the perfect start to my day. When I finally wandered downstairs I found my husband and five-year-old making me a breakfast of fresh fruit, almond croissant, cherry danish, coffee, and turkey bacon. They also had for me a Starbucks cup with a gift card inside, Barnes and Noble gift card and special pictures the boys drew for me. My five-year-old dictated to my husband what to write on the bottom of his picture for me:

"Thank you for all that you do for us, dear Kelli."

LOL! Apparently I am dear to my son. Sigh. Not sure why he didn't call me "Mom", but that's okay.

The rest of the day included lingering over the Sunday paper, watching The Waterhorse with the family, ordering out for pizza, and generally hanging out with the family. Wonderful!

This week I'm busy sending out query letters and brainstorming my next book. I love this phase of writing. The queries and submissions appeal to the business person in me who fills out spreadsheets with glee and gets a kick out of using my stockpile of office supplies. I love when I'm brainstorming a book and hit on the idea I'm going to use. I get a warm buzzing sensation in my chest that rises like champagne bubbles and flows out my fingers as I furiously jot the ideas down. The next stage is where it gets difficult...manipulating, organizing, and massaging all the ideas into a compelling plot.

Writing is never boring, that's for sure!

Dona Sarkar (How To Salsa In A Sari) tagged me for this fun writing-related activity. See it here, and read on!

The rules:
1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Make up the next three sentences and post them
5. Tag five people and post a comment to the person who tagged me.

The nearest book to me right now is Names My Sisters Call Me by Megan Crane.

Page 123, fifth sentence: “I don't know how to answer you," she said softly, letting her shoulders rise and fall.

The next three sentences by yours truly: I waited for her to continue -- to at least try to form an answer -- but nothing came out of her mouth as she stared straight ahead out the windshield. "You're really just going to let him sit there thinking you're coming back to him?" I asked, wishing I could yank on the steering wheel to make her turn the car around.

I am tagging: YOU! If you have a blog, post this exercise and leave the link in the comments below so I can be sure to come read it! If you don't have a blog, play along in my comments section below. Writers and non-writers welcome!

Last night was the launch party for Jane Porter's latest release, Mrs. Perfect, her follow up to Odd Mom Out. I'm itching to dive into this book for the obvious reason (Jane's books are always fabulous) and because the main character, Taylor, isn't entirely likeable at first. Even Jane said she didn't like Taylor until about 150 pages into the book. I can't wait to see how I get hooked anyway!

The evening started at the Bellevue Barnes & Noble where Jane talked about her book, the children's literacy program Page Ahead, and the filming of the movie Flirting With 40 based on her novel. If you missed it, check out Jane's blog here, where she often talks about the experience of having her book made into a movie, and meeting Heather Locklear and Robert Buckley!

The line for Jane's book signing was long, as usual. We jumped into the front of the line and, as soon as we had our books signed and congratulated Jane, we headed over to Ooba Tooba's for part two of the party. As with all of Jane's parties, this one was fabulous. Free chocolatinis, champagne, wine, mini chocolate cupcakes, petit fours, fruit, brie, other pastries... But the best part was sitting with friends, old and new, and laughing. I don't think I've laughed so hard in months. That's what being around Jane does to a person. She makes you feel good, and happy, and confident in yourself even though she's absolutely gorgeous and successful and should make you feel pale in comparison. Not Jane, though.

So, help me support Jane by going out and buying Mrs. Perfect. You won't be sorry.

And the next time Jane has a launch party for one of her books, go. If you don't, you will be sorry.

Here I am with Jane at the signing:

I'm having a busy week getting ready for house guests coming this weekend, but I had to pop in and share the fun I had over the past weekend. For years I've heard of the Rose City Reader's Luncheon hosted by the Portland RWA chapter, but until now, I never attended.

I'm so glad I went, finally! Suzanne Macpherson's speech was hilarious, the food delicious, the giveaways generous, the weather fabulous...but more than all of that, the company was stellar. The luncheon is set up with numerous tables "hosted" by published authors. The authors give everyone sitting at their table a little goody and most of them gave one lucky person a special gift basket. My friend Christina and I lucked out by sitting at a table with two authors who gave away two baskets...which they generously divided between the three of us guests. The authors were Megan Clark and Delilah Marvelle.

