Joanna here, thinking how nice it would be to get away from all this rain.
Which leads to how the Wenches from time to time go to Writers’ Conferences where they attend sessions that help make them better writers and give talks that help other writers do the same, but mostly they hang out in coffee shops and gossip with friends because that’s what folks do at conferences.
So ... what would be the most interesting spot for a conference if you could pick any time and place whatsoever?
Some thoughts on this.
Pat: Oh my, this poses entirely too many choices. I’ll simply go with the first one that pops to mind—
(Click on the image for a close up_
Ranelagh Gardens in its heyday, about 1765 when the likes of Mozart played in a rotunda painted by Canaletto. Vauxhall would be another choice, but I like warmth, and the rotunda was heated.
Neither of them are available today in all their glory, so it would be a great joy to see how they looked as our characters wandered about, rubbing elbows with dukes and princes in the case of Ranelagh, and with maids and merchants if we choose Vauxhall.
We could have sessions with genuine lords and ladies and ask them all those eternal questions on how they wish to be addressed (do you really wish to be addressed as Your Grace, Duke? Or would your closest friend address you by the name you had growing up, Kingsley, as in Marquess of?). I would not presume to give a talk on the address question, but I would be happy to speak to The Future and Women’s Rights in Our Novels, if asked.
Alas, probably too small for 8 wenches
Andrea: For my conference, we’ll be staying—in luxurious splendor—at the Prince Regent’s exotic Royal Pavilion in Brighton (while he's back in London, of course, because he wouldn’t behave himself in Polite Company.)
What better venue, for the theme of the conference is "How to Party Like a Pleasure-Loving Prince.”
Now, rather than present a workshop myself, I’m going to invite a star-studded list of guest speakers. We’ll have the head of Berry Brothers, the premier beau monde emporium of fine wines and spirits, to speak on port, claret and brandy (with generous
sampling of the tipples), Weston and Stutz will explain the fine points of gentlemen’s tailoring, and Joseph Manton and Durs Egg will teach us how to fire a dueling pistol.
(NOT that we have plans to get in any trouble, but you never know!)
And the star attraction will be the celebrity chef, Antoine Careme, who will give a hands-on workshop in the prince’s kitchen on Regency desserts, including his famous spun sugar-decorated pastries.
it won’t be all work—we will have plenty of time for play. There will be dancing in the grand ballroom every evening, and sumptuous
meals served from morning through the wee hours of the night . . . and we won’t need permission from the Almack’s gang to waltz until dawn. For listening pleasure, there will be recitals by the virtuoso violinist, the Chevalier de St. Georges. And there will be sightseeing excursions along the marine promenade. (Please note: there will be an optional add-on to the conference—a week at the spa in Baden-Baden to detox!)
From Mary Jo:
Other Wenches have made some fabulous suggestions for fantasy romance convention locations. Ranelagh Gardens. Egypt with feluccas. The Prince Regent's Royal Pavilion in Brighton.
I have a different kind of fantasy--and it really is a fantasy! A gathering of romance writers on a warm, sunny tropical island with long stretches of white sand beaches to walk along or swim from. Lush vegetation with not mosquitoes. Luxury accommodations with beautiful views. Blue skies and sailing ships with charming skippers.
And here is the real fantasy: No pressure, no deadlines, no worry about family and pets back home--and we can eat anything we want and it has
no calories! We can gather in small groups to chat about writing or publishing or anything else we want, but we don't have to take notes or listen to smart people give great advice about publishing that you know you will never, ever do. <G>
All of us Wenches in real life are slammed with life challenges and writing and pandemic lockdowns and a thousand other stresses--but none of them exist in our tropical conference zone. All we have to do is take a deep breath and relaxxxxxxx….. And maybe a nice nap!
Our Christina Courtenay says: I would have loved to have a Romance Writers’ Convention in the city of Bath during Regency times – taking the waters (well, a very tiny amount as it tastes disgusting!), promenading round the Pump Room, and dancing in the Assembly Rooms every evening.
However, as we already have one Regency destination (the amazing Brighton Pavilion), I’ll take you even further back in time to Roman Bath – Aquae Sulis – where we could gather in the actual bath complex. I’d give a talk/workshop on Leisure Time at the Baths, and lead the group in a wholly practical demonstration – bring your swimsuits and fluffy bathrobes!
The talk would start with everyone playing a ballgame or doing a few exercises to work up a sweat (although not too much as I’m a couch potato and it’s not supposed to be hard work really). Then we’d continue into the tepidarium (warm room) to get even warmer, followed by the caldarium – hot room – and then the cold bath for those who dare. We’d all get to go into that fabulous swimming pool (which is still there after nearly 2,000 years!) to swim,
play around or just lie back and enjoy the lovely water that comes directly from a natural hot spring. This would be followed by a massage with scented oils and having our skin scraped with strigils, then perfumed, so we’re totally clean and sweet-smelling. The talk would end with light refreshments of bread, figs, olive oil and wine as we rest, lying around wrapped in soft towels.
If we’re feeling particularly vindictive towards anyone, we could write a few curses on little pieces of lead and go throw them in the sacred spring. I’d be happy just to relax and talk writing and books for the rest of the day though, finishing up with a lavish dinner, lying on couches to eat tiny, delicious morsels with our fingers. Sound good?
... and me, Joanna
The time and place for this get together?
I'd choose the Main Conference Center at the bustling, colorful, somewhat lethal Goblin Market. Stringent treaties with the Major Powers of Faery make the Center itself one of the safest venues in the Nine Universes.
No worries getting to and from the Conference itself. The taxis from the subway station are quite safe — nobody messes with them — and they accept all major credit cards.
My presentation would be on "Writing the Realistic Human." Most of the audience have problems with this. I'd bring in some actual humans to demonstrate how elbows work. And tongues. There are so many mistaken beliefs about tongues.
The meeting rooms have some odd workarounds for the lighting and audio systems — no electricity because so many of the minor Fae are allergic.
Talking into the open calyx of an amplification flower takes some getting used to, as does the shifting succession of pink, blue, and green light from the luminous float moths. Write your notes large.
The Conference food is always exquisite.They even get tea right.
The pools and fountains in the main lobby are inhabited by koi — several of whom are poets of renown — and the philosophical swimming cats of Gomley.
After hours, the Rivendell Tiki Bar is a lively welcoming spot to meet the locals, especially shapeshifters, expatriate humans, and Elf Lords travelling on quest. Elves are notoriously fascinated by Romance writers, so expect to be admired.
Did I mention the food is good?
So. What about you? If you could attend a Romance Conference as a Reader, Writer or Fan, what would you be looking for?