Insight By Michelle Libby

Summer. We all know it’s time for vacations and hanging out on the beaches, but it’s also conference time all over the country for direct selling companies, romance writers and other organizations.
 
Why so they have the conferences in places like Atlanta, Florida and other places south of the Mason/Dixon line? For years I’ve speculated that it’s because it’s cheaper to hold a big conference in an off tourist season location. Very few people are vacationing in Texas during the summer months when the temperature reaches over 100 degrees every day.
 
That begs the question, why not have a conference in Maine in February? That’s off season for tourists. My answer is, we don’t have conference facilities that can house over 10,000 people or even 5,000. Conference hotels have many breakout rooms and one big room for meals, performances, lectures and award ceremonies.
 
Soon, direct sellers, writers and others will be home jazzed up about their products and eager to get to work on their latest project.
 
I have been to one such conference and all the rumors are true, the companies pull out all the stops to put on a show for its consultants. We received free products, unique gifts, inspiration and so much more. The entertainment alone was a highlight.
 
Wednesday started the 2013 Romance Writers of America conference (#RWA13) and as everyone probably knows I’m involved in that organization and although I can’t be at the conference, I hope that all of my writer friends have a blast, rubbing elbows, raising money for literary and gaining inspiration to bring home to share with those of us who didn’t attend.
 
One final shout out to the #2013Jambo, the Boy Scouts are holding a national jamboree in West Virginia, where 40,000 boys and girls have the opportunity to try and participate in almost every type of summer outdoor activity. To the Windham/Raymond attendees of these events, I hope they create a lifetime of memories.
 
-Michelle