Writers Festival Fun

I’m officially wrecked. The sun has set on the 19^th Byron Bay Writers Festival and what a fabulous Festival it was.  A few months ago I was invited onto the board of the Festival, so this year I had a few new roles (I’ve previously been the Communications Manager for the Festival a few times).

Festival Sculpture

BBWF Entrance - spot avid romance reader in purple

One highlight was being just two metres from Julia Gillard during her spectacular conversation with Clare Wright. Ms Gillard’s discussion of her time as PM enthralled the crowd. She held well over fifteen hundred people in the palm of her hand.

The hilarious Mandy Nolan enjoying the Festival atmosphere

Chatted to so many wonderful people; authors, politicians, poets, publishers, musicians.  Really wonderful.

Having fun with Jane Caro and Honey Brown

The romance panel was one of the last sessions of the Festival, but Honey Brown, Krissy Kneen and I, with our chair, Moya Sayer-Jones still pulled a great and appreciative crowd.  Nothing like promising a discussion about sex to fill a tent.

Romance panel with Krissy Kneen, Honey Brown (off camer) and Moya Sayer-Jones.  I'm in the hat.

I must away. I’m moving house tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Five Reasons Why August is Crazy

August is always a big month for me.  This year doubly so.  Five big things are happening in August which will make my life very, very busy.

New Billionaire Book Available

I’m thrilled to announce my new release – The Billionaire’s Passionate Revenge – will be available for pre-order in August.  Here’s the premise:

Heiress Lady Zara Ravensdale and Xavier Hunt, the gardener's son, were once inseparable. But before their romance had a chance to bloom it was crushed by scandal and betrayal.

Wealthy and attractive, Xavier is now an international celebrity while Zara is deep in debt, running Ravensdale Manor as an upmarket hotel to make ends meet. Unable to forget the past, Xavier returns to Ravensdale determined to have his revenge on the Ravensdales – once and for all.

Together again, passions reignite and the old chemistry becomes impossible to ignore. But Xavier and Zara are both keeping secrets, and holding on to their own version of events.  With so many questions that still need answering, will they be able to uncover the truth or will Xavier's need for revenge tear them apart forever? 

So, I’m going to be flat out doing marketing from now on.

Appearing at the Byron Bay Writers Festival – Sunday 9 August

For the second year running, the Byron Bay Writers Festival will feature a romance panel. Hooray! 

I will appear again this year with Honey Brown and Krissy Kneen. The panel is titled Romance:  Escapism or Relationship Hotline and will be chaired by Moya Sayer-Jones. Would love to see lots of romance lovers in the audience.

RWA Conference – attending, presenting and chairing

The Romance Writers Conference of Australia is an annual highlight.  This year I’m

presenting a session with romantic suspense author Helene Young and will be chairing a panel called Agents and Acquiring Editors.  I’m currently busy preparing for both.

Moving House

And, if that’s not enough, we are moving house! So far I’ve only tackled my daughter’s bedroom and I’ve already assembled enough “treasures” to hold a garage sale.  The house is covered in boxes and general craziness.

Our new house needs some maintenance and the exterior painted, so I’m also juggling tradies at the new place as well.

Deadline for the Dirty Draft

And, I’ve given myself to the end of this month to get the dirty draft done on my next book.  I’m thirty thousand words in, but want it done. Now!

So I have an action packed month coming up. I hope August is shaping up to be a great month for you!

I’d love your help! 

Before appearing at a Festival or doing an author event or media interview, I try to anticipate some of the questions I might be asked as part of my preparation. If you were attending the Byron Bay Writers Festival, what question might you ask me or one of my fellow romance writers?

Living in a Pocket of Culture

I live in a beautiful, interesting place. Byron Bay is apparently the second most visited place in NSW. Visit NSW lists Byron as:

“Byron Bay is Australia's easternmost town and 'style capital' of the North Coast. It's a place of outstanding natural beauty, set against lush volcanic hills.

 Byron Bay's natural credentials are impeccable as humpback whales cruise past the headland, storms create rainbows on the mountains across the bay, hang-gliders ride the thermals above the lighthouse. Australia's most easterly point casts a spell over everyone who goes there.

