ACFW: Friday

It’s been over a month since I attended ACFW in Dallas and though the details are blurring, I want to try and get as much info down as I can.

Friday morning I arrived to breakfast to discover the tables were being hosted by editors and agents. In the past breakfast was more laid back, with agents/editors eating with their own and other attendees not frantically worried about pitching over coffee and danishes.

If I had known the tables were going to be hosted I would have gotten there earlier because there were a few editors/agents I wanted to meet. Instead I navigated the crowded dining room, carring my breakfast plate and ackwardly scanned the tables  for a seat with the desired agent/editor.

But I couldn’t find any.

I circled the room again, with my new goal of finding a friend…or a friendly face.

No luck.

Then I heard my name. Someone down in front. It came from Georgiana sitting at Chip MacGregor’s table, front and center of the auditorium.

Ironically, (or God-ordained) Chip was on that list of “wanted to talk with,” but I didn’t really want to talk with him over clattering breakfast dishes. I took the last seat available. Next to the empty seat designated for him. We all ate and talked and waited for Chip. And waited.

And waited.

Finally he arrived when praise and worship was about to start. He apologized for being late. Breakfast started at 7:45 instead of the usual 8:00 in past conferences. Not wanting to be rude, but also not wanting to hurt my already hurt neck by looking over my shoulder at the Praise and Worship leaders, I turned my chair toward the stage and apologized for having my back to him. He was still eating and didn’t seem to mind. Plus, I had several email conversations with Chip, and he knew I wanted to speak with him. That was just not the time!

The rest of the day was typical workshop attending, chatting with old and new friends and the beginning of information overload. After my 3:30 paid critique, I jumped in the car and headed to my sister’s. I really wanted to go out with some friends and just relax, but I already said I would visit my sister. So I skipped out on two sessions and left around 4:00.

It took me 2 hours to get from Dallas to Fort Worth. Thankfully, I had the GPS system which was one of the reasons I was going back to Ft. Worth. I thought my sister’s sister-in-law might need it, but mainly I thought it was the right thing to do.

After I got there, we had dinner and a nice time, but I have to admit I was watching the clock, anxious to get back for the late night lobby social hour. Two and a half hours later I was back on the road. This time it took me 45 minutes, and before I left my sister’s husband said I didn’t really need to come all this way since I was coming back on Sunday!

Now he tells me!

Anyway, when I got back I tried to sit in on a late night session, but I was past tired so I headed for the lobby where I had a really great conversation with Steve Laube, one of the agents who really liked my One Sheet in the late night chat and who I had an appointment with the next day.

What happened exactly?

That’s another story.