I hope things are going well with your family and you’re getting some sleep! In the meantime, we’ll hold your spot in the Glamour Squad until you’re ready to come and over and party like it’s 1999 (and we’re all still in college).

Heidi, your comment about the “Love-In” cracked me up! I really hope we can have the same fun next year too. Heaven knows Washington DC could use some love. And heck…if we’re placing orders with the universe I’d love to have three new RITA nominations for Presents too, like you, Natasha Oakley and Kelly Hunter had this year!

Sorry for everyone getting a bit weary of today’s gleefully girlish gushing…I’m sure the I Heart Presents site will soon be back to regularly scheduled programming about plot structure and sexy Greek heroes! Promise!

I’m totally chuckling at your comments worrying that someone might think you were corrupting morals… YOU?! As if!

And I’m sure the liquor store manager didn’t think anything about us being there at 11 a.m. For one thing, as Daisy is Irish and Sharon is British, it’s possible we were all on overseas time.

For another–the next day, I went to breakfast with some friends at the Denny’s next door to the liquor store, and a brawl happened ten feet in front of me. I saw an angry customer grab a chair and smash it over the head of another man, the manager. Then all the servers and cooks rushed him from the back and tossed him to the ground, screaming and cursing until the cops arrived.

In such a colorful neighborhood, somehow I don’t think anyone will think about a bunch of “prim and pretty” girls like us buying wine and peanuts before lunch.

Thanks again for “shanghai’ing” me into helping, Sandra. It was so wonderful from start to finish.

And I’m still bummed I wandered off and didn’t go on the sightseeing excursion with you, Sandra and Trish. I saw the picture of you three on Trish’s blog and it looked like you had the best time! Ah well. Next conference maybe!

That’s why during our Presents breakfast, I ate everything in sight at the buffet. I think the other girls were somewhat aghast at the amount of pastry and bacon I was snarfing, but I tried to explain that it’s absolutely impossible to gain weight at conference. You have to take every chance for a meal, because you don’t know when your next one will be! I’m not sure they believed me, however–at least not until they got home on the scale!

Champagne is a different case, however. There’s always time for champagne. Camera in one hand, crystal flute in the other! I rarely drink at home, so it’s a special treat to be out at a party with such a fun, rowdy crowd.

Before leaving for SF, I googled the area near the hotel for wine stores and printed out the map showing the nearest ones. Once at the hotel, I phoned to see if the store would deliver. The answer was a polite ‘no,’ at which point, resourceful soul that I am, I shanghied… uh, enlisted the help of a few volunteers to help me carry everything–half a dozen bottles of vino and assorted snacks– back to the hotel.

I have no idea what the guy who owned the shop thought of me, buying all that at, what, 11 o’clock in the morning, but I had the feeling that my bright-eyed schleppers and I brightened his day.

The system ate my message so I’ll try again.

I’m hoping to make it to a US conference soon so your tips will come in handy.

As for enjoying an Aussie conference – I’d say sit back and relax. They’re lots of fun. Don’t miss the published author’s roundtable – a fantastic session where you can discuss whatever’s on your mind with other published authors, most of whom have lots of experience. That’s fun and inspiring and empowering. It’s great to know that others have been there before and have tips to help you.

The Harlequin dinner is fantastic, and so is the awards night.

Arriving a day or two early is great as you have time to settle in and meet up with other early birds in a relaxed way before the conference starts. Shoes for early morning walks are great. At the Gold Coast it was a wonderful way to start the day – strolling out with other authors while the waves rolled in and the energetic joggers and surfers did their stuff!

Annie

It was lovely to meet you and I’ll look forward to seeing you again in London in September

Kate