RT Booklovers Convention - the Convention high spots.

I attended my first RT convention as an unpublished writer. It was in Pittsburgh, I was a finalist in the American Title Contest and I had a wonderful time. I made up my mind right then that if/when I was published, I would be back. With two books to my credit, Kansas City seemed like the right time, right place. The fact that it was the 30th anniversary convention was a bonus. I can only highlight a few of the special moments, or we'd be here for the rest of the week, but actually the entire convention was one long high spot - enthralling and exhausting in equal measure. I have to admit I did not make it to all the parties, but those I did were all completely fabulous. Having been there for the pre-convention it was fascinating to watch the hotel transformed for an invasion of romantics. I think my favourites were the decals that went up on the elevator doors.

Elevator doors!

The 'day job' part of the convention consisted of panels and workshops. I was involved in four with fellow Choc-Lit authors and also a panel on archetypal heroes and heroines in romantic suspense with four very big names - Cherry Adair,  Robin Perini,Caridad Pineiro and Gennita Low. I don't know about the audience, but I learned a lot. There are scores of events going on the whole day, for five days, and it is immensely difficult to make choices - there was so much I wanted to do, and a lot of it happening at the same time. The sooner someone comes up with a foolproof way of cloning an author, the better.

The hotel foyer

That, and a suitcase which will walk to heel. The only good thing about flying is checking in your heavy bag and not seeing it again until you get to your destination. And the bag was a lot heavier leaving than it was arriving, because of the swag and the books - and I was very restrained in what I collected - given a free hand and an extra suitcase ...

At the ball

Mostly I did panels on useful things, from the craft and genre strands - until Friday morning. I was supposed to be going to a session on locations, but on the way there I was diverted by an author in a tiara and a glimpse, through an open door, of leopard skin patterned goodie bags. Well, what would you have done? Abandoning the locations workshop and my
British inhibitions I spent a hilarious 'Goddess' hour, learning a lot about the love lives of some of my fellow convention attenders. But, of course, what happens at convention stays at convention.
Saturday was the huge book

Getting my pitch ready for the signing.

signing. I had a pitch between Christine Warren and Shiloh Walker - two lovely ladies - and I'm now one of the privileged people who know what Shiloh actually looks like, as she prefers to preserve an element of mystery when it comes to photographs. On Sunday we had fun with a Brit quiz, when I wore my Welsh costume, complete with steeple hat. A few pictures of that are circulating, but I forgot to hand my camera to anyone so I don't have any.
Then, next day it was back to the aeroplanes, bound for New Jersey, to spend a week with my cousin, Bernice  ...

RT Book Lovers Convention

The convention starts today in Kansas City and I will be there, with a team of my fellow Choc Lit authors - lots of panels, quizzes, Q&A sessions - and, of course, the PARTIES. It will be fun, I know it will.

Great to be going as an RT Book Review Reviewers' Choice nominee, for Never Coming Home. and with Out of Sight Out of Mind getting a 4 star review in the latest edition.

If you're around in Kansas City I'll see you there. The Choc-lit authors will be signing at the Grand Book fair on Saturday 4th May and putting on an event that day too. With Chocolate!

Updates and Social Engagements

I think it's time for a run down of what's happening in the run up to Publication Day for Out of Sight Out of Mind - and beyond.

First off, my website has had an update www.evonnewareham.com if you'd like to take a look.

There will be contests and competitions over at Choc Lit on the way to publication day, to win books and, of course, chocolate. Check that out at Facebook and on Twitter.

I'll be appearing on various blogs and review sites, talking about the book - updates on those nearer the time.

And as for personal appearances this year - I will be at the RT Booklovers' Convention in Kansas City in May. I first attended the convention in Pittsburgh, as a finalist in the American Title contest, and promised myself that I would be back when I was a published author. Well, that time has come - I will be one of a team of authors from Choc Lit who will be at the convention in May.

Also in May I will be at Crimefest, in Bristol, appearing on a panel entitled - Crime & Crossover: Different Genres, Different Audience? It's an international mix of authors who all combine Something Else with their crime - in my case, of course, romance. It sounds like it will be fun.

In September I will be giving a talk at the Tenby Festival - as Out of Sight Out of Mind is set partially in Tenby, it will be lovely to be there to be part of the celebrations.

I'll be posting more details of all these events, as they loom on the horizon.

In the meantime, please remember just one date
Paperback publication of Out of Sight Out of Mind - 7th March 2013.

Seeing Stars

Confession time.
I'm currently in grave danger of succumbing to two of the seven deadly sins. That would be pride, and envy. And the source of this temptation? A perfectly innocent magazine - RT Book Reviews.

Making the final of the American Title contest, which was run by RT and Dorchester Publishing, was a big turning point in my career as an author. Never Coming Home was actually written while I was taking part in the contest with another book, Out of Sight, Out of Mind. And that book will be published by Choc-lit in 2013. So the magazine has a rather special place in my heart.

This Saturday the May 2012 edition of RT Book Reviews dropped through my letter box. It takes a while to get to me, as it has to swim the Atlantic first, but it was worth waiting for. Never Coming Home was reviewed in the  romantic suspense category, and was awarded 4.5 stars with the comment that it was a 'nerve-wracking thrill ride filled with deception, base emotion and death and a tempestuous love story.'

What can I say, except thank you? The book has come full circle. When I sent the manuscript off to enter American Title I never dared think that I would one day get to see the published book reviewed in the magazine. It was a dream.

But this year, dreams are coming true.

So - that's pride. But what about envy? Well - today is the first day of the RT Book Lovers Convention, which is taking place in Chicago. Friends Trish Milburn and Barbara Longley from American Title will be there, together with Lynne Connolly from the Romantic Novelists' Association. They will be signing books at the huge book fair that is part of the event, meeting readers, attending balls and cocktail parties, mixers and brunches and generally having one heck of a good time. And I am sooo envious. I want to be there too.
Maybe next year? In Kansas City?