Today my special guest in the Taverna and on Eleni-fest is the fabulous Anna Campbell, author of Regency romance books 'Claiming the Courtesan', 'Untouched', and 'Tempt the Devil'.
Take it away....
Hi Eleni! Thank you for having me as your guest here on the Eleni-Fest. I hope you’re supplying drinks from the taverna, though – make mine a classic margarita!
As many of you know, I was many years unpublished. I count my years in the wilderness from finishing my first complete manuscript when I was 17 up until selling CLAIMING THE COURTESAN to Avon in the U.S. in 2006 27 years later. Yeah, and if you do the maths, you can indeed work out my advanced years!For most of that time, I was on my own. Robinson Crusoe was my middle name! I didn’t know many people who read romance, let alone, shock, horror, wanted to write it. Inevitably, I spent a lot of time reinventing the wheel. I certainly learnt a lot during my apprenticeship but it took me far too long!
Then one day about 20 years into this long apprenticeship, I screwed up the courage to join Romance Writers of Australia. It then took me another couple of years to front up at the annual Romance Writers of Australia conference. That year it was held at the Hyatt in Kings Cross in Sydney and at the time, I lived five minutes walk away. Not to mention, I’d entered my first contest and somehow finalled. So I couldn’t make excuses about not going any more.
And my life changed!
I know that sounds unnecessarily dramatic but it’s the absolute truth. I honestly felt like I’d come home. As a friend of mine said, going to your first Romance Writers of Australia conference is like finding your own particular wolf pack. I met a stack of wonderful people, some of whom have since become my best friends. I realised that I wasn’t so odd in my dreams to be a published romance writer – other people knew exactly what I was going through in my quest and were taking, had taken or would take the same steps along the road to seeing their books on the shelves. I learnt a stack of stuff about career and market and writing.I directly credit my publication to seeds that were sown during that conference in 2001. A writer I met there eventually recommended me to her agent in America. I entered a lot more contests, eventually finalling twice in the Golden Heart in 2006 which gave my manuscript a great calling card when my agent submitted it to editors. Through the five years after that conference, people I met gave me advice and critiques and encouragement and support that meant my writing developed in leaps and bounds instead of limps and stops as it had been going up to that point.
Most important of all, at that first conference, I linked up with another writer who turned into my regular critique partner and we’ve worked closely together ever since. Annie West sold to Harlequin Presents/Sexy/Modern in late 2005, about six months before I did. Annie helped me take my writing to the level I needed to reach if I was to be published. I continue to be grateful to her for her wonderful, perceptive advice.
Since 2001, I haven’t missed a single Romance Writers of Australia conference. It’s always fantastic to meet up with old friends, make new ones, get the latest news, share successes, attend the awards dinner and cheer on the contest winners, go to workshops and just generally kick up my heels with my wolf pack. The Aussie conference is still a highlight of my year!
If you’re an Australian and you’re interested in romance writing, there are two things I can’t recommend highly enough. One is join Romance Writers of Australia and the other is beg, steal or borrow the money and the time to attend the conference. They really are a blast!
I’m giving away a signed copy of my most recent release TEMPT THE DEVIL today to one lucky commenter.
If you’d like more information on me and my books, including my 27th October release CAPTIVE OF SIN, please visit my website: www.annacampbell.info
So do you have any experience of writers’ get-togethers as a writer or a reader?
Wow, amazing piece Anna, thank you. Can I say you have some fantastic covers there, especially Mr 'Tempt the Devil' *grin*. Good luck with the release of 'Captive of Sin' - oh and here's your margarita.
Now dear readers, you have until the end of 14th October to make a comment for your chance to win Tempt the Devil. (Click the title link to check out the blurb on Anna's website!)
Good luck! And thank you Anna for your generosity.
Comments are now closed. Congratulations Cathryn Brunet!
92 comments:
Thanks for joining us Anna! I love reading about an authors road to publication. The new book looks great and I hope to read it soon (wink-wink).
Ah, the beauty of being up late in Western Australia.... I get tomorrow's posts today! Yay.
Great to see you in the taverna, Anna, and to read your ironman-esque tale of endurance. It goes to show the value of perseverence, self-belief and associations like RWAus. Sounds like you never would have boosted your career into the stratosphere if not for the fellowship and education RWAus brought you.
