Write His Answer

Guest post by Darcie Gudger and Debra Moerke

The 23rd Annual Colorado Christian Writer’s Conference (CCWC) is coming up May 15-18, and the 36th Greater Philly conference August 8-10. Some of you may wonder if a conference is right for you. You’re just toying with the idea of writing, and maybe don’t have anything prepared, or have scratched out a chapter on a napkin. Publishing lingo and writer talk are foreign. So why go? Below, CCWC alum, Deb Moerke, shares her experience of intimidated newbie to getting a contract with Tyndale. Her book releases October 8th. 

Who knows what God may do at this year’s conference?

Here is Deb’s story in her own words.

Debra Moerke, author, speaker, real estate agent

A number of Colorado Christian Writers Conferences in the Rockies had come and gone. I  wanted to attend each year but watched the opportunity pass me by. Either money or time held me back. Perhaps, just perhaps, it was more my own fear and the intimidation of finding myself with an industry of people I had never rubbed shoulders with before that kept me away. What would I say to them? How should I act?

But in 2014, my March birthday arrived and I received a call from my oldest daughter and her family.

“Happy birthday dear Grammy, happy birthday to you!” Sweet voices sang over the phone as my eight-year-old grandson followed up with, “We are sending you to the writers’ conference you have wanted to go to.”

Surprised and touched by my family’s gesture, I said, “Really? Wow! Thank you.” Now I was obligated. No more excuses.

In May of that year, the day arrived and I packed up my car, kissed my family good-by and drove to the YMCA of the Rockies. I  marked up my registration form putting an X in every box that I could. I signed up for as many workshops, appointments with agents, authors, editors, publishers, and even volunteered to help in the bookstore. I had no clue what that meant. But I planned to dive in and be useful. I hoped to saturate myself with every aspect of the conference. I would come home filled with great knowledge and direction.

That was my plan.

Within 24 hours of meeting my roommate, I joined a couple hundred people in the main auditorium for general sessions. Then stood in line pushing my tray along the cafeteria stainless steel track getting food. Life at the conference was non-stop.There were so many people! After the last session on the first night, I left the main center and walked to my mountain condo in tears. I was overwhelmed. Maybe this wasn’t the best idea. Who did I think I was?  I had no idea what I am doing.

I reached out to God asking him to guide me and show me what to do. I felt better knowing my roommate had not been to the conference before either and I knew I was in good company. We talked about how we loved the Lord and believed he had called us to write. We agreed to pray for each other during the conference then went to sleep.

The next morning, my roommate and I walked to breakfast. A number of other people who were attending the conference asked to join us when they noticed our conference lanyards read CCWC. Within minutes we were connecting with others who either were first timers or alumni. I began to feel better about my decision to attend the conference as I entered the main auditorium with a handful of ladies ready to worship together and hear a great speaker.

I attended the continuing course that I signed up for and took a million notes. I met with a number of publishers, editors, authors and agents for my fifteen-minute appointments, and I helped the bookstore lady straighten books and smile at people coming in to the area looking for that perfect book. Each person I met asked, “What are you writing?” That was always the question even before they asked my name. Yes, it was still a different world to me but one I was beginning to feel more comfortable being a part of. Though I was relaxing a bit, I didn’t feel I was getting the answers I needed to move forward on my story. In fact, I was getting some mixed directions. Each professional I spoke with had their own perspective and dealt with different genres and parts of the process. One would be encouraging and the next one would say they didn’t see a real need for what I was writing about. Confused, I finished my second day wanting to go to my room and reorganize all my notes.

It was my sweet roommate that gave me the best direction as we climbed into our beds exhausted and brain-dead.  She said that my story was so compelling and being that it was a true story, I needed to talk with Cindy Lambert. My new-found-friend was sincere in believing Cindy could help me.

Cindy and her husband, Dave, were stars of the conference. They were some of the main speakers. When I went to the bookstore to see if I could make an appointment with Cindy, the appointment woman just smiled at me and said, “Oh honey, she is completely booked. She has no openings.” I was crushed. It must have shown on my face because the woman at the appointment table encouraged me to keep checking back in the case a spot would open up. That is what happened. Friday evening, a 5:30 spot opened up. I was in.

I brought the one chapter I had written, and nervously sat down next to Cindy while introducing myself. Before we started to talk, I felt a connection. I knew I liked this lady and she made me feel comfortable. I told her my story. She read my chapter and didn’t quickly scan it as a few others had. Finished, she offered direction and advice. I grabbed my notebook and wrote it all down. Our fifteen minutes were over before I knew it. I was happy with our meeting. I felt a peace and that I had received some great advice. I was beginning to feel my trip was all worth it. Great worship music. Wonderful people. Professional advice from some of the best in the industry and I made some new-found writing friends. This is what I came for.

Little did I know God had bigger plans.

The next morning, just after breakfast, I was walking through the bookstore heading for the auditorium for morning worship when someone reached out and tapped my shoulder. “I’ve been looking all over for you,” the woman said. It was Cindy. Surprised she would be looking for me, I asked her why. She said she had thought about me and my story all night and couldn’t sleep. She wanted to know if I would meet her and her husband for lunch in the cafeteria after the morning workshops. I agreed having no idea what she would want to talk to me about.

I met the couple and we found a table in the back where we had some privacy. Cindy shared with me that she and her husband had been in the business for many years and had been speaking at conferences for around fifteen years. She said that many people approached them, but that she had never approached anyone about his or her writing. She also shared that though she had never done this before, she felt led to help me with my story. She didn’t want to offend me with her offer, but she wanted to come alongside as a collaborative writer to get the story out. I broke down in tears. I could never have seen that coming.

“Yes! Yes!” I cried (literally). I was overwhelmed, overjoyed, humbled.

Since that May conference in 2014, Cindy has flown out to my town to spend a number of days with me to see where the story took place and meet some of the people in my life who are a part of it.  I have attended a number of conferences, learning more and more each year. We have worked on the book together for the past three years. Today I have an amazing agent, a contract with Tyndale House Publishers who flew me out to meet with the team that will be working on my book. A release date of October 8^th has been set and I believe pre-sale orders will go out on Amazon in April or May. The title is Murder, Motherhood and Miraculous Grace.

My encouragement to each of you writers out there is…don’t give up. Pray and ask the Lord for direction. Keep going to the conference and take in all you can. You never know when that perfect opportunity will arrive where you get a tap on the shoulder from someone who believes in you and your writing and says, I want to walk this with you.
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To find out more about the May 15-18, 2019, click here: Colorado Christian Writers Conference. The August 8-10 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference doesn’t have mountains or elk, but it does offer the same exciting opportunity to connect with professionals who can help you get your work in print.

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