My first LTUE
Live, the Universe, and Everything
I went to the LTUE conference in Utah for a weekend. All I
can say is, “Wow.” It was a truly beautiful experience, coming together with
writers and lovers of the written word. There was a spirit of harmony,
acceptance, and camaraderie that flowed throughout the symposium, making this
one of my favorite conferences yet.
The
size of the convention really surprised me. There were 144 panelists presenting
information on everything from getting published, blogs, writing, and
everything in between. There were so many wonderful authors... here are a few
of my favorites:
Tracy and Laura Hickman were in attendance. Not only is Laura
Hickman an author of some D&D campaigns, she is as lovely as she is kind.
Her book Baking Outside the Box is on my must have list – it sounds
like a fun book and has been getting great reviews.
Tracy
Hickman is a prolific writer but I will always remember him as the co-author of
a Dragon Lance series, starting with Time
of the Twins. These are great YA books that were released
before there was a YA category. I enjoyed the books so much as a young reader;
I remember finding a picture or two in each book – it was like finding buried
treasure. These pictures are the reason I had sketches done for my first book, Prophecy
of the Flame.
L.E.
Modesitt Jr. was only there
for a short time, but it was great to see him again. I’m looking forward to the
release of his new Recluce novel!
I
also had the honor of meeting James
A. Owen. The warmth he shows for his fans reveals a generous heart. I’ve
discovered his YA series that starts with Here,
There Be Dragons. I am looking forward to working my way through each one
of them.
David Farland, i.e.
David Wolverton, has written over fifty science-fiction and fantasy novels. He
is a legend in the SF&F industry and am thrilled to have had a chance to
meet him. Nightingale is his most recent release – I’ll post
a review of that in a month or so.
One
last author really made an impression: Bree Despain. This is an
upcoming author to watch for. She has a great series out, but I think it may be
misleading. Though the covers scream ROMANCE – they have a great fantasy
thread that is full of action, suspense, and paranormal world that so many men
would love.
If
you didn’t make the conference this year, put it on your schedule for 2013: it
is a conference you won’t want to miss.
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