So....

…when I left you last I was wandering up to the Australian Romance Readers Convention via Chinatown and the Greek precinct. They were interesting but pretty much like any ethnic hub. I was most amused at the grotty alleys in Chinatown that had names like Celestial Lane - can junk and chaos ever be celestial? If so I have been celestial most of my life without knowing it.

Eventually I made my way up to the Convention for the e-book panel. It was most interesting – the usual questions were asked – what the hell are e-books? How do I get one? How can I write one? When is lunchtime? I was most surprised – I won a big bag of books…hmm…more creative packing required for the trip back to Briz. I swore blind I would not buy any books…but then I swear a lot. I spoke to Borders book stores, selling books there, who told me they had sold lots of books but they did not have mine there. My books were with another bookseller but it was nice to think they even knew who the hell I was as most of the time I had my name tag on backwards.

I met the lovely Aggie from JERR – Just Erotic Romance Reviews – so that was great – a lot like old home week. It was nice to put names to faces. The other nice/surprising thing was the amount of readers who tapped me on the shoulder and asked for autographs as I wandered around. I like that more informal book signing. I spoke to other readers who bought my books after specifically hearing me use the dreaded cock, penis and fuck words. So, there you go – being bad can be good.

I am eagerly awaiting the results of the silent auction for the Victorian Bushfire victims. I bid on something I really wanted – was gzumped a couple of times but gzumped back and when I left I was in the lead. Toy with me? I think not. So fingers crossed. But, all in all it was good to see so many people getting into the spirit of it. Last time I spoke to the organizers it was up to the $5,000 mark in bids. I’m sure that has surpassed that.

After farwelling my editor – who may I say has a much bloody heavier suitcase than me – I wandered off to the Queen Victoria markets and bought some Melbourne souvenirs that I will use in an upcoming contest – so keep your eyes peeled for those…how does one peel their eyes? Anyway…I also went to the Old Melbourne Gaol (Jail for non Commonwealth types). If you are ever in Melbourne, Australia, hot foot it to the Gaol as they have the best tour there. Essentially you get arrested and treated like a criminal. No, I have never been arrested and no, I am not into BDSM though handcuffs are always fun…er…so I have heard. Anyway the Sargent who did the arrests was so good – she scared the crap out of the younger visitors because they did not twig she was an Aussie actor – Wendy Huggins (apologies if I spelled you name wrong Wendy). She made the experience really enjoyable – you know as much as being arrested can be – and I congratulated her on it.

After that I wandered Melbourne some more and crashed back at the hotel, dumped my heavy bag of goodies on the floor and me on the bed, absolutely knackered. And hell yeah, I am off playing tourist again today. It’s my last day down south so I plan to make the most of it.

What I have learned from this little adventure? That conventions are an amazing slice of life but it’s not real life and it has reinforced to me once more not to believe your own publicity and just be yourself.

Off to brekky…

Amarinda

A bit from day 2 and what should be day 3….

The following happened yesterday arvo….

- book signing – scary, scary stuff…I needed 17 glasses of wine and considered taking up smoking after it…may consider counselling….

- Left convention – and walked by pudgy thighs off – if only - around Melbourne.

Today….last day of convention…

- saw three fire trucks out the front of the hotel as I ate breakky (breakfast) they came loaded with many yummy looking fireman – forgot bacon and eggs for 10 mins as I pressed my nose up against the glass and looked on in appreciation of the male form.

- Watched one woman scoff almost the entire buffet – yes, it is all you can eat but a human body must get to the point of exploding after 27 plates of food…and she was skinny…bitch.

- plan to go walkabout this morning – heading for Chinatown and the Greek precinct then will head to the convention around 10ish – correct – I am not a dedicated convention goer. Organized events naturally want me to rebel.

- Will attend the panel about e-books – I have discovered more Aussies than I thought know about them

- Apres this - plan to go to Melbourne Jail to check out the history. Followed by more wandering Melbourne streets playing tourist

Important note –

Today is the national day of mourning for all those that lost their lives in the Victorian bush fires. No words can express my deepest sorrow at the devastating loss. It’s wrong and unfair and life stinks sometimes.

That’s it…

….the convention has been an excellent receipt collecting mission. I plan to hand it all in the the Australian Tax office and go – "ha! Tax me will you? I think not."

Have a grouse – since I’m in Melbourne - day

Best wishes
Amarinda

Here’s the thing…..