I've only been to two national conferences (one as yet-to-be-pubbed one as 'newly signed') but am looking fwd to many more. They're big enough to be exciting but not so big they're terrifying.
*Nikki*
Anna, I'm so glad you went to that conference. The romance world is a better place because of it :-)
Your journey is so inspiring! Was there any special bit of advice or wisdom you picked up along the way that's really helped you?
Great blog Anna, thanks for sharing your experience !
I love your books and count the days to your next release (soon, soon I know).
Have nice day (it's 8 pm here in France where I am, so it's more a good night for me ;-)
xoxo
Hi Joder! Actually I'm really sorry I don't yet have the copies of Captive of Sin or I would have given one away here. Can't wait - less than three weeks to go!
Nikki, it was such a buzz to meet you. We've been in email contact for ages! Isn't the conference fun? And I remember the wonderful conference after I sold - it was like I was having a celebration party with 300 of my best friends. I'm sure you felt the same! Can't wait for the book!
Speaking of WA, there's now the wonderful roadshows over there once a year. I hope they keep going. Having been Robinson Crusoe, I'm campaigning to keep other people from feeling that way ;-) Although a Man Friday doesn't sound too bad to me - does he do bathrooms?
Hey, my Bandita buddy, Tawny! Lovely to see you here! Tawny writes fabulous Blazes - pick one up and I swear you won't put it down until you get to the last page.
What a great question. Actually one bit of advice that stayed with me was from the fabulous Robyn Donald. The weird thing is when I heard it, it didn't seem that profound but as I got closer to publication and still couldn't get over that line, it became more and more significant. She said, "The people who fail are the people who give up." Sounds obvious, doesn't it? But the really tough part of being unpublished isn't when you're starting out and you know you've got heaps to learn. The really tough part is when you know you're doing a lot of stuff right (nobody does everything right!) and you still can't get over that line. It's so disheartening!
Bonjour, Emannuelle! Or perhaps bonsoir! It's really early in the morning here in Oz. I mean REALLY early!!!!! Hey, thanks for saying you're looking forward to Captive of Sin coming out. The 27th is looming!!!! Sleep tight!
Good advice about not giving up Anna! And I agree about the conferences, a must!
It sounds obvious, Deb, doesn't it? But it's really not! And it's always such a buzz to catch up with you at conference - keep coming to them, my friend!
Hooowwwwwwwll! Hey Anna! Popping over from your "other" wolfpack, the ROmance Bandits, to say howdy. I love hearing about your writing journey. Like you, I learned stacks and stacks of stuff with my first RWA - heck, my first regional conference! - and so I always recommend that to new writers who ask me where to start. :>
Can't wait for your latest and greatest. Captive of Sin will be my reward for turning my latest in. Grins.
Hey, Miss Jeanne, another Bandit visits! I think one of the best things about conference is you realize there is a whole group of people out there who get what you're on about. A lot of my friends still get this puzzled look in their eye when I start raving about romance - they just don't get it. It's so important to be with people who do!
Great blog, Anna! I agree with you 100% about joining RWAus. Getting really involved was a huge turning point for me as was meeting you at the 2004 conference!
Robyn Donald couldn't have given you a better piece of advice, could she? Your writing journey is a testament to the importance of perseverance.
Cant' wait to see you latest on the shelves. Everyone's going to love Gideon and Charis! Another Anna Campbell keeper!
Thanks for having Anna to visit, Eleni.
:)
Sharon
Anna you are everywhere. This is my first trip to this site, looks very cool. I will check it out. I would love that signed book btw. Whatever your journey to publication and no matter how long it took it was definitely worth it. I for one am very glad you kept at it.
Hiya, Anna!
It was so great to meet you in person at the RomAus conference, BTW. And thank you for sharing your journey to becoming a published author -- I love hearing those stories, can't get enough of them!
As for conferences,the first conference I ever went to was the RWNZ one in 2004 with Don Maass as keynote. To say I was blown away by how friendly and giving everyone was is an understatement. Our fellow romance writers are simply the most supportive, wonderful people! I feel truly blessed to be a part of this community.
Loved (loved LOVED!) Claiming The Courtesan and can't wait to get my paws on a copy of Captive Of Sin.
