Anne here, and I'm just back from the Romance Writers of Australia annual conference, which this year was in Sydney. As always, the conference experience for me is a mix of catching up with writer buddies, making new friends, and being stimulated by the workshops, talks and panel discussions. 
I love it, but it's also exhausting. Wench Mary Jo once said, "Writers' conferences are full of introverts madly pretending to be extroverts" — and it's true. Really it is.
Of course the exhaustion is actually due to overstimulation of the brain from the excellent workshops. Nothing to do with all those very late nights up talking with friends. Or wine. Or the early mornings so as not to miss any of the program. Or breakfast. No, I'm talking a purely intellectual kind of exhaustion.
In the week leading up to the conference I was on two panels with Grace Burrowes and others, organized by ARRA (the Australian Romance Readers Assoc'n) The first was a "reading salon" in Melbourne, where we read from our books, and then answered questions from the audience, and were fed delicious sweet and savory morsels. (ARRA always provides good food.)
The second was a bigger panel with a wider variety of authors and we answered mostly questions about writing, as a lot of the audience was in Sydney for the RWAust. conference, which started the next day.
That evening Harlequin Books gave a lovely cocktail party for their authors, and I got to catch up with so many people. After that, a small group of us headed off for karaoke. It was my first time, and I'd imagined it would be something like a club, with a stage, and confident people would take it in turns to go on stage and perform, while the rest of us watched politely — but how wrong I was.
This was karaoke as the Japanese do it — a small booth with benches against the wall on three sides and a big screen out the front. You pick out your songs a bit like a jukebox, and though a few were "performing" everyone sang (shrieked, warbled, bellowed) along with them anyway and some were dancing as they sang. It didn't matter if you could sing or not — one woman performs in musical theatre, others were tone deaf, but everyone sang along happily. It was enormous fun — and we finished at 2am. Which was about when this pic was taken.
Friday at our conference is an all day workshop concentrating on craft of writing. There was a "bootcamp" for some and for more experienced writers, a workshop on screenwriting with Ross Grayson Bell. You might ask "why screenwriting?" when we're all novelists, but screenwriters really concentrate on storytelling and story structure, and that's always useful.
I love attending "craft" workshops, as even when I'm very familiar with the concepts and material they're presenting, it's always useful to sit in the audience and apply those concepts to my current wip (work-in-progress). The screenwriting workshop covered some very familiar ground, but it shook loose a knot I've been struggling with in my current story, so I've come home refreshed and ready to pull the manuscript apart and rewrite it.
Friday evening is the official kick-off for the conference, with the costume cocktail party, sponsored by Harlequin. We introduced a costume theme some years ago and the costumes work as a wonderful ice-breaker. And even though there's no pressure to dress up, about half come in costume; plenty of authors are introverts but putting on a costume makes it easier for many to interact. And the costumes are always fun.
This year there was a royalty theme — "Tuxedos and Tiaras" — as the hotel was one in which royalty has stayed — there are photos of Prince Charles and Princess Di dancing there, for instance. So some people came looking glamorous, others were frankly silly. I'll let you decide which camp I'm in. 
Here's me as an evil queen in a cheap tiara onto which I glued rubber rats, snakes and spiders. (And let me suggest if you want black lips, don't use eyeliner — it's really hard to get off.) Among the many silly and fun costumes there was a trio of Zombie brides, and "Prince" who won the costume prizes, awarded by Harlequin Australia's CEO, James Kellow. Of course plenty of others just looked glamorous and lovely: one woman who wore her actual bridal gown, and others looking very queenly. I can't fit all the fabulous costumes in, but if you want to see more pics, I've posted some on my own blog.
On Saturday one of the workshops I did was on the art and craft of prewriting with Christine Wells. Christine wrote historical romance as Christine Wells and Christina Brooke, and now she's back writing as Christine Wells and writing dual timeline historical novels set between now and WW2. Well worth reading.
