Thursday 23 August 2012

ROMANCE WRITERS OF AUSTRALIA CONFERENCE 2012 –


With Narelle Atkins, Laura O'Connell
and Andrea Grigg - my generous
host for Wed and Sun nights!
Now I have come out of the rather dazed and exhausted state I was in after this wonderful conference, I’ll share a few snippets with you and a few photos.
I always come home sorry I’ve been so enthralled I forget to take that camera out of my bag but did get a few. 
This “oldie” could not help but compare this conference with past years – years I’ve enjoyed and marvelled at too! For me this will always stand out as one of the very best. There are so many reasons and I cannot possibly share them all here except to mention here :

With Judy Griffiths and Kerri
at the Friday evening 50's
dress event

Well over 400 participants (I think did hear 463 mentioned!) 
The QT Hotel venue.
The professionalism of those who organised this event.
Many representatives from so many Australian publishers.
Excellent speakers and panels.
The usual fun Friday evening cocktail party.
The launch of Harlequin’s Digital First Imprint in Australia – Harlequin Escape.
Sharing with Ray's publisher, Rochelle Manners, at her workshop.

Applauding award winners – especially our generous Tas Roadshow speaker, Fiona Lowe, for her R*by as well as her RITA.

Michelle Douglas and Judy
As well as meeting face to face with many writers only previously “known” online, over the years perhaps the thing I have enjoyed the most is renewing acquaintances with many writer friends.
These included not only those from my old Maitland writers group, Malvina Yock but Emma Darcy and Marion Lennox too this year.

Then their was the generous and lovely Helen Bianchin. What a privilege to meet her family at the Award Dinner, and join in the standing ovation as she received the inaugural Romance Writers of Australia Hall of Fame award was particularly a treasured event.

Malvina Yock -
Kerri in background
 And so, although I came home exhilerated, excited and exhausted, it was a lovely welcome home. I slept for over ten hours last Monday night!

I can only hope other exhausted writers home from the Gold Coast had as understanding husband as I did. And he had only moved one item of furniture this year - the cupboard with videos and DVDs to make room for my vase of flowers. Sorry, a standing "in-joke" that each time I go away by myself "things" are different in the house on my return!

Ray takes our 2 yr old
and 10 month old for
the wheelbarrow ride!
 Now I've caught up on stuff here at home - including sharing this with you, what am I going to do?

FINISH THIS CURRENT MANUSCRIPT!
Sorry, but this will mean not as many posts here for the next few weeks - er...perhaps months too. However, Ray's blog is still a "work in progress" and hopefully will go public very soon.

And we are so privileged to be so involved with our beautiful grandchildren - the eldest even with Ray to welcome me home at the airport!


And Ray does have that knack of swinging that teething little darling to sleep today!

And yeah, simply couldn't resist sharing these photos of the grandcildren with you today!


 

1 comment:

  1. So sorry, Mary. Kidney stones are awful. I've had one and never never want to experience that pain again! I hope you're mending and feeling stronger.
    What a great experience at RWA, and being able to meet so many well-known authors. How wonderful.

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