 |
| Me in the middle and Radine on the left--at some conference, not sure where. |
And when I say older, I mean older.
Used to be, hubby and I went to every Bouchercon and Left Coast Crime and a few of the smaller cons that no longer exist like Love is Murder and Mayhem in the Midlands. We had a great time. We loved visiting the different cities all over the United States--but most of all what we loved the most was all the people we met and became friends with. When we saw them again, it was like connecting with family.
What reminded me of what I'm missing was reading Radine Nehring's post yesterday. Radine and her husband John were two of the people we met and enjoyed spending time with at several cons.
Hubby can no longer do that kind of traveling, and though I did go to a few by myself, I'm not comfortable doing that anymore either. Though I used to love to fly, I don't anymore for many reasons.
Oh, I'm certainly not completely homebound, but I only attend events I can get to by car--and when my daughter is willing to drive me there. Which means mostly I'm attending events in California. One big exception is the Public Safety Writers Association in Las Vegas--and she loves to go to that one with me, and hubby likes to go there too. Both help with selling books at the conference itself.
This year so far I've been to two fairly close book fairs and I'm signed up for a couple of others in the future. I'm participating in a one day writer's conference on the coast--and daughter will be in charge of the book sales.
I'm going to be the speaker this Saturday for the San Joaquin chapter of Sisters in Crime, so I am still getting out there. And yes, I have lots of writers friends at all these events.
What I really miss though, is walking into a big conference hotel and immediately seeing familiar faces--faces of friends (writers and readers) that I've met at other conferences. The feeling is much like a family reunion. What I still do have though, is lots of great memories of those wonderful times and the most friendly and interesting people.
Is there anything any of the rest of you can't or don't do anymore that you used to? Not necessarily because of getting old like me, perhaps it's the cost, or not having the time, or maybe something you've decided is not the best use of your time.
Marilyn
 |
| Me and Lorna Collins at Epic in San Antonio |
5 comments:
I really enjoyed this post. I haven't given up travel yet, but, because of our ages, I can see the time coming when my husband and I can't take long flights anymore or drive long distances. We aren't there yet, but it's coming. (We are already planning on the train when the time comes.) I belong to Sisteers in Crime and the local Sacramento chapter, Capitol Crimes. I haven't been to Boucheron yet, but hope to go next year, when it will be in Sacramento.
I'll probably go to Bouchercon in Sacramento too--can take the train or my daughter might drive me. That's too close not to go.
I don't fly anymore. Not that I can't, but it's too much trouble with all the security. I miss the energy I had 10, 20 years ago. But I recently started reading a Cynthia Riggs book. Looked her up. She's 88 and still writing. Her character is 92. That gave me a laugh.
I plan to write until I can't. thans for posting Gloria. Just looked up Bouchercon, it's not until 2020, think I better hold off on signing up.
I can certainly identify with your missing running into people you know at events and conferences. My shortcoming has been my day job. In 2016 I was able to go to lots of things: Bouchercon, Killer Nashville, Fall Fest in Hermitage, TN, the Southern Festival of Books. I sold books at a Barnes and Noble event and lots of other places. I had lots of vacation time in a day job I'd been at a long time and the job wasn't that busy. Then new owners took us over and the restructuring was a nightmare. I got laid off and thought I'd have time, but found a new job, which is also too busy for me to enjoy all these things. I do miss running into my author and reader friends. You've been doing it more often and many more years than I have been, so I truly understand how you'd miss it.
Post a Comment