Saturday night was the awards dinner, and among the many happy award winners was Emily Larkin (who I know a lot of wenchly readers enjoy.) She won the "long" section of the Romantic Book of the Year for her book Ruining Miss Wrotham, in her wonderful "baleful Godmother" series.
On Sunday morning I attended a talk by Grace Burrowes on "Why Historicals? Now More Than Ever." It was an excellent talk, about some of the research she's done, and how some of her themes arise from real life. One interesting discussion was on whether historicals could wrap difficult themes in a "softer" wrapping, and thus increase modern readers' awareness of important, current-day issues. She used her book, The Laird, as an example.
There's plenty more I could report on, but I've run out of steam, and I expect you have too.
So what about you? Do you go to conferences much? Do you like or hate to dress in costume? Have you ever done Karaoke? And what do you think of Grace's comment about exploring difficult themes in historicals — do you think the historical context makes it "easier" or not? Or, if you went to a romance writers conference, who would be your "dream team?"
Hi Anne
Oh it looks like you all had so much fun I loved catching up with you at the talk on Thursday night it was so good, I do love romance conferences and conventions there is so much to learn and fun to be had.
Karaoke such fun and I have had a couple of goes over the years but I really can’t sing LOL, a dream team that is food for thought I have seen a few over the years and have very much enjoyed them all 🙂
Have Fun
Helen
Hi Anne
Oh it looks like you all had so much fun I loved catching up with you at the talk on Thursday night it was so good, I do love romance conferences and conventions there is so much to learn and fun to be had.
Karaoke such fun and I have had a couple of goes over the years but I really can’t sing LOL, a dream team that is food for thought I have seen a few over the years and have very much enjoyed them all 🙂
Have Fun
Helen
Hi Anne
Oh it looks like you all had so much fun I loved catching up with you at the talk on Thursday night it was so good, I do love romance conferences and conventions there is so much to learn and fun to be had.
Karaoke such fun and I have had a couple of goes over the years but I really can’t sing LOL, a dream team that is food for thought I have seen a few over the years and have very much enjoyed them all 🙂
Have Fun
Helen
Hi Anne
Oh it looks like you all had so much fun I loved catching up with you at the talk on Thursday night it was so good, I do love romance conferences and conventions there is so much to learn and fun to be had.
Karaoke such fun and I have had a couple of goes over the years but I really can’t sing LOL, a dream team that is food for thought I have seen a few over the years and have very much enjoyed them all 🙂
Have Fun
Helen
Hi Anne
Oh it looks like you all had so much fun I loved catching up with you at the talk on Thursday night it was so good, I do love romance conferences and conventions there is so much to learn and fun to be had.
Karaoke such fun and I have had a couple of goes over the years but I really can’t sing LOL, a dream team that is food for thought I have seen a few over the years and have very much enjoyed them all 🙂
Have Fun
Helen
FANTASTIC,Anne! I so wish I’d been there.
FANTASTIC,Anne! I so wish I’d been there.
FANTASTIC,Anne! I so wish I’d been there.
FANTASTIC,Anne! I so wish I’d been there.
FANTASTIC,Anne! I so wish I’d been there.
Another virtual visit that I “envy” ad “covet.” I am so grateful that you have passed along your experiences.
At SF conventions there is a track called “filking.” The name is a typo for Folk singing” of “folking.” In the bad old days of mimeographed fan zines you let your typos go unfixed.
So we all picked up on “filk” as a wonderful new word. The songs originally WERE folk, but they soon became songs of a fannish nature which had been set to folk tunes and other tunes.
I bring this up because some of the filk events are performances, some are sing-aongs, and some are a mix of both.
I guess it shows that Introverts pretending to be extroverts are all the same under the skin, with variations on the way we “break out.”
Another virtual visit that I “envy” ad “covet.” I am so grateful that you have passed along your experiences.
At SF conventions there is a track called “filking.” The name is a typo for Folk singing” of “folking.” In the bad old days of mimeographed fan zines you let your typos go unfixed.
