PPWC 2026 - Day Three - Final Gems

Despite getting home late the night before, I was determined to arrive at the Pikes Peak Writers Conference early. I had not yet attended the pre-session meditation led by Johnny Worthen every morning. 

I was hesitant because I have my own firmly held religious beliefs. But I'd heard enough hints about Johnny's faith that made me comfortable trying this. If it got too woo-woo, I could exit the room.

Instead, it was a lovely time to collect our thoughts and gather our energy for the final day of the conference. Highly recommend. Would do again.

Somehow the first session of the day slipped by, filled with hallway conversations and working on the puzzle in Zeb's Lounge. My daughter surprised me with her depth of knowledge as I listened to her compare notes with another fan of classical literature while piecing together a cows-and-flowers jigsaw puzzle.

My final day at PPWC wasn't all fun and games. I attended a two-hour session called Write Lore Your Readers Won't Forget, led by Stant Litore. I wasn't sure how it would apply to my light mystery stories and novels. It turned out to be exactly what I needed to learn. 

Lore is the stories characters tell themselves about their families, their town, their nation, or religion. It's the backstory explaining how characters interpret their world. There is a parallel between folk lore and present action. 

The lore can be wrong. Or passed down for so many generations, the meaning is not understood. Maybe now it becomes vital. Not accepting the existing lore can make a character a hero - or a villain. 

Time for lunch. Could the conference really be reaching its conclusion? Mary Robinette Kowal inspired with her journey as an actress, puppeteer, and author. 

"Rejection is a transient state," she told us. I began my day with Johnny Worthen's calming, thoughtful, and inspiring meditation session, and ended with a Mary Robinette Kowal's rousing speech firing us up to accept the challenges of our profession.

PPWC 2026 flew by. Three days packed with knowledge, inspiration, networking, and entertainment. 

Plans are already in the works for PPWC 2027. 

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