:-)
Maree
Hi Anna,
I have to agree - that first conference is like a shining light after years in a blanket of darkness =)
Looking forward to your release coming soon!
Hey, Miss Sharon, you're one of the people who make me eternally grateful I joined RWA. Thanks for checking out the blog. It IS a great piece of advice, isn't it? But I think you need to be at that final point before it really resonates.
Hey, thanks, Beth. You're definitely in line for the book. I'd love to have offered a copy of my new one, Captive of Sin, but I'm probably not going to get them for another month which is an awfully long time to wait for a prize. Thanks for those lovely words! It IS a cool website, isn't it?
Hey, thanks, Maree. I really enjoyed meeting you too - it blows me away how wonderful romance writers are. If there's a charity appeal, romance writers are always there. And the amount of support and encouragement I've got from my Aussie writing sisters is just amazing. Hope to see you again next year - I'm coming to NZ even if you can't make Oz, which obviously I hope you will!
Thanks, Mel. I can still remember my wild euphoria at that first conference. Honestly, I was like an over-excited kid let loose in a lolly shop for the first time! Thanks for saying you're looking forward to COS. Not long now!
I hope when you say you're coming to NZ it's for the RWNZ conference - if so I'll see you there :)
Hi Eleni, thanks so much for having Anna guest with you. I've been priveleged to read Captive of Sin in manuscript form and Romancelandia is in for a treat with this one! No one does the tortured hero quite like Anna Campbell and if you don't fall in love with the gorgeous Gideon, then you must have a heart of stone! Lovely blog, Anna. There are many, many writers who wandered in the wilderness before RWA found them. It's a wonderful organisation!
Louise, I've never got there before but next year is the year for the RWNZ conference. I've never been to NZ before and I've always wanted to visit. And next year, my deadlines actually fit in. They haven't since I sold. Looking forward to it big time! See you there!
Christine, thank you so much for giving old Gid some love. I must say I have quite a crush on him myself. He's such a hero! Although if you offer me Vane, I'll swap!
Hey, Anna & Eleni, thought I'd pop on over during a break to say hi - and to say, like many others have already said, the call stories never get old. They're tangible and inspire hope in any unpubbed author.
I second Anna's statement about RWAustralia - what a group of wonderful people - highly recommended to any lone wolves out there needing a pack to join. :-)
Hi, Anna. I love hear the story of your journey to publication. It's amazing and inspirational.
I think it's great how joining RWA or another writing organization catapults our writing to another level.
And how great that you found Annie West. She's wonderful!
Hello, Kylie, my wolfy friend! Actually you're an example of something else wonderful in RWA - the way the contests really give you a profile and help you get your work in front of an editor. Honestly, I can't see a downside of joining RWA. And you're right - call stories NEVER get old!!!!
Jo, another Bandita! Welcome to Eleni's Taverna. Eleni's just off getting you a nice retsina. Yes, Annie is wonderful. And there's something about knowing you've got that support behind you that helps you to get to the next level. It seems quite magical to me.
Hi Anna! How inspiring is your call story? Wow. I cannot agree more with the consensus about RWA, they saved my sanity. I felt like I was on this dinky little raft in the middle of a huge, pounding ocean in the dead of night, and when I found out about them two years ago it was like this great big lighthouse! Before that I was told by people to write 'real' stories, as opposed to my imaginary ones, I suppose. I told them I prefer my imaginary ones - they are much more fun! I must admit I haven't read any of your books (I live in a small town - no book shop to my horror!) I know that's no excuse, but I want to remedy that asap. I found Booktopia.com YAY! (I'm a little slow on all things technological). I can't wait to read Captive of Sin once it's out.
Hi Anna
Carolyn Holm introduced me to your books at this years RWNZ conference and now I can't wait for the next one! Thanks for sharing your journey - it gives me hope and makes me more determined never to give up!
Bronwen Evans RWNZ
Hi Eleni and Anna,
Anna, great blog! I'm so glad I joined RWA this year, went to the conference and got to meet both of you! It's such a fab group.
I can't wait to read Captive of Sin!
Hi Eleni & Anna :)
Thank you for the great post.
Eleni you are doing great job with your "Eleni-fest".
Anna, thank you for sharing your wisdom here today.