So we all picked up on “filk” as a wonderful new word. The songs originally WERE folk, but they soon became songs of a fannish nature which had been set to folk tunes and other tunes.
I bring this up because some of the filk events are performances, some are sing-aongs, and some are a mix of both.
I guess it shows that Introverts pretending to be extroverts are all the same under the skin, with variations on the way we “break out.”
Another virtual visit that I “envy” ad “covet.” I am so grateful that you have passed along your experiences.
At SF conventions there is a track called “filking.” The name is a typo for Folk singing” of “folking.” In the bad old days of mimeographed fan zines you let your typos go unfixed.
So we all picked up on “filk” as a wonderful new word. The songs originally WERE folk, but they soon became songs of a fannish nature which had been set to folk tunes and other tunes.
I bring this up because some of the filk events are performances, some are sing-aongs, and some are a mix of both.
I guess it shows that Introverts pretending to be extroverts are all the same under the skin, with variations on the way we “break out.”
Another virtual visit that I “envy” ad “covet.” I am so grateful that you have passed along your experiences.
At SF conventions there is a track called “filking.” The name is a typo for Folk singing” of “folking.” In the bad old days of mimeographed fan zines you let your typos go unfixed.
So we all picked up on “filk” as a wonderful new word. The songs originally WERE folk, but they soon became songs of a fannish nature which had been set to folk tunes and other tunes.
I bring this up because some of the filk events are performances, some are sing-aongs, and some are a mix of both.
I guess it shows that Introverts pretending to be extroverts are all the same under the skin, with variations on the way we “break out.”
Another virtual visit that I “envy” ad “covet.” I am so grateful that you have passed along your experiences.
At SF conventions there is a track called “filking.” The name is a typo for Folk singing” of “folking.” In the bad old days of mimeographed fan zines you let your typos go unfixed.
So we all picked up on “filk” as a wonderful new word. The songs originally WERE folk, but they soon became songs of a fannish nature which had been set to folk tunes and other tunes.
I bring this up because some of the filk events are performances, some are sing-aongs, and some are a mix of both.
I guess it shows that Introverts pretending to be extroverts are all the same under the skin, with variations on the way we “break out.”
Well. let see now. I’ve read reports of the writers conference in Leeds (from your fellow wenches), New Zealand (via Grace Burrows’ blog) and now this one. You folks know how to have a good time. It’s been many years since I’ve been to a conference. Most of them were work related.
I do like karaoke. I like sing-alongs even better. My mother was one of 14 children. When she was growing up, there were times that they didn’t even have a radio. To entertain themselves, they would gather together in the evening and just sing till it was time for bed. When I was a child and we had family reunions, it wouldn’t take long before all my aunts and uncles were gathered around the piano singing songs from the 20s, 30s, and 40s. I loved it.
One more thing that I’ve noticed about you writers. You are so supportive of each other. That’s wonderful.
Well. let see now. I’ve read reports of the writers conference in Leeds (from your fellow wenches), New Zealand (via Grace Burrows’ blog) and now this one. You folks know how to have a good time. It’s been many years since I’ve been to a conference. Most of them were work related.
I do like karaoke. I like sing-alongs even better. My mother was one of 14 children. When she was growing up, there were times that they didn’t even have a radio. To entertain themselves, they would gather together in the evening and just sing till it was time for bed. When I was a child and we had family reunions, it wouldn’t take long before all my aunts and uncles were gathered around the piano singing songs from the 20s, 30s, and 40s. I loved it.
One more thing that I’ve noticed about you writers. You are so supportive of each other. That’s wonderful.
Well. let see now. I’ve read reports of the writers conference in Leeds (from your fellow wenches), New Zealand (via Grace Burrows’ blog) and now this one. You folks know how to have a good time. It’s been many years since I’ve been to a conference. Most of them were work related.
I do like karaoke. I like sing-alongs even better. My mother was one of 14 children. When she was growing up, there were times that they didn’t even have a radio. To entertain themselves, they would gather together in the evening and just sing till it was time for bed. When I was a child and we had family reunions, it wouldn’t take long before all my aunts and uncles were gathered around the piano singing songs from the 20s, 30s, and 40s. I loved it.
