I wanted to enclose some thoughts about my experience at the conference, before too much time passed. To me it was superlatively organized and well-run. I've been on the planning end of conferences and events and I know first-hand how tricky it can be to address all logistics, and from my perspective, as a participant, everything felt very smooth and efficient.

Friday's lunch panel--spontaneous, lively, heartfelt, intelligent--featuring Kimberly, Gilly, Julie, Charlaine, and Akilah--was a definite standout. I loved the panelists' rapport with one another, their diverse backgrounds/writing interests, and their interactions with the audience. 

The discussion between Sharon Robinson and Peggy Wallace Kennedy was momentous and very moving. It was a privilege to witness an event that felt both historical and urgent to our cultural(ly divided) moment.

All of the author lunches and dinners were wonderful. I'm an author, too (Motherest, Twelve/Hachette 2017), and a reader first and foremost, and I loved getting to wear both of those hats, plus my newest, that of a bookstore owner, while listening to debut and seasoned authors discuss their books, their journeys, and their experiences with bookstores. It was affirming to be reminded, time and again, the pivotal role independent bookstores play both in shaping authors' careers and in cultivating culture, discussion, and community. Saturday night's dinner was especially emotional--Jaquira Diaz brought me to tears, and Isaac Fitzgerald kept everyone laughing. 

The trade floor was a dizzying dream. We were thrilled to meet in person our reps, who we'd been emailing with for weeks. We came away with dozens of ARCs and galleys that we've been gobbling up since returning home. It was great to put faces to names, and to take in such great swaths of the publishing landscape.

Lastly, I'll say that the conversations that I had with other booksellers, veterans and newbies, were SO helpful and heartening. Real connections were made that I believe will last. I feel buoyed by the time I spent in Spartanburg, determined to make our store the best it can be, and eager to join such a thriving community. The timing couldn't have been better--we're looking at an early-to-mid November grand opening, so it was a perfect way to reflect, prepare, and brave (joyfully!) for what's ahead.

Thanks again for the chance to attend--it's something we'll look forward to year after year. Best of luck to you as you head into the next chapter.
~Kristen Iskandrian, Thank You Books, AL