RWA Conference

350 romance writers are heading to Melbourne this week for the 20th Anniversary conference, our biggest number of delegates yet. Apart from the usual excitement of catching up with friends, meeting new people, brushing shoulders with the visiting editors agents and big name writers, this conference is  special for me because of my very first R*BY final.

I never imagined Instant Family would make the short list for this award but it has thanks to some very discerning reader judges--LOL On Saturday evening the results of the R*BY will be announced. Finalling is such a thrill I honestly don't care if my book doesn't win much as I would like it to of course.

Instant Family will be available at the conference bookstore along with two other titles The Tangled Web which was a Golden Quill finalist and Stuck. On Saturday I will be doing a book signing during one of the meal breaks so watch out for that and come and say hello.

New Sale!!!

I've just signed a contract with The Whiskey Creek Press for Eve's Passion. Release date is August 2012. I'm thrilled to have a home for this story as it's one of my favourites.  It's a sexier read than my Avalon books so was unsuitable to send to my editor there.

I have however, recently sold my eighth story to Avalon--Love On the North Shore Line--no release date as yet.

The fabulous RWAustralia conference is coming up fast and excitement is rising in the ranks.
All is well on the writing front :)

Talking about being an author

I spoke to 60 six year olds this morning. They were learning about being an author and the process of an idea in someone's head turning into a book. What a fabulous group of children. They were very responsive and amazingly knowledgable. They all had questions prepared and asked them confidently. They all sat and listened attentively and were a credit to their teachers.

I love to think that in that group one little person may be inspired to write by today's experience. I enjoyed every minute with those beautiful children and would love to do it again!

Amazement!!

 A couple of weeks ago we went to Narooma for a quick overnight visit with relatives. When we returned I had a phone message from the RWA R*BY manager saying please call her. I assumed it would be some RWA committee business or maybe about the Little Gems Anthology because we're involved in both but no, my book Instant Family had finalled in the Long Romance section of the Romantic Book of the Year. Wow!!!

Then I went to check the pile of emails before I rushed off to Sunday afternoon tennis. There sat an email from the Manager of the Phoenix Desert Rose Golden Quill Contest telling me Instant Family had won the Traditional romance category and my other entry The Tangled Web had finalled. I couldn't believe it!

Instant Family is set in my hometown of Canberra so I'm doubly pleased to be waving the flag not only for my publisher Avalon but for homegrown sweet Aussie romance! If you happen to be one of the readers who read and judged Instant Family as worthy--thank-you very much!!

War and Peace is finally over

I finished War and Peace! Last night was the end of a 964 page marathon which lasted many years. I've forgotten when I started but it must be at least 5 years ago because the book was a new paperback and now the paper is yellowing round the edges.

There are two Epilogues in which Tolstoy follows his characters into a future where the surviving couples are happily married with children underfoot and life is peaceful for a while. Of course with hindsight we know that those aristocrat lifestyles didn't last. Tolstoy finished W&P in 1869, fifty years after the Napoleonic  invasion of Russia and nearly fifty years before the 1917 revolution.

One thing stood out to me throughout the book and that was how little seems to have changed with the warmongers of our society. Tolstoy gives detailed accounts of the way campaigns are bungled and battles lost or won by stupid mistakes, and misunderstood instructions given by inept, lazy or preoccupied commanders with their own agendas.

I'm pleased I read the whole book and am ready to tackle another classic author now. Not sure what yet.

The Wedding Party

I'm really happy with the cover of my next book, it's so pretty and so romantic, exactly as a wedding themed book cover should be. The Wedding Party was inspired by niece's wedding in beautiful Narooma one summer day several year's ago. Her groom had two Best Men which was rather unusual and the celebrant made it a very personal and loving ceremony.

I was so impressed by the way she spoke I asked her afterwards was she a friend of the couple. She said, "No, I do all my weddings that way. I interview the couple and get them to fill out a questionnaire, secretly, about the other person. It makes it very personal and a surprise for everyone." This girl clearly loved weddings---I had my heroine.

At the reception one of the two Best Men declared he was the last of the trio of best friends to remain single and had no intention of following his mates down that aisle. He crewed on a charter yacht in the Med and loved his unfettered lifestyle. I had my hero.

To find out how I managed to wrangle these two into submission, overcome their totally opposite views on marriage and fall in love forever, snap up a copy of The Wedding Party when it comes out in June.

Keep an eye on my website and blog for a chance to win a copy because closer to the release date I'll be doing a giveaway.