The Cove – Where Mountains and Message Meet

This past weekend I attended the Asheville Christian Writers Conference for the first time. My lovely niece, Melanie Foshee Geenen, drove down from her home and joined me there. This was Melanie’s first writers conference, but it will not be her last. She is an amazing young woman and a terrific writer. She’s also a musician who sings and plays piano. And, she’s beautiful. She looks just like her Mama, my late sister, Bobbie Ann Foshee.

This is a small conference, geared mainly toward novice or newer writers. The classes could benefit writers at any stage. I’ve been writing seriously for about eight years, and I learned new things.

The Cove-Where Mountains and Message Meet @DDuPreeWilliams #writing #writingcommunity #TheCove Share on X

PEOPLE AND CLASSES

This business changes rapidly. Certainly, technology and social media change with the times. Edie Melson’s social media classes presented things I’d put into practice long ago, but she also taught ideas new to me. I’m sure anyone in attendance learned something from her. She’s quite the expert when it comes to all things social media.

While the business may change rapidly, the publishing process is a long and slow one. One thought from Bob Hostetler, agent, author, keynote speaker, and all-around good guy was don’t be in a hurry. Especially don’t be in such a hurry to get published that you don’t give your work all the time and attention it needs to be the best you can make it.

Another bit of advice? Join a critique group. Eva Marie Everson, author, editor, keynote speaker, teacher, and so much more, was there to share about the group she helped to found, Word Weavers International. It is a critique group with chapters all over the world. In one of these groups, you will have your work critiqued by peers who are there to help you improve your writing skills. It’s a great organization.

The idea of not rushing through the publishing process joined hand in hand with the idea of a critique group. I know how daunting it is to have one’s work read by people you may not know or barely know. But they are there to help you so that you can and will be published one day.

Cindy Sproles is the director of ACWC and her assistant director is Terri Kelly. They did an outstanding job of keeping things on schedule and moving along. They’ve been doing this conference for a while, so they have learned all the ropes.

The list of teachers this year was so good, but that is what we’ve come to expect from this small but outstanding conference. Go to Asheville Christian Writers Conference 2023 and check it out. They will post on that site the dates you may register for next year’s conference.

BREATHTAKING LOCATION AND FINDING PEACE

Another plus? It’s held at the Billy Graham Training Center, The Cove, in beautiful Asheville North Carolina. Surrounded by gorgeous mountains, and deep forests that smell like Christmas, the site couldn’t be any more beautiful. Because of the weather, we got to enjoy the mountains surrounded by fog, or smoke on the mountains. Breathtaking. God’s handiwork. Even better than the setting is the presence of Holy Spirit in every moment. You can feel Him with every beat of your heart, every breath you take.

If you feel that you need some quiet time to reflect on what you’ve heard in one of your fifteen-minute meetings, or on some encouraging word spoken to you, you may steal away to the Chatlos Memorial Chapel and spend some time with Jesus. It is such a peaceful, soul-stirring place. There are private prayer rooms upstairs in this beautiful place. Be sure to take a guided tour to hear the history. Amazing.

Billy Wayne Arrington led us in worship and taught a class on writing lyrics and music. He’s a very good musician and evangelist. He left us wanting more. Oh, he even wrote a song for Cindy based on words she’d written in a recent blog post on the ACWC site, Peace of Christ. It was so special and had Cindy and all of us in tears.

ALL THIS AND SO MUCH MORE

And here’s a lovely bonus—the food is delicious and there are coffee, water, and soda stations everywhere. There’s even an ice cream machine. No money needed. It comes with compliments of The Cove.

If you feel called to write, Asheville Christian Writers Conference could be the perfect starting place for you. From the directors to the faculty, to the staff at The Cove, they make every effort to make this the best conference it can be. They pray over you before you arrive and after you head back home. What could be any better than that?

Check it out online and make plans to be there next year. But register early because space is very limited.

In the meantime, I may not know you. I may have never met you or heard your name, but God knows you. He knows everything there is to know about you. I’m praying for you and the calling you feel upon your life. If He’s calling you, step out in obedience.

For those of you who aren’t writers and have no interest in such conferences, The Cove offers personal retreats. A friend of mine, yes, a writer, spent a weekend on a retreat in order to finish her book. But you can go, too, just for a time of prayer, personal reflection, a time of peace and quiet—whatever you need. Give them a call and make plans to go to this special, special place.

Blessings, y’all!

 

This is a beautiful benediction or blessing we have sung as members of a couple of church choirs. I know it will bless you. It fits The Cove and one’s experience there, perfectly.