Friday, August 9, 2013

Live! From Las Vegas!

Yeah, I'm still alive. Toasted. Very toasted. Exhausted, hoarse, but content.

I had my big panel today, crew. The one about everything I learned from almost dying...about 7 people there, but it was good.

I was articulate, didn't sweat, never stumbled...

Okay that's all a lie.

I was a wreck, but I think I bluffed through enough to make it work. I know it worked for at least one young woman who came up to afterward and thanked me for being so honest. She admitted she suffered from panic attacks and held a lot of fear of rejection. We sat and talked for a good 15 minutes afterward and ... you know... if you can help one person with something you say or something you write, then life is good.

So, even thought I sweated like crazy and wasn't sure of where I was most of the time, because I'd scribbled all over my notes and kept getting lost... It was good.

And if I ever do this again, I will be better organized.

But to top it all off, at the costume ball, I was visiting with a friend I sorta smuggled in with me, and Jennifer Ashley stopped to chat with some other people at the table... I nudged Siobhan and said, "That's Jennifer Ashley." Siobhan had already admitted she was fan... It was great! Siobhan introduced herself, got a picture, was glowing. I stood up and got a picture... and then...

Jennifer said she'd seen the write up for my panel and wanted to go but wasn't able to...had I really almost died? And she asked about it all and I stood there and talked with her...and she remembered who I was from RWA two years ago and ... it was a good night!

So, I'll be on and off the blog today. I have panels to attend and a water slide to ride that takes one through a shark tank... I also hope to do the zipline out at the Fremont Street Experience... And buy a drink with a coupon I got... 24 oz for the price of 16 oz. I really want to see what I get with this! And there is an awesome chocolate store here...must visit!

Anyway, the theme of today's blog, at the heart is what I wrote earlier. If you can help one person with something you say or something you write, then life is good.

Can you remember when someone helped you out of a bad vibe? Or a book that helped? A particular thing someone said, or did? Have you ever felt that humble warmth of knowing you did right? Let's hear about it, share the goodness, crew!

3 comments:

Terri Osburn said...

Happy to hear the panel was a success, and the conference has been great so far. I'm loving all the pictures you're sharing on FB. Especially from that costume party. Such beautiful dresses! And you looked great, of course.

There are too many who have helped me to ever name them here. You, Hellie, and Marn do it on a regular basis. And my agent gets me at my whackiest. That poor woman.

I'd like to think I've helped someone. I did get a nice thank you not from a contest entry I judged once. That was nice.

Hellie Sinclair said...

It sounds like you're having an amazing time!! You rock it, Mo!!!

Someone I've helped. Yeah, I do it from time to time, when I can't be reported for being nice. :)

Like Terri, I have too many people to thank, but two of the most memorable "helps" I've gotten were from friends. My friend Nicki when my mother died (she was there nearly the whole time and took care of me); and my friend Holly when my brother died, who kept me going when I wanted to sit in a melancholy--and I have a painting out of it and good memories of the last Harry Potter movie (though I still wished Eldon could have seen it.)

In writing, a couple times. I've befriended people I've helped with writing and kept in touch as they've continued and succeeded in their genre.

Maureen said...

Yeah, the dresses were incredible. And even the guys took part, which was nice.

I know my therapist turned my world upside down, when she said why was I scared of rejection, hasn't the scariest thing that could happen, already happen? And with writers that one word of encouragement can carry so much weight!