It was the surprise that couldn’t be kept under wraps. Plans were dropped for this … or they would have been if I’d made any.

Galaxy’s monthly book club would have another special guest in New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Nalini Singh, who jumped across the pond from New Zealand.

I managed to arrive before Nalini and learned that Sofia (Galaxy’s paranormal romance guru) had invited a reporter and photographer from the Daily Telegraph to meet Nalini.

While I was waiting for Nalini to arrive, I had a chat with the reporter, Julia, who will soon converse with (rather than interview) Charlaine Harris. (I asked what the difference was, and apparently a conversation is meant to be more comfortable, informal and less inherently interrogative than an interview.)

For research purposes, Julia has read the first 2 Southern Vampire Mystery books (which she enjoyed) but hasn’t read any other paranormals. Yet. (I’d like to think that might change as a result of her stories on Nalini as well as Charlaine.) (more)

BOOK GIVEAWAY: Read on for a chance to win a free copy of Night’s Cold Kiss. The contest ends midnight on Sunday, December 20 AEST.

What happens when an Aurealis Award finalist comes to visit our local bookshop? We take over the paranormal romance aisle, of course! And yes, there were Tim Tams involved.

Decadence, the early bird

This was not your traditional book signing, with a long line of people waiting, the publisher’s reps asking for the name you want to personalise your books and standing ready to take your photo with the author. Thursday night’s book signing with Tracey O’Hara took place during one of Galaxy’s book club meetings, so there was a row of chairs down each side of the paranormal aisle, ending in a table of refreshments. I was a book club virgin, so I didn’t know what to expect from the evening.

Sofia introduced me to Tracey (who was standing in the new releases section, at the back, with a female relative and her father) before the meeting started (more)

It’s not often we get romance author signings, let alone two at the same time, so when Tracey O’Hara and Erica Hayes did a signing at Intrigue Bookstore in Canberra last month, Kate Cuthbert generously offered to do a recap for Book Thingo.

Kate is a reader, writer, reviewer, twitter-er, blogger, and starter of readers’ groups, all devoted (mainly) to romance novels. You can read her Romance Buzz newsletters at Booktopia, check out her sadly-neglected website, email her, or follow her (@katydidinoz).

Here’s a hint: showing up first thing for a signing means you get a couple of extra minutes to hang out with the authors. Of course, you’re up first thing for a signing, but as Intrigue’s sponsoring of brand new Aussie authors Tracey O’Hara and Erica Hayes started at 11am, it wasn’t that hard to pull myself out of bed. Plus I’d read both Night’s Cold Kiss and Shadowfae, loved them, and really wanted signed copies for myself. (more)

Decadence, who is fast becoming our author event specialist, ducked out at lunchtime last Tuesday to attend one of Diana Gabaldon’s Sydney events.

In what is sadly becoming a book signing tradition for me, I missed my train to the city and had to wait half an hour for the next one, which would hopefully still get  me to North Sydney before 1pm, but leave me right at the end of the queue.

Stanton Library is at the top of a hill I used to walk up to get to work a few years ago, so in my defence I was younger then and wasn’t carrying 6 very thick and heavy books, even if they are all mass market editions.

I had almost made it to the library when I was ushered into the neighbouring council chambers and up the stairs to their meeting room. I found a seat with a few minutes to spare before Diana arrived. I looked around and even though I’d heard about a friend’s experience in Melbourne, I was still surprised to notice that most of the crowd consisted of middle aged women. I noticed a small group of girls closer to my own age and two very brave and intrepid men. (more)

Source: Bronwyn Parry

What do you do when one of your favourite authors visits your library? You talk about books, of course!

When I arrived—half an hour late and with the Lilliputians in tow—to Books Alive author Bronwyn Parry’s meet and greet at Ultimo Library, it seems I may have interrupted an animated discussion about books. I felt a little awkward, butting into the conversation, but it’s almost impossible to hang out with book lovers and not be caught up in the discussion.

