I’m writing this post from Queensland’s Gold Coast… where I’ve spent the last few days at a blogging conference. And I am now – quite frankly – rather exhausted from all of the listening and learning. Not to mention the eating and socialising.
But more on that later…
What I read
I’m afraid I read little. Barely at all in fact. Between my move, some work travel and the conference, my to-be-read pile went pretty much untouched except for the latest novel in JD Robb’s In Death series, Apprentice in Death.
And… thanks to a stack of driving I finished listening to Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey. The clipped tones of the narrator took some getting used to…. I did check a few times I hadn’t sped the narration up by accident, but I loved her accent and am thinking I might start using a hard ‘g’ in words in future.
What I wrote
I only reviewed a couple of books:
Sting by Sandra Brown – a romantic suspense involving the kidnap of a woman by a charismatic hit man (and thankfully their attraction is the only predictable part of the book!)
Apprentice in Death by JD Robb – the latest in the Lieutenant Eve Dallas / Roarke futuristic detective series, and the best I’ve read in a while.
I wrote about my new house and recent move; and felt compelled to share my suggested conference essentials. (And as you can imagine, I’ve put my own slant on them!)
What I did
This time last week I’d just moved so the first few days were spent unpacking. And unpacking. And did I mention the unpacking?
And then on Thursday I travelled to the Gold Coast for the ProBlogger conference. It was held at the stunning Royal Pines, a golf course and resort.
It’s the biggest blogging conference we have here in Australia. I suspect I’ll write something about it in coming days, but – more than learning anything specific about the art of blogging – what’s really stayed with me is this notion….
Failure is not the end.
I’m about to depart, but as well as feeling a bitย more inspired, I’ve had the opportunity to meet a heap of bloggers and writers I admire; most of whom I was meeting IRL for the first time.
I’m overnighting with my brother and sister-in-law and heading home tomorrow and… for the last couple of days I’ve been struck by how much I’m actually missing my new house and really excited to settle in properly.
What I plan to do
My reading pile is seriously out of control. Given my recent break and then two weeks of moving light reading I’ve got gazillions of books which have been published in the last month. It is – for example – the third Sunday I’m saying I’ll be reading Sophie Hannah’s Closed Casket and Gayle Forman’s Leave Me. And I’ve had more new arrivals I haven’t even added to my list.
But… the last of my commitments and distractions are over for a while, so I can knuckle down and do some reading and blogging. And… I cannot wait.
What have you been up to? Anything interesting planned for this coming week?
As usual I’m linking up with Deep Fried Fruit for the Lovin’ Life Linky; Caffeinated Book Reviewer for the Sunday Post; and The Book Date for ‘It’s Monday!’
#Inrelatednews I met and hung out with the lovely Leanne from Deep Fried Fruit in person over the last few days… (I’m on the right in the glasses!)
September 11, 2016
It’s been so good to read your updates & see IG etc during ProBlogger! You’ve packed one helluva lot into the past few weeks literally & figuratively! I can imagine how much you are looking forward to settling into HOME!
September 11, 2016
Oh yes Denyse…. it was so weird but on Friday at one point all I could think was that I just wanted to be at home. My new home of course. I’m reminding myself that I’ve now got the time to settle in and remind myself how contented I should be!
September 11, 2016
The blogging conference sounds delightful, and what a lovely venue. I must catch up on the J.D. Robb books…I’ve only read the first three, but I loved them. Sting is also on my list.
I’m off to check out your link on your move….thanks for sharing, and for visiting my blog. Enjoy your week!
September 11, 2016
Oh Laurel, as Nora Roberts (JD Robb is up to #43) it will take a while to catch up – though perhaps you could have an ‘In Death’ read-a-thon and read them in a week!
September 12, 2016
I loved the post about the move! I hope you settle in nicely.
September 11, 2016
Such a nice view! Your new place looks great. And the Problogger venue looks fantastic. From what I’ve seen of the Gold Coast (a show I watched was filmed there) it looks beautiful. Glad you had a nice week and now you can settle in to your new digs and relax. ๐ Hope the week ahead is good as well.
