Welcome To Melbourne!

RWA's 17th National Conference

South Bank, Melbourne

22nd--24th August 2008

Award winning category romance authors presenting workshops include:
Marion Lennox , Fiona Lowe, Carol Marinelli, Cathleen Ross, Lillian Darcy, Fiona McArthur, and Joan Kilby

Romance Writers of Australia holds its annual conference in Melbourne this week. It's a grand occasion, jam-packed with workshops, teas, dinners, and awards.

Friday night is all glam and fun at the Harlequin authors cocktail party with the magical theme One Enchanted Century (personally, I can't wait to see the pics of this event!)

Saturday night is the awards banquet. Awards to be announced include the Emerald for best unpublished manuscript, and the R*BY (Romantic Book of the Year), Australia’s premier award for romantic fiction.

This year's finalists for the R*BY are:

LONG

Claiming the Courtesan by Anna Campbell

Duet by Kimberley Freeman

Tomorrow's Princess by Anna Jacobs

Ashbalane's Lady by Sophia James

Serendipity by Melanie La'Brooy

Lands Beyond the Sea by Tamara Mc Kinley



SHORT

The Prince's Forbidden Virgin by Robyn Donald

Their Lost and Found Family by Marion Lennox

The Single Dad's Marriage Wish by Carol Marinelli

Island Heat by Sarah Mayberry

One Night Before Marriage by Anne Oliver

Outback Man seeks Wife by Margaret Way




To get a taste of Melbourne, look for The Pink Heart Society editors' Nicola Marsh and Ally Blake's latest stories, set in their home town.

Nicola Marsh's The Desert Prince's Proposal, takes place in Melbourne and Ally Blake's novel, The Magnate's Indecent Proposal, spotlights Melbourne's restaurant culture.



The conference is being held at the GORGEOUS Langham Hotel. Now personally I don't see how ANYONE is going to get any work done in this beautiful place... I mean I'd be apt to disappear into the spa for a few hours and then off for drinks and a bit of shopping. Of course the stunning setting might be all that's needed to spark scads of creativity...story ideas popping out of every corner!



Pink Heart Editor Nicola Marsh will be back this weekend with an update on the conference, so don't miss out!