I had the pleasure of presenting two lectures at the Converse College MFA residency this past weekend. I have to say, it was a nice bonus to be visiting the area during 60+ degrees of heat each day compared to the mid-20s we’ve been experiencing here at home in the Midwest. Although, perhaps it was the drastic difference in temperatures that influenced my post-MFA flu bug. Yuck.
However, my visit to the residency was absolutely wonderful and I was pleased to hear great readings from faculty members Robert Olmstead and Sarah Kennedy. The students and faculty were a great crew and Oh. My. Goodness. The food was amazing. I was well fed and am thinking fondly of it now, how nice it was to have taste buds that worked for such a fine spread. Thank goodness the flu/cold didn’t kick in until my return home.
The food was on par with the rest of the residency, which was hosted for the first time at The Pine Crest Inn, in Tryon NC. What a lovely and inviting establishment. It was a joy to sit around the fireplace in the evening with an adult beverage in hand and enjoying the various conversations with friends old and new. For the business part of things, I presented two lectures. On Sunday I talked about “Literary Living: Developing a Creative Career” and on Monday I shared a few tips for breaking into the nonfiction market, as well as detailed what publishers are looking for in nonfiction book proposals. The students were wonderfully attentive and inquisitive and it was a joy to be in their presence.
Now that I’m back home and a bit under the weather, it feels like I missed out on the first week of the New Year. But, with a little luck and a lot of rest (and coffee) I’ll be back in full swing in no time. A belated happy new year to you all…
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