I was at a big convention-type gathering this past weekend…and it wasn’t San Diego Comic-Con. I attended my third BlogHer Conference, after a three-year absence.
BlogHer14, The Personal Highlight Reel
Welcome to Part 2 of the Highlight Reel, beginning on the morning of Day 2 of BlogHer14 (coincidentally, also Day 3 of San Diego Comic-Con).
After three years away from BlogHer conferences, I went back this year because it was intentionally made smaller and the agenda sounded promising. As it happened, I only attended one of those interesting-sounding breakout sessions, but I really appreciated the abundance of open space to sit, recharge (figuratively and literally–the San Jose Convention Center is pretty generous with the power outlets), converse, and take it all in.
The mid-day keynote in the Grand Ballroom was NOT a quiet space, and was my last official event at BlogHer14. Since I don’t watch Scandal, I was probably not as excited about Kerry Washington’s presence as some were, but I enjoyed her onstage conversation with Demetria Lucas, which followed the debut of the all-mom band The Mrs.–their lively single “I’m Enough” was the weekend’s anthem.
After the keynote, I stopped by an open-house event hosted by e-book startup and BlogHer14 sponsor Shebooks, the innovative new publisher of memoir, journalism and fiction–short e-books (10,000 words, more or less) “by women, for women.”
- I’m already on Shebooks’ monthly subscription plan (where I’ve purchased memoirs by Elizabeth Aquino, Hope Edelman, Marion Winik, and Beth Kephart) but wanted to learn about their new affiliate program, review program with NetGalley, and other ways they want to connect with book bloggers. And I won a door prize for my trouble!
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I skipped out on the closing keynote and party in order to be home in my own bed on Saturday night. I’m not sorry I went to BlogHer14, but I suspect it may be my final appearance at a BlogHer Conference; I’ll reflect on that a little more in my next (and last) post about the weekend. But I very much want to be with my tribe again at next year’s Book Expo America (May 27-29, Javits Convention Center, New York City), and I will happily join any member of the Creative Alliance—Andrea, Amy, Ann, Barbara, Chloe, Darryle, Lisa, Nichole, Sherri, Suebob, Yuliya, as well as Kim, Jane, Ilina, and everyone else who didn’t make their way to San Jose–just about anytime and anywhere.