One more thing that I’ve noticed about you writers. You are so supportive of each other. That’s wonderful.
Well. let see now. I’ve read reports of the writers conference in Leeds (from your fellow wenches), New Zealand (via Grace Burrows’ blog) and now this one. You folks know how to have a good time. It’s been many years since I’ve been to a conference. Most of them were work related.
I do like karaoke. I like sing-alongs even better. My mother was one of 14 children. When she was growing up, there were times that they didn’t even have a radio. To entertain themselves, they would gather together in the evening and just sing till it was time for bed. When I was a child and we had family reunions, it wouldn’t take long before all my aunts and uncles were gathered around the piano singing songs from the 20s, 30s, and 40s. I loved it.
One more thing that I’ve noticed about you writers. You are so supportive of each other. That’s wonderful.
Well. let see now. I’ve read reports of the writers conference in Leeds (from your fellow wenches), New Zealand (via Grace Burrows’ blog) and now this one. You folks know how to have a good time. It’s been many years since I’ve been to a conference. Most of them were work related.
I do like karaoke. I like sing-alongs even better. My mother was one of 14 children. When she was growing up, there were times that they didn’t even have a radio. To entertain themselves, they would gather together in the evening and just sing till it was time for bed. When I was a child and we had family reunions, it wouldn’t take long before all my aunts and uncles were gathered around the piano singing songs from the 20s, 30s, and 40s. I loved it.
One more thing that I’ve noticed about you writers. You are so supportive of each other. That’s wonderful.
Thanks, Helen — we did have fun. And learned heaps as well. It was lovely to see you at the ARRA panel on Thursday, too.
Thanks, Helen — we did have fun. And learned heaps as well. It was lovely to see you at the ARRA panel on Thursday, too.
Thanks, Helen — we did have fun. And learned heaps as well. It was lovely to see you at the ARRA panel on Thursday, too.
Thanks, Helen — we did have fun. And learned heaps as well. It was lovely to see you at the ARRA panel on Thursday, too.
Thanks, Helen — we did have fun. And learned heaps as well. It was lovely to see you at the ARRA panel on Thursday, too.
Sue, this sounds wonderful. I love the idea of ‘filking’, both the typo element of the word creation and the activity itself. I’m going to have to find some SF conventions, I can see that.
Sue, this sounds wonderful. I love the idea of ‘filking’, both the typo element of the word creation and the activity itself. I’m going to have to find some SF conventions, I can see that.
Sue, this sounds wonderful. I love the idea of ‘filking’, both the typo element of the word creation and the activity itself. I’m going to have to find some SF conventions, I can see that.
Sue, this sounds wonderful. I love the idea of ‘filking’, both the typo element of the word creation and the activity itself. I’m going to have to find some SF conventions, I can see that.
Sue, this sounds wonderful. I love the idea of ‘filking’, both the typo element of the word creation and the activity itself. I’m going to have to find some SF conventions, I can see that.
Mary, I’m waiting to see if Grace writes a blog about Australia. But my guess is she’s pretty exhausted after two conferences and some very lonnnnng trips.
This conference turned out to be quite a singing one. The karaoke was Thursday night, and on Saturday night, some of us who’d run out of puff in the dance/after party retired to the bar, and lo! there was a woman at the piano in the corner, and a bunch of people having an old-fashioned singalong. So we all sang along too. Apparently it’s a feature of the bar and happens on a regular basis.
Took me back to my childhood — my grandmother was a pianist and her visits were always an occasion for a singalong.
Mary, I’m waiting to see if Grace writes a blog about Australia. But my guess is she’s pretty exhausted after two conferences and some very lonnnnng trips.
