When I first met today's guest, she was a Virgin! No - I mean she was an RNA Virgin. 10 years ago, I started a scheme for people who were attending the RNA Conference for the very first time. It started as a casual thing, but later became the official 'First Timers' network. The original group consisted of just four people - you'll meet two of them later in this celebration. The following year, I ran the scheme for the first time officially and the group acquired the nickname the RNA Virgins. I am truly delighted by just how many of those Virgins are now established and multi-published authors.
One of them was today's special guest - Anna Campbell. She describes herself back when I met her as 'A lost Aussie' because she had come over from Australia to be at the conference, but the truth is that she fitted in just fine - she was as daft as the rest of us.
In 2007 I was thrilled to see Anna's first book, Claiming the Courtesan published and since then she's gone from strength to strength, collecting awards as she goes.
As she's in Australia, I don't get to see her often enough so I'm really glad she could come here to celebrate with me.
Welcome Anna Campbell.
Happy anniversary to Kate and her lovely Babe Magnet!
Wow, 40 years! Clearly you’ve kept each other young because I wouldn’t have believed that for a moment. Even with the proviso that Kate was such a child bride, she was still playing on the swings (mind you, I still like to play on swings so that’s no guarantee of youth!).
Congratulations to both of you! And many more happy years together.
Thank you so much for asking me to blog here to celebrate this wonderful milestone in your lives. Your invitation sent me off on a trip down memory lane - and do you know what? Next year is OUR 10 year anniversary, Kate! How cool is that? Perhaps we should plan another blog party to mark the occasion!
We met way back in 2004 before I was published when you very kindly shepherded newbies through the Romance Novelists Association conference at Leicester. What I particularly remember from that was your warmth, your generosity and your wonderful sense of humor.
You were a very popular visitor to the Romance Writers of Australia conference the following year and at last, I got to witness the glory that is the Babe Magnet! I still use examples from your plenary session (with appropriate credit to your brilliance!) when I'm doing workshops. You're a great speaker!
Then we met again in 2007 during a flood of Noah proportions at Betty's Tea Rooms in York. Oh, what fun that was, even if I nearly drowned getting to the train station afterwards!
Actually on a personal note (well, a booky personal note), ten years seems to be on my mind at the moment. The childhood sweethearts in my 2nd July release (sadly only available in North America at present, we are working on other territories!), DAYS OF RAKES AND ROSES, have been parted for ten years. There's something iconic about that decade figure, isn't there?
You can read an excerpt of DAYS OF RAKES AND ROSES on my website here: http://annacampbell.info/daysofrakes.html
If our commenters could have afternoon tea with us anywhere at all, where would it be and what would they like to see on the menu?
I've got a download of my new e-novella DAYS OF RAKES AND ROSES for a North American commenter today and a download of my e-novella THE WINTER WIFE for a commenter outside North America. Good luck!
Website: www.annacampbell.info
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AnnaCampbellFans
Twitter:
@AnnaCampbellOz
24 comments:
Hi Anna, Hi Kate! Two of my fave authors together - lovely. Anna, you're reminding me of that lovely Sydney conference where Kate came to speak - and kept us all enthralled.
Congratulations on the latest release which is every bit as sweet and sensual as the cover suggests - a real treat for everyone who loves a luscious historical romance.
Now - where would we have afternoon tea? Last time I was in London I had high tea at Claridges. Perfect! Really! I've even used it in the final scene of my August release because it was so lovely. So I think we should catch up together there. What do you think? Is it a date?
Hey, Anna and Kate! Great to read about how you two met.
Kate, huge HUGE congratulations on your 40th anniversary! An awesome milestone!
Anna, is it time you polished up your passport?? It sounds like you're overdue for a face-to-face cuppa with Kate - or perhaps a glass of champers would be even better!
I haven't experienced the wonderful luxury of high tea in a London so I really would love to. So Annie's suggestion of Claridges sounds perfect - can I gate-crash! I promise I'll be on my best behaviour! :)
Anna - Congrts on your new release, really love the cover of the book :)
I'm not a tea fans actually because I'm not sure why each time I drink tea I can't sleep :(
But I would like to come to author's house and drink their tea and talking about their book :)
Annie, I had major envy over that afternoon tea at Claridges. It looked wonderful and you had these fabulous photos! What an experience! Yes, please to all of us getting together. And thanks for saying you enjoyed DAYS OF RAKES AND ROSES!
Sharon, I've seen your best behavior - I'm not sure if Claridges is ready for you! LOL! Thanks for swinging by. 40 years is fantastic, isn't it? Congratulations again, Kate! And I definitely agree that I'm overdue for a trip to the Old Dart!
Eli, thanks for the congrats. I'm sure we could find you something else to drink - all the more tea for MEEEEE! Oh, dear, that sounds a bit mad, doesn't it?
