by Kendall Talbot
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 what I learned at the ARRA night of nights:
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The ARRA community loves romance, champagne, killer heels, and bling. No nail polish, lipstick, or handbag colour is too bright.
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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.
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Twenty strangers preparing for their first kiss is guaranteed to keep an ARRA audience enthralled for at least five minutes.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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It’s completely acceptable to bring pink hand cuffs and a riding whip to an ARRA event.
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Of course, Kelly Hunter’s Short Category Romance Award was The One That Got Away.
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ARRA is now Allegiance Sworn to Kylie Griffin for her Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Futuristic Romance Award.
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I’m pretty sure Captain G and the other men in the crowd had something titillating to tell their workmates on Monday.
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Rachael Johns will have Outback Dreams forever with her Sexiest Hero Award.
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And Nalini 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.
Kendall Talbot has played a number of roles in her life, and loves to visit new and exciting places. Her first novel Lost in Kakadu was nominated for three ARRA awards.