This conference turned out to be quite a singing one. The karaoke was Thursday night, and on Saturday night, some of us who’d run out of puff in the dance/after party retired to the bar, and lo! there was a woman at the piano in the corner, and a bunch of people having an old-fashioned singalong. So we all sang along too. Apparently it’s a feature of the bar and happens on a regular basis.
Took me back to my childhood — my grandmother was a pianist and her visits were always an occasion for a singalong.
Mary, I’m waiting to see if Grace writes a blog about Australia. But my guess is she’s pretty exhausted after two conferences and some very lonnnnng trips.
This conference turned out to be quite a singing one. The karaoke was Thursday night, and on Saturday night, some of us who’d run out of puff in the dance/after party retired to the bar, and lo! there was a woman at the piano in the corner, and a bunch of people having an old-fashioned singalong. So we all sang along too. Apparently it’s a feature of the bar and happens on a regular basis.
Took me back to my childhood — my grandmother was a pianist and her visits were always an occasion for a singalong.
Mary, I’m waiting to see if Grace writes a blog about Australia. But my guess is she’s pretty exhausted after two conferences and some very lonnnnng trips.
This conference turned out to be quite a singing one. The karaoke was Thursday night, and on Saturday night, some of us who’d run out of puff in the dance/after party retired to the bar, and lo! there was a woman at the piano in the corner, and a bunch of people having an old-fashioned singalong. So we all sang along too. Apparently it’s a feature of the bar and happens on a regular basis.
Took me back to my childhood — my grandmother was a pianist and her visits were always an occasion for a singalong.
Mary, I’m waiting to see if Grace writes a blog about Australia. But my guess is she’s pretty exhausted after two conferences and some very lonnnnng trips.
This conference turned out to be quite a singing one. The karaoke was Thursday night, and on Saturday night, some of us who’d run out of puff in the dance/after party retired to the bar, and lo! there was a woman at the piano in the corner, and a bunch of people having an old-fashioned singalong. So we all sang along too. Apparently it’s a feature of the bar and happens on a regular basis.
Took me back to my childhood — my grandmother was a pianist and her visits were always an occasion for a singalong.
Mary Jo, it would have been fun. I still remember you in your spangly scarf/harem lady outfit, and The Mayhem Consultant looking very much Ruler of a Kingdom.
Mary Jo, it would have been fun. I still remember you in your spangly scarf/harem lady outfit, and The Mayhem Consultant looking very much Ruler of a Kingdom.
Mary Jo, it would have been fun. I still remember you in your spangly scarf/harem lady outfit, and The Mayhem Consultant looking very much Ruler of a Kingdom.
Mary Jo, it would have been fun. I still remember you in your spangly scarf/harem lady outfit, and The Mayhem Consultant looking very much Ruler of a Kingdom.
Mary Jo, it would have been fun. I still remember you in your spangly scarf/harem lady outfit, and The Mayhem Consultant looking very much Ruler of a Kingdom.
I second all of the above, and can add that when I turned around to see a smiling woman with black lips and that menagerie on her head, I had two thoughts. “Is that Anne?” and “Can I use her in a story?!” It was Anne, and this is your only warning.
I second all of the above, and can add that when I turned around to see a smiling woman with black lips and that menagerie on her head, I had two thoughts. “Is that Anne?” and “Can I use her in a story?!” It was Anne, and this is your only warning.
I second all of the above, and can add that when I turned around to see a smiling woman with black lips and that menagerie on her head, I had two thoughts. “Is that Anne?” and “Can I use her in a story?!” It was Anne, and this is your only warning.
I second all of the above, and can add that when I turned around to see a smiling woman with black lips and that menagerie on her head, I had two thoughts. “Is that Anne?” and “Can I use her in a story?!” It was Anne, and this is your only warning.
I second all of the above, and can add that when I turned around to see a smiling woman with black lips and that menagerie on her head, I had two thoughts. “Is that Anne?” and “Can I use her in a story?!” It was Anne, and this is your only warning.
I love con reports 🙂 It looks like you all had a marvelous time.
I love con reports 🙂 It looks like you all had a marvelous time.
