Greetings from. . .

. . .the American Christian Fiction Writers Mentor of the Year. The women in the critique group that meets in my home had all voted for me. Of course, more people did, too, or I wouldn't have received the award. We were mostly sitting together. After we finished eating the banquet, I went out to powder my nose, so to speak. Pam Meyers started reading the announcement, and I wasn't back. My friends were becoming nervous.

Thankfully, Pam read a long list of all who had been nominated. I actually didn't hear that list. When I returned, she was reading e-mails. I started putting on lipstick and trying to figure out who it was. One of the people I thought of wasn't even nominated, but I didn't know that since I didn't hear the list.

When Pam read my name, I dropped everything. On the way to the stage, I couldn't remember if I had finished putting on the lipstick or not.

Here is the trophy.

Thank you, everyone who voted for me. I think at least three-fourths of the attendees found me sometime Saturday night to congratulate me. I was really hoarse from all the talking.

As you can see from the following photo, several of the people who I've helped either finaled in the Genesis contest (Lynne Gentry), won a Genesis category (Cheryl Wyatt), or won in a Book of the Year category. Actually, Pamela Griffin, one of the first people I mentored and a multi-published author for several years, won two Book of the Year categories. I'm very proud of these women.

Just take a good look at the others. They will soon be published, as will the others who didn't stay for the picture.

Check back in a couple of days. I'll have more conference pictures up on the blog.