Preparing for ConDuit
Today was one of those days where I jump from partially-completed task to partially-completed task all day long. I got lots of things done, but the day lacked any sense of completion. I did finish tasks, but I was instantly drawn to the next task and so I never felt finished. Today’s tasks were split between preparation for shipping and preparation for ConDuit in SLC next weekend. Howard is the artist GOH at ConDuit and it is important for us to really give 100% to make the show worth coming to see. This means taking the time to frame large prints for the art show, plan ahead for panels and presentations, and put together a really good book launch party. Yesterday was the day I fretted over the book launch. Today I spent time emailing with the schedule co-ordinator to make sure that everything is going to fit. It really touched me to realize that she was just as excited to schedule my things as Howard’s. The schedule is not yet set in stone, but it is set in slowly congealing concrete. I don’t expect to see many changes in it going forward from now. I’m sure Howard will post his own schedule when he blogs about ConDuit, but I’m going to post mine here because it will help me wrap my head around the preparation I still need to get done before next Friday.
Friday May 22
5 PM Howard’s Main Address. Practice Makes Perfect. If you missed Howard’s UVU presentation, this is your chance to catch it. I probably will, which is why this appears on my schedule even though Howard will be doing all the work.
6 PM Howard and Sandra Tayler Part 1: structuring Creativity to Get Stuff Done
Howard and Sandra will discuss how they structure their lives to fit all the business tasks, creative tasks, and family tasks into each day and into one house. They will also discuss how things worked differently in the earlier stages of their creative life and how they expect things to change in the years to come. (I need to write up some notes on both this and Part 2, so that we don’t repeat ourselves.)
Saturday May 23
11 AM Sandra Tayler reading/presention. I’ll be giving my presentation on Books for ADD/Autistic Kids and Their Families. I’ll be discussing some specific picture books can be used to describe and explain aspects of ADD and Autism in ways that will help everyone understand each other. I’ll talk a little bit about my book Hold on to Your Horses, but mostly I’ll be discussing other books. After the presentation I’ll do a reading of some of the books I discuss. (I already know the shape of this presentation, but I need to create notes to present from. I also want to create a handout. Oh, and I need to find all of the books I’ll be talking about. They’re here somewhere.)
Noon Howard and Sandra Tayler Part 2: The Nuts and Bolts of Running a Creative Business
Howard and Sandra will discuss the inner workings of their business and all the tasks necessary to keep it going. Accounting, Marketing, Networking, Shipping, Printing, and Comic Creation will all be discussed. (Ditto note for part 1)
2 PM How to publish and market your YA/MG book panel with James Dashner, Mette Ivie Harrison, Rebecca Shelley, Julie Wright, Dan Willis, Stacy Whitman, and me. I’ll be representing self-publishing on this panel. Or it is possible that a poll of the audience and panelists will discover that most of the topic has already been covered in other YA panels, in which case we’ll get creative. Either way it should be fun. I’ll be along for the ride on this one. Minimal advance preparation will be necessary on my part.
3-4 PM I scramble to prepare for the book launch party
4-6 PM The Scrapyard of Insufferable Arrogance Book Release Party I will be hostessing and making sure everything runs smoothly. Yesterday’s entry serves as my preparation notes for this event.
And after all of that, I shall take my exhausted self home to be with my kids. I will not be at the convention on Sunday. Hmm. Looks like I have even more stuff to put on my To Do list. Good thing I got some stuff crossed off of that list today.