Monday 13 July 2015

RNA Conference 2015 and Promotion

Just came back by train last night from the wonderful RNA weekend conference in London and fell into bed exhausted from the heat and late nights! It was definitely worth attending, and crawling through London in a taxi on the day of the tube strike to get there on the Thursday, as it meant we could go to the Agents’ Panel on the Friday morning.

It was held in the Queen Mary University campus on Mile End Road and although in the east end of the city, it was also partly beside a canal. The heat was a bit unbearable at times, especially in my student bedroom and, unfortunately, mine was on the noisy side of the accommodation building: lots of students (not RNA) making too much noise at all hours of the night (or morning) on two occasions.

Ready for the gala dinner with Joan Fleming and Cathy Mansell
However, it was a great conference, with lots of inspiring talks, non-stop chatting with old and new friends and a fabulous Gala Dinner on the Saturday evening which was held in the beautiful octagonal library. All the meals were self-service apart from this one and it was a really lovely dinner and venue, befitting our dressier outfits! One of the best things about the conference is the information all the authors share when we get talking to one another. I was delighted as always to meet up with some of my lovely social media and blogging friends, such as Helena Fairfax who I met last year, Jean Bull, and Wendy Clarke who I was delighted to meet in person at last.

 

I was glad to see the chocolate heart in my little promo pack inside the 250 RNA goody bags survived the heat. My friend Joan Fleming and I shared a kitchen with the very sociable Hazel Cushion from Accent Press (amongst others) who invited us to their Pimms Party. Having never tasted it before, I was delighted to go along and it was a lovely event, held down beside the canal. The Pimms, which was filled up with freshly chopped fruit, was delicious. Roll on next year at Lancaster University!


***

For one week only, my publisher, Crooked Cat, is featuring The Highland Lass in a special promotion at just 99p on Amazon UK and 99c on Amazon US. A bargain!

I’ll resume our Italian adventure later in the week with the final stop of Verona.

Rosemary

13 comments:

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Mary Smith said...

Sounds like you had a brilliant time - despite the heat and lack of sleep! How could you never have tasted Pimms before???? I love it - it means summer to me.

Rosemary Gemmell said...

Thanks for commenting.

It was great, Mary, and I'd heard of Pimms of course, but was glad to see what it was all about at last!

Nicola said...

Sounds fabulous, Rosemary. So pleased you had a wonderful time. I must try to get there next year. I'll start saving :) I've yet to find Pimms in the supermarkets over here but I'm off to England at the end of the month so a bottle of that will go on my shopping list :) Best of luck with your book sales.

Joanna said...

What lovely pictures, Rosemary - you look fantastic. I'm so glad you enjoyed the event. It sounds so interesting as well as being a wonderful chance to meet other writers. xxx

Carolb said...

Lovely photos, and you clearly had a great time. Glad you enjoyed it all.:-)

Rosemary Gemmell said...

Thanks, Nicola - that would be great to meet you at next year's if you manage!

Thank you, Joanna - meeting up with others is always one of the highlights!

Thanks, Carol - you should join the RNA if you can (or maybe you're in the New Writers' Scheme?).

Rose Anderson said...

How fun you all got to meet up there. Makes me wish I was across the pond too. ;)

joanne fox said...

Don't you all look lovely dressed up! At least Lancaster is not so far for you to travel.

Anita Chapman said...

It was lovely to see you at the conference, Rosemary! Wish we had longer to speak when we meet as there's always so much to chat about. My son loved your bookmark and choc, thank you!x

Rosemary Gemmell said...

Thanks for commenting, Rose! It's a great conference and I'm sure you'd love it - probably a scaled down version of the RWA conferences.

Thanks, Joanne! Yes, I'm really looking forward to Lancaster next year as it's a shorter journey.

Lovely to see you too, Anita, and I'm glad your son got something out of it!

Angela Barton said...

I keep meaning to go but each year something crops up. I suppose I should set the dates aside and not let anything creep into that space and prevent me from going. I imagine spending the weekend with the writing community is fascinating and enlightening - as well as a lot of fun. x

Jean Bull said...

Thanks, Rosemary, it was great to catch up. I wished I'd planned to stay the whole weekend. Never mind, see you in Lancaster next year. These conferences are really expanding my horizons; I'd never been to Penrith, or Sheffield (only Meadow Hall shopping centre!),or Lancaster!