Jambalaya Writers’ Conference Rocked!



In furtherance of my commitment to assisting writers in getting their police procedural information right, I took Righting Crime Fiction on the road and presented “Two Routes to the Truth” at the Jambalaya Writers’ Conference in Houma, LA. Lauren Bordelon and her staff did a superb job of organizing this massive event and they deserve a HUGE shout-out for their hard work!
Presenting at JWC 2015 was a rewarding experience and the authors who attended were extremely welcoming. I was flattered by the many requests to speak elsewhere and excited to meet so many fellow writers. I was especially blessed to meet two teenagers who wanted me to speak to their high school reading class. Their thirst for knowledge and their air of enthusiasm was infectious. It was indeed a tremendous honor to speak with them and the other writers I met at the conference.
Not only was I honored to be there presenting, but my wife, Amanda, and I were thrilled to attend some informative sessions by knowledgeable experts in their fields. The first session we attended was Jennifer Sons’ “Blogging 101” and I learned things about blogging that I would never have learned on my own. Jennifer runs the blog, Through the Booking Glass, and she is a joy to listen to.
Next, we attended Tom Colgan’s engaging session called “What Was (S)He Thinking”. Tom is an executive editor at Penguin Books and his many years of experience was evident as he delivered his message.
Lastly, we attended the “American Idol of First Pages”, where Fredi Friedman (President of Fredrica S. Friedman & Co., Inc.), Heather Graham (New York Times and USA Today bestselling author), Regina Ryan (owner of Regina Ryan Books Agency) and Molly Bolden (owner of Bent Pages Bookstore) critiqued the first page of a number of novels that were submitted by writers who attended the conference. This session was very informative and we learned what did or didn’t work for these experts.
This was a great event and a memorable weekend for Amanda and me. We are looking very much forward to next year!
In closing, I want to thank everyone who purchased a copy of JAMES 516 (Amber Quill Press, 2014)…it’s greatly appreciated!
BJ Bourg

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