Romance Writers of Australia inc proudly presents The 2009 Romance Roadshow
Featuring…
Keri Arthur
New York Times Best Seller List author
Kelly Hunter
Harlequin Romance author, President of Romance Writers of Australia
Denise Rossetti
Ellora's Cave and Berkley author,
Plus: local authors, giveways and much, much more.
Come and hear some of Australia's leading romance authors talk about the craft of writing and the industry they work in. With interactive tutorials and an author panel, it's a day no aspiring author should miss.
After a day, full of information, relax and catch up with your new friends at our post Roadshow dinner.
Saturday 23rd May 2009
Good Earth Hotel
195 Adelaide Terrace
Perth
Cost: RWA Members $100
Non-Members $110
Dinner - tba
Prices include lunch, morning and afternoon tea
For further information on presenters and tutorial topics go to: www.romanceaustralia.com
Enquiries: Julie-Anne roadshowenquiries@romance.com
Registration Nicki roadshowregistrar@romance.com
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Golden Wedding
It’s odd how spanners are thrown into the works, usually when I’m flat out - or on a deadline and racing towards the finish of one book or another. It seems to me that disasters, damned disasters and dire disasters come in threes. I was going to whinge about them - things like new spectacles where the lens ended up back to front, a computer that went radically wrong and cost a fortune to repair, and a car that did the same thing when we needed it most. While I stamped my foot, breathed fire and growled about indifferent service, bad workmanship and electronic devices with minds of their own, my Golden Wedding anniversary sneaked up on me.
I’m rarely out of my office and I’m not really a party animal. But the lovely family get together was totally enjoyable, and it gave me time to reflect on a great fifty-year relationship with my husband. We were born a day apart, grew up in the same street, went to the same schools and married as teenagers – and they say teenage marriages never last! We have a family of grown-up kids (well sometimes they’re grown up, at other times my offspring’s offspring exchange looks and roll their eyes in a way that tells me that they’re not always!). Like most kids they made mistakes from time to time while in training to be adults. I’ll admit they gave us some moments of alarm and angst, and were the cause of our grey hairs and me stomping up and down on the spot from time to time. But, hey, when I look back I seem to remember only the golden moments and the many many times we laughed together. Now for the “aw, gee shucks” moment. It’s my pleasure to embarrass the lot of you by saying: I love you all and thanks a lot! Life has never ever boring, and still isn’t.
I’m rarely out of my office and I’m not really a party animal. But the lovely family get together was totally enjoyable, and it gave me time to reflect on a great fifty-year relationship with my husband. We were born a day apart, grew up in the same street, went to the same schools and married as teenagers – and they say teenage marriages never last! We have a family of grown-up kids (well sometimes they’re grown up, at other times my offspring’s offspring exchange looks and roll their eyes in a way that tells me that they’re not always!). Like most kids they made mistakes from time to time while in training to be adults. I’ll admit they gave us some moments of alarm and angst, and were the cause of our grey hairs and me stomping up and down on the spot from time to time. But, hey, when I look back I seem to remember only the golden moments and the many many times we laughed together. Now for the “aw, gee shucks” moment. It’s my pleasure to embarrass the lot of you by saying: I love you all and thanks a lot! Life has never ever boring, and still isn’t.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Hearts of Gold
HEARTS OF GOLD
April 1st 2009
Severn House. UK
Cost £18.99
ISBN: 978-0727867612
1890 Western Australia. 14-year-old Sarette Maitland is orphaned when her father dies from a snake bite on the goldfields. Left to fend for herself by her father's villainous partner. she is rescued by wealthy adventurer, John Kern, and takes the place in his heart of his own dead daughter. Several years later he reluctantly send her back to England, to learn the manners that society expects of a beautiful young woman.
After tragedy strikes, Sarette finds herself place in the care of John Kern's heir. Magnus is a far cry from his easy-going uncle. When he learns that Sarette had been left a considerable fortune by his uncle, both his honesty and his heart are put to the test . . . as well as his courage when the man who murdered his uncle arrives on the scene, and Sarette if the only person who can identify him.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Resolutions etc
Good and disappointing news for 2009. The good is that I'm offered a two-book contract with Severn House UK, something that will keep me employed this year in these financially troubled times.
