Miranda's March Musings About ARRC17

Hello darlings, and I am so thankful for this cooler weather. Didn't you just die in all that heat we had over summer? But I did venture forth over the last weekend in February, to the fabulous Australian Romance Readers Convention 2017.

It was held in blissful comfort at Rydges Melbourne Hotel. Lovely room, super comfy bed (like sleeping on a cloud), great food, excellent company and just so! much! fun! After the Canberra ARRC15, when I drove home with a smile on my face and a car boot full of books and goodies, this time I took two 3kg post bags to post my loot home. And wow, wasn't that a good idea. All the freebies and prize books arrived at my place just a few days later without me having to lug them onto the plane. Fantastic, thanks so much ARRC17.

We kicked the weekend off with a High Tea at Zumbo Cafe, in Richmond. Oh. My. Goodness. This wasn't your traditional High Tea with the gorgeous triple decker plate packed with goodies. This was plate after plate of the most unconventional, unusual, delicious food ever. It looked like works of art and tasted even better. I thought we were going to roll out on a sugar high, but I suspect the food was naturally sweetened with fruit and yogurt and other such yummies. The savoury food was also amazing.

Fuelled by the High Tea and then welcome drinks in the evening, my Trivia table went on to win the Trivia Night. To be fair, not many of us knew the answers (I know you're shocked by that) and at one stage we were actually coming last, then the plucky Maggie Nash acted out a magical charade we guessed correctly, and bingo! we were in the lead. Our prize? Books, of course. And chocolates. By that stage most of us had eaten our body weight in popcorn and ice cream sundaes, so nobody really minded who won or who lost, it was such a great night. 

Then followed a weekend of bliss: talking books, laughing a lot, reading books, meeting authors and other readers - is there anything nicer? The Awards Night was star-studded and sparkling with bling (with a dazzling Bling-Off Competition, aha). Congratulations to all the award nominees, what fabulous books you gave us. Below is a sample of one of the awards - won by the very lovely Anne Gracie (who blogged for us just two weeks ago here), and who scooped the pool for several awards.



Photo credit: Helen Constan & ARRC17



The weekend finished with a lovely lunch cruise from Melbourne Docklands. Such a relaxing and pleasant way to enjoy excellent views and commentary from our very novel 'Tramboat' operators, a nice lunch, and time to cement new friendships.

I cannot imagine what work goes into planning such a weekend. All I can say, fervently, is thank you Australian Romance Readers Association, for a brilliant, wonderful convention. I was in reader heaven, and I look forward to your next fabulous event. Why don't you join me?

What's been your best 'booky' event?

Love from Miranda xx

Love to Love:    Weekends away, talking about books, books, books.

Love to Laugh:  With friends at Trivia, not having a clue about answers but making them up.

Love to Learn:   About new authors, which I certainly did at AARC17.

Habits and Rituals of the Resident Writer

By Cassandra Samuels

Greetings Dear Readers!

Today I delve into the habits and rituals of some of our favourite authors. We all have them, those little things we do to prepare to let the words flow. Some are simple, some are perhaps even a little odd, but if they help us get the words down who is to complain?

Victor Hugo, who wrote Les Miserables, liked to work in the nude. It meant he couldn't leave the house and had to stay home and write.

Truman Capote,  author of In Cold Blood, liked to write lying down with a coffee and a cigarette. I guess he had formulated a rhythm of sip, puff, and write.

For me, I have to listen to music. I have several playlists but, generally, it is Two Steps from Hell (strangely enough, not a punk rock band but a group that do soundtracks to movies and games).

Once I am writing, the music fades into the background like white noise and I can concentrate on what I am doing without being distracted by the sounds of the house around me (phones ringing, doors banging, conversations etc).

Here are what some fellow authors have said about their writing habits and/or rituals.

Alyssa J Montgomery

I don't think I've got any particularly interesting or remarkable writing rituals. I do like to have made any important phone calls/attended to anything important before I sit down to write, and I always sit down with a cup of tea. I generally read back over the chapter I've left off at to get me into the character voices again and to refresh my mind so I'm not repeating word choices. I look at my plot outline (I've adapted a colour system I learned from Cherry Adair when I attended her plotting by colour workshop in Dallas a couple of years ago). Once I have firmly in my mind where I am, I just write. Chocolate was definitely a welcome part of the ritual but since my last cholesterol reading was too high, that is now sadly lacking when I write!

Alli Sinclair

I never used to have a ritual when writing but a year ago I saw a Reiki Master and mentioned how I was feeling blocked on my story. She asked how I like to write - which is usually on the couch with my laptop - and she said to try writing at my desk with my feet placed firmly on the ground as it is supposed to help with the flow of creativity. I gave it a go and, lo and behold, the words came out fast and furious and the block I'd been suffering disappeared into the ether. I've been sitting with my feet firmly placed on the floor for a year now and my productivity has increased tenfold!
 

Narelle Atkins

I plug my headphones into my iPhone and listen to 80's music when I write. I mix up the playlists, depending on my mood.  

Cathleen Ross

I take the dog for a walk and then write until about 4 p.m. for six days a week. I aim for 1000 words a day unless I have to do research. Because the book I'm currently working on requires a lot of research, I do as much study at night. 

Amy Rose Bennett

I don’t need much to get me into a writing mood other than booting up my laptop and turning off social media. Fortunately, I can pretty much write anywhere, anytime; in fact, I actually don’t have a particular writing desk or space. The only ‘must-have’ I can think of is making sure I have a good cup of coffee at hand. Then I’m good-to-go.

Maggie Nash

I think my most successful method of preparing to write is not to prepare at all. Sometimes I am guilty of overthinking ..so I find I get a lot more done when I don't prepare and just make that decision to sit down and write, and get on with it.

Do you have any habits or rituals before writing?Please do tell!

I love to love: Watching Poldark Season 2

I love to laugh: At old guys dancing.

I love to learn: About the writing habits and rituals of other authors - hence this post!