Two takeaways from the event:

• “Life is short, and life is long. There is no time for bad books.” Ruth Sternglantz
• “Have you tried the cheese? It’s excellent.” Barbara Anne Wright
• “It is our responsibility as authors to shed light on dark things, and to educate as much as we can.” Robyn Nyx
• “It will hurt. Do it anyway.” Dorothy Allison

It has been a wonderful week, full of old friends and new. It’s been insanely hot, but in a really good way. I got to catch up with people I haven’t seen in many, many years. I got told I had a good reading voice, even though I went Way over my reading time (I swear I timed it before and it was fine).

Yes, I felt awkward and shy and out of place. Yes, I failed to speak to some people because I didn’t have the confidence to do so, and I’m pretty sure I put some people off with my way of being. Sorry, if you were one of those people.

And one thing that I definitely took away from the conference was this:

I love being a writer. Not just because I get to tell stories I’m passionate about, but because it means I’m included in a community of people I admire and respect and am inspired by. It means that when someone stood during the q&a and said they were a huge fan of my work, it made my heart sing. As it did when a few other people said it. (People I didn’t know before and didn’t pay to say it!)

I am so, so lucky you guys. Thanks for being part of this journey.