FLORIDA, HERE I COME!!

Tuesday I leave for Florida to attend the 2016 Readers’ Favorite Book  Awards.  It seems like only yesterday I saw the announcement on their website that two of my books won.  At that time, 2 1/2 months was still a distant future.  Now, here IT IS!!  Talk about time flying. 

There are a lot of ‘firsts’ with this trip.  I haven’t been on an airplane since I was 18, which was forty years ago, so I’m counting my flight down there as a FRIST.  Especially since we didn’t have the TSA to contend with back then.

I’ve never been to Florida, so I’m really excited about going.  I’m traveling with one of my sisters to meet up with our other sister and her husband in Ft. Myers.  We’ll be staying at a resort right on the ocean.  Since I’ve never seen an ocean before, this will be totally thrilling for me.  I can’t wait to swim in the sea and feel the ocean breeze on my skin.  I hope to see a breathtaking sunrise or sunset that I’m always reading about.  

We’re going to Ft Myers first as my brother-in-law’s sister lives there, so we extended our time to visit her as well.  She is a professor of a literary class, and when she found out the reason for our trip, she asked if I would speak to her class about being a published author.  So, another FIRST for me.  Speaking in front of a group of people.  YIKES!!

My youngest sister is a planner, so she’s been looking at exciting things for us to do.  Like ziplining.  Because of my visual impairment, I’m scared of heights.  I want to try it, but I sure hope I can take that first step off the platform.  GULP!!

But what I’m really looking forward to, what I’ve always wanted to do, was ride a horse along the beach.  So, we will be doing an hour ride with C Ponies Beach Horses.  This will be better than just riding along the beach, we get to go swimming with them.  We might see some dolphins, sting-rays or other aquatic wildlife.  I can’t wait!! The ride is a little pricy, but it will be so worth the money.  After all, this is part of my ‘first’ adventures.

On Friday, my brother-in-law will fly back to Omaha, while us three sisters drive to Miami for the award ceremony.  We have a meet-and-greet Friday evening at the Regency Motel, then the ceremony is Saturday evening.  I’m really nervous about getting up in front of a huge group of people.  I’ll be the old, frumpy woman, looking ill at ease. 

Readers’ Favorite states we’ll be meeting a lot of writers, publishers, and possibly famous people and to network, network, network.  They make it sound life-changing, but I know authors who won last year and their lives haven’t changed.  Maybe if my books had been picked up by a studio for possible production, it would be. 

Since the awards aren’t presented until evening, I’ll see if I can get my sisters to go to the Miami Book Fair International with me.  Its supposed to be one of the biggest book fairs in the USA.  I donated six of my books to be displayed in the Readers’ Favorite Booth.  I hate to admit this, but I’ve never been to a book fair.  Not even a local one.  Bad Toad!!

Anyway, this is what I’ll be doing next week.  Have you ever been to a book fair?  Have you ridden on a C Pony before?  Do you have any ‘firsts’ planned?  If so where or what?