ARRC17

Last Chance Country authors' raffle prize and winner

The Australian Romance Readers Association held a convention in Melbourne recently and I went along. Jennie and Lisa had been to the 2015 one and had had a fabulous time and insisted that I join them at this one. I'm a bit weird in that I like my own company, so I'm perfectly happy at home doing my thing, but I can socialise when I need to and when I do, I'm a joiner. I don't see the point of going to/doing something if you aren't going to put in your all.

The joiner thing clashes with CFS, so after many years of failing spectacularly, I'm beginning to learn where my "all in" limits are. I can help out, talk, do things...but then I need to hide, relax, be alone. And I can't do days of one and then expect to pick up with days of the other - I need to balance that by hours, not days. And I think I did a not too bad job at this balancing act!

Thursday and Monday were travel days. I was a passenger in a car with a 9 hour drive, but it was pleasant company and lots of chatting and hassle-free, so that was a good option.

On Friday I'd planned a day of writing but ended up helping out and this was fantastic because I met people, chatted and laughed, while we worked not too hard. I ended up helping out on the Rego Desk, so I met more people as they checked in. (This forced meeting while doing other things is great for introverts!)

I spent Friday evening having a wander around Exhibition Gardens and the gorgeous building and then got room service. A perfect offset to the busy day.

I was right for Saturday then when I listened to Courtney Milan's keynote speech (she was way younger than her prolific writing made me expect!), then watched the documentary Love Between the Covers. Quiet, peaceful events to stimulate my brain. The afternoon was opposite.

Me at the Book Signing

At lunchtime I participated in a Narratives Project, where I read some of my story, The Healing Season, to be recorded and used for radio purposes if picked up. It was supposed to be 5 minutes but it turned out to be longer. It was a very interesting experience and I was glad that in the past I'd (a) learned to read for church, (b) learned public speaking, (c) read to my nieces, nephews, and various other kids, and (d) done it on the spur of the moment so I had no time to panic!!

Our table for the Awards Dinner

Later in the afternoon I spoke on a panel and then participated in a book signing event, followed by a group photo and then the Awards Dinner. This all happened consecutively and I had no time to think between moving from one thing to the next. I fell into bed exhausted.

Speed dating room

Sunday morning, before the keynote speech from Kylie Scott, I chatted with an author I'd been too nervous to approach. Why? I wish to heck I understood myself. I considered her too good for me to approach, and yet she was gorgeous, fun, and exceptionally easy to talk to. Sometimes I could kick myself for being an idiot!

All I had to do on the Sunday was speed dating, and it was much more fun than I'd expected and by now most of the people coming to chat were friends, and not strangers. I then spent the next few sessions sitting in the audience soaking up the energy of the place, before listening to Kristen Callihan's keynote and then the closing of the convention.

What did I learn?

• If I balance active time with quiet time, I don't wear myself out
• That everyone is human, no matter how high I pop them on a pedestal
• That dreams can come true - you just have to keep working at them
• That the energy from a group of people with a common interest can be addictive
• That readers are accepting, regardless of what I write
• It doesn't matter if I don't fit into a specific niche or group; I can fit into the wider group and mingle
• Even if you think you're an idiot, just do stuff because it can turn out awesome 
• You can be a hermit; but sometimes you need an extraverted recharge
• Readers appreciate authors



Me at speed dating

• Acceptance can soothe your soul