Well, it’s been a great couple of months. The two wonderful writing conferences I was honored to speak at were little beacons of inspiration. If you haven’t attended a writers’ conference, I urge you to. The Art & Soul Conference at Baylor University in Waco, Texas was amazing. Why do I say amazing? Because the attention given to the writers and students who attended was really over the top. We spent hours with the attendees talking, reading their work and discussing the writing life. The attendees got their money’s worth.

The big stars were Robert Olen Butler, Bret Lott and Will Campbell. I led a master poetry workshop, did a poetry reading and served on a panel on poetry and spirituality. Usually at a big writers’ conference, the writers leading the workshops and doing the readings, serving on panels, etc., are the nation’s best. I sat in on lectures and workshops that I’ll never forget. Heading up this conference is the wonderful Greg Garrett, a dynamite writer and beautiful friend. Be sure to read his new book, "Free Bird" published by Kensington Books.

From Waco I traveled to Grand Rapids, Michigan to take part in the monumental Festival of Faith & Writing at Calvin College. This is one of the country’s biggest writers’ conferences with about 2,000 people showing up. This year marked the 3rd time I’ve been invited to appear (as they call us) "presenter" at this conference.

The first time I was a part of things was to serve on a panel with the wonderful Donna Walker-Nixon, editor of the outstanding literary quarterly, Windhover. That year John Updike was our star writer along with Elie Weisel. I learned so much about grace and style from Updike. (Ask me and I’ll tell you all about it.) And Elie Weisel was like Jesus Himself amongst us -- (a little joke there) -- but we all loved him so much, everyone in the field house where he spoke, all 2500 of us fell on him just wanting to touch him. It was astonishing. I’ve never seen anything like it in my entire career. And last year the intrepid Annie Lamont was our hero as well as the glorious Maya Angelo (who I remember with great fondness from my student days in NY as a singer at the village Gate).

I tell you, make a resolution. Go to a writers’ conference this year. And if I’m speaking or teaching, come see me. I’ll give you my best attention. Promise.