C. Michelle Jefferies was the lucky winner of Kobo’s Superstars of Writing Seminars scholarship giveaway for 2014. She attended the conference in February, alongside KWL Director Mark Lefebvre and US Manager Christine Munroe. A few months post-Superstars, we asked Michelle to reflect on her experience, and here’s what she had to say!
By C. Michelle Jefferies
When I think of the three days at Superstars, several one-word descriptions and emotions come to mind.
The first one is amazing. There was so much information and so many things to learn that I was, at times, completely overwhelmed with what was being presented. I took tons of notes. I have a stack that I still need to go through, again, to solidify the information in my head. The accommodations were great, the hotel was amazing. The variety of books offered by the presenters and the management of the bookstore falls into this amazing category as well. It was all simply amazing, every moment of it.
The second is expanding. I know how to write, even if I am not at the level I desire to be. This seminar goes way beyond that skill set; it deals with the business of writing and managing ourselves as professional authors. The presenters talked about contracts, marketing, how to behave in public (which was my favorite class), self-publishing, and audio books. There was so much information, I felt as if we could have spent a week there and still not learned a fourth of what there is to know.
Michelle (center) with KWL’s US Manager Christine Munroe and Director Mark Lefebvre.
The third is equal. I felt as if I were a peer, even among the presenters. I was treated with the most amazing respect and felt as if my life, my work, my value as a writer and human was important to everyone in the room. There was no segregation there. There was no posturing, no jealousy. I could go and talk to anyone in the room and get equal treatment. I even got a hug from Kevin J. Anderson and while it was a true friendship gesture I had to remind myself to breathe so I didn’t pass out, because this was Kevin of all people. I had lunch with Mark and Christine from Kobo, who sponsored my tuition through their scholarship, and felt completely at ease, which for my shy self is an accomplishment.
Fourth is welcomed. When you participate in Superstars, you become a “Tribe Member.” This amazing group of people stick together. Having survived the three intensive days and sharing the same desire for more than just writing knowledge, we became a family. We stay in touch, talking books, cheering each other on in the writing world as well as our non-writing worlds. We share posts, promote each other’s work and often come to each other’s aid in both virtual and real life situations. They’ve become my friends. The actual hard work of writing, revision, and editing is a solitary effort, so it’s especially nice to know that I have people who “have my back.”
Last word, tired. From a misadventure-filled drive from Denver to Colorado Springs, to the information and energy-filled days, it was a very good kind of tired.
This was an experience I will never forget, and one that I will recommend to anyone who asks. To those who are wondering or wavering: Go. I promise you it’s worth the time and expense.
If you missed Superstars 2014, you can purchase seminar DVDs and MP3s here. Superstars Writing Seminars 2015 will be held February 5–7, 2015, at the Antlers Hilton in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and you can register here.
Michelle Jefferies is a mother of seven who writes about urban fantasy and bad boys turned good – all while beating herself up three times a week in Karate class as she works toward her black belt in Tang Soo Do. Visit blog here or find her on Facebook.
