Look what just arrived on my doorstep.

I'm smiling.

 

I remember when they gave out the first RITA finalist pins — it was at the 2000 (I think) conference in Washington, and it was my first RWA conference, and my first book was a RITA finalist.

The pins were new and it was a surprise for everyone when, as we registered they gave them out. They gave pins retrospectively as well, and some people were pinning on three, four, twelve or more and everyone was grinning and exclaiming over them with delight.  It was SUCH a buzz, and all through the conference it looked like little silver ladies were dancing across people's chests.

This is my fourth RITA finalist pin and the buzz doesn't get any less. It's a thrill every time, and the arrival of this beautiful little silver lady on my doorstep just made my day/week/month.

Dried Fig Jam Experiment

I used to make fig jam every year, until my friends with fig trees sold up and moved — people can be so thoughtless. :)

I don't eat a lot of jam, but when the weather starts to get cold, I do like to have some tasty jam for the occasional piece of toast. And lately I've really been missing my favorite fig, lemon and ginger jam, so when I saw dried figs on sale, I bought some and am now making up the recipe... and hoping it works. Dried figs, oranges, lemons and grated ginger. 

So, the ingredients: (sorry, the quantities are vague because I'm making it up) 

2 packets of dried figs (2 x 375g) finely chopped.

Zest and juice of a couple of lemons, also finely chopped.

Flesh of a couple more oranges (because I had them and I figured more citrus wouldn't hurt.) 

a grated knob of ginger

Sugar.

1) Mix chopped figs, zest of lemons and ginger, and pour over sufficient boiling water to not quite cover.

2) Leave overnight. (As it happened I was a bit busy, so it sat in the fridge for several nights. The idea was to let the dried figs absorb the water.) 

3) If mix is dry, add a bit more boiling water. The next day it shouldn't have any visible liquid, just moist mush of figs.

4) Measure fig mix, and add not quite the same quantity of sugar. (I like it not too sweet)

5) Cook for 45 minutes, stirring regularly.

6) Test to see if it gels on a cold saucer, as jam should. My plan was: —

    a)  If it sets in a jammy way, cheer and bottle as usual.

    b)  If it doesn't, add more lemon juice and hope.

    c)  If it's still not setting try adding commercial pectin. (I was really hoping I wouldn't have to do this, because it would involve a trip to the supermarket.)

   d)  Otherwise, treat it as yummy syrup for ice cream, bottle and give to friends who eat lots of ice cream.

As it happened, version a) was the one that happened. Yay. That's my jam up the top. My mix made 7 medium jars and a bit left over. And here's how I plan to test it.

Do you make jam or is it too much mess and bother? What's your favorite jam?

Trifles — and something exciting.

No, I'm not talking about the dessert made of cake, jelly, fruit and custard that I used to see when I was a kid; I'm just talking about small things— paper earrings — and then I remembered I should mention something not so small, and quite exciting (for me, anyway.)

 I haven't been posting a lot recently, as I'm deep in book-world, but I thought I'd just dive in quickly with a small insignificant thing -- ie a trifle.

Last year, for the ARRA (Australian Romance readers Conference) I made a few origami-style paper earrings from the cover of my books, and gave them away. I blogged about it here. So this year I made some more paper ones, only in a different style — little paper Autumn Bride books.

I'm thinking of going to the US to the RWA National Conference in Atlanta in July, so my question is, should I make some paper earrings to give away there? 

Oh, and I just realized I haven't put this on the blog — the something exciting — why might I go to the US conference? Because my book, BRIDE BY MISTAKE is a finalist in the RITA competition, the romance writers' Oscar, which I'm thrilled about. 

So. . . decisions, decisions.

More pics from ARRA

I promised you some more photos from ARRC (The Australian Romance Readers Association Convention.) I didn't actually take many — I was too busy speaking  (on panels and on stage as well as to lovely ARRA members) to take photos, but I did manage to get a few, mainly on the awards night, where I didn't have much to do. So here's me, with the other keynote speakers, the wonderful Kristan Higgins and Rachel Vincent.

This pic was taken at the end of the Historical Romance panel. I'd brought a bunch of bright feather fans, to get us all in the mood, and at the end, when we posed for photos, well, things got a a bit silly. :) And for once, it wasn't my fault. I blame Cathy Maxwell for this one. LOL

And here's Aimée, a Melbourne ARRAite with a wicked sense of humour — appropriately attired. 

