The 14th Annual Canadian Creative Nonfiction Collective's conference is nearly over - my bit IS over, ended an hour ago. Tomorrow morning there's the AGM, then a literary walk around the Annex, and then I've invited the conference committee and board members to my house to decompress - and to drink the bottle of Veuve Cliquot Kirsten kindly bought for us.
It was a triumph. It was fantastic, all of it, the presenters, the venue, the down time, the food - but mostly, what was discussed and the people who discussed it. I don't know how we did it, but the most fascinating warm clever knowledgeable writers, one after the other, came to speak to us. My notebook is so full, I don't know how I'll ever transcribe all I have in there. But I'll try.
Cannot write more or my head will explode. Here's something the wonderful Elizabeth Renzetti said to us today: "The voice is your head is an asshole."
And other words of wisdom.
I connected with loads of former and current students, including Hyacinth, who took my course at least 20 years ago and told me I changed her life. This beautiful woman is a grandmother many times over, believe it or not, and she wrote a story, at least 20 years ago, about making love in an elevator, that is with me still.
On my bucket list.
I'm appalled, Beth. Blue lanyards? Really? What were they thinking? Wasn't there some discussion of something so important? You've appropriated the colours of the sky and sea but you're neither fish nor fowl. Oh well, Beth. Next year....
ReplyDeleteCLo, we had a three quarter of an hour discussion about the colour of the lanyards. Blue is one of the CNFC colours so that was the decision. And then we wondered whether the blue would go with our outfits. Because that's the kind of committee we are.
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