All the best,
RKCharron
xoxo
PS - Is Anna Campbell on Twitter?
Wow the party is in full swing. Sorry the retsina and ouzos are late. Renovations had the electricity off for some time so am quickly commenting from my iPhone and I can't believe how many of you are early birds. The night owl is shaking its head in disbelief!
Thanks everyone for making Anna feel welcome. And Anna love having you on the blog. So glad you found your wolf pack. Us! Your story is inspirational. Wishing you more continued success.
Thanks Anna for sharing your writer's journey. I always interests me how people started, plus gives me hope that one day I'll get my novel/s published.
Sandie
Hi Anna, I can still remember my amazement when I discovered there was an entire organisation dedicated to romance and that it was filled with wonderful welcoming women! RWA with its comps, blogs, twitters and networking provides so many great opportunities.
And then there are the conferences - a whole new meaning to funfests!!
Can't wait for your new release!!
Helene
I enjoyed the story of your journey to publication.
Am looking forward to your new release.
On the computer - huzzah!
Anna thanks so much for your time today. Everyone is loving it!! And Robyn Donald's words are just so right.
Nikki - LOL about being in WA - especially now since some states including mine have gone to daylight savings already :)
Great to see the Banditas here. I love your blog.
Emmanuelle - great to see someone joining us from France!
Beth - thanks for thinking my site is cool ;)
Christine - oh the pleasure of hosting Anna is all mine. Lucky you getting the sneak peak at Anna's book before it hits the shelves!
Jo - agree with you on how great Anna found Annie to be a CP. Two great ladies.
Anna - it was great meeting you at the conference and glad you joined and come along.
RK - Thanks for your kind words re Eleni-fest. I'm having a blast. Hope you are too!
It was great seeing so many wonderful folks at the conference who 'get' me. So to everyone I caught up with, it was a blast. Everyone I didn't get a chance too, next time!
And everyone in cyberspace, thanks for joining in Eleni-fest.
Anna again thank you!! What I love is that every time I saw you, you always had a smile on your face and make the others around you. thanks for sharing your journey.
E x
Hi Anna,
i've been waiting for sooo long to have the chance to read one of your great works!
And this is my first time visiting this site :) {thanks Eleni for bringing Anna here!}
what a long journey that you've been thru. And i'm so glad that you've never give up to achieve your dreams!
I'm waiting forward for the new release. And Gosh, i love the cover :D
mariska
Michelle, I know exactly what you mean. That raft thing is a great image - I felt like Robinson Crusoe on a raft ;-) And honestly, aren't all stories by definition imaginary? If you talk to research scientists, they'll even say they use their imaginations. There's a wonderful story about the guy who worked out DNA having a dream about two snakes coiling around each other and that gave him the secret. Sorry, had a little rant there! ;-) Hope you enjoy COS. 20 days till it's out in the States. Whoo-hoooo!
Bronwen, thanks for popping over from across the ditch! Can't wait to meet you guys! The weird thing is these days, I think I was lucky to have that long apprenticeship. I learnt an awful lot and I was a (hopefully) more mature person when I sold. It's a bit of a rollercoaster on the other side of publication. So hang in there!!!!
Hey, thanks, Anna. And congratulations on the release of your debut too! That's one sexy cover! (and the next one!) It was a buzz meeting you too - that's one of the lovely things about conference, all the wonderful new people I meet to go along with the wonderful old (in a knowing me sense - I would never imply my friends are OLD!) people.
Hi RK! Thanks for popping by. I'm so glad you enjoyed the post. No, I'm not on Twitter. I spend far too much time on Facebook (if you're on Facebook, please come and find me - the book cover's my avatar)so decided that adding Twitter to the mix would just be death to any productivity ;-)
Thanks so much, Eleni. Now get those handsome men dressed (or undressed!) as Apollo to give us some more retsina! We tried to break into the cellar but you, very wisely, locked it up before you went to bed last night. Hic! Or perhaps in view of the Greek nature of this blog, hiccus!
Seriously, thanks for hosting me today. It's been great fun.
Sandie, when I was unpublished, I always found call stories incredibly motivating. There was always this thought that one day that might be me. I still love hearing them - it's like reading a good romance, there's all that wonderful action and then a happy ending ;-) Good luck with your writing!