Hey, Anna. And Happy Anniversary, Kate.
Tea, huh? Well, I've never had tea (probably since I don't drink tea -- I know, shocking!), but I think if I were going to have the experience, it would have to be in England somewhere. Maybe some lovely country home overlooking the English countryside.
Kate, congratulations on your anniversary! I can't imagine 40 years...the DH and I will be so decrepit. We just celebrated 20 last year and our youngest is starting her second year in college! :(
I wanted to pop by and say hello to Anna, though. I finished DAYS OF RAKES AND ROSES just last weekend and I loved it! Of course, it only made me want more Anna Campbell to read and I can't have that...so I'll fantasize about high tea instead.
The closest I have come to a high tea is one I enjoyed at the Umstead Hotel in Cary, NC. The Umstead is very swanky and thinks quite a lot of itself. The tea itself was disappointing, but the cakes and sandwiches were wonderful! I, too, will glom onto Annie's suggestion of Claridges. It is so iconic that it simply must be done!
Then I would be up for a tour of Great Britain with stops for cream teas along the way. Any high tea will do as long as I in the UK! :)
Tricia, how can you not like tea when your name begins with 'T'? Does that work to convince you? No? Sheesh! Yeah, I think a lovely English view is definitely the thing for our afternoon tea party!
Caren, scones and cream and jam are the food of the gods, aren't they? And thank you so much for saying you loved DORAR! Lovely to hear! Mind you, I'd buy it for that gorgeous cover alone! So pretty in pink! Although our heroine looks like she's getting out of whatever she's wearing and it's green. Man, I'm getting confused! Clearly I need another cup of tea!
Hi Anna. lovely to see you here. I love your cover of your new book. We recently visited Chatsworth House - wow what a magnificent place. (It's the stately home used in Pride and Prejudice - needless to say I stayed by that lake "just in case"!) We didn't get to go inside, as we had our dog with us. But I imagine it would be a wonderful place to have "high tea". And the place would be full of ghostly rakes and rakehells of old I'm sure wondering the corridors. Caroline x
Caroline, I still get a thrill when I see that lovely cover! Thank you for saying you love it too. This is a really romantic story so the lush pink really suits the tone too. Oh, isn't Chatsworth the bee's knees? I went there on a very rainy day in 2007. Would love to go back. I think it's such a richly decorated house and there's so much history, you get a bit overwhelmed on a first visit. And we had a cup of tea - the restaurant is really pretty! Hoping to get to the UK again next year - you never know, maybe I'll get back there. I'd love to!
Hey Anna and Kate! Sending some very warm (it's 100 today in Dallas) greetings from Texas!!
Congratulations on the 40 years, Kate and on the release of DAYS OF RAKES AND ROSES, Anna.
We do a modified high tea every fall at the Buns & Roses Tea for Literacy her in Dallas. I love the hibiscus tea and scones with clotted cream. :)
in France; some kind of dessert
Suz, lovely to see you. I think Buns and Roses is such a great cause. I'm so glad we Bandits contribute raffle prizes every year. Thanks for the congrats!
Ooh, BN, French desserts? I'm there with you, my friend!
Hi Anna *waves madly* and hello Kate!
Anna I think those milestones--the big anniversaries, are so worth celebrating, though for me they always bring on a bout of "has it really been that long??!!!" I've been wed to my own personal Babe Magnet for 25 years last month. It doesn't feel like nearly that long. A year passes so quickly for me now. Ten years does change people, and the growing up never stops. So thrilled for this new eBook. And I meant to tell you a couple of days ago that the cover is just lovely.
Happy anniversary, Cassondra! You're so right - I can't believe it's July. I feel like it was only Christmas last week! Thanks for the congrats on the novella. I love, love, love that cover!
Hi Anna! Hello Kate and congratulations on your 40th anniversary. That's a colossal achievement.
Have to say I loved Anna's DAYS OF RAKES AND ROSES. It's such a treat! I can't wait for more in the Sons of Sin series, especially the gorgeous Cam's story.
As for afternoon tea, I'd choose the Pump Room in Bath and a cream tea, of course! Definitely not the water, which tastes foul:)
Christina, I remember trying the waters at Bath and thinking I'd rather be sick than get better if getting better meant drinking that muck! You're right about the pump rooms being lovely! Thanks for saying you enjoyed DORAR! I'm having a wonderful time torturing Cam as we speak!
Wonderful story, ladies, about how you met.
I'd love to have tea with both of you and I'd chose the Jane Austen Centre in Bath.
Tea, scones, and lashings of jam and cream.
Suzi, that sounds wonderful - and the ghost of Jane to keep us company with her wonderful wit!
Thanks, guys, for a lovely day here. And thanks, Kate, for inviting me. Huge congratulations on your anniversary! Don't forget to check back for the winners!
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