January 11, Update and Assignment 1

January 11, Update and Assignment 1
Saturday, January 11, 2020 by Cindy Sproles

And how special are you, but to get not 1, not 2. . .but 3 emails from me in just a couple of days. WOOT! Woot! What can I say...it's crunch time.

If you have not joined our ACWC facebook page - please do. In fact, I'm trying my best to post a video there. From here forward, you'll find important updates as well as posts from InspireAFire.com, which is part of our ministry. ( https://www.facebook.com/Asheville-Christian-Writers-Conference-388703764478971/ ).
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Here is the first of updates for your information on the venue changes.
1) We are staying in Mountain Laurel West on the Ridgecrest Campus. That hotel is all the way to the top of the hill once you get on campus.
2) All of our rooms are on the west end of the hotel. So when you come into the front entrance, they will be to your right.
3) Our conference will take place on the lower level of Mountain Laurel, called C level or conference level.
4) We will meet for general sessions in the Jim Henry Auditorium. If you look to your right at the foot of the steps you will see our conferee registration table. It will be directly in front of the Jim Henry Auditorium.
5) We'll fill you in on other room numbers once we have our first general session.
6) Early bird classes begin at 1 p.m. in the Jim Henry Auditorium.
THIS IS IMPORTANT - You cannot get into your room until 4 p.m. (maybe 3 - Ridgecrest will let us know. They are turning over rooms from another conference so the rooms have to be cleaned.) Leave your luggage in the car and come on into the hotel, go down the stairs, and there we are. You can attend the early bird classes.
7) After early bird classes you will line up at our registration table, get your name badge, room key & number, and your conference materials. You will also sign the liability release. NOW YOU CAN GO TO YOUR ROOM.
8) This information will be transferred to the Conference Update page.

That's pretty easy. Please don't ask if you can get into your room early. Short of a few pre-made arrangements, you cannot get into your room until 4 p.m. If the rooms are ready - you will receive those keys and numbers as soon as possible.

The book store will open after supper (if we are able to get things set up, maybe earlier.) Plan to visit the bookstore.

*Appointments and mentoring will be handled by Terri Kelly and she'll fill you in on that at our first general session.
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Assignment 1 is up on the site blog. The link is as follows :
https://ashevillechristianwritersconference.com/acwcwritersblog/76-Appropriate-Emails--Toeholdtweetietoocom--Assignment-1?sel=1-

Seven weeks or so prior to the conference we begin additional learning blogs. Now this little assignment is optional. We try our best to give you some extra tidbits before hand to help you. They are nothing you need to turn in. These are for you to work on at home. This week we are talking about professional email addresses. Read and take heed. :)

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HOUSING LIST
I have never, in my 11 years of doing conferences done this, but I have no choice this go around with the venue change. I am posting a link to our housing list. Please glean down the list and be sure your name is on there and that I have you in the correct room or off campus status. ONLY CONTACT ME IF THIS IS WRONG OR YOU ARE NOT ON THE LIST. This is called due diligence. I do not want to miss someone and come up short. Also, I'm taking this list down after Monday. It is a private list and is not to be shared in any shape or form - Are we clear? Good. I would not do this but I can't afford to miss someone. You will contact me at [email protected]

Please contact me personally for the list. I will not post it on the webpage.
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There's still time to sign up for this conference. If you have someone who wants to attend, send them my way via email. I may still be able to secure an on campus room, but there is plenty of off-campus space. (Off campus books their own housing at an off-campus hotel or commuters) Contact me at [email protected]

If were going to be at the Cove this year, we would officially be sold out! I told you...we sell out. But at Ridgecrest, we have a little wiggle room so we can add a few more conferees. TWO ANSWERED PRAYERS.
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TO THE FACULTY - If you want to add books to the bookstore and you have not yet sent your consignment sheet to Bennie. Please do that like NOW. We do our bookstore inventory through our banking system. We need to add the inventory to our store so that we can accurately keep count of your books we sell. IF you need to ship books, please ship them to:
Asheville Christian Writers Conference
C/O Ridgecrest Conference Center
1 Ridgecrest Drive
Ridgecrest, NC 28770

Bennie's email is [email protected]. Contact her asap so she can get your consignment sheet and inventory entered and logged.

The Heart of a Writer
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever. - Psalm 73:26 NIV

I love the hearts of my writer friends. It's not enough that we writers are "odd balls," but it's even better to know most of us have genuine, caring, squishy, lovable, hearts. To say our family has had a few bumps in the road over the last 4 months would be an understatement. What keeps me bouncing outta bed each morning are the wonderful texts and emails of encouragement. They come just at the right moment too.

We sat at Vanderbilt listening to the anesthesiologist tell us the Prince might need a pacemaker before his surgery, my own heart skipped a few beats. The doctor sent us down for pre-op bloodwork and then told us to come back and he'd have spoken to the cardiologist by then. I sat waiting on Tim to get his blood drawn and I prayed, "Okay God, we need this done today, not next week. Can you help us out so we don't make two more trips to Nashville?" When Tim was done we headed back to the anesthesiologist who then informed us, "Cardio says less than 1% have issues with this in surgery. No need for a pacemaker. We'll put a special heart monitor on him in surgery and just to be safe, we'll put him in the cardiac unit for a day or so to monitor him after surgery. But he doesn't anticipate any problems. Still, we'll err on the side of caution. Just to be safe."

Talk about a wahaaa-hoo! I gave them one. Right then, I told the doctor, "I prayed downstairs that God would clear a spot for this to be done today. Guess God did us one better. He doesn't want Tim to have a pacemaker. No need."

Three times during the day, Tim and I both got Psalm 73:26 in our email. God was reassuring us and marching ahead of us. If that wasn't enough, YOU began to message me. You were nudged by God before I'd even mentioned the issue on Facebook. Better yet, you listened.

This is what I love about being in the family of God...being a writer with the right heart. God has made us in His image and when we respond to those nudges He gives, His image shines bright in you. Writers are especially sensitive - it's the creative in us. That which God gave us, bubbles to the surface. All week, with the venue change, the trip to Vandy, and the details, the image of God has been shown over and over through you.

When you create from the heart of the Creator, you do amazing things. Your work will be amazing, IF you step to the side and let God do the work. Be the tool used by the creator not the creator trying to use the tool. Inside you is an amazing thing. Inside you is the heart of a writer.

Blessings to you all.
Cindy Sproles
Director, Asheville Christian Writers Conference