 Kristan Higgins did a wonderful job. She performed all her duties brilliantly — and still managed to get herself photographed with a bunch of firemen. If I didn't know better I'd suspect it was she who set off the fire alarm.

 Two ARRA heroines — Rose and Debbie P.

One of the features of ARRC is the "bling-off" at the awards night — everyone wears fabulous bling, and there's a competition for the best bling. Here are some of the competitors, lining up.

And here are the two joint winners — and don't they look fabulous?

It was a brilliant conference. Thank you Debbie Jay (Convention Coordinator), Debbie Phillips (ARRA Prez) and all the amazing ARRA volunteers who worked so hard to make everything go so beautifully. It was an honor and a privilege to be part of such a wonderful event.

At the Australian Romance Readers Conference

I'm up in Brisbane, capital city of Queensland, at ARRC— that's the Australian Romance readers Conference, which is held every two years.

Friday night was just the kick off. We started with Lady Jane's Salon, which is an event that usually takes place in New York. It's a salon where romance writers read from their books, while the audience — a mixture of readers and writers and interesting blow-ins, sip wine and listen. Fun and very civilized.

I attended a New York one a few years back, taken there by Andrea Pickens/Penrose/Cara Elliot, along with Mary Jo Putney, Joanna Bourne, and Kelly Hunter. We descended into this dimly lit cellar-type room, filled with eclectic furniture and paintings and people -- masses of people. It was extra crowded because so many people were in for the RWA conference. We found seats and wine and settled in for a fun night. . .

So it was lovely to have Lady Jane's Salon held in Brisbane, and though there was no cellar, and the walls weren't red and covered with interesting artwork, there were authors reading excerpts from their books to a very appreciative audience. Here's a not-very-good photo of the participants — from left, Hope Tarr (who organized it), Amy Andrews, Keri Arthur, Anna Campbell and Cathy Maxwell.

After that came the ARRC welcome reception with drinks and nibbles, and the big surprise for me were these particular three options in the drinks menu — cocktails named in honor of the three keynote speakers, of which I was one.

So it was very cool to be drinking an "Anne Gracie" with my friends — it was a margarita, really, which happens to be one of my favorite cocktails. The "Rachel Vincent" was a mojito and it looked fabulous, stuffed with mint leaves, and the "Kristan Higgins" was an apple martini. Lots of fun!

I'll report on the rest of the conference in a few days.

Live Chat and Big Contest

For US readers — I'm going to be doing a live Spreecast video chat chat with fellow historical romance authors - Madeline Hunter, Julia London, Jennifer Ashley/Allyson James, and Juliana Gray. It takes place on Wednesday, February 27th at noon EST (that's USA time -- 4 am in Australia)

The chat will launch a special contest with a $250 gift card to an on-line bookstore of the winner's choice and 5 bundles of books containing a past title from each of the authors concerned. For legal reasons this competition is open only to US readers only, sorry.  You can check out the details and sign up for the chat here.

Click on the little blue RSVP button in the top right-hand of the screen and you'll get a reminder.

For details of how to enter the contest, go here.

The Valentine's Grinch

I'm a Valentine's grinch. We didn't celebrate Valentine's Day  when I was growing up -- it was a custom I read about in old books — maybe Anne of Green Gables — I think it mentioned Valentines, didn't it? Nobody I knew gave or received Valentines. It's a relatively recent thing here in Australia, and getting bigger every year, and we grinchly types see it as something wished on us by US TV shows and cynical commercial forces who try to guilt people into spending money...

I don't like obligatory demonstrations of love. I think they should come naturally, spontaneously and unexpectedly, and not according to the calendar. I subscribe to the "Love Actually" theory of love — that it's everywhere at all times, in different forms, and I'll celebrate it whenever I come across it.

Red roses are beautiful, but the beautiful red roses that proliferate on Valentine's Day usually have no scent, and to me, that's symbolic. A rose without scent is worse than no rose at all. Give me a blowsy, tattered, bug-nibbled rose that smells glorious instead of a pristine, tightly furled perfect scentless rose any day. One is real, the other is all for show.

That said, if you're feeling truly romantic this Valentine's day — go for it. Just don't do the romantic thing because you feel it's expected of you. Genuine or nothing.