I spent my hard earned vacation time and money on a conference this year. You know, one of those where you go to classes and listen to people talk all day.

Boring, right? (don’t leave me now — keep reading)

You will never see this offered on The Price is Right as one of the grand prize packages. Vanna (or whatever the blonde girl’s name is) won’t be standing on the stage rubbing her perfectly manicured fingers over a picture of a conference group, while the voice-over tells the contestants what they’ve won.

Picture it:  the show host says something like this (in his best commentator t.v. voice), “Feast your eyes on this 2016 model conference! It comes complete with writing classes, mentoring, nationally and internationally renowned guest speakers, daily worship sessions, classes taught by award-winning faculty, special friendships you’ll cherish for a lifetime, lodging in comfy rooms and plenty to eat – all at one of the loveliest conference centers in the South!”

If they knew about THIS conference, they would surely offer it as a prize.

An all expense paid trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference (BRMCWC) would make a wonderful game show award — I’d run up on stage dressed as a chicken for it! Actually, I think that’s a whole other show. My point is, if you have the least bit of interest in writing this is the conference for you. They welcome you in, teach you, richly bless you with resources, offer encouragement and then applaud your every writing achievement. And there’s lots of food! (did I say that already?) All you have to do is register (the price can’t be beat), show up and absorb all there is to take in.

That’s not all, folks! Friendships are waiting as soon as you drive onto the Ridgecrest campus. No one stays a stranger for long. I have some treasured friendships and look forward to seeing them every time I go — especially my friends from New York, Cynthia and Dwayne. I’ve had to help them navigate being in the South. Bless their hearts. Everyone is friendly, so lone travelers never eat alone and you will always find a late night group hanging out in the hotel foyer. Simply follow the laughter, hootin’ and hollerin’ down the hallway to one of the lobbies — then settle into a comfy spot on one of the couches or perch on an ottoman and join in the fun!

Did I mention the chocolate macaroons? Oh wonderful, decadent, delightful chocolate macaroons, how we love you! Enough said — I’ll leave it there. You have to go to a conference to find out what that’s all about. If you’ve been to the conference and haven’t had a macaroon, I just don’t know what to say to that.

No matter why you go — the experience will leave you wanting more and probably registering for the next conference before you leave. Come to learn — stay for the fun of it all.