Jo Leigh fundraising auction

Just a quick blog to raise awareness, and hopefully fill coffers for the Jo Leigh fundraiser currently underway. There are some awesome amazing things for writers to bid on, either as gifts for other writers or as gifts for ourselves. Here’s one of the awesomest!

Bronwyn Jameson and Anne Gracie are offering a 4 week on-line romance writing course to raise money to help pay the massive hospital bills fellow author Jo Leigh is facing after her husband died of cancer earlier this year. A place in the course will cost US$100 –we are hoping to raise $1000.

To secure a place in this course bid here: http://tinyurl.com/5axhdq
To read more about the fund-raiser or make a donation: http://pbackwriter.blogspot.com/2008/06/auction-for-jo-leigh.html

The course description: Start the New Year with a gift to yourself, honing your story idea or draft with Anne Gracie (Berkley Historicals) and Bronwyn Jameson (Silhouette Desire.) Anne and Bronwyn are award-winning authors and multiple RITA finalists, much in demand as writing presenters down-under. Presented on-line over the month of January, the course will include lectures, exercises and workshopping. Topics include: mining your premise for gold, exploring your theme, delivering on emotion, creating page-turning tension, structuring memorable scenes, and more. Restricted to 10 participants.

It’s Spring Down Under

With thanks to Bronwyn Jameson for this hint of spring (since I am absolutely useless in the garden and have no spring flowers to speak of.)

To create your own spring garden. Just hold down your left mouse button for an abundance of flowers or, if you prefer, move your mouse around the screen and press the left mouse button for wherever you want a flower.

Ahhh…

The Romance Writers of Australia Conference

Wow. Just about sums it up really, The conference was amazing.

 

After rising at 4:15 am (not something I do happily or often) I went to Auckland International Airport last Thursday to catch my flight to Melbourne. I’ve never been to Melbourne before and was looking forward to seeing something of the city but seriously, with the jam packed programme available to us with the RWA conference, who had time?? I did get a couple of shots from the hotel looking across the Yarra River and toward the city and this one, closer to the river looking across to the train station from Southgate, which was a shopping complex right next to the sumptuous Langham hotel.

 

There was a great and very reasonably priced restaurant overlooking the river where I had breakfast a couple of mornings. It was very interesting people watching, from the wait staff with their intriguing collection of piercings and tattoos to the different types walking across the bridge over the river, between the railway station and Southbank. So many suits, and then every now and then you’d see a splash of colour–either a tourist or a cyclist. During one workshop I even saw a guy rowing on the river, poor thing fell out of his boat. Given the colour of the water I’m not sure I’d be too happy doing that.

On the Thursday night the gorgeous ladies from Harlequin in Sydney took the Harlequin/Silhouette authors out to dinner. We ate at a restaurant called The Deanery, and the food and wine were superb–only outweighed by the fabulous company. Here’s a photo of me with Trish Morey (Harlequin Presents), Bronwyn Jameson (Silhouette Desire) and Fiona McArthur (Mills & Boon Medical.) It was lovely to catch up with so many of the Australian authors there.

 

Friday I was ensconced in a workshop with Barbara Samuel. Can I tell you how much I *heart* Barbara Samuel? Actually there probably aren’t enough words. Not only is she the most amazing, most lyrical, writer, she’s a brilliant teacher as well. And generous with the wisdoms that she’s learned on her writing path. That evening we had the fun conference cocktail party with an enchanted theme. Here’s outgoing RWA President, Berkley author, Anne Gracie, together with the incoming RWA President, Modern Heat/Promotional Presents author, Kelly Hunter.

 

Saturday was filled with workshops and networking and the night finished off with the awards dinner. I always love awards dinners because it truly is the opportunity for recognising the achievements of so many writers over the past year. Sunday, again, was filled with magnificent sharing of information and stories. It’s one thing that never fails to amaze me with romance writers, the very very generous and warm spirit of sharing whether it be hugs or ‘what works’ or helping you brainstorm with what isn’t working for you. Carol Marinelli (Harlequin Presents & M&B Medical author) is one of those gorgeous people. She organises a massive push for breast cancer awareness and fund raising at the RWA conference each year and this year raised $4,991 for the Australian breast cancer research people. An awesome feat. She’s supported each year by Fiona McArthur who gives excellent advice on self examination and by Marion Lennox who, with her special brand of warmth and humour, finds the bright spots in what is a harrowing experience for so many families. Here’s Carol with another great Aussie author, Lilian Darcy (Silhouette Special Edition and Mills & Boon Medical) at the author dinner.

