ACFW Conference

 By Kelly Bridgewater

Usually in September, tons of Christian writers attack a city. 

We spend moments in prayer, worship, listening, and learning more about the writing craft. 

A great time to meet your favorite author, if they attend. 

A great time to be introduced to an agent, editor, or an author friend. 

What is this you ask?

christianfictiononlinemagazine.com

It is the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writer's) Conference. 

I have been to three of them. 

The first time, my favorite writer who introduced me to Christian fiction, was the keynote speaker. Robin Jones Gunn. 

Next time was Laurine Snelling. 

My aunt, who is now deceased, enjoyed her writing. 

Third time, was Ted Dekker. 

I have pictures with them. 

I also met Ronie Kendig, Susan May Warren, Kate Breslin, Jen Turano, Becky Wade, Carrie Turansky, Susan Ann Mason, Karen Witemeyer, Carrie Stuart Parks, Dani Pettrey, Julie Klassen, Steven James, Rachel Hauck, Jamie Jo Wright, Natalie Walters (who was my roommate the last year that I attended!) among many others. 

But of course, the last two years have been virtual meetings. 
Not the same thing. 

I did not "attend" these virtual meetings. 

How about you? Any event that captures your attention that you look forward to going to?

2016 Pre-Conference Mix and Mingle

By Kelly Bridgewater

Laurie Tomlinson, a fellow friend and writer, started this as a way for ACFW members to get to know each other before the big ACFW conference in Nashville, Tennesse later this month. What a fun way to get to know other writers before going! It would be a good way to say hi when you have seen their picture and know a little bit about them. Thank you, Laurie. 


 Below are my answers to Laurie’s mix & mingle questions.  Be sure to check her blog post to read her answers and get to know lots of other Christian fiction authors.

Here’s what to do:

- Copy/paste and fill out your own answers (you don’t have to answer all of them!) in a post on your own website and paste the URL to that post (not your home page) using this handy link-up tool. Just click on the blue button below that says “Add your link”. If you don’t have a website, feel free to answer the questions in the comments below!

- Make sure to link back to this post after you fill out your answers so any of your readers who are conference attendees can participate, too! The more, the merrier.

- Click through the links below to get to know other conference attendees before St. Louis!

Here are the questions and my answers!

Name: Kelly Bridgewater

Location: Terre Haute, IN

What you write/tagline/trademark: Historical / Suspense / Thriller  “Where Faith and Books Meet”

Place in the book world: Pre-published author who has had two short stories published while in graduate school and presented an essay at a literary conference. Currently working on my fourth manuscript, which is the first in a three part series! The series is a spy thriller set in World War II.

On a scale of hugger to 10-foot-pole, please rate your personal space: I don’t mind hugs but talk to me first.

The unique talking point that will get you going for hours: Books, writing, and hockey!

Loved ones at home you’ll be missing: My husband, fourteen-year-old son, eleven-year-old son, eight-year-old son, my golden retriever, Happy, and our beagle, Snoopy.

Conference goals we can pray for? To listen and learn from the authors who prepared the classes and my mentor sessions. I’m volunteering at the registration desk on Thursday from 12 - 2 p.m., so I hope to meet a lot of smiling and joyful people who will say hi when they see me.

One or two ways we can help you build your platform? Yes! You can like and sign up on my blog, "Where Faith and Books Meet," to receive my posts when I submit something (I will NOT share your email with anyone, and blogger will only send an email when I post something, which is currently every Tuesday (book reviews) and Friday (writing advice).

That’s it!

Be sure to check out who’s going to conference as (hopefully) the links start showing up!

If not, now you know a little more about me :)

ACFW Conference in Review

By K. L. Bridgewater

What a great view of the arch

I just returned from the ACFW Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. It is a place where I actually fill like I belong. Sitting in a room with over 600 different writers feels great. We talk about ways to make our stories better. Take classes by respected authors. Eat lunch with fellow authors and agents. All while developing friendships that will go far in writing careers.

Ronie Kendig and I

I roomed with Emilie Hendryx who if you have been following my blog for a while has been featured on here before. We both write suspense. As we took the stairs on our first night to see if we could get down to the fourth floor, where the grand ballroom was, we pictured ways for our characters to die. Emilie and I love joking around like that. It is nice to be able to talk to someone like that without someone looking at you like you’re weird. Too bad we only see each other once a year. We understand each other and have a great time together.

I took a Forensics and Crime Fiction class taught by Jennifer Dornbush, which was very interesting for suspense writers. Jennifer was a great teacher who kept the class laughing as we talked about finding missing body parts and the temperature of a rigor mortis body. I truly am glad the class lasted all day.

Susan May Warren and I

I enjoyed the worship sessions lead by Rachel Hauck. She is a great singer and invites the Lord’s presence into the conference and all its attendees. The songs chosen were ripe for the moment and the struggles we all deal with. Thanks, Rachel.

One of my favorite parts was meeting all the published writers who I read and love. Here is a list of a few of them that I met: DiAnn Mills, Becky Wade, Renee Andrews, Christine Johnson, Lauraine Snelling, Brandilyn Collins, Colleen Coble, Renee Riggs, Winnie Griggs, Karen Witemeyer, Jody Hedlund, Melissa Tagg, Ronie Kendig, Dineen Miller, Robin Carroll, Cara Putnam, Patrick Carr, Kristy Cambron, Kate Breslin, John Faubion, Liz Tolsma, Cynthia Ruchti, Deborah Raney, among others.

