Another course!

Last day of July and I must say I'm glad to see the back of it, cos August is RWA Oz Conference and I absoluely completely CANNOT wait. Catching up with good writing buddies, talking writing ALL weekend, learning heaps, hanging out in a swish hotel, having the odd wine... can't think of much better! Hopefully I'll remember to actually USE my camera this year and take lots of pics.

August is also a course month for me. Yep, I've enrolled in yet another online course. This one is with the fabulous Shirley Jump and its entitled ''Take Your Book From Good To Sold.'' I thought that as I seem to have relative success with M&B eds, I needed something to take me over the line. Hopefully Shirley's course will be another step in the right direction. And I'm doing it with my good writing friend Becca J Heath, so at least I'll be in good company!

Anyone else coming to Oz or taken any good courses lately?

Will you or won't you!?

As LOADS of blogs have mentioned the Romance Is Not Dead website is now LIVE!!

This is VERY exciting news for all aspiring M&B writers and I can already feel the buzz on the blogs and across the net, so I'm curious, who's entering!?

I'm still a little undecided. Last M&B contest, the ed I'm working with said NOT to enter because they'd already found me! I was a little sad cos I LOVE the buzz of a good contest. Now this contest has been announced and it sounds like the contest to top all contests, I really wanna enter, but I'm not sure if that would be frowned upon after the advice I got last contest. I've shot off an email to the ed and will leave it up to her. Although if I don't hear back... I'm IN!!

Sorry I've been quiet of late. Life has been getting in the way but I also had a bit of a break after my R and reading lots of the Romance line. I've been playing with my rural-romance ST kinda thing and just having a lot of fun!

I've also been discovering TV again! Haven't watched it in years but my mum FORCED me to watch the first episode of the new series of Packed To The RAfters and now I'm devouring the first series. Then there's Masterchef... thank God it finishes on Sunday :)

Am now counting down the time to RWA Oz conf... cannot wait to catch up with my bestest writing buddies and also finally meet Jackie Ashenden (who's also one of the best!).

No Man Is An Island...

Which may be the truth but the fact is also that I am off to an island with my real-life hero and our three gorgeous lil heroe's in training this week. Rottnest Island to be precise! See above!

Five days and four nights without Internet access! How will I survive?

I'll tell ya how... I have FIVE M&B Romances to take with me! Of course, I'm sure my boys will make sure reading ALL of them is near impossible but I'll do my damn best to make you proud!

How To Quit Writing and End Up On The Bestseller Lists!

In my read, read and read some more Romance research program, I'm currently half way through Shirley Jump's Vegas Pregnancy Surprise. Shirley's writing is lovely and so easy and enjoyable to read and I did what I often do when I stumble upon a book I like, I checked out the author's web site.

There I found an article that I just couldn't not read ''HOW TO QUIT WRITING AND END UP ON THE BESTSELLER LIST''.

I couldn't have read this article at a better time. As you all know I got a painful R this week. Like we all do after such an email, I asked myself the usual questions. What am I doing? How long can I keep at this writing gig without making a success of it? Should I give up and take up quilting?

I came to the conclusion after much stewing that I'm not quite ready to throw in the towel. I still LOVE reading Romance and I still really, really, really love writing. I still desperately want to see my name on a published book! But this article by Shirley Jump in which she tells about how she DID give up and then got The Call was really inspiring and really something I needed to read this week!

Just curious? Anyone ever tried to give up writing? How long did you last?

I get around!! And Feel the LOVE!

LOL!!! R's are almost as sweet as The Call when I get invited to all these wonderful places to guest blog!

Today I'm waxing lyrical over at iheartpresents - it's almost the same blog as I did at the gorgeous Seven Sassy Sisters so don't feel you have to visit, but I HAD to mention it!!

Have had the most gorgeous messages from members of the romance community - both published and aspiring - all so encouraging and supportive about my recent R!!

I tell ya... it's all you wonderful people, saying that you can't wait to buy my book, that give me the desire and motivation to continue!

THANKS MUCHLY!

The Romance Community really does ROCK!!!!

Sister's Guest Spot

Two posts in one day you say!? Is it a record?

Anyway just letting you know I'm a guest on the Seven Sassy Sisters Blog today. Awesome blog. Awesome people. I recommend you check it out.

http://sevensassysisters.com/

Good-bye Cam and Peppa!

Well... I asked for speed in my last email and I got it. A speedy R delivered to my inbox tonight.

As far as R's go it was nice. The editor said that my full had been passed onto Bryony Green (senior ed for Modern Heat) but that she'd regrettably decided to pass on the mss. There was no mention of underdeveloped conflicts or not enough emotion. I was praised on my 'wonderfully accessible and engaging voice' and told that there was a lovely bond between my characters and the sensuality WAS there just NOT ENOUGH.

Interesting enough the ed suggested I may like to try my voice on for the Romance line and see how it fits. Interesting because over the past few years I've had times where I've really wondered if I'm fitted to Modern Heat. I think my voice is young, sassy and flirty enough but I'm not sure I'm really confident with that push-the-boundaries level of sensuality. Love reading it but always wondered if I actually did it justice in my own writing. Well... apparently not.

I'm not gonna say I'm not disappointed. Of course I'm gutted. But on the bright side, I have passed many landmarks during this sub. I got revisions on the story and I know it got passed up the ladder, so I figure I must be doing something right.

Onwards and upwards hey? Once I work out where the heck that is...