Romantic Novelists' Association Conference 2013 by Johanna Grassick

There’s nothing like a writers’ conference to reenergise the creative spirit! No, seriously, it really does, and that’s why I try and go to the RNA conference every year.

Seeing and mingling with published authors (the likes of Katie Fforde, Julie Cohen, Judy Astley…) reminds me of what I’m aiming for, the workshops provide tips on how to get there, and then there’s the added benefit of catching up with good friends.

Sonia Duggan

This year the venue was Sheffield University and the sun was shining on us in more ways than one. I went to workshops on writing ‘hot’ scenes, theme and romantic structure, and life coach Sonia Duggan’s advice for how to ‘feel the fear and write anyway’. 

There were also panel discussions, and a hot topic this year was diversification: more and more authors, it seems, are writing across different genres, sometimes under different pen names, and part of the reason for this is digital publishing and the opportunities it’s opening up for writers. It seems ideas are buzzing for new ways to reach readers: e-stories published in weekly instalments, tiny short stories delivered directly to readers’ phones, romantic writers writing crime and vice versa. Publishers are setting up new digital imprints and there was applause for the many romantic novelists who have signed their first contracts this year and can now call themselves published authors. All very exciting and inspiring for a new writer like myself. J

Gathering for the gala dinner

The gala dinner was another highlight of the weekend.

Jacqui Cooper, Anne Stenhouse, Rachael Thomas
and Sarah-Jane Volkers

The chance to don our sparkly frocks, and time for the announcement of the Elizabeth Goudge trophy winner.

This competition is open to any published or unpublished author attending the conference, and all entries are anonymous so even the judges don’t know the winner’s name until they open the envelope accompanying the winning story. This year we were asked to write the opening of a novel on the theme of 'ice'. Sadly, my entry wasn’t a winner but these lovely ladies came first, second and third:

Winner of the Elizabeth Goudge trophy, Kate Johnson (right),
with runners up Morton Gray (left) and Jacqui Cooper (centre)

These are exciting times for writers, was the message I took away from this year's conference, and the sun is shining down on writers and readers and lovers of romantic fiction.

Sunbathing by Knight by Valerie-Anne Baglietto

OK, OK. Forgive the pun in the title. I just couldn't resist, though. How else could I bring together two very different books, connected by one launch party? Anyway, before I get a barrage of comments, I'll drop in a photo of some cakes, to distract you all.

Did that work?


Well, Friday 5th was the official Novelistas' joint celebration for the launch of the Belinda Jones' Travel Club SUNLOUNGER anthology and THE TROUBLE WITH KNIGHTS IN SHINING ARMOUR. Louise Marley and I both have short stories in SUNLOUNGER ('An Indecent Proposal' and 'Genie of the Rock') and the KNIGHTS book is my latest release.

Cue, another pic:

You can see I brought suitable props. Stripey goody bags, great for the beach, and knight's helmet and sword, courtesy of my son's dressing up box. And, yes, I did have a fit of the giggles before I even had one sip of champagne! 

You might be forgiven for thinking my latest story is an historical, but both the KNIGHTS book and SUNLOUNGER are very much contemporary women's fiction. 

For Sunlounger (and KNIGHTS, too) Louise and I had to draw heavily on our imaginations and memories to craft our stories, as they're set during long, sultry, summer days, but were mostly written when snow and ice lay thick on the hills and valleys of North Wales.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DP3R99Y

My SUNLOUNGER story is set in Gibraltar, and possibly features a genie, but you would have to read it to find out for sure!

Louise's SUNLOUNGER tale takes place in dreamy Sorrento, for fans of hunky, rumpled rock stars, ice cream, and Limoncello. A fun and evocative read. Highly recommended!

In fact, the entire collection of SUNLOUNGER stories, over forty in total, offers a varied selection of fabulous stories, truly something for everyone. And each one is set in an exotic foreign location, so you really do get a world trip for the price of one book.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DNJCBSE

As for my my new release, THE TROUBLE WITH KNIGHTS IN SHINING ARMOUR, the action unfolds on a rambling old country estate in North Wales, where things are not quite what they seem; a modern day fairytale for fans of Once Upon a Time and Merlin. (Currently at the promotional price of 77p.)

All in all, the launch lunch went very well, although we were missing a few Novelistas, who were there in spirit. The only upside to this was more cakes and champagne for the rest of us, but I would have gladly swapped my share to have everyone there to join in the fun!

Novelistas Ink has now 'broken up' for the summer, although we'll still be posting on this blog and our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/pages/Novelistas-Ink, so keep in touch.

Let's enjoy the sunshine while we have it, and make the most of these gorgeous summer days and knights (sorry, sorry)! 

All best wishes,

Valerie-Anne x

Life Below Stairs by Annie Burrows

One of the great things about being a writer of historical romance is that it gives me the perfect excuse to visit the many historical sites of England - under the guise of research...

  I can't remember now what excuse I gave for dragging my husband down to Erddig during last summer holidays - but as it is a National Trust property I could promise him there would be a tea room.  We put it to the test as soon as we arrived, because we set out so early neither the house nor grounds were open yet. Anyway, after fortifying ourselves with a pot of tea and a home-made scone, we had a wander round the outbuildings.

In the stable yard we came across this carriage - 
There was nobody about to tell me I shouldn't, so I climbed in to see what it would have been like to be a grand lady, going fo a drive in one.

The seat was surprisingly comfortable, although it might have been a different sensation when the carriage was being bounced across the cobbles!  On certain days, you can take a carriage drive round parts of the estate, and really get a feel for the period.
Sadly there were no horses or grooms around while I was there, so I had to settle for using my imagination.
(Drive on James!)


I did take a peek into the tack room, just in case there was a groom lurking there...

Those things on the table that look like pies, by the way, are actually leather covers for horses hooves.
By this time the grounds were open, so we went for a stroll.  They were absolutely beautiful, and I took so many pictures it is has been hard to decide which one to include.  In the end, I settled for the view of the back of the house across what is called the canal, but which is in fact a large, rectangular pond, full of the most amazingly friendly and curious fish.  They must be used to being fed, rather than angled for, I think.

By this time I needed feeding myself, so went back to the tearoom for a spot of lunch (chunky, thick vegetable soup and freshly baked home-made bread).  And then we went on a tour of the house.  It doesn't usually open until 12.30, but if you are one of the first in the queue to get in the grounds, you can ask for a ticket for the guided tour which starts at 12 noon.  Because many of the rooms are quite small, they have to limit the number.  Though we missed the tour, we found the staff dotted about the place incredibly friendly and helpful, and if they didn't have the answer to anything we wanted to know, they had files full of information they could consult. 

The unique feature of this house, though, is the interest the family who owned it took in their servants, and the way they immortalized them through both portraits and poems.  The first owner began the tradition, and his heirs kept up with the tradition, right up to Victorian times when photographs replaced the portraits.

One poem which struck me as amazing was written by Philip Yorke in 1912, and was almost prophetic.  It is shown on the right, but as the print is a bit too small to read, I've reproduced it here:

Our sons who from the window gaze,
May live to see far distant days,
When sixty years a-head the change
May be remarkable and strange,
For then their household staff may be
Machines of electricity,
Then radium may disperse their night
And turn its darkness into light:
Their goods from town may order'd be
By wireless telephony
And transit then may quite despise
All other routes than through the skies!

Uncanny!
Duly amazed, we returned to the tearoom for one last glass of orange squash and a slice of the most deliciously moist carrot cake I've ever had, before getting back on the road home.

(if you want to sample the carrot cake...er...find out more about life below stairs in Victorian England, click on Erddig )