Hey, Helene, thanks so much for popping by. And congratulations on your forthcoming debut too! Whoo-hooo. There's going to be a whole school of Aussie romantic suspense writers, great stuff! Isn't RWA the best? Honestly, I still would be muddling around without them.
Hi, Eleni and Anna!
Going to RWAus conferences is like walking into a nice warm hug. The RWA membership is so supportive of us yet-to-be-published writers. I haven't attended the last two conferences, but believe me I've missed them!
~ Vanessa
Thanks, Estella. I couldn't have done it without my mates at RWA! Hope you enjoy Captive of Sin! Not long now!
Eleni, what a lovely compliment. Thank you! Now, where's that cellar key? ;-)
Hi Mariska! Isn't this a great site? Eleni's a blast in person too. Hey, good luck with the draw! The cover is even more beautiful in real life - it's got silver roses etched on the red bits and red roses etched on the white bits. Just gorgeous and really classy. Sigh - I LOVE my covers! Yeah, that odd sound is drool hitting the floor, bleuch!
Vanessa, we've missed you too although it's been lovely to see you at the last two American conferences. Hey, what a lovely image about walking into a hug. That's completely right! Thanks for popping by!
No cellar key required Anna - it's open bar!!
And it's being served by the men that look like they have jumped off the screen of 300 (though with more chest hair!)
Oh love that description Vanessa - warm hug indeed.
Mariska thanks for visiting the site - and of course having Anna here is fantastic (good for the taverna business you know *grin*).
And aren't Anna's covers just wonderful. Love all of them.
Anna can't you link Twitter to Facebook? That way it's only one post....no sorry forget I said that. We want you writing those books!!
Hi Anna! Sorry, typical me, always late...:)
You know, the beauty about RWA conferences is like a long-standing relationship. You can sit with a bunch of like-minded people and gossip, complete each others sentences, wax lyrical on covers, books and heroes or just simply sit and enjoy the company because you know they immediately get you. You don't have to justify your reading tastes to ANYONE, which is a beautiful thing indeed.
Paula x
I remember that Sydney conference. I think we were both happy to see a familiar face even though we'd only met a short time before. :) The smaller conferences are great for meeting and chatting with people. Not long before COS is out. Can't wait to read it!
Hey, Miss Paula, you're not late. The contest runs for a week! Oh, the lovely relief of not having to justify my enthusiasm for the romance genre. I remember that being one of the loveliest things about that first conference. I'd mention all these great authors I loved and people would agree wholeheartedly. Bliss!
Cheryl, I'd met you at a couple of Turramurra writing group get-togethers, I think. A familiar face was very welcome - it's very daunting to walk into your first conference, isn't it? The trepidation doesn't last but it's definitely there before you quickly realise you're among friends. Thanks for saying you're looking forward to COS!
Yeah Anna & Paula - we party hard here in the taverna. Everyone got their drinks and mezes? :)
My first conference I didn't know a soul by sight - I met up with Joanie MacNeil who was an editorial assistant on HT with me at the time and she in turn introduced me Annie West. These two ladies kept an eye out for me the whole conference and for that I am ever grateful. As well as Barbara Hannay who brought copies of Greek books so I can give to my mum. In fact, she did that this last conference too! I met Anne & Peter Clark at the AGM and it's from there that I found out about SARW (as it was known then). I have made some truly wonderful friends and found kindred spirits.
The romance writing community is so generous isn't it.
Eleni, that's another thing I love about the romance community - people are really generous in introducing you around. I met Joanie through Annie and they're both great! And Barbara's wonderful. You know, I don't think I know Peter and Anne. You'll have to introduce me next time!
Sorry I'm late - Hi Anna and Hi Eleni!
As many people know, I got the chance to pursue romance writing thanks to US Immigratin preventing not sending my work permit. My hubby saw that there was an online romance writing class at Barnes & Noble online - and I joined it.
I'm glad I did, because through that, I found eHarlequin and RWA - and through them I found the best writing pals.
I agree about finding the courage and money to go to a conference - my first was a NJ conference and I got the chance to meet some amazing online pals in person. They are still my closest pals! My first nationals, I only went to the Literacy signing, but let me tell you - it was awesome and made me want to be part of the gang!
One of these days, I'd love to be able to go to RWA Australia's conference ... now all I need to do is sell!
