I keep humming ‘the carnival is over’ cos that is pretty much how it feels to me. I
t was a GREAT conference and I had a lovely time both socially and professionally. I was so excited to be able to share all the wonders of a First Sale with my friend, Desire and Modern Extra Author, Robyn Grady. Here she is with her flowers although in our euphoria or was that champagne haze, neither of us thought to turn the bunch around so we coul
d SEE the flowers!
The Harlequin Cocktail Party with its Venetian Carnivale theme was tremendous fun and the costumes made for lots of laughs. Here is Trish Morey, Harlequin Presents Author and RWA Treasurer, Melanie Scott and Emerald winner all dressed up to cruise the canals.
I am the brightly coloured jester in the 
next picture. You can’t see my leggings but they had bright diamonds all over them just like the Harlequin symbol. People said I was sucking up to the Managing Director but hey, it was worth a try 
And you can have so much fun when no one knows who you are!
I had dinner with the Senior Editor of Harlequin Medical Romance, Sheila Hodgson, who came all the way f
rom England along with some of the other Medical Authors at a lovely Thai Restaurant in the Rocks…the old part of Sydney. It is a real luxury to be able to sit down and talk writing with people who re
ally understand you
Of course as well as socializing I did do some work! The Jennifer Crusie workshop was fabulous as was the Alpha Hero workshop I did, run by two Great Australian Authors, Annie West and Anna Campbell. I also helped Carol Marinelli organise a Pink Breakfast as a fund raiser for Breast cancer research which was loads of fun and a great way to feel part of a conference.
The Awards night on Saturday was great fun and the food was glorious. It was fantastic to see Barbara Hannay be presented with her RITA and I 
was lucky enough to get to touch it Anne Oliver took out the RuBY in the Short Category and here we all are on stage moments before Anne’s name was announced. From Left to Right it is Yvonne Lindsay, Marion Lennox, me, Carol Marinelli and Anne Oliver.
So now I am home again and a book is due so I better get to finishing it.
The amazingly generous Australian Romance writing community has donated a lot of books for us to auction so it should be a great breakfast.
This year’s RWA conference is in Sydney at Darling Harbour. Sydney is an exciting city that never sleeps and I doubt there will be much sleep at the conference! As well as workshops and networking there is going to be a LOT of eating. I know I have the Harlequin Dinner on the Thursday night, a dinner with the medical authors on the Friday night and then the awards dinner on the Saturday night! YIKES will I fit into the dress by Saturday night. (and yes I do have some of th
at space program underwear 
This year’s theme is Venetian Carnivale. My costume is half sorted…I have a hat and a mask but nothing else! Nothing to wear below the neck. I didn’t really plan on being outrageous this year but unless I get a brilliant idea …..
