Another Conference under My Belt - LexiCon 2013

     LexiCon Writers Conference met in Denton, Texas for its second year. Mitch Haynes honored me by asking me to be a speaker. I didn't know what to expect of a small, relatively new conference, but the enthusiasm of the founder, Mitch Haynes, and others who had attended the first year intrigued me. 

Mitch Haynes as Alex Cord  listens

  Jacque Graham, my "keeper," and I arrived at the Hilton Garden Inn to find comfort and excellent service. After setting up the books in the book nook and registering earlier, Friday night, July 12, the conference began with a Meet 'n Greet dinner. No one could hide and be shy with so many friendly people around. We visited with friends of a long time, Denise Bartlett and Charlotte Holley of Gypsy Shadows Publishing. We met new people and made new friends. We saw several OWFI members and many from Oklahoma, familiar names and faces. We met people such as Alex Cord, who was Jan Vincent Michael's sidekick on the TV series Air Wolf.

     I attended what sessions I could, and the variety and content amazed me. Yes, LexiCon might be small and young, but the conference itself offered much. I presented my session Saturday evening in competition with the opening of the bar. Hmmm ... some people preferred the bar, of course. *laugh*

 

    A pitch panel listened as authors "pitched" their books. We then gave suggestions for improving their pitch and even the beginning of their books. The concept worked except it lacked the personal touch that brought us, the publishers, submissions. Only one publisher on the panel was a straight traditional publisher for print books, then offering eBooks, me.

     Some well-known names attended the conference, many participated in one way or another other than as listeners. Ken Farmer (the Wolf Brand Chili cowboy and movie villain) spoke, as did Bill Wetterman and Thomas Miller, fellow OWFI members.

    However, the highlight of the conference came Saturday evening when keynote speaker Dave Lieber entertained us, and I do mean entertained. He made us laugh and think and want to write. Wow! Dave is now the consumer columnist for The Dallas Morning News, but he, a misplaced New Yorker, spent 20 years on the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 

     Sunday morning we had the pitch panel as well as other sessions. One young lady who "pitched," eighteen years old, blew off all our socks. She is one I wish would submit to 4RV Publishing, but another "publisher" had an inside track.

    

     If you can manage to clear a weekend in July 2014, find your way to the LexiCon 2014 Writing Conference. You won't be disappointed.