Speaker Biographies
Stephanie Laurens
 Stephanie Laurens originally began writing as an escape from the dry world of professional science. Her hobby quickly became a career when her novels about the masterful Cynster cousins captivated readers, making her one of the romance world's most beloved and popular authors. She subsequently introduced the equally unforgettable members of the Bastion Club. Currently living outside Melbourne, Australia, she has been writing historical romance novels for more than 20 years and is a New York Times, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal and USA-Today bestseller.
Christopher Vogler
 Christopher Vogler is a top Hollywood story consultant (recent movie projects include Hancock, I Am Legend, Helen Hunt’s Then She Found Me, and others). He’s also the author of The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, which analyzes the hero’s journey, a pattern of narrative that’s at the core of most successful novels and movies today. The Hero’s Journey is easily translated to contemporary romances, dramas, comedies, or action-adventures. It offers creative principles, a set of reliable building blocks for constructing stories, and a set of tools for troubleshooting story problems.
Dianne Moggy, Vice President, Overseas Editorial Strategy & Development, Harlequin
 Dianne joined Harlequin as an editorial assistant for Gold Eagle Books, the company’s male action adventure imprint, in 1984. Since then, she has covered all the editorial bases! She helped launch the Worldwide Mystery Program, and spent some time with Harlequin Romance and Presents, scheduling and repackaging the Mills & Boon material for release in North America and working with some of the US-based authors who were writing for those lines. For several years she was an editor with Mira Books, Harlequin’s top-flight single title imprint, and she held the position of Editorial Director, Single Titles prior to resuming her current role. Dianne will hearing pitches aimed at all Harlequin lines during her visit to the RWNZ conference.
Alex Logan, Editor, Grand Central Publishing
Alex Logan is an editor at Grand Central Publishing (formerly Warner Books). Recent titles she has acquired include contemporary romances by Cathleen Smith and Lilli Feisty, a "vampire Indiana Jones" novel by Stefan Petrucha, and a Scottish historical by Margaret Mallory.
Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency
 Laura Bradford has 15 years’ experience as a literary agent, editor, writer and bookseller. She began her career as a literary agent at Manus and Associates Literary Agency, and formed Bradford Literary Agency in 2001. She considers herself an editorial-focused agent and takes a hands-on approach to developing proposals and manuscripts with her authors for the most appropriate markets.
Her recent sales include books placed with Berkley, Grand Central, Harlequin/Silhouette, Kensington, Spice Books, Pocket, Virgin Books, Avon, Dorchester, Hyperion, NAL, Eos, and Mira Books. She continues to actively build her client list and is currently seeking work in the following genres: Romance (historical, romantic suspense, paranormal, category, contemporary, erotic), urban fantasy, women’s fiction, mystery, thrillers and young adult as well as some select non-fiction (business, relationships, biography/ memoir, self-help, parenting, narrative humour).
 Nalini Singh
New York Times-bestselling author Nalini Singh has worked as a lawyer, a librarian, a candy factory general hand, a bank temp and an English teacher. She launched her writing career with a sale to Silhouette Desire in September 2002. After selling several books to Silhouette, she wrote Slave to Sensation, the first book in her bestselling Psy-Changeling series, published by Berkley. With 11 books released to date in the Psy-Changeling series and her new Guild Hunter series regularly hitting the New York Times list, Nalini is an amazing Kiwi success story.
 Vanessa Johnson
New Zealand author Vanessa Johnson’s first novel, Lush, was released in January 2010. It immediately hit the NZ bestseller lists, and soon rose to number one.
 Natalie Anderson
Natalie Anderson is the USA Today-bestselling author of 13 “fast-paced, frisky, feel-good stories” for Mills & Boon Sexy Sensation.
Nick McLeay, crime workshop
Nick McLeay has many years experience as a police officer, most recently in drug enforcement and in inter-agency relations (an area where writers can often find interesting plot angles), as well as robbery and child abuse. Nick will be focusing mainly on the inter-agency aspect and on the drug “industry”, but will be able to answer questions based on his wide experience.
Nic Harrison, swords expert
Nic Harrison’s swords expertise will appeal to historical and paranormal fiction writers in particular. He will share his comprehensive knowledge of sword technology and sword-fighting styles. The weapons Nic has been known wield in workshops like this include: sabre, rapier, side-sword and dagger, sword and buckler, long sword, two-handed sword, dual swords.
Check back for more speaker biographies soon.
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Venue & Accommodation
Conference Hotel
An Affair to Remember will be held at Rydges Harbourview Hotel, Cnr Federal & Kingston Streets, Auckland. The hotel is newly refurbished and is a great mix of stylish accommodation and function areas, but intimate enough to foster the sense of community that’s such a bonus at our conferences.
The central city location is great if you’re planning to squeeze in some shopping or to visit Auckland’s galleries and museums. There are several convenience stores close to the hotel for essential purchases, and if you don’t want to partake of the hotel breakfast, cafes and food courts abound in the area.
Rydges has offered a competitive room rate to RWNZ delegates – you don’t have to stay in-house, but it’s a lot of fun and certainly makes it easy to enjoy the evening activities, not to mention provide a place to stash all the goodies you’ll accumulate during conference! Rooms have either one king bed, or two double beds. Talk to the hotel about the cost of adding a rollaway for extra people in your room.
For a map showing the hotel location, click here>>
Room Only Rates
Superior room rate - NZ$129.00 inc. GST per room per night Deluxe room rate - NZ$159.00 inc. GST per room per night
Bed & Breakfast Rates
Superior room rate – Single - NZ$149.00 including GST and one full buffet breakfast per room per night
Deluxe room rate – Single - NZ$179.00 including GST and one full buffet breakfast per room per night
Superior room rate – Double/Twin - NZ$169.00 including GST and two full buffet breakfast per room per night
Deluxe room rate – Double/Twin - NZ$199.00 including GST and two full buffet breakfast per room per night
The above rate will be honoured for all delegates that contact the hotel, for as long as rooms are available. Some members have obtained cheaper rates by booking online – you’re welcome to try that.
Click here to visit the Rydges website>>
Please mention the Romance Writers conference to reservations staff, or mention it in the Notes section of the online booking form.
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