I love con reports 🙂 It looks like you all had a marvelous time.
I love con reports 🙂 It looks like you all had a marvelous time.
I love con reports 🙂 It looks like you all had a marvelous time.
Anne- Great report on the conference! I almost feel like I have jet lag. Regarding Grace Burrowes on “Why Historicals? Now More Than Ever,’ and how some of her themes arise from real life. I divide my reading time between historical and contemporary – and the occasional urban fantasy. And I have always felt deeply that themes – sometimes very difficult, wrenching ones – are more easily approached/understood when in the context of fiction. I might not want to read a textbook/nonfiction book about a difficult subject, e.g., being tortured in a French prison, as in Grace Burrowes’ The Captive, but make me feel for the character and what he – or she – endures – and I’m captured myself. Absorbed in the telling. There are too many examples to list. But Grace’s theme is definitely true. And on a lighter note – I can sense reality even in the way Grace treats the horses in her books, how you include adorable if ungainly dogs, and Mary Jo, of course, almost always lets a hero or heroine love on a cat. Thanks again for a great post. And you and your costume were awesome!
Anne- Great report on the conference! I almost feel like I have jet lag. Regarding Grace Burrowes on “Why Historicals? Now More Than Ever,’ and how some of her themes arise from real life. I divide my reading time between historical and contemporary – and the occasional urban fantasy. And I have always felt deeply that themes – sometimes very difficult, wrenching ones – are more easily approached/understood when in the context of fiction. I might not want to read a textbook/nonfiction book about a difficult subject, e.g., being tortured in a French prison, as in Grace Burrowes’ The Captive, but make me feel for the character and what he – or she – endures – and I’m captured myself. Absorbed in the telling. There are too many examples to list. But Grace’s theme is definitely true. And on a lighter note – I can sense reality even in the way Grace treats the horses in her books, how you include adorable if ungainly dogs, and Mary Jo, of course, almost always lets a hero or heroine love on a cat. Thanks again for a great post. And you and your costume were awesome!
Anne- Great report on the conference! I almost feel like I have jet lag. Regarding Grace Burrowes on “Why Historicals? Now More Than Ever,’ and how some of her themes arise from real life. I divide my reading time between historical and contemporary – and the occasional urban fantasy. And I have always felt deeply that themes – sometimes very difficult, wrenching ones – are more easily approached/understood when in the context of fiction. I might not want to read a textbook/nonfiction book about a difficult subject, e.g., being tortured in a French prison, as in Grace Burrowes’ The Captive, but make me feel for the character and what he – or she – endures – and I’m captured myself. Absorbed in the telling. There are too many examples to list. But Grace’s theme is definitely true. And on a lighter note – I can sense reality even in the way Grace treats the horses in her books, how you include adorable if ungainly dogs, and Mary Jo, of course, almost always lets a hero or heroine love on a cat. Thanks again for a great post. And you and your costume were awesome!
Anne- Great report on the conference! I almost feel like I have jet lag. Regarding Grace Burrowes on “Why Historicals? Now More Than Ever,’ and how some of her themes arise from real life. I divide my reading time between historical and contemporary – and the occasional urban fantasy. And I have always felt deeply that themes – sometimes very difficult, wrenching ones – are more easily approached/understood when in the context of fiction. I might not want to read a textbook/nonfiction book about a difficult subject, e.g., being tortured in a French prison, as in Grace Burrowes’ The Captive, but make me feel for the character and what he – or she – endures – and I’m captured myself. Absorbed in the telling. There are too many examples to list. But Grace’s theme is definitely true. And on a lighter note – I can sense reality even in the way Grace treats the horses in her books, how you include adorable if ungainly dogs, and Mary Jo, of course, almost always lets a hero or heroine love on a cat. Thanks again for a great post. And you and your costume were awesome!
