FUZZY SLIPPER CONFERENCE!

This is the second year in a row I’m attending the Muse Online Writer’s Conference. This year is special because I’m attending as a published author.


Today is the second day of the weeklong conference and I’m already filled with great information, ideas, and inspiration.

My only complaint is I may have registered for too many classes!

Choosing was so difficult. I thought, okay, I’ll squeeze in that forum, too. In all, I’m taking seven Forum workshops and seven chat workshops. The forum workshops are weeklong courses, with assignments, discussions, questions, and answers all posted on an electronic list. It’s available 24/7, interactive, and intense.

The Chat workshops are one-hour events scheduled at a specific time. All participants meet in an electronic chat room and posts questions for an expert – one-by-one, as a moderator allows. The expert answers in a fast-paced give and take.

Some topics for the workshops I’m taking include craft-based courses such as 12 Stages of the Writer’s Adventure and Assaulting A Writer’s Thinking. Others focus on the business-side of publishing, such as Website Makeover Workshop and What Writers Need to Know About Book Distribution.

In addition to the way too many workshops I’m delving into this week, I earned on of ten coveted spots to pitch my new middle grade chapter book to a literary agent. I’m excited and nervous. I’ll let you what I learn from that experience later in the week. Wish me luck!

Off to do my homework!

Lisa Lipkind Leibow
Author of Smart Women’s Fiction
www.LLLeibow.com

Family Bucket List Series. Vol. 1. Issue 11

Day 9

On our last morning of vacation, we ate breakfast in the room and the checked our bags through to the airport at the hotel valet (Great service!) This gave us a couple of hours to explore Madame Toussaud’s Wax Museum. It was silly and fun. We took tons of photos with “famous” wax models, including President Barack Obama, Tiger Woods, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, Evel Kneival, Shaq, MJ, Whoopie Goldberg, and more. One stop for gelato, and then off to the airport.

When I packed-up, I carefully removed Thing 2’s snow globes from the bags to be checked, afraid they might break if mishandled by the baggage crew. Little did I know, snow globes are a hazard! Security would not let them through in our carry on bags.

As I was unwilling to abandon the souvenirs, Thing 2 so painstakingly picked out, I sent the family to the gate, left the secured area, and took the backpack with the globes to baggage check. Then, I waited in line to go through security, for a second time. Forty-five minutes later, I was able to join Hubby and the boys at the gate. I hope the snow globes make it in one piece!

We’re about to land. Vacation’s over!

Family Bucket List Series. Vol. 1. Issue 10

Day 8
In the afternoon, yesterday, we took rides in the gondolas. We had to split up since there is a 4-passenger limit. So, Hubby and I went in one, the kids in another. The boys’ gondolier was perfect for them. He sand in classic Italian and then asked them if they wanted the Disney version. When they said, “sure,” he followed up with a rendition of “Hey, Mambo” in a perfect Donald Duck voice. They loved it!

We wandered around the shops and found funny t-shirts for the kids (somewhat of a challenge to find something not “too risqué.” However, we managed. Oldest found one with the googley-eyed stack of cash used in the Geico ads next to googley-eyes floating in mid-air with nothing, labeled “Before Vegas” and “After Vegas”. Thing 2 found a Vegas snow globe for his collection. I skipped my book on this leg of the tour. But I chose something else with Hubby. We went to the gallery where we purchased an original King Kong poster a few years back and found a similar print of the Wizard Of Oz made with a similar process (using the original three-paneled presses). I can’t wait to see it hanging next to the King Kong print.

On our Vegas Night, we loved Blue Man Group! Thing 2 sat next to me and could barely stay in his seat he was so excited. The show included drumming on a PVC pipe organ, spitting and catching paintballs and marsmallows, and covering the entire audience with toilet paper. It was interactive, high energy, fun! Here's a link to a video, if you want a taste of what we experienced. http://www.blueman.com/about

We ate a late dinner at Molto Mario’s restaurant in fake Piazza San Marco. Fake Venice was pretty cool, I have to admit. Even though we dined at close to 10:30 at night, the trompe l'oeil ceiling of the sky with puffy clouds made it feel like we were out on a sunny day, amidst canals winding through the place, musicians playing in the square, restaurants and gelato shops.

MY FIRST BOOK SIGNING EVENT - ALBANY, SEPT. 2009

Sorry it took me so long to post these photos! Things have been so busy on the Double Out and Back Virtual Tour '09 that I haven't had a chance to fill you in on my live appearances. My publisher set up a fantastic event at the Borders Books, Crossgates Mall in Albany, New York. Six, Red Rose authors, including me, had a blast meeting fans, signing books and cd's of e-books, and taking Albany by storm.

A few lucky purchasers took home their own teddy bear wearing a t-shirt with the Double Out and Back or other Red Rose covers.

Not only did this event help to get the word out about my debut novel and other Red Rose titles, it was a great opportunity for me to get to know some of my fellow authors -- a spectacular group of ladies. Pictured from left to right: Nika Dixon, Debbie Gould, LaVerne Thompson, Sam Cheever, Pat McDermott, and yours truly, Lisa Lipkind Leibow.