I love to be creative, and I would love to say that I’m an artist who draws on her imagination to sketch her characters into being. Unfortunately, I’m not. I have a little-known (I think) neurodivergent condition called Aphantasia. That’s a fancy title to say that when I close my eyes, it’s dark—or better, pitch black. There are no rainbows and no sandy beaches, and when the calm voice of the meditation teacher insists that I imagine a calming environment, I get nervous and pretend I know what I’m doing. Which is rather easy because everyone is just sitting there, eyes closed. I admit that I’m sometimes jealous of people who can conjure their own worlds. Especially on a grey, rainy, cold day when there is absolutely nothing to look at but the letter from the tax office, I should have looked at weeks ago. On the other hand, I think I would get rather lost in my daydreams and would never get around to opening that letter if I could. You might ask how I create stories if I cannot see them. And it is hard to explain. They are just … there. It’s like a dialogue with myself and the other me, or my subconscious, or the little dragon inside my head, tells me a story. It’s not very good at storytelling, so I have to ask a lot of questions because I haven’t understood half of the gibberish. But after very long talks, we can usually agree on some elements of the story. Until the next day, when either of us realizes that

a) it doesn’t work, or

b) there is a much more complicated background story I have to include or

c) that was brilliant, keep going. You might have guessed it, c) is rare.

So words are great. Stories are great. But online, you need more. Like pictures. And here we get back to me being absolutely rubbish at drawing. But there is social media. You have to be on social media. If ever … ever anyone might read your stories, you must do something on social media.

But there is also the new social media superstar. The holy grail of people like me, who cannot draw and you are really camera-shy, because you grew up during a time when taking pictures was really expensive and therefore only few were taken and you had to really look presentable in these and therefore it was stressful and there are still a lot of bad pictures from my childhood so I clearly never mastered the art. Sorry, I will stop rambling. Deep breath!

Back to … drumroll … AI

Yes, you got me there. I admit it. I use it. Or try to. I will tell you the big secret. The images of my book characters were created by AI. Only the pictures, never the stories, mind you. I write everything myself.

Also, I might add. AI is hard work. I thought I had done all the work. Just feed the synopsis of my story into the generator, and I will surely get an accurate picture of the character who doesn’t exist in my mind, but from which I know exactly when it is wrong. Do you know that feeling?

Last, I tried to capture the devil as a comic picture. So you know, the Devil is kind of a softy. He loves his creature comforts and mostly lets the godmother, whom he, but only he, believes is his secretary, run hell. She is good at it. Efficient. She even finds time to knit. The Devil can mostly be found in his massage chair, watching action movies. Of course, from Earth, but there are a lot of his agents in the movie industry. Never mind. So in the first scene, we got the Devil in his chair watching a movie. He wears acid green horn warmers, although it is around boiling temperature in hell, but the godmother made them, and so he cannot really say no.

Ok, that’s a lot for any comic artist, but surely the AI can do it. Let’s see …

So … him? Or baby face? I even tried a comic strip. So which one is your favourite?

So … I have done it. I went to a writer’s conference. And it was great. Mostly I prefer hiding — preferably behind some kind of book, my laptop is also ok. People-watching. I just love people-watching. But — even for me — it was easy to socialize.

But let me start from the beginning. It started on a Thursday. Driving from Greenville to Atlanta isn’t too hard — if you don’t think that you left some candles burning — the evening before. Yes, my own mind is mean to me. Of course, there were no candles burning. Still … I contemplated turning around around 50 times, but I kept my eyes on the road and miraculously arrived in Atlanta (without having burned down my house). I still had some time, so I explored the Ponce City Market in Atlanta. Great food, nice shops, and lots of spaces to spend some time writing (Did I mention cake?).

Thursday evening, there was a writer’s happy hour at Bold Monk Brewery, where I met some fellow writers who would make up part of my cohort over the weekend. Wonderful people with great stories to tell.

The conference was at the Westin Atlanta Airport. The next morning started with an editor Q&A and a book fair. I bought a journal from the wonderful Morgan (https://morganbstudio.com, check out her beautiful art) and Praesidium from McKinley Aspen (sounds exciting, can’t wait to read it).

The afternoon brought the critic for my query letter. The editor and agent were assigned by chance, and I wasn’t sure if they were a good fit for YA fantasy. Therefore, I wasn’t too sure what to expect. What I didn’t expect was an intensive lecture about marketing and how I should prepare a marketing concept to present to any agent I query. I was rather baffled by that. At least I started this blog, maybe not enough. For the query letter they just said that there was too much plot in it.

So, of course, I panicked. Luckily, there was the Friday night mixer to distract me. We played Author’s bingo as an icebreaker. And I won! A Starbucks card! I seriously never win. My daughter wins, my mother wins. Me? I never win … But I always take free coffee.

The next morning, after the agent Q&A (if anyone wants to know, horror is the next big thing. Extra points for cozy horror. I had to look that up. I never knew it was a thing) the panic returned.

I spent the next hours trying to make my query letter less plot, more … Character? Humor? maybe I should add my marketing concept? If I had one …

The clock ticked. My two pitching slots loomed.

Chaos on the paper and in my head.

Then I had it … or at least something. 20 Minutes left. Went in search for the printer. Printer didn’t work. Argh!!!

Ok, plan b … original query letter. Can’t be helped. I’m doomed.

The worst part is sitting in front of the room waiting the 5 Minutes the editor reads your query. I swear it is actually hours. Maybe worth a cozy horror?

And then I got in. The editor, Foyinsi Adegbonmire, was still reading and then writing on my paper. I’m sure it is well-meaning advice on how not to be a total disaster.

She looked up, smiling. I grinned back. And she said, ” OK, I want you to send me the manuscript to this email.” I’m sure I left my mouth hanging open. Somehow, I managed a quite normal conversation (I think … I hope). And then it was over. And someone actually thought there is a place for funny escapism in YA fantasy.

Another query meeting was not as positive. What I learned: You need to find the right one for your work. That might happen at once, or it might take time, but that person is somewhere out there. So, I will send my manuscript. Foyinsi might like it … or not. If not, I’m sure the right person is still out there. So, don’t give up when you haven’t found them yet.

The day even got better when I won the best pitch award by Foyinsi with the words: I was hooked at the title – ‘How Not to Be a Demon (Cat Edition).

I celebrated with TV and snacks in bed. Actually I was exhausted.

Sunday started with a yummy breakfast at the Daily Cafe and a stroll through the Inman Park neighborhood. Some houses there seemed to come directly out of a fairy tale book. Maybe I should set my next book there? (Add some demons, of course).

But as I learned, cozy horror is the thing. I might even have an idea for that. Stay tuned!!!