Snap! That was exactly how I felt at my first RWA conference, Anna. Thanks for bringing back the memories - and thanks Eleni for hosting this fabulous Fest :-)
Yep! Another romance writer here who'd still be wandering around in circles in the dark without RWA. A great organization full of great people. I wouldn't be where I am without RWA and the friends I've made through it. It was finalling in a comp that took me to my first conference too. I remember Paula was veeeery pregnant LOL.
Nice to see you at the taverna, Anna. Congratulations on the new book. Am looking forward to another fab AC story.
Oh definitely will introduce you next time Anna!!
Anna S - good luck making it to a RWAus conference. I hope one day to go to RWAm ones.
AJ - thank you and you're welcome
Alison - maybe that should be the logo for RWAus - 'Here so you don't have to wander around in circles in the dark'. :))
Oh no! I'm so late to the party. This is what happens when I don't check online first thing!!
I remember my very first conference - it was the RNA one in the UK. This lovely lady came up to me and started chatting, it was fabulous and it was the lovely Anna Campbell! Both of us from Australia, and meeting up at a romance conference in the UK. Too funny!
Congrats on the upcoming release of Captive of Sin, Anna, - can't wait to read it!
I'm later than you, Christina!!
Your story is such a great one, Anna, and hugely inspiring. It just goes to show how a whole lot of hard work combined with a smidgen of luck can change your life.
I met you (briefly and you won't remember) at my first RWA conference and I couldn't help doing the "I wanna be like her!" thing. Hmm, actually I still do that. Anyway, after that first, fleeting brush with fame (and then a second one the year after - oooh!) now whenever I see one of your fabulous books in store I get that proud little "I know her" frisson. Then I make sure they're all cover out and looking fabulous, of course.
I agree, our writers' organisation is wonderful in so many ways. I don't know where I'd be without it. Probably given up in despair, I imagine. Instead I'm encouraged and inspired which is amazing when you think how much negativity exists out there.
Thanks, Anna, and thanks Eleni for the great post(s).
I love, love, love going to the RWAustralia conferences - through RWA I've met some of my dearest friends. Not to mention gaining the publishing know-how that helped me get published. The American conferences are also amazing.
Next year it will be interesting to see how I enjoy the Australian conference from the other side - Cathleen Ross and I are the 2010 conference coordinators.
Anna, I can't wait to read CATCH THE DEVIL.
Kandy xx
Hi Anna,
Gee hope I'm not too late for the party. I'll have a pina colada if that's okay.
I agree wholeheartedly with you about joining RWAus. My first conference was two weeks after I joined. That whole period was like a homecoming. Like you, I knew I'd finally found my tribe. Looking forward to CATCH THE DEVIL.
Louise
Hi Eleni! Hi Anna! I thought I would be late but I see the party's still going strong! Anna, could you goose that cute bartender to make one of those yummy margaritas for me? Thanks!
Your story is so inspiring and your advice to join a writer's group is invaluable. I feel as though my world opened up when I stumbled upon a local chapter of RWA all those years ago. Not only did my writing improve but my knowledge of the market and the biz grew hugely. I was finally able to put it all together and sell a book--after only 20 years. :-)
Anna, we'd love to see you down here! I hope the plans are still progressing for that! I promise to buy a new mattress for the spare room if you do - the one in there is harder than rocks! I think it's nice to go to a smaller conference before you attack RWA - all those thousands at RWA can be really daunting to a newcomer although of course, the individuals are amazingly welcoming and friendly.
AJ, congratulations on your recent Emerald award! Whoo-hooooo! I'm so glad you felt exactly like I did at your first conference - it's a great feeling, isn't it?
Hey, thanks, Alison! I must say I really like this hero - I hope everyone else agrees with me! So glad you're another conference fan!
Eleni, I like the logo! It's TRUE!!!!
Christina, I'm so excited about your forthcoming book from Berkley. Sexy Romans? You've got me at hello! Or perhaps salve!
You know, that RNA conference is still the only time we've met face to face, isn't it? I hope you're coming to the Aussie conference this year. You've got so much to celebrate. Hey, and I want to join in the partay!!!!!
Hey, Cathryn! What a lovely story! I know that feeling - I get it when I meet people like Stephanie Laurens and Anne Gracie. And anyone who turns my books face out deserves my eternal friendship ;-) So glad you're another RWA fan!