September 11, 2016
The Gold Coast can get really busy Greg. (I think of it as a bit like Australia’s Las Vegas – though I’ve never been to the latter!) but the beaches are nice and hinterland lovely.
And yes, I’m looking forward to settling in.
September 11, 2016
Loving your updates. I really hope you share tips with us that you learned at the conference! Have fun!
September 11, 2016
I definitely will Kimberly. May need to let them marinate in my mind a little first though!
September 11, 2016
You have definitely been busy! I bet you will appreciate home even more after being away.
It must be cool/ weird meeting bloggers IRL after you have followed them for awhile!
September 11, 2016
Yes, it feels like I’ve been busy Jess but pondering if I’m making excuses for not doing stuff (reading, exercising etc) vs actually having reasons for not doing them…
And it’s great to meet people IRL and mostly they’re as you expect them to be!
September 11, 2016
That view! Hope you had a safe trip home.
SSG xxx
September 11, 2016
I’m only part-way home so far. Overnighting with family in Brisbane and I’ll head home tomorrow. I even stopped at IKEA this morning to buy something for my new place!
September 11, 2016
Wow that’s a gorgeous picture of the venue! And it sounds like the conference was great, I’m glad you enjoyed it and got to take away some great things ๐ If one message in particular was going to stay with you, that does seem like a good one! Have a great week ๐
September 11, 2016
Yes Kristen. We’re so afraid of failure. At least I am. I do think of it as ‘the end’. But it was a nice reminder to hear how some of the presenters bounced back from it!
September 11, 2016
I’ve been out of the blogging loop for a few weeks so congratulations on your move. Must be wonderful to be sorted. I would love to go to a blogging conference….maybe next year.
September 11, 2016
Unless there’s something specifically re book blogging I think I’d prefer to go to a writers’ festival next year Emma. I loved the networking as much as anything this time around.
September 11, 2016
I am SO going to that next year- although I hope I don’t have to wait that long to meet you IRL… Have a great week.
September 11, 2016
Ha yes! I’m thinking of trying to go to a writers’ festival next year. Sydney perhaps? Will ponder on it a little.
September 11, 2016
Brilliant as ProBlogger no doubt was I can understand you just wanting to settle into your new home! I’m hoping you’ll be writing a post about the highlights of what you learnt at ProBlogger.
September 11, 2016
Oh definitely. Leanne (from Deep Fried Fruit – linked to at the bottom of my post) has already done a post and she talked a lot about affiliate marketing and sponsorship, email marketing, monetisation etc. I skipped most of the sessions re monetisation and focused more on those relating to content.
September 11, 2016
Congrats on the move. I totally missed that due to my absence. Iโm definitely going to try and visit more from now on!! ๐
The ProBlogger conference sounds like a great experience. And the venue looks beautiful!!
I hope this week will give you more reading time! ๐
September 11, 2016
Thanks Maureen. I certainly hope so. I read the JK Robb on Mon-Tues and haven’t done any reading since, so am sure I’ll be opening a book as soon as I’m home.
September 11, 2016
I’m jealous. I’d love to go to some kind of blogger/book/writing conference someday have a great week!!
September 12, 2016
Oh yes Lauren, it’s great being around like-minded people who just ‘get’ you and what you do!
September 11, 2016
What a great “investment” in your blog/brain!!! This conference is probably so exhausting but the contacts your making is so worth it!!! And your house is so beautiful ๐ Congratulations on getting in it!!!
September 12, 2016
Thanks so much for that. I’m really looking forward to settling into my place and yes, the conference was great. I’m looking forward to reading through my notes… though we also get access to videos of all of the sessions, including those in other streams we didn’t get to!
September 12, 2016
That looks so beautiful! I still haven’t read any JD Robb books but they’ve been on my TBR for years, shame on me! Enjoy ๐
September 12, 2016
I’d recommend starting on the JD Robbs in the beginning if you get to. They should be pretty easy to borrow etc now so it’d be ideal to read them in order, though it doesn’t matter hugely if you don’t!
September 12, 2016
Oooooh! That sounds like so much fun! I’ve never been to a blogging conference! I hope you had a great time ๐
Here’s my Weekly Recap!
September 12, 2016
I did have a great time Tracy! I met heaps of people I’d only come across online and it’s wonderful putting faces and voices to names / twitter handles!
September 12, 2016
The conference sounds like fun. I can see where it might be exhausting. Especially as you also just moved! You can’t go wrong with a J.D. Robb book. Enjoy:)
My Sunday Post
September 12, 2016
The conference was fun Laura… but draining I’d guess you say. I suspect a lot of bloggers are introverts who are good at playing extroverts so having ‘time out’ after (to process everything) is kinda essential!
September 12, 2016
I love the idea of Pro Blogger! We need something like that in SA. Gosh, we need a lot of things in SA! Glad that you’ve missed your new house, that is always a good sign! Hope you will have a good week and get lots of reading done. Here’s my Sunday Headlines: http://marelithalkink.blogspot.co.za/2016/09/the-sunday-headlines-1.html
September 12, 2016
Mareli I get home tonight and hope I get to loll in my bathtub with a book. In reality I have no commitments so only my own tiredness or apathy will prevent me, so IT SHOULD HAPPEN!
September 12, 2016
Sounds like the conference was a lot of fun! And I’m glad that you’re settling into the new house. Have a good week! ๐
September 12, 2016
Thanks so much. I may need a few days to recover from the conference and absorb everything, but I’ve got a few ‘action’ items’ I need to work on as a priority.
September 12, 2016
I’m not good with big events, but that venue is gorgeous. I’m glad you had a good time and hope you catch up on your reading (although that is usually a hopeless goal since they just keep publishing, sorry, ).
September 12, 2016
Ha! I know… the books just keep coming. I’m pretty selective in what I request from the bigger publishers and am trying to only request things on NetGalley I can’t get elsewhere or I REALLY want, but I’ve just not kept up with my supply of late!
September 12, 2016
I think my comment got lost. I love the venue and hope you get caught up.
September 12, 2016
Nope, there it is. It was just slow.
September 12, 2016
I love NR but I’ve yet to read her In Death series. It’s so long! I don’t think I could keep up. You finally moved! I’m definitely checking out your post on that.
September 12, 2016
I prefer the In Death series Gen as I like romantic suspense and it has a good balance. Most of the books are pretty ‘light’ if that makes sense.
September 12, 2016
As I’m a book blogger, I love reading your suggestions of books to read, and add any of interest to my ever-growing TBR pile ๐
September 12, 2016
Thanks so much though I do apologise for my contribution to the ever growing TBR pile cos I can most certainly relate to that. Mine’s now gone onto two shelves of my bookshelf!!!
September 12, 2016
That venue looks amazing! It sounds like you had a productive conference. Have a great week!
September 29, 2016
Thanks Maree!
September 12, 2016
Oh gosh that venue looks amazing. I’d go just for that! Sounds like the conference has been good value and meeting up with others is good too. Best of for the reading coming up.
September 12, 2016
Thanks Kathryn! The venue was lovely and it’s obviously popular with golf enthusiasts cos there was some pro-golfer gathering of some sort there while we were there. (I’d forgotten what it’s like to see a lot of handsome men around! #smalltownliving)
September 12, 2016
You’ve had so much going on as of late, it’s no wonder you are exhausted. The conference sounds like it was a good one, and I hope you are getting settled into your new place. Hopefully you will have more time for reading this week. ๐ Take care and have a great week!
September 12, 2016
I’ve just arrived back home and am telling myself I should do some work but am very (very) tempted to nap! ๐
September 12, 2016
Wow! You’ve had a busy few weeks. I hope you get to settle in soon and knuckle down as you say. I’m going to have to do that myself right after I get done commenting. I’ve gotten behind on reviews myself.
September 12, 2016
Thankfully my reviewing is up to date with my reading… but my reading is behind! (Though the week is but young! ๐ )
September 12, 2016
I really want to try the In Death series, I just picked up the first three stories on Audible because the narrator doesn’t sound too bad. I hope I can get into it because I love a series that never ends but remains good. Enjoy your week Deb and I’m glad you enjoyed yourself the conference, I hope I’m able to go to my first blogger event soon ๐
September 12, 2016
Oh Leona I hope you enjoy the In Death series and I hope the narrator is great! Hopefully it’s the beginning of a new (good!) addiction!
September 12, 2016
Miss you already!
September 13, 2016
Same!
September 12, 2016
So wonderful to hang with you and Leanne! x
September 13, 2016
Oh absolutely Janet. Meeting you, Leanne and Vanessa was my highlight.
September 12, 2016
So glad to hear you had a great time and that you love your house ๐
September 13, 2016
I’m so sorry we didn’t get to catch up. I half-thought of suggesting we could try a surf club for Sunday brunch – as part of your ongoing study of GC venues!
September 12, 2016
So good to know you are “home” now and have had the chance to add your post to the new link-up for Life This Week. Thanks so much and some bath reading and resting is now on your agenda I hope! Denyse x
September 13, 2016
I did that very thing last night Denyse and binged on an entire book (which often happens when I don’t read or a while)… working for a few days now, but a gal’s gotta pay the bills! ๐
September 12, 2016
Unpacking…not fun at all, I hope you get through it quickly and catch up on your reading!
September 13, 2016
Amazingly I got through my unpacking in a few days, though I still have a lot of sorting and tidying to do. I’m yet to sort my bookshelves for example.
September 12, 2016
I wish i could have got up there to have finally met you in person! I’m pleased you were able to go in the midst of unpacking – good luck with settling in!
September 13, 2016
Thanks Kirsty. I loved meeting people I’d not previously met in person. And I felt like a few of us were kindred spirits which was nice!
September 12, 2016
A blogging conference sounds quite wonderful. I met several new bloggers at BookExpo this year….I hope to meet more next May at BEA in NYC.
Here’s my It’s Monday!
September 13, 2016
I think there’s a Book Expo coming up here this year and they’ve tacked on a book blogging day. Given my recent expenses (this conference) I can’t really justify flying south for just the day though!
September 13, 2016
Wow that view!!!
Enjoy your time reading and blogging! ๐
September 29, 2016
It was certainly a gorgeous venue Erin!
September 13, 2016
It looks like your house is coming along nicely since the move. No wonder you haven’t had a moment to read! I hope some time arises for you this week. I liked reading your review of J.D. Robb’s new book. I will be sure to inform my stepmum who is an avid reader of JD Robb that a new one is out!
The blogging conference looked amazing but I’m sure it was exhuasting too. Hopefully one day I will get to one if they ever have any in the West of Australia.
Have a great week and thanks for stopping by my blog yesterday ๐
Amanda @ Mrs B’s Book Reviews
September 29, 2016
Thanks so much Amanda. I hope your stepmum enjoys the new JD Robb!
September 13, 2016
Oh my. Sounds like you’ve been busy! That’s great. And if you are exhausted after the conference, you had a great time then. ๐ Do have a great week and I hope it’s all about the relaxing and reading for you.
September 29, 2016
Thanks Melissa!
September 14, 2016
I look forward to hearing more about Problogger.
September 15, 2016
Ah yes… I’ve seen quite a few posts out already, so if I don’t write something vaguely sensible I’ll link to some others!
September 18, 2016
I haven’t heard of J D Robb but the cover looks interesting, I’ll have to check it out. The venue for the ProBlogger event looks gorgeous!
Ditto on the TBR pile out of control lol! I blame moving too – there just isn’t time to read while you’re packing/moving/unpacking all the things!
http://natalieslife.com/2016/09/august-mini-book-haul
September 18, 2016
True Natalie… so much else on. I keep making excuses or using that a reason, so we’ll see how I go once I get over the next week or so!