I have spent most of the last month immersed in writing and surrounded by writers.
I've attended two writing conferences - in Surfers Paradise, Australia and Auckland, NZ - and caught up with so many writer friends and met a whole bundle of new ones. Everyone was very positive about our industry and all the growing opportunites for authors out there.
Seeing friends win awards is awesome. Sharing a wine at the end of the day is almost as good. I think I talk more in August than I do for the rest of the year. (Makes it nice and peaceful for my DB when I get home as the voice tends to have disappeared.)
The buzz and excitment at these conferences stays with me for a long afterwards. Which is just as well as I have had revisions to complete over this time. That book finally headed off into cyberspace late last night and now there is another book waiting to be written in a very short time which I've been trying to work on at the same time. This one is a Duet which I'm doing with Louisa George, and at the moment she is way ahead of me. So out with the whip. No, not that sort of whip.
Does everyone else have a large to-be-read pile waiting by their bed? I have a copy of Every Boy's Dream Dad to give away today.
That's a whole lotta reading. You're right though about the conferences, wonderful to catch up with everyone. And to listen to workshops. I always come away with ideas and things to try.
ReplyDeleteJane
Oh, Sue, it's an addiction. I know my TBR pile is huge (and that's not counting my Kindle reading list) yet I cannot resist adding just a few more books to the pile, especially if they're being given to me!
ReplyDeleteRunon sentence, but it gets my point across.
Loved the picture, BTW. Don't lean too hard, though. :)
Yes, Jane, I know what you mean about all those ideas from workshops. That's another pile in the office for me to deal with. Thakfully not as high as my TBR one.
ReplyDeleteOh, Sue, you've got a LOT of reading!
ReplyDeleteI never put mine in one pile - it's lots of piles hidden under the bed so hubby doesn't notice just quite how many there are! And don't even count the e-reader! Conferences are wonderful for gathering books.
I gathered "Every Boy's Dream Dad" and it snuck to the top of my pile and I LOVED IT. It's beautiful Sue. Congratulations. I loved every word and am thinking about the Cook Islands for a holiday :)
Happy reading!
Cath
Ooh, Sue, look at that lovely pile of books!
ReplyDeleteI didn't come home with quite so many (had to be careful not to exceed my luggage allowance), but I swear the tbr pile I already had would bury me several times over. Still, it's impossible to resist just one more book. :-)
Lynne, that was a very precarious pile. I was telling my DB to hurry up with the camera but he kept taking just one more. I haven't bought a Kindle yet but I know I'll have the same problem as you when I do.
ReplyDeleteCath, thank you so much for your comments. Thrilled that you loved my book. and yes, the cook islands are special, especially for a really laid back hiliday.
ReplyDeleteHi Michelle, I know what you mean about excess luggage. I sneaked in on exactly 23kgs on both flights home. Mind you, the lap top bag was bursting, as was my handbag. I'd have been ok if I hadn't won the raffle and no way was I not accepting that.
ReplyDeleteI visited my parents' house last week & brought back with me my first romance novels . Since I treasure them a lot, I'll be re-reading them which means they were automatically added to my enormous TBR pile. I don't worry about the size of this pile, my main problem is to choose what book to read next.
ReplyDeleteHi Sue - it was so lovely to spend time with you at both conferences. I loved visiting NZ and hope to make it again next year for the Wellington conference. I didn't see much of NZ this time and am determine to next time.
ReplyDeleteMy TBR pile is equally enormous. There are so many books I want to read and not enough time to do it in!! I'm currently reading one of the LoveCats books - a nice one about twins. Looking forward to reading Every Boy's Dream Dad!!!
Natalija, you are so right. Books are treasures and choosing which to open next islike having Christmas every day.
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer. It was awesome sitting next to you in Auckland at the Awards Dinner when you learned you'd won the Clendon. Such a special moment for any writer. And lovely that your mum was with you. She was clearly moved by the announcement.
ReplyDeleteNot by the bed, but certainly on the bookshelf. There is no way to ever be bored that's for sure. Got to love that.
ReplyDeleteLarge tbr pile, equally large "wish list" on my local library's website, and an even larger "can't bear to part with" pile.
ReplyDeleteI'm an avid and fortunately fast reader but not a writer, which is why I'm so thankful there are ladies like you who are! THANK YOU.
Yes, Marybelle, I admit not all those books are by the bed. One small earthquake and I'd be in danger of being knocked out!
ReplyDeleteRita, we writers love our readers. So thank you back.
ReplyDeleteDefinetely yes, books and ebooks, ough faint but happy :D
ReplyDeleteYes, it's pretty large.
ReplyDeleteEli, I just wish there were enough extra hours in the day to read them all.
ReplyDeletebn100, I didn't show the cartons under my office desk that are full to bursting either.
ReplyDeleteMy TBR is a teetering pile too, Sue! But I love it that there's all those fab books waiting for me!
ReplyDeleteNot so good is my e-TBR pile... because I've managed to "do" something to my Kindle for PC and now I can't access them. :( Not a happy e-person!