MaryB and the City

When dreams come true.

I already blogged about the serendipitious events that lead me to discover Skirt!’s blogging community, as well as their 1st Annual Creative Conference. My enthusiasm was palpable, and I’m pleased to report that the expectations were exceeded…and then some.

While I assumed I’d learn valuable information in the publishing world, and get a contact high just from being in the presence of countless women just like me who love to write (which is something I never get to do)…I couldn’t have imagined in my wildest dreams just how amazing each and every moment was.

 
From the very first breakout session, until I left the hotel for the last time, it felt like my Guardian Angel had mapped out the entire agenda; that’s how personal every speaker, every message, and every theme resonated to my core.

Sisters in Spirit
I met incredibly talented, gifted, lovely women. Some have been a member of Skirt! for years, and others (myself included) are newbies. Dozens of us have since connected on our blogs, social media pages and beyond ~ I honestly believe we’ll stay in touch for years to come, and encourage each other as we navigate our individual journeys.

 
Speakers
The caliaber of experts in various aspects of the publishing & marketing field were unmatched. We were allowed to select from 1 of 2 breakout sessions to attend, four times throughout the day. The morning started off with discussing one of my favorite topics: The Power of Now. In short, living our lives with openness and recognizing that we’re all connected to each other. Playing the pity party role, or championing everyone’s problems is not only exhausting, but counterproductive.

 
Focusing on positive energy, showing appreciation at every corner, and accepting that when we don’t get what we want, we actually are just getting experience.

Sensational Novelists
This was the piece of the puzzle that left a permanent impression on my heart. For one — my favorite chick lit author Emily Giffin was slated to be a keynote speaker on Day 1. She arrived while I was standing outside of the conference room, along with the rest of the attendees, until the doors were opened to enter. I was determined to get a front row seat, and didn’t want to jeopardize the opportunity, so decided to forgo making a pit stop in the ladies facility.

 
That is, until I saw Emily head for the bathroom. It suddenly hit me — if she’s going, not only can you relieve the 3 cups of ingested coffee before the talk, but you might even have the chance to talk to her directly. For what felt like several minutes, but was really only 10 seconds, I stood there analyzing if it would be too weird, too stalker-esque.

 
But then my intuition chimed in — this will likely be the only time, in your entire life, where you’ll have the chance to talk to her directly, in private.

 
So I shuffled over, popped a squat, and there we sat - 3 stalls apart, and I’m literally laughing to myself.

 
Next thing I know we’re chatting it up while washing our hands, primping hair, and reapplying lipstick. I told her I’m a fan, she asked how the conference was going so far, I asked how her book writing is going, and congratulated her on the movie’s success.

 
She went on to give an incredibly insightful speech, was super personable and relatable, and made the entire audience feel at ease. She’s just like us — Emily has fears, questions her work, struggles on bad days, excels on good days. She was gracious enough to sign books and take photos.

Then the next day, gave us a shout out on Facebook. And to top it all off, she even complimented me on my necklace! What a doll…and she has a knack for fashion!

Last but not least, the weekend ended by hearing one of the most authentic people I’ve ever met, Claire Cook, author of 8 books including Must Love Dogs…fill the room of aspiring authors with wisdom and a belief that we can achieve our dreams.

Claire began the 2-hour candid conversation by telling us she’s been giving speeches for over a decade, and always gives away a gift bag. The person who receives it, every single time, has gone onto become a published author. Low and behold, my name was called — I won the bag, and had to fight back tears.

She too was kind enough to sign her latest book, which was just released this week, Best Staged Plans, and gave me a special shout out for receiving the ‘lucky bag.’ I can’t wait for the day where I will reach out to her, with an invitation to my first book signing — which she promised to attend.

 
The bag is a tremendous symbol for my future. Not because by magic or luck, suddenly now I will have my words in print someday. But because it felt like a sign from the universe…which is just what I needed…to give me that last bit of encouragement: You can do this. You will do this.

Final Thoughts
This weekend felt like the tipping point for my future. Aspirations to put pen to paper and write a literary piece of work, is an intangible goal several (10+) years in the making. The last few questions I had left have now been answered, so I can finally stop talking and start doing. 

 
I’ve never felt this much creative energy and collective balance permeating inside, and am grateful for the unforgettable opportunity.

“Really great people make you feel that you, too, can become great.” -Mark Twain