7 Lessons I Learned in Nashville

Jill Williamson is a chocolate loving, daydreaming, creator of kingdoms. She writes weird books in lots of weird genres like fantasy (Blood of Kings and Kinsman Chronicles), science fiction (Replication), and dystopian (The Safe Lands trilogy). She had a podcast/vlog at www.StoryworldFirst.com. You can also find Jill on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or on her author website.

*I posted a similar article over on my author blog in which I also shared my non-writing-related adventures in Nashville and a lot more pictures.

Confession time.

When I heard that my book King's Folly had finaled for this year's Christy Awards, I was tickled, but totally not going Nashville. I really don't like award ceremonies. Don't get me wrong. This isn't about whether or not I'll win. It is a huge honor to be nominated. I'm tickled to have been nominated. But as an introverted person, sitting through a dinner and not knowing whether or not I might have to go up on stage and speak to everyone makes me a lot crazy. Add to that comparing my just-in-case-speech to that of every person who goes up on stage before I *might* have to go up is agonizing. Truly, anxiety possesses my body. So while I might look like I'm holding it together, inside, it's not pretty.

I'm a mess.

The only part of me even tempted to go the Nashville had nothing to do with the awards banquet and everything to do with what might be my only chance to ever meet Beth Moore, whom I absolutely adore. ❤

But I wasn't going to go.

Until my friend Mindy of the Quirky Faith blog said she'd go with me.

This changed everything. If I had a person with me--someone to remind me it's all good fun--I felt like I could handle it. So I changed my mind.

And I'm so glad I did.