Home. Weary. Overstimulated in the best way. I wish I could have cloned myself three times over in order to go to all the sessions I wanted to. The Calvin Festival of Faith & Writing impressed me as a very well-run, well-attended event, and well-stocked with a variety of voices and perspectives. And you know I love any institution that supplies me with hard boiled eggs. The festival happens every two years. Start thinking about 2012. I am.
I wrote out this big long thing in my journal about my experience there and had planned to share specifically at least some, but right now I’m feeling like I want to hoard it. I will, however, say that as usual the real joy in these things is the people you meet—fellow authors, those dreaming of writing, those writing and looking for words of wisdom or inspiration, and all the people who are there just because they love stories and/or are lifelong learners. I came home with new comrades, and new appreciation for familiar ones.
In other news, I deactivated my Facebook account! Indefinitely! I really did it. So if you’re looking for me there or wondering if I’m shunning you or something, I’m not. I’m shunning the software. I’m shunning Personal Relationships.com Inc. a Limited Liability Company.
Okay, I will not hoard these little gems from Richard Rodriguez, who said many memorable things such as “the reader re-creates the book [you] write,” and also:
“If you want to be a writer, be lonely. If you want to think, be lonely. If you want to know God, be lonely.”
17 comments for this post
Sara,
I know this has nothing to do with this blog post, but, I’ve been reading your blog ever since your fantastic essay back on the YA for Obama site.
Last Friday I picked up some books at the bookstore, and I saw Sweethearts there, and I was like “Oooo, I read her blog! I want her book!” I’d heard good things about it, and so I picked it up.
I devoured it Friday night (even though I had a whole bunch of other books I’d actually gone to the store to get specifically) and I just wanted to tell you that it was completely awesome.
For some of us, who have been through things like Jennifer, it is a little triggery, and I had to read something lighter really quick before I went to sleep so I wouldn’t have bad dreams or anything, but the thing about the book I loved most was in the last few pages. It was so beautiful and so true that I cried and read it to my husband. :)
I just wanted you to know that, and that I am totally going to seek out a copy of Amazing Grace. I love that you are a Christian writer who is not afraid to address tough issues in your books, but who is also not afraid to give a little gospel in there, too. Because God is also the color of love, and the way that people impact us, draw us through terrible things, that is a gift that God gives us.
Anyway, I just wanted to hi-five you on an awesome book, and let you know that there are crazy old married ladies out here reading your stuff (and passing it on to the teenagers in our lives).
<3
Alisa
Sara Reply:
April 19th, 2010 at 4:34 pm
@Alisa, Thank you so much, Alisa!
Hi Sara,
I want to delete my Facebook account. Mainly because I could care less about chop shops, farms, the Mafia, Bejeweled, snowballs, mystery love dates, liking comments, and general social contact with other humans.
Almost all of that is true… ;)
I’m glad to hear about Calvin. I’d love to go as a participant and, at some point, faculty.
Sara Reply:
April 19th, 2010 at 4:36 pm
@Bryan Bliss, Yeah, you should plan to go. Is good stuff.
(And I just DELETED my facebook account after a week of deactivation…sort of scary. They try to guilt you into staying, displaying pictures of loved ones and saying, “Are you sure? You’ll no longer be able to share photos with Grandma Francine and Jimmy Bob from high school…”
Have you thought of at least keeping a fan page on facebook? You don’t have to have an account or even be involved in any way, but all of your fans who are facebook crazies can still see what you’re up to.
Sara Reply:
April 20th, 2010 at 12:49 pm
@Kathryn, Sigh, I don’t know. Others have suggested that. I have sort of come to loathe fb on principle and I don’t know how fun/useful it would be for fans if I never go on to actually post events and whatnot? Or, I need an intern!
Kathryn Reply:
April 20th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
@Sara, I’d be happy to do it for you. I’m not an intern, but I am a friend.
Hooray for the Festival of Faith and Writing!! I’m a student at Evangel University (in Springfield, MO) and I attended the festival. :) I had actually never heard of you before (sorry!!) but I attended your sessions on writing for young adults and I was very impressed! I also want to write YA fiction, and love reading it… and I can’t wait to read your books. :) I picked one up at the conference. Thanks for the awesome things you said! :D
Sara Reply:
April 21st, 2010 at 9:14 pm
@Jesse, Hey Jesse, thanks for coming by and I’m glad you enjoyed the session. Hope you like the books!
Loved the Rodriguez quotes. Thanks for those!
I just saw your post on my reader after I typed up a whole post explaining why I’m deleting my FB (I haven’t posted it yet, but I do feel a need to explain these things, as if I’m letting FB-loving people down or something!). Anyway, my primary reason was exactly what you said here:
“I’m shunning Personal Relationships.com Inc. a Limited Liability Company.”
Their latest move today (whatever social plug in aka big brother monitoring all your web activity thingy) was the final straw for me.
On the pages comment — they make you keep a personal profile to have a page. Clever huh. Har.
Sara Reply:
April 21st, 2010 at 9:15 pm
@Sarah Ockler, See, I just hate them! As a company! And I went from deactivation to deletion. Perma-gone, baby. (And it is weird how we feel like we have to give this big explanation…I feel like I’ve abandoned 1000 people and owe them all something, but do I?)
Now you will have time for a pen-pal. :)
Sarah Ockler Reply:
April 21st, 2010 at 9:45 pm
@Sara, Absolutely. And you have no idea how excited I am about that! :-)
Hey Sara,
I’m a student at Calvin and attended one of your sessions. I picked up all three of your books with the intention of reading them over the summer. Being a college senior is just too time-consuming for recreational reading.
But, and I don’t know if this was a “God thing,” I picked up Story of a Girl on a whim Monday night and read it all in one sitting. I connected very much with Deanna. My father and I have not had a true conversation in over a year now. Some parts in the book had me openly crying with my co-workers looking confused.
Anyways, thank you so much for the book. I loved it. Oh and I just finished Sweethearts a couple of hours ago. That was great too. Keep up the good work.
:D
And come back to Calvin anytime!
Sara Reply:
April 23rd, 2010 at 8:26 pm
@Lindsay, Linsday – It’s great to hear from you. I’m so glad STORY connected for you (even if it made you cry!). That’s what every author wants. (To connect, that is, not necessarily to make people cry…)
If we are ever in the same place again, let’s connect and get some Chinese, Japanese, or Korean – whatever the best in town is. If it’s in Grand Rapids, I’ll meet you at Seoul Garden.
Sara Reply:
April 24th, 2010 at 9:19 pm
@Justin, Ah the cuisines of Pan Asia! Was great to meet you – if you’re ever in SLC let me know!