Sunday, May 25, 2008

RWA Romance Roadshow 2008

The RWA Romance Roadshow hit Perth yesterday, and what a fabulous day it was. The full day's programme was hosted by Trish Morey, award winning, best selling author of Harlequin Presents, Marion Lennox, double RITA winner and author of both Harlequin Romance and Mills & Boon Medicals, and award winning, multi-published Prez of the RWAus, Anne Gracie.

We were split into two streams for some of the workshops - First Date for those starting out, and Serious Seduction for those who had been writing for a while and were looking to move to the next level. Or as the programme put it - time to meet mother. Ha ha!

Trish gave great workshops on how to create sexual tension and ending your novel with a bang no, not that sort of a bang!! although thinking about it, why not?! We also had Writing the Synopsis with Anne which I nearly chickened out of since I truly hate the things.

There were also goodie bags stuffed with exciting pressies, and lots of giveaways throughout the day.

It was great to meet up with other writers in WA, and put faces to names I knew through meeting on-line. I not only remembered to take my camera but I also took pictures! Five in fact. Hooray!

I was so knackered when I got home last night I was in bed by nine. Pathetic! Twelve hours later my gorgeous husband brought us coffee and croissants in bed. Yummm!

But when we plugged the camera chip into the computer, disaster struck. For a few brief glorious seconds I saw the photos - and they were fab (I can say that because of what comes next...) There was one of me being a total fan girl with Trish and Anne, and of Marion signing her book for me. Another good one showed me with Nikki Benyon (we got the train up together). Then... everything vanished. And I mean everything. All the pictures on the chip disappeared, not just the ones from the Roadshow but all the ones from when my aunt was over earlier this month.

Now that's terrible enough (and I had many wobbly moments) BUT what was even worse - in a way I suppose - was my husband's business accounts on the computer hard drive also vanished. Oh. My. God.

So that's why this post is photo-less and I am Deeply Distressed by that fact!!! and my husband is quite distressed too but for different reasons!!

11 comments:

Rachael Blair said...

~Great to meet you yesterday Christina! Wasn't it just amazing. I feel for you on the photo front. I realised I'd forgotten my camera when it was too late to turn around and go home. Will definately be bringing it to the conference.
I'm so knackered so should really go to bed....

C ya soon!

Sara Hantz said...

Wow, sounds like you had an amazing time. O.M.G. about losing everything. Can dh get it back or is it gone forever????

Sussan Marz said...

Oh no, I was looking forward to those photos. OMG on stuff disappearing on your computer (and it disappeared from your camera chip too!). I hope you had everything backed up!

Christina Phillips said...

Rach, it was so much fun to meet up! I had no idea there were so many of us in WA. We're definitely going to have to do it again soon!!

Sara, he tried for hours. Whatever it was, wiped the camera chip clean and somehow - no idea how - deleted all his accounts software. Eventually he discovered this year's accounts in a folder (again no idea how the folder appeared) but the software has still gone. The wonders of modern technology *growls*

Sussan I was so excited that I'd remembered to take photos. I even took a couple of room shots so got lots of faces in - argh. I'm still a bit traumatised by it all!!!

Eleni Konstantine said...

Ouch on losing your photos and accounting software Christina. Sounds like you had a blast. Thought you would as we did in Adelaide. :) It's great catching up and meeting other like minded people isn't.

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

OMG! How horrible for you all. Isn't there anyway you could find them again (I know that is probably a completely dumb question but I am a total technofool).

Glad you had a wonderful time yesterday though, it sounds brilliant.

Dx

Christina Phillips said...

Eleni, it was an amazing day, and just so much fun to meet up with other writers. I knew it would be brilliant after I read your blog of the Roadshow in Adelaide!!

Debs that's not a dumb question. Every couple of hours I've been asking my husband if the photos have appeared yet. He keeps telling they *can't* because the chip has no images. Sniffle!!

Sandie Hudson said...

Oh NO Christina, that is such a shame, not only for yourself but your husband. Did he have his files backed-up?

Hugs
Sandie

Christina Phillips said...

No, Sandie, he didn't. It was the first thing I asked him. I told him to buy a flash drive and use that as back up in future! (of course whether he will or not is another thing!)

Shelley Munro said...

Christina - it sounds like you had a lot of fun. I winced when I read about the photos and computer stuff. Technology is great when it works, and not so good when everything goes pear-shaped!

Barrie said...

Nothing like a good writing conference to get all your creativity flowing. :)