Anne- Great report on the conference! I almost feel like I have jet lag. Regarding Grace Burrowes on “Why Historicals? Now More Than Ever,’ and how some of her themes arise from real life. I divide my reading time between historical and contemporary – and the occasional urban fantasy. And I have always felt deeply that themes – sometimes very difficult, wrenching ones – are more easily approached/understood when in the context of fiction. I might not want to read a textbook/nonfiction book about a difficult subject, e.g., being tortured in a French prison, as in Grace Burrowes’ The Captive, but make me feel for the character and what he – or she – endures – and I’m captured myself. Absorbed in the telling. There are too many examples to list. But Grace’s theme is definitely true. And on a lighter note – I can sense reality even in the way Grace treats the horses in her books, how you include adorable if ungainly dogs, and Mary Jo, of course, almost always lets a hero or heroine love on a cat. Thanks again for a great post. And you and your costume were awesome!
LOL Grace. I somehow doubt that version of me would fit in a regency — maybe a costume ball. And though my menagerie was relatively tame, I’d recommend people not use black eyeliner for black lipstick. Took a lot of cold cream and a bit of scrubbing to get off — I didn’t fancy having grey lips the next day. It was lovely meeting you.
LOL Grace. I somehow doubt that version of me would fit in a regency — maybe a costume ball. And though my menagerie was relatively tame, I’d recommend people not use black eyeliner for black lipstick. Took a lot of cold cream and a bit of scrubbing to get off — I didn’t fancy having grey lips the next day. It was lovely meeting you.
LOL Grace. I somehow doubt that version of me would fit in a regency — maybe a costume ball. And though my menagerie was relatively tame, I’d recommend people not use black eyeliner for black lipstick. Took a lot of cold cream and a bit of scrubbing to get off — I didn’t fancy having grey lips the next day. It was lovely meeting you.
LOL Grace. I somehow doubt that version of me would fit in a regency — maybe a costume ball. And though my menagerie was relatively tame, I’d recommend people not use black eyeliner for black lipstick. Took a lot of cold cream and a bit of scrubbing to get off — I didn’t fancy having grey lips the next day. It was lovely meeting you.
LOL Grace. I somehow doubt that version of me would fit in a regency — maybe a costume ball. And though my menagerie was relatively tame, I’d recommend people not use black eyeliner for black lipstick. Took a lot of cold cream and a bit of scrubbing to get off — I didn’t fancy having grey lips the next day. It was lovely meeting you.
Thanks, Janice — we did have a lovely time. Our romance writers conferences are always fun.
Thanks, Janice — we did have a lovely time. Our romance writers conferences are always fun.
Thanks, Janice — we did have a lovely time. Our romance writers conferences are always fun.
Thanks, Janice — we did have a lovely time. Our romance writers conferences are always fun.
Thanks, Janice — we did have a lovely time. Our romance writers conferences are always fun.
I agree with you and Grace about that, Binnie. Readers can experience so much through a book. I lean towards the more escapist end of the historical romance spectrum, but my books always show an awareness of poverty and injustice, because that’s how I see the world. But they’re not *about* poverty and injustice.
I agree with you and Grace about that, Binnie. Readers can experience so much through a book. I lean towards the more escapist end of the historical romance spectrum, but my books always show an awareness of poverty and injustice, because that’s how I see the world. But they’re not *about* poverty and injustice.
I agree with you and Grace about that, Binnie. Readers can experience so much through a book. I lean towards the more escapist end of the historical romance spectrum, but my books always show an awareness of poverty and injustice, because that’s how I see the world. But they’re not *about* poverty and injustice.
I agree with you and Grace about that, Binnie. Readers can experience so much through a book. I lean towards the more escapist end of the historical romance spectrum, but my books always show an awareness of poverty and injustice, because that’s how I see the world. But they’re not *about* poverty and injustice.
I agree with you and Grace about that, Binnie. Readers can experience so much through a book. I lean towards the more escapist end of the historical romance spectrum, but my books always show an awareness of poverty and injustice, because that’s how I see the world. But they’re not *about* poverty and injustice.
