My Town Monday: More from Hollywood!

First off, I'm having a technical problem with the My Town Monday post about how Editor Wendy and I BRIEFLY played hooky from the wunderbar and inspiring SCBWI national summer conference for an unexpected Hollywood adventure. Weirdly, Wendy and I have the same Canon camera. Hers behaves itself, not letting in light willy-nilly, not giving people reptilian, sci-fi-ish skin; mine does not. And that, folks, is as far as we're taking that particular metaphor!

Anyway, the MTM post relies heavily on photos. Which Wendy dutifully shot with her well-behaved camera. I did not download the photos in a timely fashion, and Wendy and I will not cross paths today. Wendy and her camera are off enjoying the day. My sullen camera lies zipped up in its dark case for an extended time-out. So....Wendy will email me the photos later this week and I'l throw the post together then.

In the meantime, I'm in the lobby of this swanky Beverly Hills hotel, enjoying the last half hour before the ride back to San Diego and my crazy-too-busy life. For example, I'll pull into the driveway just in time to zoom my kids over to swim practice. And the copy-edits have arrived for I So Don't Do Makeup and must be dealt with.

So....my thoughts on the conference:

HIGHPOINTS
-hanging out with Editor Wendy
-meeting Lin Oliver (who writes, among other things, a tres successful middle-grade series with Henry Winkler/the Fonz). Lin's a little head of me in the raising-thre-teen-boys business and we had a nice chat.
-hanging out with Editor Wendy
-hearing Sherman Alexie speak
-hanging out ...okay, you get the picture. :)
-hearing Richard Peck speak
-making lots of new writerly friends

REGRETS
-not hanging out with Georgia Bragg, fellow Delacorte Press author (Matisse on the Loose)
-not finding Author Debbie Garfinkle after I lost her. We keep trying to meet at various functions, but it never seems to work out. Wah.

NOTES TO SELF FOR NEXT TIME
-bring more snacks
-bring warmer clothing. I've had serious goosebumps for the entire four conference days due to the sub-Arctic A/C temps. Next time, I will be the woman in a toque and mukluks!