 

And of course, all good things must come to an end (actually I don’t really see why they should but, oh well) and I returned home to New Zealand yesterday evening. Ironically, to experience a lightning strike on the plane at just about the point it was flying over my house! Ha! Today is catch up day and retweak current synopsis day and tomorrow is back to the coal face chipping out the third in my upcoming trilogy (Feb/Mar/Apr 2009) Pretend Mistress, Bona Fide Boss. Wish me luck! With all I’ve learned in the past couple of weekends it should be a doddle, right?

Valentine’s Day Giveaway!

Here’s a headsup to check out Mills & Boon author, Nicola Marsh’s blog:

Be My Valentine

Melbourne, Australia-based author, Nicola Marsh, is hosting a fabulous celebration of Valentine’s Day and romance over the next two weeks. From January 31st you’ll find details on how you can win a fabulous (what else?) prize pack of romantic reading featuring titles by:

• Liz Fielding
• Jill Shalvis
• Lucy Monroe
• Anna Campbell
• Kate Walker
• Nalini Singh
• Bronwyn Jameson
• Jaci Burton
• Julie Cohen
• Fiona Lowe
• Christine Wells
• Yvonne Lindsay
• Barbara Hannay
• Kate Hardy
• and, of course, the clever and talented Nicola Marsh.

Visit daily for your chance to win.

What I’m reading: Bronwyn Jameson’s VOWS & A VENGEFUL GROOM

I always knew the Diamonds Down Under continuity would be good and I’ve always loved how Bronwyn Jameson writes but when I read an advance copy of VOWS & A VENGEFUL GROOM (out Jan 08 USA, Feb 08 Aus/NZ), even knowing what the book was about, I was thrilled to still find myself transported into the world of the Blackstones and the Hammonds and the scandals and twists that set up their tale.

Cover art copyright © by Harlequin Enterprises Limited ® and ™ are trademarks of the publisher

 

I have to say it was a real thrill to see my character, Matt Hammond (Book #6 in the continuity), portrayed so vividly and just as I’d imagined him–and timely too, as I was doing line edits on Book #6 at the same time–but it was even better to see so many other characters, from the months we put into planning and discussing the continuity, come to life.

Here’s the back cover blurb for VOWS & A VENGEFUL GROOM:

HIS LOVER OF TEN MONTHS (supposed to be ten weeks, but who’s counting ). HIS WIFE OF TEN DAYS. HIS EX OF TEN YEARS.

Ric Perrini, chairman of Blackstone Diamonds and Sydney’s sexiest bachelor, still had one elusive prize to catch…Kimberley Blackstone. Luring her back to her estranged father’s company, back to her birthright, would be Ric’s toughest job ever. Luring her back into his arms, his most pleasurable. Ric had laid claim to part of Kim before; this time he’d accept nothing but her total surrender…

I’m really looking forward to the next book in the continuity, Tessa Radley’s PRIDE & A PREGNANCY SECRET.

Diamonds Down Under!

Some time back Silhouette Desire had the great good sense to contract enough authors between Australia and New Zealand to be able to put together a Down Under based continuity.

After months and months of brainstorming, authors having to pull out due to other commitments, another new author being contracted and invited to the fold, etc. the Diamonds Down Under continuity was approved. And then the work really began.

We’re pleased and excited to be able to show you our new website publicising the continuity which will commence with Bronwyn Jameson’s brilliant VOWS & A VENGEFUL GROOM in January 2008. For an excerpt, click here.

Upcoming titles are:

PRIDE &A PREGNANCY SECRET by Tessa Radley available February 2008

MISTRESS & A MILLION DOLLARS by Maxine Sullivan available March 2008

SATIN & A SCANDALOUS AFFAIR by Jan Colley (website coming soon!) available April 2008

BOARDROOMS & A BILLIONAIRE HEIR by Paula Roe (who designed the website the clever chicky!) available May 2008

 and my book, JEALOUSY & A JEWELED PROPOSITION available June 2008

Bookmark the Diamonds Down Under website and keep checking back for more information, excerpts and a competition!