Thanks so much for the shout-out, Anne! Wasn’t the conference a blast? I was a bit nervous to have you in my workshop — I’m sure it wasn’t anything new to you. Loved your evil Queen costume. You always do a fantastic job with the dress-ups. I wished I could have cloned myself, there were so many great sessions I missed. It was all over far too quickly! Roll on Melbourne.
Thanks so much for the shout-out, Anne! Wasn’t the conference a blast? I was a bit nervous to have you in my workshop — I’m sure it wasn’t anything new to you. Loved your evil Queen costume. You always do a fantastic job with the dress-ups. I wished I could have cloned myself, there were so many great sessions I missed. It was all over far too quickly! Roll on Melbourne.
Thanks so much for the shout-out, Anne! Wasn’t the conference a blast? I was a bit nervous to have you in my workshop — I’m sure it wasn’t anything new to you. Loved your evil Queen costume. You always do a fantastic job with the dress-ups. I wished I could have cloned myself, there were so many great sessions I missed. It was all over far too quickly! Roll on Melbourne.
Thanks so much for the shout-out, Anne! Wasn’t the conference a blast? I was a bit nervous to have you in my workshop — I’m sure it wasn’t anything new to you. Loved your evil Queen costume. You always do a fantastic job with the dress-ups. I wished I could have cloned myself, there were so many great sessions I missed. It was all over far too quickly! Roll on Melbourne.
Thanks so much for the shout-out, Anne! Wasn’t the conference a blast? I was a bit nervous to have you in my workshop — I’m sure it wasn’t anything new to you. Loved your evil Queen costume. You always do a fantastic job with the dress-ups. I wished I could have cloned myself, there were so many great sessions I missed. It was all over far too quickly! Roll on Melbourne.
Christine, it was an excellent workshop and I enjoyed it very much. I think we’re lucky with our conferences — they’re always fun, but also so educational — and then there’s the bonus of meeting up with people I only ever see once a year. And yes, I’m looking to the Melbourne conference already. Thanks for dropping by — and for sending the workbook from your workshop to all the participants — very generous of you.
Christine, it was an excellent workshop and I enjoyed it very much. I think we’re lucky with our conferences — they’re always fun, but also so educational — and then there’s the bonus of meeting up with people I only ever see once a year. And yes, I’m looking to the Melbourne conference already. Thanks for dropping by — and for sending the workbook from your workshop to all the participants — very generous of you.
Christine, it was an excellent workshop and I enjoyed it very much. I think we’re lucky with our conferences — they’re always fun, but also so educational — and then there’s the bonus of meeting up with people I only ever see once a year. And yes, I’m looking to the Melbourne conference already. Thanks for dropping by — and for sending the workbook from your workshop to all the participants — very generous of you.
Christine, it was an excellent workshop and I enjoyed it very much. I think we’re lucky with our conferences — they’re always fun, but also so educational — and then there’s the bonus of meeting up with people I only ever see once a year. And yes, I’m looking to the Melbourne conference already. Thanks for dropping by — and for sending the workbook from your workshop to all the participants — very generous of you.
Christine, it was an excellent workshop and I enjoyed it very much. I think we’re lucky with our conferences — they’re always fun, but also so educational — and then there’s the bonus of meeting up with people I only ever see once a year. And yes, I’m looking to the Melbourne conference already. Thanks for dropping by — and for sending the workbook from your workshop to all the participants — very generous of you.
Thank you, that’s great to hear. I hope you find the workbook useful!
And yes, roll on Melbourne. My favourite Australian city!
Thank you, that’s great to hear. I hope you find the workbook useful!
And yes, roll on Melbourne. My favourite Australian city!
Thank you, that’s great to hear. I hope you find the workbook useful!
And yes, roll on Melbourne. My favourite Australian city!
Thank you, that’s great to hear. I hope you find the workbook useful!
And yes, roll on Melbourne. My favourite Australian city!
Thank you, that’s great to hear. I hope you find the workbook useful!
And yes, roll on Melbourne. My favourite Australian city!