Freebie Friday - Missing Surrey

Here we are at the end of another week. Is it just me, or does time pass really fast these days? Maybe it's because I stumbled through these past several days in a jet-lagged stupor.

Anyway, Happy Friday! Hope you all have fun plans for the weekend. Me, I'll be busy with Trunk-or-Treating, band competitions and the OSU/Penn State game (Go, Bucks!) Keeping busy is good, because it will keep me from dwelling too much on what I'm missing this weekend - the Surrey International Writers' Conference.

For any writers reading this blog, let me tell you - the SIWC in Surrey, B.C. is one of the best conferences around. I first heard about it through a writers' forum I belonged to on Compuserve. A lot of the forum members attend every year, including best selling novelist Diana Gabaldon, who is one of the staples of the conference. I first went to Surrey about eight years ago and have been back five times. This year, sadly, is one of the years I'm not able to attend.

When I speak at workshops, one of the things I emphasize for authors is the importance of networking. The Surrey conference provides one of the best atmospheres for writers to connect with other writers as well as with editors and agents because of its laid-back, open attitude. The workshops are great, and the extras, such as Jack Whyte singing the Hippo song and Diana, Jack and Anne Perry in Michael Slade's shock theater, are priceless.

My favorite part about the SiWC, though, is meeting up with friends I've known online or who I met at the conference in previous years. A couple of the years, my fabulous crit group gathered at the conference as well. And get this - one of my YA CPs is now the head of the whole conference. KC Dyer took over the helm last year. She is all kinds of fabulous.

I'm having withdrawals this weekend!

As I promised, this week I will be offering two freebies. In honor of KC, I'm giving away a copy of her book, Ms. ZEPPHYR'S NOTEBOOK, and I'm also offering up the last of the Japanese goodies and a ceramic incense set. To be entered to win, leave an entertaining message below. I need something to cheer me up since I'm missing the conference!

This Freebie will remain open until Monday, when I will begin a series of authors' ghost stories leading up to Halloween!

Win-it Week!

I'm baaaack!

My apologies to the 'regulars' who may have come to the blog looking Freebie Friday last week. My Internet connection was a bit spotty, and I was literally bouncing from one event to the other all weekend. To make it up to you, I'm making this whole week a freebie week! Up for grabs: more Japanese goodies, a couple of sumo keychains, and an incense set. You'll want to drop by often!

Thanks for the emails asking about the trip, and for the well-wishes. For all of you who expressed interest in all things Japanese, you should check out Annie Chikamatsu's photo-journal blog about daily life in Japan. She's an American writer whom I know from SCBWIjp, married into a Japanese family, so she has some great insights and observations from both perspectives.

Meanwhile, a quick report for all of you who asked: what a whirlwind weekend!! Thursday and Friday I visited the American School in Japan (ASIJ) where my kids attended when we lived in Tokyo. I have to tell you, the librarians at ASIJ are the best! They really know how to host an author visit. I gave my presentation "Forensics in Fiction" to the 9th and 10th graders on Thursday and visited four English classes. We had an author lunch that day with book club members - smart students who asked great questions. That evening, I got to go out to dinner with the librarians, Marty Swist, Linda Hayakawa and Kirby Yoshii - such intelligent, fun people! Friday I spent with the Middle School, presenting to each grade separately and then enjoying another awesome author lunch. All of the participants had read at least one of my books so we had a fantastic discussion going the entire lunch and I was very sorry that it passed so quickly. After school the HS library hosted an author party, where I got to hang out with more students. What an awesome experience!

Saturday was my presentation on suspense writing at the SCBWI Tokyo Writers' Day. I have such a soft spot for the SCBWIjp. Way back when we first moved to Japan, I had the opportunity to help establish SCBWI in Tokyo and served as the first Regional Advisor, so it was a treat to see old friends again. I also got to meet agent extraordinaire and very nice person Laura Rennert from the Andrea Brown literary agency, who presented after me. Laura represents some of my favorite authors including Ellen Hopkins, and debut novelist Jay Asher (one third of the Disco Mermaids...) who wrote THIRTEEN REASONS WHY. And she happens to be married to one of my favorite thriller authors, Barry Eisler, who writes the John Rain series (set right there in Tokyo.) Another absolutely terrific day.

AND NOW... here's what we'll have going this week (with prizes given away each day...):

Today: Japan report and intro to the week
Tuesday: GCC Tour interview with Stacy DeKeyser
Wednesday: 2 chances to win... on this blog and on the DEATH BY LATTE post over on Kelly Parra's SECRET FATES EXTRAVAGANZA
Thursday: GCC Tour interview with Kelly Parra
Friday: Freebie Friday "Missing SIWC"

For today's freebie, I'm giving away a sumo keychain and assorted Japanese goodies. To be entered to win, leave a comment below telling me why I should draw your name! : )

Here's to a freakishly fantastic week!!!