The disappointing news is that the small UK literary agency which has successfully been handling my book sales over the past decade, has decided to call it a day. I won't go into details, except to say that for the past year two hard working people have been doing tasks once shared between three. My heartfelt thanks go to them for the role they've played in my writing career, and for always being there for me when needed. I do wish them well in winding down the agency, and for many reasons will find them hard to replace. However, that said, I'll now be looking for a new agency to represent me in the months to come. I hope I find one. Or one will find me, perhaps.
I stopped making New Year resolutions fourteen years ago. Just to prove that persistence does pay off (and persistence is one of the ingredients that writers need an abundance of) that was when I achieved the object of a a long term series of resolutions that I'd quit smoking. When I did give it up (after a health scare kick in the pants) I promised myself I wouldn't become an anti-smoking evangelist. As a smoker I resented non-smokers making rude and pointed (or pointless) remarks about my addiction. It's like telling an overweight person that they need to lose weight. They already know - and know that saying it is easier than doing it.
Apart from two books waiting to be written, I had a submission to prepare for an e publisher. It was saved in the format they wanted, but couldn't be opened at the other end. They say it's because I burned the story to disk. Then again it might be a Mac incompatibility thing.
I didn't think burning to disc would prevent the file being sent as an attachment. After many tries I withdrew the submission. I also withdrew a short story after it was accepted because of the low advance. Not that I'm too proud to accept it. It's just that it didn't cover the cost of banking the cheque. I would have ended up owing the bank money.
The disappointing news is that the small UK literary agency which has successfully been handling my book sales over the past decade, has decided to call it a day. I won't go into details, except to say that for the past year two hard working people have been doing tasks once shared between three. My heartfelt thanks go to them for the role they've played in my writing career, and for always being there for me when needed. I do wish them well in winding down the agency, and for many reasons will find them hard to replace. However, that said, I'll now be looking for a new agency to represent me in the months to come. I hope I find one. Or one will find me, perhaps.
I stopped making New Year resolutions fourteen years ago. Just to prove that persistence does pay off (and persistence is one of the ingredients that writers need an abundance of) that was when I achieved the object of a a long term series of resolutions that I'd quit smoking. When I did give it up (after a health scare kick in the pants) I promised myself I wouldn't become an anti-smoking evangelist. As a smoker I resented non-smokers making rude and pointed (or pointless) remarks about my addiction. It's like telling an overweight person that they need to lose weight. They already know - and know that saying it is easier than doing it.
Apart from two books waiting to be written, I had a submission to prepare for an e publisher. It was saved in the format they wanted, but couldn't be opened at the other end. They say it's because I burned the story to disk. Then again it might be a Mac incompatibility thing.
I didn't think burning to disc would prevent the file being sent as an attachment. After many tries I withdrew the submission. I also withdrew a short story after it was accepted because of the low advance. Not that I'm too proud to accept it. It's just that it didn't cover the cost of banking the cheque. I would have ended up owing the bank money.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Twenty definitions
Happy New Year everyone, especially to my one registered follower (waves hand). While waiting for inspiration, I came up with the following definitions after a discussion on a writers list about the disparaging terms applied to romance writing. I'll start the New Year off with those.
Twenty Writerly Definitions.
1) Hysterical fiction: A facetious, but usually deliberate slip of the tongue pertaining to romantic historical fiction.
2) Popular fiction: Fiction that is clearly understood and enjoyed by the majority of readers all over the world.
3) Literary fiction: In the immortal words of a former Australian politician, “Please explain?”
4) Bodice ripper: Historical fiction with a hero who rips the woman’s bodice apart with his bare hands so he can perve at her breasts and proved his sexual prowess. (sixties cliché).
5) Churning out: Usually nothing to do with butter making. It refers to the method used by writers of a certain type of fiction. They feed words into a machine, turn the handle and a book pops out of the other end. The writer keeps repeating the process for subsequent books.
6) Envy: Something keenly felt by the writer who hasn’t got one of the above book churner -outers, or is beset with alternative writerly hang-ups.
7) The Phrase: “Read one and you’ve read them all” : Gasp! A genuine mind reader is giving a considered opinion here.