Kandy, I think you and Cathleen will put together a fabbo conference. And honestly, the idea of lying in bed and watching the sea has me there, conference or no! I spend all year looking forward to catching up with people I only ever see at conference. I know we all have to do some writing some time, but I wish we all got together more often! Thanks for saying you're looking forward to the book!
Hey, just to clarify things, the next book Captive of Sin. Although I think Catch the Devil is a great title and I may steal it in future, LOL!
Ooh, Louise, bringing some Hawaii to Greece with your PC. Yep, I'm sure Eleni can smuggle one up for you. I'll have another retsina, bartender! And why are you now wearing a towel? It's such fun to meet such a lot of RWA fans! Yay, us!
Kate's here and it's cocktail hour! Yay to the Banditas. It's always a party when they call in. One margarita coming up! I goosed a waiter and had to wait an hour for my next drink so I'm going to try 'please' this time round ;-) And, Kate, clearly all that advice and camaraderie paid off - not to mention 20 years of hard work. Kate's debut, Homicide in Hard Cover, hit the NYT list!!!!!
Anna, I think your picture should go in the dictionary beside "perseverance." And I'm so glad you hung in there. Your books are wonderful.
No need to enter me in the drawing since I already have this fabulous book. My copy of Captive of Sin is on order, and I can't wait!
Eleni, cool site!
Oh, and to answer the question--just went to the Georgia Romance Writers (USA) conference, Moonlight and Magnolias, and had a great time hooking up friends as well as attending terrific workshops.
Nancy, Moonlight and Magnolias always sounds like such a great conference. And isn't that lovely romantic name? Maybe one day I'll make it over there! Thanks for those lovely words! Hope you enjoy COS!
Thanks Anna :-)
And yes, I should be at the Oz conference next year! Can't wait to party hard!!!
Nancy, glad you like the site. And I think you are right about the dictionary.
Yay Christina (let's hope I can come along to play too!)
Christina, fantastic news! I want to celebrate with you in person. Whoo-hoooooo!
Ha ha, thanks, Nancy and Eleni!
Hi Eleni, hi Anna!
What a lovely time you've been having. I've just returned from a week away with no internet access (!) and wanted to catch up on the discussion since I love conferences.
Jo, waving hi to you across the Pacific!
Anna, I remember that Sydney conference clearly. Wasn't it enormous fun? I love Vanessa's description of RWAus conferences as being like walking into a big warm hug. So true, Vanessa. I was lucky to attend my first conference with a writer I already knew, who'd been before, but I think attending without knowing others would still be terrific as you'd soon know plenty of people and it's such a tremendous feeling being with people who understand what you're trying to do and share your passion for romance.
I think next year's conference will be tremendous. Kandy, it sounds like you've got a bumper event lined up for us. Yay!
Above all, I adore the positive energy that flows at a conference so that even when you return home and real life intervenes with your plans to write all day you still have the marvellous glow from the conference that can help you forward. That's so precious.
Thanks for the great blog, Anna. Can't wait to see Captive of Sin in print in a couple of weeks. That's such a fantastic, sexy, gripping story.
Annie
Hey, Annie, welcome home! So glad you could make it to Eleni Fest! Isn't this a cool event? And as you saw, we were speaking of you in very glowing terms. Your ears must have been burning. I love conferences too! Can't wait to see what Kandy and Cathleen put together for us in Sydney. And Coogee right on the sea front there is such a brilliant location. I may NEVER go home! And thank you for those kind words about Captive of Sin. Two weeks tomorrow it's out. Wow!
Hey Annie, welcome back. Glad you can drop in.
Anna C -a conference near the beach sounds lovely (I loved the GC one at Broadbeach). And yes Kandy and Cathleen look like they are putting together a great conference...
hope to meet up with you both there.
The prize has been drawn and the lucky recipient of Anna's Tempt the Devil is Cathryn Brunet!!
Congratulations Cathyrn! Please mail your details to eleni-fest @ elenikonstantine.com
Enjoy!
Thank you for everyone making Anna feel at home and for you great comments.
Anna thank you so much for your time and generosity. It's been fantastic having you on Eleni-fest! And such a great post.
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