Here are a few reasons why:

1. Face-to-face networking. Absolutely nothing can replace the value of having actual (not virtual) conversations with editors, agents and experienced authors. At ACFW conference, they are everywhere!!! It’s like a Hollywood star spotting for Christian writers. You’ll see faces you know around every corner. And you can eat meals with these people. Chat over coffee. Even set up appointments with them.

2. Learning opportunities. There are fabulous workshops on craft, author marketing, and the business of publishing. Something for all levels of writers.

3. An atmosphere of mutual understanding and purpose. As Christians, our main goal in life is to further His kingdom. It’s a pretty cool thing to be in a place where several hundred people are gathered because they love to tell stories and because they love Jesus Christ. Conference is a place to worship, recommit your writing to God, and make lasting friendships with great people.

So, if you’re sitting on the fence about ACFW conference, keep thinking it over. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Take it from a shopper, it’s a good value. Hope to see you there.

Kit Wilkinson

Kit has two novels with Steeple Hill Books. You can learn more at her website.

Anyway, the FBI Academy tour (not to be confused with the actual Headquarters which no longer gives tours) was phenominal! Highly recommend it.

Here are some quick highlights.

The Academy  located on the Quantico Marine Base in Northern VA. The base spreads over 60,ooo acres of gorgeous woodlands and rolling hills. The FBI gets to use about 600 of those acres for their Academy, the National Academy, the Hostage Recovery Unit and their famous crime lab. The tour, given by Special Agent Kurt, lasted about three hours and was easily one of the best, most informative tours I’ve ever completed.

The Academy is where all new agents train. Special agents account for over 13,000 of the FBIs employees, special agent being just one of the 600 various job titles in the FBI. New agents attend the Academy for 20 weeks learning everything from count-terrorism to fire arms to driving skills. It is physically and mentally demanding. I was able to see new agents in a Defensive Tactics course. They use rubber guns to train with and actually practice saying “Stop! FBI!”

Here are pictures of the famous Hogan’s Alley where they role play investigations. I was surprised at the size of it. There’s even a pretend used car lot.

Behind Hogan’s Alley is the crime lab which is enormous!

The FBI Academy is the top police academy in the world. But also there is the National Academy. Two hundred fifty local and foreign police officers come to this program each year. This is a shorter program (10 weeks), run by the FBI, which trains officers (lt grade and higher), sheriffs, military police and other law enforcement agencies. And you can’t apply. You must be nominated to this program to attend. At the end, they run a Marine built fitness course called the “Yellow Brick Road.” Looked pretty brutal.