 Over the past two decades, Byron Bay has become an escape for urban refugees, and especially those with artistic inclinations. Architects, designers, craftworkers and software engineers have set up shop, grafting their talents and energy on to this small, relaxed coastal village. Today Byron Bay is a chic seaside town with glorious beaches, a New Age tinge and loads of style.”

What I love most about Byron is that we attract some of the top names in music, literature and art.  Often you will see big name acts listing events in Sydney, Melbourne and Byron Bay.  For example, Elizabeth Gilbert of Eat, Pray, Love fame, visited Sydney, Adelaide, Airley’s Inlet and Byron Bay.

We also have amazing music events like BluesFest.  Last weekend I stood just metres from The Waterboys, Hozier, Boy and Bear and lots more. This weekend I’m going to the French Film Festival.

Byron also is a wonderful place for writers. Not only can you sit and gaze at pristine beaches or lush mountains whilst brainstorming great ideas or sit in café’s whilst drinking the world’s best coffee (sorry, no apologies for that grand statement, we have fantastic coffee), you can be a member of a fabulous Writer’s Centre, the Northern Rivers Writers Centre (NRWC).

NRWC runs arguably the most loved writers festival in Australia, the Byron Bay Writers Festival.  If you’ve never been, add it to your bucket list. It’s held in August by the beach amongst the gum trees in open-air marquees.  Absolutely magical.

I love being part of such a vibrant culture-focused community. I’d love to hear about where you live.  Does your community actively support the arts?

If you happen to be in Byron in May, I’m running an Introduction to Romance Writing workshop through NRWC.  It’s being held on Saturday, 23 May from 10am – 4pm. 

For more information, or to book, visit the NRWC website.

Romancing the Byron Bay Writers Festival

I’m excited to announce that I, along with fellow LoveCat Amy Andrews, will feature on a panel at the 2014 Byron Bay Writers Festival. Amy and I will be in discussion with, and at the mercy of, local celebrity comedian Mandy Nolan.

It’s going to be great teaming up with Mandy again. Mandy, whose latest book is titled Boyfriends We’ve All Had (and Shouldn’t Have), launched my book Sweet Seduction at Mary Ryan’s in Byron last December. I laughed so hard, I could barely answer her hilarious questions. She got people so excited, the book sold out that night.

The panel titled Be Still My Beating Heart: Writing Romance, will explore the world of romance writing and discuss what it's like to be a contemporary romance author.

It seems so many people are unaware of the enormous popularity of the romance genre.  I’m looking forward to quoting statistics and facts such as:

...romance fiction generated over $1.3bn in sales in the US alone in 2013

...romance was the top-performing category on the best-seller lists in 2012 across the NYT, USA Today and PW lists.

As I’m also the Communications Manager for the Festival, I have to spruik some of the other amazing writers attending. Securing celebrated UK author, Jeanette Winterson, is an enormous Festival coup. Winterson considered one of the world’s Top 10 writers to see live and will deliver the Festival’s Keynote Address. I just finished reading one of her latest offerings, The Daylight Gate based on the trials of the Lancashire Witches in 1612. A disturbing but powerful read.

The Festival will also probe into our past with authors of fiction and non-fiction including the 2014 Stella Prize winner, Clare Wright, M.L. Stedman, James Brown, Ashley Hay and Mike Carlton. Also see Geoff Dyer, Benjamin Law, Bob Brown, Tim Flannery, Julian Burnside, Antony Loewenstein, Joanne McCarthy, Kate McClymont and so many more.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a festival without food events. Travel the Indian spice route with fêted chef Christine Manfield at her Literary Lunch at the Byron at Byron resort.

 

With over 130 writers, thinkers and creative spirits and a world of ideas over three action-packed days there’s something for every literary taste. The Festival runs from 1-3 August and there are lots of fantastic workshops on offer too.  Be Still My Beating Heart: Writing Romance will be held on Festival Sunday and you can buy tickets online. I'd love to see you there.