I’m so excited to be heading out to Los Angeles in less than two weeks for #AWP25! This will be my fourth AWP, but only my first with a debut full-length collection of poems in hand. That’s a milestone for my conference-going, and in my writing life, for that matter.

As it turns out, I have two separate book signings scheduled — one on Thursday, March 27, at Tinderbox Poetry Journal, where I’m a reviewer and they graciously offered me a signing opportunity from 1-3 p.m., and the other at the Saint Julian Press booth the next day from 2-3 p.m. In addition to the signings, I’ll be reading Thursday night as part of an amazing gathering of women writers sponsored by several fantastic, women-affirming journals: SWWIM, Mom Egg Review, Whale Road Review, Perugia Press and Cultivating Voices. I’m so honored that SWWIM invited me as one of their group of readers to represent the journal.

I’m just making time now to go through the schedule of events and the book fair list of exhibitors; my plan this year is to avoid panel discussions altogether, and just focus on visiting the editors & journal representatives and fellow authors and friends I’ll be spending time with. I’ll be there two full days and about half of the third, and hope to come back to sunny Florida rejuvenated and with (of course) more books than I’ll have time to read in the coming year…or more. Ah well, just another reason to buy another bookcase!