Located near the library entrance, Bron’s table was the first thing I saw as I walked through the doors. Seated at a large, round table were Bronwyn Parry, Louisa Dear (her publicist), Vassiliki (our librarian host), and a couple of us readers.

It was a far cry from Decadence’s recent author signing experience, but it made for a much more intimate experience. For someone long past her teenybopper years, (more)

Bronwyn Parry at Ultimo Library

Books Alive author Bronwyn Parry will be at Ultimo Library tomorrow from 5pm-6pm. Come along for a chat, and bring your books or buy one on the day and have them signed. More details at the City of Sydney’s What’s On website.

Australian release for Night’s Cold Kiss

Night’s Cold Kiss, the debut novel by Australian author Tracey O’Hara, will be published locally by HarperCollins Australia. The website shows Sept 22 as the release date, so it should be in stores soon.

Coming soon from C. L. Wilson

One of my most anticipated books of the year, the Queen of Song and Souls by C. L. Wilson, is scheduled for release on October 27. (You can read an excerpt here.) I’m told that the book became much longer than anticipated and had to be split, so this will be book 3 in the Tairen Soul quartet. The last book will be called Tairen Soul, which gives it a lovely bit of symmetry, given that it was the original name for the first book, which then had to be split into Lord of the Fading Lands and Lady of Light and Shadows. (more)

At her second Richelle Mead signing of the day, Decadence goes back to school. In a manner of speaking.

Any questions I had over why the after party of a YA book tour would be held at a university hall were answered when I arrived. St Vladimir’s Academy is traditional on the outside and modern on the inside, while Sydney Uni has a mix of historical stone and modern glass and steel. MacLaurin Hall has some truly inspiring stone towers and large-paned windows surrounding beautifully kept lawns.

As a new friend said, “I feel like I’m in Hogwarts.”

I arrived at this signing with over half an hour to spare, which I spent in line chatting to strangers whom I hoped wouldn’t spoil the series for me (as though the exclusive reading from the as-yet-unpublished fifth book in the series, Spirit Bound wouldn’t do that).

One fan was so hardcore that she had brought at least one book from each of the three series Richelle Mead has going and on the title page of (I think) a Succubus book (more)

Source: Penguin Books Australia

With all the hype surrounding Richelle Mead’s Australian tour, Decadence just had to see what all the fuss is about. (Plus, we love Galaxy events.)

I am actually a very new reader of Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy series—I haven’t finished the first book yet! I wanted to go to her book signing because it’s not that often that bestselling American authors come all the way across the ocean to see us.

I missed the damn train that would have got me to the city in plenty of time, so when I finally arrived, I saw Richelle and her entourage (which included a TV camera) walk through the door. The line was even longer than the one for Sherri. I was halfway to the door of the next shop. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised at the number of teenagers who got the day off school, but I was. Another surprise was the number of guys in the line, too, who were all taller than me and blocked my view of Richelle, who is every bit as pretty as her publicity photos.

Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait that long because someone* let me cut through about half of the people waiting there. Even better than that, I got to talk to adults in the line. (more)

The Romance Writers of Australia has announced the winners of their 2009 contests and awards. A big CONGRATULATIONS to the finalists and winners!

R*BY awards

The Romantic Book of the Year Award—more commonly known as the R*BY or Ruby Award—is awarded to the best romance book published the previous year by an Australian or New Zealand romance author, as voted on by Australian readers. More details on the RWA website.

Short Sweet — Marion Lennox (His Island Bride)
Short Sexy — Trish Morey (The Italian Boss’s Mistress of Revenge)
Long Romance — Anne Gracie (The Stolen Princess)
Romantic Elements — Suzanne Perazzini (Beneath The Surface) (more)

Romance Book of the Year finalists

The Romance Writers of Australia has announced the finalists for this year’s R*BY Awards:

Short Sweet
Claire Baxter — The Single Dad’s Patchwork Family
Melissa James — A Mother in a Million
Marion Lennox — His Island Bride
Fiona McArthur — The Midwife’s Baby

(more)