Storymakers

LDStorymakers was amazing this year. And I'm not just saying that because this is the first year I've been. I learned so much and met a lot of really awesome people. I had a great chat with Cindy M. Hogan. I had just finally been able to read her first book Watched, Thursday night. I had tried to get it before then and for some reason my purchase on Barnes and Noble didn't go through on my computer. So I bought it straight onto my Nook and read straight through. Of course, then I had to find out what happened next! So at about midnight, I bought her second book, Protected, as well and read that until almost 4:30 in the morning! I was a bit tired the next day, but it was totally worth it!
I also got to meet Dan Wells, who has been one of my top favorite authors for a couple years. I had met him before, but this time I actually got to talk with him for a little while. If you haven't read his books, I suggest you remedy that situation as soon as possible. They are all awesome! I especially love the John Cleaver series: I Am Not A Serial Killer, Mr. Monster, and I Don't Want To Kill You (which won the Whitney award Saturday night for best novel of 2011! Congrats Dan!). The psychological aspect of them fascinate me. And A Night of Blacker Darkness just made me laugh the entire time. It is a thoroughly ridiculous book, and absolutely a blast to read!
I also met Karen E. Hoover, who I have to admit (Sorry Karen) I hadn't heard of before. But I did spend a good half an hour just chatting with her, and we hit it off really well. I bought one of her books from the book store and she was kind enough to sign it for me. I look forward to reading it when I have a chance! (I can't stay up until 4:30am reading every day, as much as I would like to, my work schedule would kill me!)
Over the course of the next couple of days, I'm going to put my notes from the classes I was able to take up on here and my thoughts on those classes as well. If any of you were able to go to any classes that I wasn't, I would love to get your notes and thoughts as well!

Crazy Writers

Writers are crazy people. Or maybe it's just me. But I would like some really weird things to happen to me, just so I know how to write about them. A part of me would like to be shot, so so I know what it feels like (as long as it doesn't kill me). I don't drink, but a part of me would like to get drunk, just once, in case I ever need one of my characters to do so. Maybe I'll just stick to watching other people on that one. Is it really weird that I'd rather be shot than get drunk?
On the other hand, I'd really like to do some normal, if different things as well. I would like to jump out of an airplane some day. Not sure if that will ever happen, since it's expensive and SCARY! Yes, I'm a bit scared of heights. And bugs. One thing I would never want to have happen to me is to have bugs crawl all over me. I could barely watch that section of Hunger Games! Gave me the heebie jeebies.
So, am I just crazy, or am I not the only one who feels like that?