Everything I write on www.amarindajones.blogspot.com is my own personal opinion. I’m allowed to have one. I’m lucky to be free. Freedom to me means talking and acting without fear or favor. It’s about being true to yourself. This blog - www.amarindajones.blogspot.com - is called “Go ahead, give an opinion.” So I do. My opinion is untainted by what anyone else thinks because it’s what I think. Now, I can only say if you find that unsettling to your senses then you must not read www.amarindajones.blogspot.com for the good of your emotional well being. I will also say I will not now or ever change to fit in with a few. And I have found trying to start a blog war, while it may increase blog readership, is pointless. So comment or not – read or avoid the blog – email me or not. That is your choice as it is mine to write what I do.

So enough of that silliness…OMG…packing…holy snapping ducks! While I knew I had put together some nice Amarinda promo stuff for the Australian Romance Readers Convention starting 20th Feb in Melbourne, Australia - drinks night and meet my editor day, let’s hope her eye twitching has stopped after the last lot of edits she did for me – I was not seriously aware of the volume. When I do stuff I do it to the max, however after viewing all the things that I had tossed on the bed in the 2nd bedroom, the words ‘camel through the eye of the needle’ came to mind as I looked from the stuff to my nifty scarlet suitcase…hmmm…e=mc2 or in this case e = not- bloody-going-to-fit….what to do, what to do? Can I wear all my clothes down on the plane in the heat of summer? Act casual as I drag an enormously heavy suitcase, the wheels buckling under the weight, plastic bags, strapped to the outside with black tape, bulging out and knocking people in the legs as I progress through the airport? Yes, I could do that. I am capable of such behavior – however, in the end – for an amazingly small cost I forwarded some stuff down south.

Melbourne – haven’t been their for donkey’s years. I once lived down south but no one up north holds that against me, we’re pretty relaxed in Queensland – in speech, attitude and dress. I did ask my editor, a Melbourne native, what ‘smart casual’ meant down there. Have you noticed how different parts of the country dress? In the sunshine state, and particularly in my suburb, it means clean thongs (flip flops) and clean sleep shorts with your singlet and with a squirt of deodorant under your arms. I’m joking of course, I have only seen three people wearing sleep shorts to the shops in the last week, so that’s not like its everyone. Anyway, I will turn up in my usual clobber (clothes) and be me – ‘damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead.’

To be honest, I’m just looking to have some fun in Melbourne with H and have a wander around the city - the convention will be interesting and a bonus but I can’t take any of this writing business too seriously – okay, yes, I have the promo stuff – but I like to give stuff away if I can. I think writing can be summed up in this moment I had yesterday when I was buying my morning coffee. The café owner said she was only just talking to someone about me. The other person was apparently going into the city to meet an author – no idea who – but she was ‘very excited’. The staff mentioned me and my books – bless them – and said I worked close by. The person said ‘Oh, her books mustn’t be doing very well if she is still working.” This made me smile all day. People have strange, fixed perceptions don’t they? But I’m doing very nicely thank you very much….

www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
Go Ahead : Live with abandon. Be outrageous at any age. What are you saving your best self for?

So busy, busy....

Work was interrupted today as a notice of cheap flights to Melbourne came zooming into my inbox. I had been waiting for this. I have a hotel booked in Melbourne - Australia - for the ARRC convention in February. See the logo on the left side. Anyway I had been waiting for the right fare. I saw it today. This meant downing tools and booking on line. But first I had to ring the Novotel on Collins in Melbourne to re-arrange bookings, ask dumb questions and then get them to send me confirmation. I like everything in writing. A big thanks to Lance at the Novotel for not losing his mind, being polite and retaining a sense of humour as I rang him twice to annoy him. So then I booked the flight. Done. Then I had to re-arrange my leave as I had taken extra time off than I needed as I wasn’t sure what I was doing. So, new forms had to be filled out. I also had to chat to online friends and wander aimlessly around the room gossiping – all while attempting to look like I was working. Damn, I’m good at that. So - busy, busy, busy.

I leave you with these wise words from Cindy Lauper –

She bop, he bop, a-we bop, I bop, you bop, a-they bop, be-boop, be boop-a-loo-bop.

I think we can all learn something from that.

www.amarindajones.com
www.amarindajones.blogspot.com
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Go ahead: Live with abandon. Be outrageous at any age. What are you saving your best self for?