The Best Things Happen When You Least Expect

Sometimes the world reminds us just how wonderful people really are.

As most of you know, I recently attending the Rom Con, a fabulous readers convention held in Denver.  It was my first time to attend and I had no idea what to expect.   What I found was a hotel full of lovely ladies all of whom loved reading as much as I do.

I participated in a panel with other contemporary authors where the readers asked stunningly insightful and intelligent questions that had a few of us working to come up with equally informed and interesting answers.

And then I had the chance to take part in a murder mystery (you're not surprised that I'd sign up for this one, right?) where I played the part of Candy Kane (and no I didn't do it—not for lack of trying however).   Candy may not have been the brightest bulb in the Sugar Land Christmas tree.  But she was a great character to inhabit for a couple of hours—even if, to my great dismay, she was not a long lost cousin of Eric's (Kane that is).

I also had some fabulous conversations with readers and writers alike—moments when you remember how fun it is to crawl out of your office, don decent clothes and make-up, and actually exchange ideas with another human being.  (What can I say—we writers are a solitary lot).

And finally, I ended up at the "rumble"—cue the West Side Story soundtrack.   But instead of Jets and Sharks…it was readers and authors.  And we had a hilariously wonderful time as everyone changed tables every three minutes meeting authors and getting signed books and trading cards.

But the amazing story I really want to share involves a mother-daughter team of readers and my inability to hold onto anything valuable for longer than fifteen seconds.

As is often the case at conferences like these, there was a small market, with wonderful items to spend our money on.   One of the vendors was an amazing woman who worked in the Colorado library system for years, and as part of librarian exchange program became friends with a fellow librarian in Bulgaria.   These days the two of them work together in a project that provides women like me with the opportunity to buy fabulous jewelry and uses the proceeds to buy books to ship to Bulgarian libraries.  Pretty darn cool.

[image error]So I bought a bracelet.  A really amazing crystal construction that shimmered with turquoise and black beads and made me feel almost as elegant as Ms. London (my partner in crime who had a similar bracelet that inspired my purchase).  Anyway, somewhere between the beginning of my stint as Candy Kane, and my meeting with friends to head to dinner, I lost the bracelet.  And even after making Herculean efforts to find it—there was seemingly no hope.

Enter Julie and Laura—the most amazing people ever.  At the rumble, they appeared at my table, and after inquiring about the lost bracelet, offered me a new one.  A beautiful blue and turquoise creation from the same vendor.   They'd bought me a new bracelet to replace the one I'd lost.   To say that I was overwhelmed at their generosity is an understatement.  I teared up.  And of course immediately put on my new treasure.

People are amazing—usually when you least expect it.   From the bottom of my heart, Laura and Julie, thank you.

 

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