Sedalia Conference: A Gathering of Writers

This is the Sedalia Center in bedford County, a lovely setting for a conference.

Conference organizer Darrell Laurant and moi.

My pal Susan Ayers and her Goodwill outfit.

Me teaching my class "What Editors Want"

The Sedalia Writers Conference in Bedford County, the mother of the Roanoke Regional Writers Conference, was held last night and this morning and I taught a class for the fifth or so straight year. It's always fun to see who comes out to this small conference in the middle of nowhere and even who teaches at it.

This morning I met Kurt Ayau, a VMI English teacher whose new collection of shortstories (The Brick Murder: A Tragedy and Other Stories) is garnering all kinds of praise. Kurt told me of some major changes VMI is making in its English curriculum that could result in national news. Not necessarily good national news, either. More to come, I suspect.

I was there for a presentation by a team of romance writers who read from their work, which was not especially good, and heard them chatter back and forth with what sounded like bickering. One of the more unusual presentations I've heard at a writers conference.

Susan Ayers, who writes for the magazine I edit, rode out with me, wearing a brand new--and quite lovely--outfit she bought yesterday at Goodwill. Love her taste and her complete understanding of what constitutes a bargain.

Anyhow, my pal, conference organizer Darrell Laurant, has another one under his belt and I'll have to congratulate him for that.