Community: Tuesday Time Warp #utopYA2015

Janet Wallace, the awesome woman behind UtopYA, has asked past attendees to share why this conference is so special in this Tuesday Time Warp blog hop. If you'd like to check out other entries, peruse the following hashtags today (11/25/14): #utopYA2015, #TuesdayTimeWarp, and #WriteYourOwnFuture.

Recently, I highlighted 14 of the amazing people I met in person for the first time at UtopYA2014. You can find a post with the links to all those interviews here. I asked each one what made UtopYA such a special conference, so please check it out.

As far as my experience...

UtopYA is all about being surrounded by your peers and sharing knowledge. There were people there from all walks of life and various levels of publishing experience. But I never, not for one single moment, felt anything but a sense of belonging. As awesome as I thought the online community was, nothing could have prepared me for the awesomeness of in person contact.

I left the conference recommitted to writing and knowing without a doubt I could make my dreams come true. Even though I wished I had been more outgoing, I still met tons of people.

Matter of fact, I met four amazing women for the first time in UtopYA and just finished writing Fractured Glass, a YA novel anthology, with them. Jo Michaels, Casey L. Bond, Kelly Risser, and NL Greene have become an important part of my life. At that was just the tip of the iceberg. Although I highlighted 14 people I met, there were so many more.

Not the best picture, but one amazing night

At UtopYA, for the first time in my life, I did karaoke. I know it doesn't seem like such a big achievement at first glance. However, I hate getting up in public. Seriously, I had to take public speaking to graduate college and I waited until my last semester Senior year. No lie. But after one night, I felt so comfortable and at home, I conquered that fear. One night.

Plus, the guest speakers and rocking panels were amazing. I learned so much. June 2015 can't get here soon enough. If you love young adult and new adult, whether an author or a reader, please come join us. I can guarantee you will make lifelong friends and leave with many cherished memories. 

But, if you are still on the fence, either contact me (see Contact/Bio tab above) or check out those posts I mentioned. You won't be on the fence for long.

So, don't delay. Buy your tickets starting Friday, November 28 here. 

Oh, and for a bit of fun, I'll leave you with two Fractured Glass teasers, since this book wouldn't exist without UtopYA 2014.