One more month and it's banished, replaced by spring. The rain, frosts, and cold wind will magically disappear and the daffodils and lambs will appear. I'm a dreamer, I know. But I'll soon be able to get my bike out and pump up the tyres - and put it back in the shed because I don't feel like stretching those dormant muscles. I tend to stay off the roads throughout winter as they're slippery, and I'm not keen on crashing.
August also means I get to start a new story. And this time I'm writing a duet with Louisa George. We're both quite excited about this. Well, we will be once we've ironed out some plot issues. It's going to be interesting working together but we know each other's writing well.
I have just sent in my 8th book to my editor for a 31st July deadline so I'm free for a week or two to do all the other things that have been piling up - in corners, under the desk and outside in the garden.
Best of all about August is that it's conference time. I'm heading over the ditch to Surfer's Paradise for the Australian Romance Writers' conference where I hope to catch up with many writing friends. This is always a big, vibrant conference with so much going on it's hard to keep up. Then there's the cocktail party and the awards dinner where we all get glammed up.Then the following week I'm off to Auckland for the New Zealand Romance Writers' conference. I'll be exhausted by the time I get back home. Conferences are important to writers. It's where we get to meet other like-minded people who spend so much time working alone.
We also get to talk so much it's a wonder any of us have a voice left by Sunday night.
Photo - Louisa George and myself at the Harlequin dinner last year in Melbourne where Louisa won the singing chicken. One of those little quirky things that happens at these events.
Has anyone else got exciting things to look forward to in the coming month? I'd love to hear from you and put your name in a drawer for a copy of Every Boy's Dream Dad.
Am really really looking forward to when my two gal pals from high school days come for a visit. We get together at one girlfriend's place 1.5 hours from here and the other girlfriend's place 2.25 hours from here, plus here, every year, so this Saturday is my turn. I can hardly wait....
ReplyDeleteWe bring a box of goodies for each other and share our "finds", with great delight. Someone might get free dental products at checkups that others could use. Another brings soaps and toiletries from time shares. There's samples from street vendors from one. Then there's online freebies for P&G products, etc. to share. Can't forget magazines and books, of course. Or stacks of perfume samples. How about barbecue sauce? Tote bags? There's always coupons that we don't want/use, but the others can use them (when those products are on sale, of course). The items change all the time, but the love between us does not.
We also enjoy each other's food for lunch and supper, as we all donate to the cause. Whatever is easy to heat up (or not) is the way to go, so that we don't spend time cooking when we can be gabbing and laughing (really loudly at times) instead.
Yep. I look forward to this event three times a year and am blessed to have had these girlfriends in my life for almost 40 years now....
I'm looking forward to my son going back to school on August 27th. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI'm trying not to count down the days, as I know there will be times I will miss him, but it's hard to remember that when he's wrecking havoc throughout the house!
Sue, I hope you enjoy your collaboration story and congratulations on getting your due book in early.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to the RWAustralia conference too and will hope to catch up with you on the Gold Coast. Then at the end of the month I'm visiting northern Victoria with some friends - catching up for the first time in 2 years. Should be lovely. In between there somewhere I need to work on my book...
Looking forward to spring too.
Sue - I'm so envious of you and your conferences this year! I've just made the decision to miss conference this year - I had been going to go up for one day but am having to let that pass this year - sob!
ReplyDeleteSo you'll have to have a glass of wine for me, okay?! (hell, make it four!!!)
And I'm looking forward to Spring - very much!!!
Have fun at the conference! Nothing much planned next month.
ReplyDeletebn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com
Hey Laney, I think I remember you telling about your girl pals in an email last year. You can't go past good friends, can you? Louisa, Iona - another writer - and I always room together at the conferences and have a lot of laughs.
ReplyDeleteAhh, Jill. Lovely to have them at home, lovely to see them go back to school, isn't it? Of course your summer break is very long, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteAnnie, looks like you've got lots on. And yes, looking forward to catching up in Surfer's Paradise. Not long now. How grounding having to write our books is. I'm trying not to think about that too much this week as I tackle those piles of ironging, the pruning, and the bike.
ReplyDeleteNatalie, I was so hoping to catch up in Auckland, but it doesn't always work out. And I don't have four kids to plan around, just five hens and a husband.
ReplyDeleteOh shucks, I get the hard job, the wine. But if someone's got to do it, might as well be me.
bn100, will definitely have a great time and no doubt you'll read all about it here from one of the Cats.
ReplyDeleteSue, your collaboration with Louisa sounds like it will be fabulous fun! I can see much brainstorming over bottles of wine in your near future. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm really looking forward to the RWAust conference too -- it's not just an August highlight, but a highlight of the year. Let's hope the Gold Coast puts on some glorious early spring weather for us!
You're so right, Michelle. Conference is definitely one the highlights of my writing year. And yes, Louisa and I have lots to "discuss" while in Auckland. It really helps having worked as critique partners earlier.
ReplyDeleteI'm just hoping to get through the next month actually. I know I should not wish my life away, but the wattle is coming out & no amount of drugs helps my hay fever. Woe is me!!!
ReplyDeleteOuch, I'm so glad I don't any allergies. Hope your August rushing past then, Marybelle.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to the conference, too, Sue! Not long to go now! You've got lots of stamina being able to go to two of them in a row! I usually have to give my vocal chords a well earned rest afterwards!
ReplyDeleteHow exciting about you and Louisa collaborating! Good luck with ironing out the details!
Yes, Sharon, it is very exhausting doing two conferences back to back, but I hate the thought of missing either of them.
ReplyDeleteHave fun in sunny Aussie. A critique partner, Jenn McLeod, is managing registrations - her first book comes out in Sept. Say hi from me. She's an amazing, funny, wise woman. And have fun! Best for your collaboration - the other day heard Kenny Rogers say people always performed better when they sang duets. Same surely goes for writing. Best wishes, Rae
ReplyDeleteWill look Jenn out, Rae. Yes, I saw that interview with Kenny Rogers, interesting how he said that singing with someone else brought new and better aspects to his voice. Whenever Louisa and I brainstorm we always find things we'd never considered when working on our own.
ReplyDeleteRae Roadley, could you please contact Sue at
ReplyDeletelsmackay at ts dot co dot nz with your snail mail address so I can send you a copy of Every Boy's Dream Dad
Hi Sue! So looking forward to catching up with you face-to-face in Auckland! Maybe I could give you a hand with Natalie's wine???
ReplyDeleteAnd very much looking forward to writing this duet- should be fun!
As a northern hemisphere girl I always imagine August to be hot and sunny-but I'm slowly getting used to having a cold wet birthday (yes- I have an August birthday, although it's not something I get excited about these days!)
Okey dokey, Louisa, we'll use that wine to celebrate your birthday, and the duet. Looking forward to rooming with you again.
ReplyDelete