I met Delilah two years ago in, of all places, the Atlanta airport as we all arrived for the RWA National Conference held there in 2006. A group of us from Seattle were trying to figure out how to find our way from the airport to our hotel when Delilah offered to show us how to use the train (which turned out to be so cheap, quick, and easy that I took it back to the airport on my way home!). Delilah and I have kept in touch sporadically since then so I was thrilled to walk in and see her at the Portland luncheon.

You know, the whole day was special simply because of that very thing...the reconnections with old friends and connections with new friends. Six plus hours of chatting with Christina on the drive down and back, browsing Powell's with Elizabeth Boyle, meeting Megan Clark and Lenora Bell, chatting with author friends I only see at conferences... All of it made for a wonderful day. A day that was exactly what I needed.

Here I am with Delilah Marvelle:


To see a group shot of everyone at our table, check out Christina's blog here.

We all know death is a part of life, but the knowing doesn't ease the losing. After getting the news, you look around you at the sun shining on the trees and all the people going about their lives and you wonder how it is possible; how can everything look so much the same when you know everything has changed? No matter how bright, the day has a gray tinge around the edges.

But we continue on. Eventually the sun will reach into the darkest corners and life will be full again.

And yet, there's that little part of you, somewhere deep in your heart or tucked away in your mind, where the sun will never reach again.

Hug your loved ones today. Make that phone call you've been putting off.

I'm not one to give movie recommendations, usually, because everyone's tastes are so different. As for taking movie recommendations, well, my husband and I have found that if the critics love a movie, we'll hate it, and vice versa. I read reviews with a grain of salt. Still, I have to talk about two movies I saw over the past weekend. What's interesting is that I got mixed reviews from others on both of them. To me, they are worth buying.

The first was August Rush. My brother said it was a bit unbelievable. Maybe I live with my head in the clouds but I choose to believe it is possible for parents and children to have such a strong, unexplainable connection. In the movie, the connection was through music. I don't know if it's because I'm a mom, or especially, a mom of boys, but I was bawling by the end. OMG it was heart-wrenching, but in a good way! I'm not going to spoil the movie for you, so just trust me...go watch it.

The second movie I loved was one for which I got three negative reviews from friends and zero positive. I'm not sure why no one but I liked it (though I have some theories which I'll get to). The movie is Waitress starring Keri Russell and Nathan Fillion. Yes, I must have been in a Keri Russell mood this weekend. Now, to give full disclosure, I'm already a Nathan Fillion fan from his short-lived show, Firefly. I wonder if I would have had trouble liking his character had I not already liked the actor? You see, [SPOILER ALERT! If you don't want to know what happens, skip to the last paragraph.] he plays a doctor who cheats on his wife with his patient, played by Keri Russell, who is also married. He's also nervous and awkward. Does that make for a sympathetic character? Hmm, not sure. But I loved him.

It's Russell's character, though, and the plot itself that got the most negative comments from people I talked to about the movie. One said it was "different", another "slow", another commented on how "everything is about pies" to Russell's character, Jenna.

To me the movie was a beautiful story about one woman's journey of finding her true self and learning to go after her own happiness. When you think about it, it's not surprising that I loved it because my favorite stories are those with a similar theme. My books all have this theme running through them. It can be called self-individuation, finding one's core truth, finding one's purpose, learning to stand up for one's self, etc. It has lots of names, but it all boils down to the same story and it's one that gets me in the gut every time because it's a difficult journey and a hard place to reach, but so worth the struggle. I know, I've lived it.

Jenna's only happiness in life is the pies she bakes. Each one is unique, with a unique name. They are also a window to her true happiness.

Yes, Jenna cheats on her husband. But, believe me, you're not going to mind he's so horrible. In fact, if she didn't cheat, she wouldn't have found the confidence in herself to make the changes she needs to be happy. Sometimes life isn't always black and white.

At the end, when Jenna meets her baby for the first time she is transformed. No other movie has so adequately portrayed for me the power of having a child. It is transforming. I've found no other experience in life that can quite relate to the moment you hold your own child for the first time and know nothing will ever be the same...and that's exactly the way you want it to be.

There is one thing that worries me about this movie, though: If most people didn't like this movie, that is so similar to what I write, does that mean no one will like my books, either?

YOUR TURN: Tell me what your favorite story theme is. This will be easy for those of you who are writers because it's something we all think about each time we craft a new story. For those of you who aren't writers, think about your favorite movies and books and try to see if there is a similar thread running through all of them. Fish out of water? Sticking it to "the man"? Monster in the house? Rite of passage? The fool triumphant?...