Monday, July 22, 2013

UTopYa Con 2013 Experience

Every day is a new day and you get to decide how its going to play out. Are you going to be mad, sad, happy, or maybe indifferent? What we all need to realize is that YOU, yes you the one reading this, is the only one who gets to decide what affects you. So if you want to be happy, then be happy. If you want to cry, then cry. But the one thing I learned this weekend, which was an epic learning experience, is that you’re not alone. We may all have different problems, face different obstacles, and live a completely opposite life, but we are all united under one common goal… BOOKS. Whether you are a reader, blogger, writer, or a combination of the three, we all LOVE books.

Books are the beginning entity to tie us all together. They are the ice breakers in this world of crazy. We’ve heard so many stories this past weekend at UTopYA Con that struck chords with us all. Donna being the one that really touched the crowd, it made us all see something within ourselves that we all connected with. At least I know I did. So Donna, even though it may seem like you’re alone, you’re totally not. Like you I was never the type to strike up a conversation with someone I didn’t know. Like Starla Huchton who looked for the few she knew and stuck by them until conversations with others opened her up to the possibility of new friends. I was that way too. I was at an odds this weekend. Torn between wanting to hide away in the hotel room and meeting the people I idolize. But like that little voice in Donna’s head pushing her, mine did too.

Some of you know my story, some of you don’t, some of you may not care and that’s okay too. The point of this lengthy blog post is this… It doesn’t matter where you come from, what things you face, YOU are never alone. Though sometimes it might seem like it, none of us are ever alone.  BOOKS are what brought us together at UTopYA, but our experiences this past weekend is what united us and what will continue to unite us. This whole experience was more than just meeting you’re favorite author/blogger/virtual friend, it was the start to something much more, a community, a FAMILY. I really hope I get to come back to this family next year and hope those of you who haven’t had the chance to experience the love and support will get to go this coming year.


So if I had to sum my experience in one word…. CHANGE… that would be my word, because it doesn’t matter if you were an author, blogger, or avid reader, no one walked away the same. Everyone changed in some shape or form. It made me realize the author's I idolize like Tiffany King, Michelle Leighton, Amy Bartol, Heather Hildenbrand, Misty Provencher, Samantha Young, Chelsea Fine, and many more are just as real as you and me. I got to meet them and that right there was the best thing of all! 
This poster was one of the best things I got! Seriously LOVE it... hate what it cost me to have it sent home. I also was able to get a lot of swag to be given away. I'll post the pics of that at the bottom, but I'm waiting for the Naughty Mafia that's coming here to Vegas in August to see what else I can get my hands on. This way someone can get a lot of awesomeness! 

So keep an eye out on what's coming up in the next month or so! If you haven't picked up your ticket for next year's UtopYA Con you should get on that now!





AWESOMENESS------>
All the swag in the picture is going to be in the giveaway. Some of the bookmarks & post cards are signed.










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