Once again, the imposing Royal Overseas League in Park Place, off St. James Street, a few steps from Piccadilly Circus, was the venue for the annual RNA Winter Party. And once again, I’m putting up some of the photos I took of the event. This allows me to indulge myself by looking at them again and re-living what was yet another fabulous RNA party.
The Royal Overseas League
I could wax lyrical about the atmosphere, the liveliness and friendliness of everyone, the delicious canapés, but as always, I shall allow my photos, plus their captions, to do the talking. (P.S. Any fuzziness about some of the photos is entirely the fault of the camera. It is in no way the result of an over consumption of wine!)
Right, Camera, action …
John Jackson catches the photographer in action!!
Jan Jones with Catherine Jones
John Jackson with Roger Sanderson
Pia Fenton
Berni Stevens with Sarah Newson and Linda Mitchelmore
Berni Stevens, Christine Stovell, Kathryn Freeman, Jules Wake
Anna Lucia Scamans
Julie Vince, Nicola Cornick
Christine Stovell, Julie Houston
Royce and Marion Lindsay Noble
Margaret James
Trisha Ashley
Catherine King, Margaret James, Trisha Ashley
Lucy Gilmour, Rony Grey, Fiona Harper
Margaret James, Broo Doherty, Sophie Duffy, Cathy Hartigan
Jean Fullerton
Cathy Mansell
Julie Roberts, Caroline Rayner
Myra Kershner
R.J. Gould
Mandy Baggot, Katie Fforde
Talli Roland, Vanessa Savage, Catherine Miller
Jo Thomas
Talli Roland
Me, Jan Sprenger, Tania Crosse, Claire Dyer, Julie Roberts
Me with Alex Hammond
Alex Hammond with Emily Kitchen
Yes, chocolate!
Anita Chapman, Liz Cooper
Judy Astley
Gilli Allan, Berni Stevens, Clare Chase, Lyn Vernham, Caroline Rayner
Carol McGrath, Cara Cooper
Veronica Henry
Catherine Miller, Vanessa Savage, Clare Chase, Anita Chapman
Alison May
Jan Jones, Katie Fforde
Cathy Hartigan, Ian Skillicorn
Imogen Howson, Julia Wild
Kate Johnson
Taking positions for the photograph that will be on the cover of the next issue of Romance Matters, courtesy of John Jackson
Well, that’s it for this year’s RNA Winter Party.
Over and out!
What a fabulous lot of photos Liz..all of them great and of course you look great …
I’m glad that you enjoyed seeing them, Allan. The RNA events are always great fun. I’m not great with the camera, but I hope I manage to catch some of our enjoyment.
Lovely Liz. I must try and make it next summer.
It would lovely to say hello again in person, Lesley, so I do hope you make it.
Great to see the photos Liz. I was so disappointed to miss the party – but I’ll be there next time. J X
You were missed, Janet. I hope you are better now, though, and look forward to seeing you before too long. At the Reading Chapter Christmas lunch, maybe, or at the London Chapter Christmas Party. Hmm. I seem to be planning to eat & drink my way through December!
Really sorry I couldn’t make the party; everyone looks terrific as usual.
Heather
http://www.heatherrosser.com
It was such a shame you couldn’t be there, Heather. Hopefully, you’ll make the next party, though. And I’ll see you at the Oxford Chapter’s Christmas lunch (the Dec Ox lunch, to give it the name it’s known by!).
What delightful photos of such wonderful people clearly having a great time.
Thank you very much for commenting, Jan. It really is the people who make these events. Romantic writers are the most friendly, most supportive, people you could ever hope to meet.
Smashing photos, Liz, well done! Fabulous reminder of a great party!
I thought it a good photo of you, Julie. It was lovely saying hello, albeit a very quick hello.
Great pictures Liz. It was lovely to see you – and everyone 🙂 xx
It was lovely seeing you again, Berni. I should have got a photo of the whole Choc Lit group, but missed doing that. Next time, maybe. 🙂
Liz, these pics are fabulous. I couldn’t make it to the party this time, so your post has cheered me up no end. So pleased you had a lovely evening 🙂 Xx
I’m so glad, Jan. Hopefully, I’ll see you at one of the forthcoming Christmas lunches (I have three RNA Christmas lunches alone in the next three weeks!) and we’ll be able to have a catch up there. 🙂
What a swell party this is….. 🙂
I so agree, Linda. It was lovely seeing you again and your daughter. I look forward to the next occasion. 🙂
Waves of envy coming your way! It looks like a great evening and lovely to see so many familiar faces. Maybe one day I’ll manage to make one of my trips coincide with a party 🙂
Maybe next year, Angela. I do hope so. When next you book to come over to Cornwall, have a list of RNA events at your side. 🙂
Great pics Liz-thanks for taking them! And it was lovely to see you.x
Yes, it was great to say hello in person again, Anita. I look forward to a repeat performance before too long – maybe at the RNA London Christmas party.
thanks fur posting these photos. Couldn’t make the party so these snaps are a good stand in !
It felt very strange you not being there, Lizzie. I always take a very good photo of you at these events. My camera was looking expectant, but had to be taken home disappointed. 🙂
We missed you Lizzie! Don’t think I’ve been to one without you there before…
Hallo, Hallo Ms. Harris!
🙂 I remembered you had mentioned you were going to be posting about this today and I am so delighted I finally made it here to see all the lovely pictures! 🙂 I ended up injuring my foot yesterday (a bit after our delightful chat!) and it has thus put a damper on my weekend! I will begin anew tomorrow, resettling into the stories I was half inside already, but I wanted to make sure I found your lovely blog as I was too curious to see your pictures!
How delightful to ‘see’ a picture of some of the lovely spirits who alight in #ChocLitSaturdays! I never seem to have enough hours to visit with you in-between our meet-ups, but I realise a lot of you blog! I’m thankful my schedule will be thinning out starting in December, so that perhaps I will be able to duck back a bit more often & celebrate not only the posts like this where you share a bit of your travels & the joys of attending Romance events; but I’ll be able to visit & leave you a bit of cheer! 🙂
You took the right attitude: whenever my camera has my photographs turn out a bit differently than I expect them to be, I always, always say it was the camera not the photographer! lol That or I blame the absence of ‘enough light’! 🙂
Lovely seeing all the happy faces!! 🙂 I can tell you all loved attending!
I’m so glad that you found the photos, Jorie. I had forgotten that, of course, many of us would be just names to you, which were attached to a tweet in our tweeted conversation on Saturday afternoons. It’s always fun to put a face to a name and I’m glad that my photos have helped you to do that.
There are two RNA parties a year, plus other RNA events, including the annual conference in July, and they are always great occasions for meeting people who share the same loves – reading and writing. One often hears about writing being a solitary occupation, and it is – but it’s never a lonely one, and these photos show you why.
Thank you very much for commenting, Jorie. 🙂
This is a fabulous photo gallery. Thank you so much for posting these , Liz. They give us lovely memories of a great winter party. We all look as if we are having an amazing time. And we were.
I always enjoy looking back, too, Carol. I now have a number of these event photo galleries, and looking back at them is fun. Plus it reminds me of what I wore the last time, and thus I avoid wearing the outfit again too soon!!
A great post Liz. The comments from those who COULDN’T make it are illuminating! LOL
That’s so true, John! Thank you for your observation. 😉