Festival/Conference Time

So how did it get to be August?  Where is this year going?

I’m glued to  my chair, eyes fixed on the screen watching the tweets stream in from Orlando, Florida as the winners of the Golden Hearts and RITAs are announced.  Our very own Golden Heart finalist Vanessa Barneveld won’t be bringing home a trophy, but according to Tweets, the Golden Hearts received 1100 entries over the various categories. So Vanessa, to be a finalist for the second year, is an amazing achievement, and we hope you’re having a ball.

Though not a YA writer, the Aussies can celebrate Kylie Griffin‘s fabulous win in the Paranormal category for Blood Born. Way to go Kylie!

Anyway August means festival and conference time!  First up, from next Friday is the Bryon Bay Writers Festival, and I’ll be there again with my writer buddies. And for the first time (I think) they actually some Young Adult panels.  They always have the ‘Kids Tent’ with all the kid and young adult authors but this time they will have some panels addressing writing for young adults. I’ll be there and looking forward to it.

Then almost straight after Byron Bay, it’s off to Sydney for the Romance Writers of Australia conference.  Yay!  6 nights in the gorgeous Crowne Plaza at Coogee, hanging with my writer friends, meeting some of them in person for the first time. We even have a PJ party planned for some of our YA writing pals.  And cocktail parties, and Awards Dinners.

And the best thing! I don’t have to go back to the day job for another 4 weeks.