Me with Becky Wade

I’ll keep working on this writing so that hopefully one day someone will list my name along the published authors that they can’t wait to meet or take a picture with.

Me with Kristy Cambron

If you attended the ACFW conference, what was your favorite part? Who did you actually get to meet?   

Should I Meet With An Agent or Editor?

By K. L. Bridgewater

Standing in line at the ACFW conference, waiting to attend my mentor appointment with Ronie Kendig, everyone around me is a buddle of nerves. Because they are meeting with agents and editors to pitch their latest writings. Some of the writers have been writing for a long time, whereas, some others haven’t been writing that long at all, but they think they have a great book that an agent or an editor would love to represent.

Five months later, I attended the Advance Writer’s Boot Camp in Asheville, North Carolina. Again the same scenario. Everyone wanted to meet with the agent and editors, praying for a book deal. Anything to validate their writing skills.

But me, on the other hand, was not there to meet with agents and editors. I wanted to sit at the feet of the published writers and learn from them. It reminds me of the story of Mary and Martha from the Bible. I wanted to sit at the writer’s feet like Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and learn from others who have been published. I want to keep learning until I feel comfortable with my writing. Maybe have a couple more manuscripts under my belt. Right now, I have two complete 90,000 word novels written, but I’m still learning things everyday to improve my writing.  

Running around pitching my idea will be something I will do later, but I, currently, don’t believe my writing is good enough.  I entered the ACFW First Impression contest last fall and the Frasier contest this past spring. All four judges agree with me. I received threes from both contests. I still have some learning to do.

Right now, I want to learn from the tap. Develop relationship with published writers. Maybe even find a mentor who is published who will take the time to look at my writing out of the kindness of their heart and invest their knowledge into my writing. (I’ll take offers, if anyone is willing!) I have improved a lot since joining the ACFW, but I still have some growing to do. I don’t want to stand around and make the ACFW conference a tense place for me. I don’t want to wander what is wrong with my idea as I bounce from one foot to another while my palms are sweaty and my heart beats loudly. Really don’t need that type of stress.

Don’t get me wrong, I understand that a conference is most likely the way most of us unpublished writers will catch the attention of an agent or an editor, but I, personally, don’t feel ready to do that yet. When I start receiving better scores on the contest I enter, then I will be right there with the masses looking for an agent or editor.  

Are you willing to wait to present to an agent or editor or do you have to be like Martha and run around the conference, trying to get the big deal while not learning from the published writers who have volunteered to teach their skills at a conference? What are your ideas about meeting with agents and editors at a conference?

2014 Pre-Conference Mix and Mingle

By K. L. Bridgewater

Laurie Tomlinson, a fellow friend and writer, started this as a way for ACFW members to get to know each other before the big ACFW conference in St. Louis later this month. What a fun way to get to know other writers before going! It would be a good way to say hi when you have seen their picture and know a little bit about them. Thank you, Laurie. 

 Below are my answers to Laurie’s mix & mingle questions.  Be sure to check her blog post to read her answers and get to know lots of other Christian fiction authors.

Here’s what to do:

- Copy/paste and fill out your own answers (you don’t have to answer all of them!) in a post on your own website and paste the URL to that post (not your home page) using this handy link-up tool. Just click on the blue button below that says “Add your link”. If you don’t have a website, feel free to answer the questions in the comments below!

- Make sure to link back to this post after you fill out your answers so any of your readers who are conference attendees can participate, too! The more, the merrier.

- Click through the links below to get to know other conference attendees before St. Louis!

Here are the questions and my answers!

Name: Kelly Bridgewater

Location: Terre Haute, IN

What you write/tagline/trademark: Romantic Suspense/ Suspense / “Creating Justice One Suspense at a Time”

Place in the book world: Pre-published author who has had two short stories published while in graduate school and presented an essay at a literary conference. Currently working on my third manuscript, which is the first in a three part series!

On a scale of hugger to 10-foot-pole, please rate your personal space: I don’t mind hugs, but talk to me first.

The unique talking point that will get you going for hours: Books, writing, and hockey!

Loved ones at home you’ll be missing: My husband, twelve-year-old son, nine-year-old son, six-year-old son, my golden retriever, Happy, and our beagle, Snoopy.

Conference goals we can pray for? I paid for a critique by DiAnn Mills, so pray that I listen to her seasoned advice and apply it to my writing. Also, to listen and learn from the authors who prepared the classes and my mentor sessions. I’m volunteering at the registration desk on Thursday from 2-5 p.m., so I hope to meet a lot of smiling and joyful people who will say hi when they see me.

One or two ways we can help you build your platform? Yes! You can like my author page on Facebook and sign up on my blog, "Creating Justice One Suspense at at Time," to receive my posts when I submit something (I will NOT share your email with anyone, and blogger will only send an email when I post something, which is currently every Tuesday (book reviews) and Friday (writing advice).

That’s it!

Be sure to check out who’s going to conference as (hopefully) the links start showing up!
If not, now you know a little more about me :)