Word count: 50307 | Since last entry: 152 | Days until retirement: 91

Had a great time at the Writer’s Weekend conference, despite the fact that I didn’t know anyone there except Louise Marley. But I was on a couple of very nice panels with her and with Cherie Priest and met a bunch of keen new folks, including a bunch of cool kids from Bellingham. Conference organizer Karen Junker said she heard very good things about me (including from literary agent Nephele Tempest, whom I don’t even know!) and has already invited me back for next year.

The conference was held at the lovely Roosevelt Hotel, just blocks from Pike Place Market and other downtown Seattle wonderfulnesses. We were only slightly affected by the president of Korea’s presence at the hotel next door, although motorcades halted vehicular traffic near the hotel on a couple of occasions. We also shared the hotel with delegates to the BMM conference. I have been unable to determine, either by asking around or by reading the conference’s web page, what BMM stands for, but I gather it’s a conference for US residents who hail from a certain Indian state.

I must admit that it was very strange for me to be playing the role of Big Name Pro (though many of the other BNPs at the conference were substantially younger than I), but I do think I was able to provide some useful advice in my presentations and hallway conversations. This seems to have been my weekend for telling people to get off their duffs and submit something already. I hope that they will follow through. (Yes, I’m looking at you. Do it now.)

Before the conference we attended the weekly Clarion West party at the lovely new home of Kelly Eskridge and Nicola Griffith, where we schmoozed with many a Seattle fan and pro and met at least half of the 2007 class. I won’t attempt to list them except for Leah Cutter, who gave me some very good ideas about my novel. And then tonight we started Japanese class (only 8 weeks until we leave for Yokohama, aiee!).

All this means little writing in the last few days. So it goes. I did write every day in June, although most of what I wrote at the conference was outline and notes rather than actual novel. I realize now that what has happened is that I’ve now written all the scenes I have been holding in my head since the beginning and I need to pause and rethink what comes next. I have a general idea of where I’m going but I need to get more concrete about it.