I’m currently in sunny Florida as a faculty member of the FWA Writers Conference. Yesterday, I presented my first workshop titled How I Sold 20,000 Copies of my Debut Novel in its First Twelve Months. 

My derp is strong in the bottom pic.

I received lots of amazing feedback afterwards. One guy wanted a selfie with me.

That was flattering but not the coolest thing.

A lady paid for interview time with me. That kinda blew my mind (I mean, it’s just me), but it wasn’t the coolest thing either.

The coolest thing that’s happened to me happened just about an hour ago, when one of the authors found me in the bookstore and pulled me aside. She put a wooden pen into my hand.

“I do woodworking, and I made this pen. I want you to have it as a thank you for helping me,” she said.

See, earlier today, she found me in the lobby and asked me questions about how to set up her social media. We talked for about twenty minutes. And to thank me, she gave me what is probably the nicest pen I’ve owned. And I could tell it was heartfelt.

That’s the coolest thing that’s happened to me.

At least, it is here.