Jacqueline Mitchard

I knew that she was an extremely well-known writer.
I knew that her book had been made into a movie starring a well-known actress.
I knew that I had found her first book The Deep End of the Ocean utterly absorbing.
I did not know that she was such a good speaker.
I did not know that she cared so deeply about writers and writing and, especially, unknown writers.
Jacqueline Mitchard gave the key-note address at the Writers at the Beach conference held in Rehoboth Beach last weekend. It was interesting and helpful and well-organized. It was also very funny.
She made some thought-provoking remarks about writing what people really read and about the nature of good fiction, which is not character-driven but event-driven.
She encouraged all of us to keep writing and invited us to attend her writers' retreat.
I did not know that Jacqueline Mitchard would be so inspiring.