Romy Sommer

This is the final instalment of my adventures at Penrith 2012. Normal blogging will resume next week. Jane Wenham-Jones – What a Way to Earning A Living  Whatever I expected of this first session of the day, it wasn’t what I got. It was better! Jane is so entertaining she could do stand-up comedy. For an hour she regaled us with stories from her life (including her visit to Erotica UK, the time she appeared on Kilroy, and an unfortunate yoghurt and cucumber incident at an Egyptian spa) as well as the upsides and downsides of writing (including suggestions on how to avoid Writers’ Bottom). There were some valuable suggestions to take away from this talk too. Jane said “nothing you ever do is wasted”. It is all material for our writing. Her whole career has been a knock-on effect, and she recommends we take every opportunity that arises, as we never know where it might lead. Most uplifting of all, she says the best thing about being a writer (and I completely agree!) is tha...

Here is the summary of my Saturday at the RNA conference at Penrith. Talli Roland – On-line marketing for writers  Talli opened the session by looking at the differences between marketing (identifying readers and how to satisfy them) and sales (“Buy my book!”). She recommends that authors first figure out their brand, and suggested a good way to start is to choose three adjectives that describe your writing. Use these words in your signature, and remember them in all promotions and communications. She gave blogging, tweeting and Facebook tips, and recommended using social media as a ‘circle’ – feeding through from one unique platform into another. She also discussed Goodreads, Amazon, Google Reader and newsletters. Talli ended by saying that marketing is a long term exercise, not an immediate solution. Kate Harrison – A Woman’s World: The Future of Women’s Fiction  Following the negative headlines late last year about declining book sales (based on print figures on...

I promised detailed conference feedback here on the blog today, but since I've only just cleared my Inbox, it's heading towards midnight as I type this, and I've just opened an email from my boss telling me to "hit the ground running" tomorrow as they've allocated me to a big project with a tight deadline, this report is NOT going to cover the entire conference, and you're going to have to keep coming back here for the rest! The conference started for me on Friday afternoon, arriving at the train station in Penrith and meeting a veritable crowd of romance writers on the platform. We shared taxis to the campus and were soon 'checked in' and happily enjoying a cup of tea together. The noise level during the tea breaks was something to behold. Can you imagine 160 romance writers all talking at the same time?! Just as the Irish Road Trippers (including our own Sally Clements) arrived, the conference started with the welcome talk, practical notes (i...

Today's post isn't so much about Inspiration, but following this weekend's RNA conference in Penrith, I am certainly feeling inspired! I'm blogging over at Minxes of Romance about my conference experience, with pictures, and there will be more to follow here on Thursday. In the meantime, here's a quote from one of the fortune cookies which was my contribution to the conference goodie bags: You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. - Wayne Gretzky

My UK jaunt started with a pub lunch with the London chapter of the RNA, followed by three days of sitting around chatting, drinking tea and watching telly - see my post earlier this week on the Minxes blog . Chapter leader Jean Fullerton arranging the next get-together Pia Fenton, who celebrated her newest release by bringing along chocolates and champagne  Then late on Monday I moved to Bishops Stortford on the Essex / Hertfordshire border to spend a few days with my oldest friend (not oldest in age, but in how long I’ve known her). The highlights of the week so far, apart from more chatting and more tea, was a visit to Audley End (the house itself was closed, so we wandered the gardens, servants’ wing and stables) and a day out in London featuring afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason, cocktails at Duke’s Hotel, and ending with blisters and Les Miserables . Front facade of Audley End The Jacobean stables at Audley End The clandestine Pond Garden, which...

Yay – I made it! I’ve spent a delightful couple of days in England, in spite of the dense cloud and chillier temperatures than back home in wintry South Africa. Catching up with old friends, being treated to a Sunday roast complete with Yorkshire pudding, and even a couple of hours of sunshine have got this holiday off to a fantastic start. My blog post over at the Minxes of Romance today is all about just one of the things I love about England. Please pop over there and feel the magic with me. And because today is Monday, and I’m sure we all need a little inspiration to kick start the week, here’s a quote from yet another Huletts sugar packet: If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost;  that is where they should be.  Now put foundations under them.  - Henry David Thoreau