The People of 2010 – Part V

<--This little saying could not be more perfect for the two friends I had the distinct pleasure of meeting this year. Both ladies are warm, caring, and wicked wordsmiths.

I first met J Koyanagi (@JKoyanagi) online through the #wipfire hashtag, where we post lines from our current WIP (work in progress). The first thing I learned about J was that she had some of the most beautiful descriptive writing I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. Her imagery is so vivid it can hurt (and I mean that in a completely complimentary way). Her sensitivity to nature and the beauty which surrounds us is so developed and she has the ability to turn the phrase so well, I am in awe. She is truly an aesthete (and not the pretentious kind). J’s feedback on others writing is also well-considered and thought out. Her eyes on your work is definitely an asset. So I was very pleased when I heard she would also be attending the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Conference in Denver. J is just as true in person as she is online, and someone who experiences life at a seemingly different level from the masses – and this is a good thing. The other thing about J is that the great love of her life is her doberman, Esper. I love the pictures of Esper which are posted and the way J talks about her. She is family, just as my pups are family to me.

J’s roommate at the conference was someone I had the pleasure of meeting in person before when she attended SCBWI in Los Angeles. I first met Carolina Valdez Miller (@cvaldezmiller) online at the #amwritingparty offering wine and snacks (cheese and crackers maybe?) Carol is an absolute doll. She is hard-working, dedicated to her craft, and does some of the best Vlog’s I’ve seen. So if you haven’t seen them, you should hop on over to her website to view. Carol also write the young adult genre like I do, but we are at opposite ends of the spectrum. She writes for older YA and I write for the younger. She writes urban fantasy and I don’t even understand what that means (just kidding). I write contemporary realism. While it was good to see her for the couple hours out here in Los Angeles, I really enjoyed the time we were able to spend together in Denver. We talked, laughed, commiserated, cajoled, encouraged. She is determined to make it in this business and she will. A very talented writer, and wonderfully supportive friend. A dynamic combination.

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4 Comments on “The People of 2010 – Part V”

    1. It was a great time. I felt like we could have taught the session on social networking. 😉 Everyone acted like it was such an odd thing that we were all such good friends when we’d never met in person (well, most of us hadn’t – I’d met Carol & Betty prior to the conference).

  1. LK, you are truly amazing, you know that? Meeting you was definitely one of the highlights of 2010 for me. You are a gem, my dear–and a true friend. Thank you so much for such kind words–they are in every way applicable to you. I’m so glad to know you. Both you and J are treasures. Thank you, sweet for being such a sweet friend.

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