I'm going to Romantic Times.

I'm getting a gorgeous new website, and as part of that process, I'm moving to another blogging platform, so it will all be coordinated. This will be one of the last posts from this site, but I wanted to get this news in before we move.

I'm going to the RT convention in Las Vegas April. I'm so excited — it will be my first RT convention.

I'm going to be on a "Meet the Authors from Downunder" reader event with my friends Keri Arthur,  Nalini Singh, and Khloe Wren. They're all paranormal writers (and fabulous ones, too) so I'll be the odd one out, the lone historical writer in the group. That's on the Wednesday.

And on the Thursday afternoon, I'm going to be on a hero panel "Rakes Rogues and Warrior Poets" with my friends and fellow historical romance writers, Mary Jo Putney and Patricia Rice.

I'll be signing with Berkley, too. The full program is here.

I'm really looking forward to catching up with author friends, readers and meeting new people.
Hope to see you there.

#FallBackInTime

I'm joining in the celebration of #FallBackInTime, where historical romance authors post selfies with their own books and readers post pics of themselves with some fave historical romances.

It's a great promotion, designed to promote a subgenre rather than an individual author, so jump in and have a go. And don't forget to include the hashtag -- #FallBackInTime

Here's me as a writer with a couple of my own books.

And here's me as a reader with a couple of my favorite Georgette Heyer novels.

And here are some of my childhood faves—historicals, though not all romances.

I hope you share some of your own faves.

Newsletter Bouncing

I just sent out a newsletter yesterday and there have been an abnormal number of bounces, mainly from g-mail and Big Pond (a popular Australian email server) -- and since this particular newsletter is partly about Australian readers finally getting access to my early Harlequin historicals, it's very frustrating.

So I'm posting a web link to my newsletter here. Sorry for the inconvenience.

https://madmimi.com/p/2390a6?fe=1&pact=32773160136

I'll be blogging soon about the Australian romance conference but in the meantime, here are a couple of photos as an appetizer. That's me, at the costume party, which was themed "Fresh, Flirty or Famous" and I chose "famous" and went as Dame Barbara Cartland, complete with dogs — that's a dog on my foot as well as one on my arm. Also with me is crime/thriller writer Kathryn Fox, and the sinister fellow holding onto his beard with his knife is Harlequin author Marion Lennox -- who came as Johnny Depp, also carrying dogs.

Below are Fiona McArthur who writes medical romance for Penguin Australia and Harlequin, Trish Morey who writes Rural romance for PanMcMillan and Harlequin Presents, and Bronwyn Jameson, who writes for Harlequin Desire. Trish is dressed as the conference logo.

 And here is Stephanie Laurens with Harlequin editor Princess Sue Brockoff.

Until next time

Anne

#FallBackInTime

I've never understood why some people don't like historicals — for me they're not "books about history" but stories set in a different place, that's all. A good story is a good story, and I don't care if it's historical, paranormal, contemporary, crime or whatever. As long as it sweeps me away to somewhere else, I'm a happy reader.

I think it started when I was a kid. I read every book I could lay my hands on and didn't care what sort of book it was, as long as it entertained me. So I don't get it when people tell me "I don't read historicals" or "I only read historicals" or "I don't read paranormals" or "I only read contemporaries" or whatever.

I got a letter from a reader recently telling me that she doesn't usually read historicals, she always thought they were boring, but she was given a copy of one of my books. It sat there for ages, and she was going to give it away, but she started reading it one day when she had nothing else to read — and now she's bought the rest in the series.

I have a number of letters like that. I think that's the key to liking any subgenre - you just have to find one book or author you like, and it opens you up to others.

A historical author group is promoting a "Fall back in time" campaign, where people post selfies with a favorite historical romance. So here's a couple of pics of me, with two of my fave Georgette Heyers. I first read her when I was a kid, and I've reread some of her books umpteen times — they're some of my favorite comfort reads.

What I love about these books is that they're funny and lively. Venetia is the most romantic - it's about a bad-boy rake and a beautiful heroine who is very much a match for him. But there's some very funny moments — he's the kind of rake who can charm women, and to see him bend "nurse" around his thumb is a delight.

The Unknown Ajax is about a gorgeous hero who is so quietly self-confident that when he realizes everyone thinks he is some illiterate clod, can't resist playing up to the role.

I'll post a few more favorites — other authors I love — in a few days. In the meantime, do you have a fave historical?