RNA Conference

I’ve just returned from the Romantic Novelists’ Association annual conference in Carleon and I’m still buzzing!

It was my first conference and the long weekend passed in a whirlwind of excited chatter, making new friends, inspiring workshops, eating far too much and walking miles from one lecture theatre to conference room, to refectory to the accommodation block, back again to the lecture theatre and then to the bar.

I squeezed in nine hour-long workshops, which left my head spinning with new ideas and plenty of ways to approach problems and hone writing skills. Fabulous!

But the best thing of all is the camaraderie amongst the members of the RNA. Famous authors and agents are genuinely happy to share their knowledge of the industry with yet-to-be-famous authors, without their eyes glazing over. Whatever we write, we all share our passion for writing and it shows.

Oh yes, and I was presented with the lovely Joan Hessayon Award silver bon-bon dish, which now has my name engraved upon it. Mine to treasure until it’s handed on to a new winner next year.

2 thoughts on “RNA Conference”

  1. Congratulations!! Looking forward to seeing your book on South African bookshelves. The cover is stunning! I’m new to youwriteon.com, having been recommended to join by an aspiring novelist friend. Enjoying your blog – especially the blow-by-blow progress of Apothecary’s Daughter all the way to the day it nestled in your hands. Hoping for a long and fruitful association. Take care.

    Reply
    • Hello Bonnita
      The cover is wonderful, isn’t it? And the cover to The Painter’s Apprentice will be along similar lines but reflecting the heroine’s love of painting.

      Very good luck with your novel on YouWriteOn – it’s a fantastic website and it’s thanks to the organisers and all the reviewers that I had a chance to be published. Take a deep breath when you receive criticism and then examine the comments carefully the next day. If two reviewers make similar comments then you probably need to make changes to your work.

      Reply

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