Settle back and enjoy the following ACFW Conference update, as well as a glimpse into the way a girl from Aussie sees the US. Take it away, Jessica!

Thank you, Donna. So glad to be here with you today.

Writers have wonderful imaginations, so follow along for a peek into mine...

Snakes on Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. Being looked at like I’m an alien at Starbucks when I confess that I don’t drink tea or coffee. Trying not to die every time I cross the road. Getting used to American money. Getting used to American food portion sizes. Many Americans I met actually talk very softly. Experiencing the crazy domestic air travel that is the US. Being called ma’am frequently. Tipping. Signing for credit card purchases.

These are a few of the things I experienced on my recent trip to the USA. I went to attend the American Christian Fiction Writer’s (ACFW) Conference in St. Louis. I also took a mini road trip in Colorado with my friend Katy Lee, stayed with other lovely friends in Denver and stayed with my writing mentor, Candace Calvert (we finally got to meet in person) in Sacramento, with day trips to San Francisco and Lake Tahoe.

ACFW Conference:

When you live on the other side of the world, getting the chance to fly overseas and learn from the best in the business, is rare. I took my chance and had the most amazing time. I learned from amazing authors way ahead of me in the business, but willing to share their time. I pitched to two agents and the experience was really positive. I made amazing new friends and met online friends in person for the first time and I met two of my most favourite authors. I confess, I did fan girl a little! It was such a blessed time.

Colorado: Breckenridge and Rocky Mountain National Park.

It’s not a mountain anymore unless you need an oxygen cannister with you. That’s my new thoughts having seen the Rocky Mountains and driven around Colorado. I’ve never been that high elevation wise before and it was experience. I was scared a bit, but I coped so much better than I thought I would. I think I left my heart in Breckenridge. It was stunning. A tourist town yes, but it still a small town feel to it.

Rocky Mountain National Park was beyond stunning. The mountains, the elk, the lakes—jaw dropping. Being above the tree line was a heady experience for me, but it hasn’t stopped me from wanting to go back.

California: Sacramento

My California leg of the trip was exciting as well, but a little slower, which I needed. San Francisco was busy, busy, busy. Seeing Alcatraz so close to land, but surrounded by rough currents and sharks was stark. It was a reminder of the legends that have arisen from that place. Fisherman’s Wharf—clam chowder on every corner, crab or oyster on offer, street food, street performers (and yes, some holding snakes), the smells of hot dogs in the air, the noise of people, the traffic, the fog on the bay.

I came home, happy to be back, but missing my friends. It has filled me with a longing to go again. One day, with God’s timing, I’ll be back. 😊

About Jessica:

Born three months too early, her parents were told she wouldn’t survive, but Jessica has always been on the go, proving every day by simply living that God is a God of miracles. But growing up in a small town in northern New South Wales taught her to appreciate the slower pace of life.

Moving to Newcastle to attend university, Jessica studied high school English and history. As life would have it, God intervened and used her teaching degree to share the Gospel with high school kids. Marriage and children brought a new focus to her life, and provided the opportunity to run a blog for three years with her sister.

Jessica started penning really bad Anne of Green Gables fan fiction as a kid, has a lifelong love of the Sweet Valley High books, and after she stopped blogging, knew it was time to focus on her love of writing. When her eldest turned four, she finally sat down to write the love stories that have been roaming around her head for as long as she could remember.

Connect with her online: https://jessicawakefieldauthor.com/