8) Trash: A book too beneath the reader’s mind to bother with. Usually inhaled as a bad smell by the sensitive nostrils of the mind reader, who can be picked out by her sniffing habits at the romance bookshelves. I always imagine she’s looking for sex so she can complain about it afterwards.
9) Formula: A secret code used to write a successful novel. This code is handed out like a knighthood to a special few, who now write consistent best sellers. Sometimes it’s awarded as a free gift with the churner-outer. Yeah, I know, annoying isn’t it? I deserved to be awarded one of those too!
10) Clichés: Something churned out by non romance writers to describe romance writing as trashy hysterical fiction, or bodice rippers as clichéd, and then stand back expecting applause for their wit. Did you get that? You didn’t? Oh, come on, it’s all been done before, over and over again. Let me put it in plain words. Create a original metaphor of your own, will you?
11) Book advance: Oh . . . I thought that was reimbursement for my postage. Silly me!
12) Royalties: Ditto.
13) Rights: Something the publishers hang on to if they can, in case they can find a use for them before the author does.
14) Best selling writer 1: A writer who successfully sold cars or real estate before taking up swashbuckling with the pen.
15) Best selling writer 2: A lie in a jacket blurb.
16) Best selling writer 3: Wishful thinking.
17) Best selling writer 4: Okay . . . Okay! I’ve worked my way down to it. They’ve sold many more books than I have and I’m probably suffering from number 6!
18) Writers arse: A wide and comfortable seat that expands with regular use.
19) Phrase: "Any publicity is good publicity": For those who can get it, I suppose.
20) Stupidest question from the public, interviewers, or relatives: “You must be rolling in it now you’re churning out those hysterical ... whoops . . . historical bodice rippers . . . one size fits all crap, eh?”
Polite Answer: BONK OFF!
Impolite answer: SWAT!
Wishful thinking answer: TOO BLOODY RIGHT!
Please feel free to add your own definitions to the comments.
Cheers. Janet.
Twenty Writerly Definitions.
1) Hysterical fiction: A facetious, but usually deliberate slip of the tongue pertaining to romantic historical fiction.
2) Popular fiction: Fiction that is clearly understood and enjoyed by the majority of readers all over the world.
3) Literary fiction: In the immortal words of a former Australian politician, “Please explain?”
4) Bodice ripper: Historical fiction with a hero who rips the woman’s bodice apart with his bare hands so he can perve at her breasts and proved his sexual prowess. (sixties cliché).
5) Churning out: Usually nothing to do with butter making. It refers to the method used by writers of a certain type of fiction. They feed words into a machine, turn the handle and a book pops out of the other end. The writer keeps repeating the process for subsequent books.
6) Envy: Something keenly felt by the writer who hasn’t got one of the above book churner -outers, or is beset with alternative writerly hang-ups.
7) The Phrase: “Read one and you’ve read them all” : Gasp! A genuine mind reader is giving a considered opinion here.
8) Trash: A book too beneath the reader’s mind to bother with. Usually inhaled as a bad smell by the sensitive nostrils of the mind reader, who can be picked out by her sniffing habits at the romance bookshelves. I always imagine she’s looking for sex so she can complain about it afterwards.
9) Formula: A secret code used to write a successful novel. This code is handed out like a knighthood to a special few, who now write consistent best sellers. Sometimes it’s awarded as a free gift with the churner-outer. Yeah, I know, annoying isn’t it? I deserved to be awarded one of those too!
10) Clichés: Something churned out by non romance writers to describe romance writing as trashy hysterical fiction, or bodice rippers as clichéd, and then stand back expecting applause for their wit. Did you get that? You didn’t? Oh, come on, it’s all been done before, over and over again. Let me put it in plain words. Create a original metaphor of your own, will you?
11) Book advance: Oh . . . I thought that was reimbursement for my postage. Silly me!
12) Royalties: Ditto.
13) Rights: Something the publishers hang on to if they can, in case they can find a use for them before the author does.
14) Best selling writer 1: A writer who successfully sold cars or real estate before taking up swashbuckling with the pen.
15) Best selling writer 2: A lie in a jacket blurb.
16) Best selling writer 3: Wishful thinking.
17) Best selling writer 4: Okay . . . Okay! I’ve worked my way down to it. They’ve sold many more books than I have and I’m probably suffering from number 6!
18) Writers arse: A wide and comfortable seat that expands with regular use.
19) Phrase: "Any publicity is good publicity": For those who can get it, I suppose.
20) Stupidest question from the public, interviewers, or relatives: “You must be rolling in it now you’re churning out those hysterical ... whoops . . . historical bodice rippers . . . one size fits all crap, eh?”
Polite Answer: BONK OFF!
Impolite answer: SWAT!
Wishful thinking answer: TOO BLOODY RIGHT!
Please feel free to add your own definitions to the comments.
Cheers. Janet.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Reviews and Happy Christmas.
Reviews have just come in for WITHOUT REPROACH. Here's a couple of snippets from them.
****
Romance Reader at Heart. Review Rating: Top Pick!
Without Reproach is about redemption. It’s about learning to love and trust again when life destroys everything you’ve ever known. Without Reproach is about three strong, wonderful woman and their ability to learn how to love life and each other. Thrown in along the way is some great romance that adds a little something extra to the book. Janet Woods is always a must read for me and this book proves once again how phenomenal a writer she is!
Kristal Gorman
Woods gives her fans a well-written contemporary romance full of her trademark endearing characters, ensuring that fans of her historical romances will feel right at home. Booklist.
*****
This will probably be my last blog before Christmas, unless something exciting happens. Christmas is always tiring, always expensive, and this year it's even more so with the worry about the recession affecting us all. To all the mums and dads, grans and granddads, teenagers and kids of all ages. It's the thought that counts. Love costs nothing to give and receive. All best wishes.I hope you enjoy Christmas, and that 2009 is a wonderful year.
Friday, December 5, 2008
A TIGER TALE
A Tiger's Tale!
The port town of Fremantle here in Western Australia is normally a friendly town. It's small, pretty. It has a fishing harbour where you can get a wonderful fish meal with the fish almost leaping straight from the ocean into the pan. We have an old town hall with a spire and a flag on top. It's smack dab in the centre of the town, so if you do happened to be directionally challenged, as am I, all you need to is to head straight for it and you're back into the thick of things again. At the beginning of this week it became even more friendlier for me.
I was Christmas gift shopping, when I saw a rather large stuffed tiger with a curling plastic tongue and fearsome teeth. By large I mean five foot from its front paws to the lip of its tail, or about 152 centimetres for you newer folk (I think). But never mind. It was big!
I just had to buy it for one of my granddaughters. I was already dragging a loaded trolley behind me and had a couple of dangling bags. The tiger was too big to fit in a bag, so I tucked it under my dangling bag arm, face to the front so it could see where we were going, its tail hanging down at the back and lashing at my ankle. We set off confidently to find my husband, who would relieve me of my packages, since he had the keys to the car and I still had more shopping to do. That took some time, since he'd gone to ground somewhere.
Like I said, Fremantle is normally a friendly town, but with the addition of my tiger it became even more friendly. Tiger seemed to be endowed with special powers of attraction. Everyone who set eyes on him smiled, others made remarks as they passed like, like 'Oye, can I pull your tail?' or 'Does he bite?' or 'Do you know you've got a tiger under your arm?' Duh!
Some people growled or roared. It all seemed a rather normal reaction and interaction with complete strangers under the circumstances. When I sat to rest I was approached by several old ladies who stopped to admire the beast. Kids came up with their mums and dads to stroke him or touch his teeth, while I made insane growling noises. Even a tired toddler stopped his tantrum long enough to gaze open-mouthed at him. I have never held so many conversations with strangers, or been so popular. It struck me that people wanted to talk, and the tiger acted as a legitimate excuse to do so.
When we got it home I laid Tiger along the back of the couch, where he looked quite relaxed and at home for two days. He was rather difficult to wrap because his tail kept springing out through the paper, but now he's mummified in wrapping paper covered in flying angels, so he looks more like a gaudy sphinx guarding the Christmas tree. I can't wait to see my granddaughter's face when she sets eyes on him!
The moral of this tale is - whatever your age - if you want to be a magnetic chick, or even a magnetic cockerel come to that (though they're in short supply at Christmas) get yourself a big tiger and walk around town.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)