The QT Hotel in Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast: a weekend of romance with a hacking cough

I flew to the Gold Coast last weekend for the Romance Writers of Australia annual conference at the QT Hotel in Surfers Paradise. I intend to write more about the conference on my Wordpress blog, which is dedicated to my writing ambitions (sadly, there's not a lot of action on that blog).

In the meantime, here are some pics of the amazing conference venue, the QT Hotel, and some nice shots of a benign beach - these are not the challenging conditions I've come to know and respect on the Gold Coast, where a strong current usually restricts my swim to the shallows. 

I swam on Sunday morning and it was calm, flat and clear. I'm not a huge fan of Surfers and my preference is to stay away from the sleazy, run-down town centre up the road at Broadbeach or even down the road at Burleigh Heads. But if you have to stay at Surfers, the QT is the place. It's one of the coast's older hotel's that's undergone a stylish refurbishment that's fun and funky. Enjoy the pics.

PS: I had a hacking cough all weekend. No fun. 

Beautiful weather in Surfers Paradise

Surfers Paradise: the beach is the best thing about it. The QT is the second-best thing; excellent accommodation and fantastic conference food!

Lobby at the QT in Surfers Paradise

QT Hotel, Surfers Paradise

Your favourite fantasy - what the?

I am not and never have been a fan of fancy dress. I'm not good at it, and it requires so much effort.

It's why I'm not keen on snow skiing. So much work goes into getting all the gear on; then you go out for a while, fall over, come back and take it all off again. What's the point?

But now I'm a member of the Romance Writers of Australia I have to get into the swing of things. The annual conference cocktail party in August is fancy dress. