Romance Readers are a crazy bunch.

Romance readers are a crazy bunch. I don’t mean in a psycho nutty kind of way. I mean in a passionate, live-it-up kind of way. When I registered to attend my first ever Australian Romance Readers Association Annual Awards night, I knew I needed to be prepared for a big event. I wasn’t wrong.

Here’s 12 things I learnt at the ARRA night of nights:

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My sexy heels for the night.

1)     The ARRA community loves romance, champagne, killer heels and bling. No nail polish, lipstick or handbag colour is too bright.

2)   Bronwyn Parry’s weapon of choice is a knitting needle and
Anna Campbell accepted her Continuing Romance Series
Award even after she was ‘murdered’ in the mock who-done-it.

3)  Twenty strangers preparing for their first kiss is guaranteed to keep an ARRA audience enthralled for at least five minutes. 

4)  It’s exciting enough to win one award but when it comes to Helene Young, Anna 
Cowan, and Kylie Scott, each of these lovely,
talented ladies won two.

5)  Shannon Curtis may be fussy about the colour of her leather jacket, but she’s quick at finding all the handsome men in a crowd.

6) Of course, Kelly Hunter’s Short Category
 Romance Award was The One That Got Away.

Partners In Crime, actually Romantic Suspense: Helene Young, Shannon Curtis and Me.

7)  It’s completely acceptable to bring pink hand cuffs and a riding whip to an ARRA event.

8)  ARRA is now Allegiance Sworn to Kylie Griffin for her Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Futuristic Romance
Award.

9)  Amy Andrews should be Holding  Out For A Hero after her Contemporary Romance  Award,  because her medical skills may now be in question after failing to dress in appropriate nurses uniform.

Look how happy she is.

Amy Andrews, one very happy lady.

10)  I’m pretty sure Captain G and the other men in the crowd had something titillating to tell their workmates on Monday.

11)  Rachel Johns will have Outback Dreams forever with her Sexiest Hero Award.

12)  And Nilina Singh’s night of reckoning was completed with a Paranormal Romance Award.

The ARRA awards was a wonderful, fun, interesting and unpredictable night. A night that would never have begun without the support from all the passionate ARRA members and of course the sponsors: Harlequin Australia, Galaxy Bookshop, Steam eReads, Bronwen Evans, Escape Publishing, eXtasy Books, Imogene Nix, Booktopia.

There is one thing that was predictable though: When it comes to romance you can always guarantee you’ll have a ‘Happy Ending.’ 

Cheers to
ARRA and thank you to everyone who voted for me and Lost In Kakadu

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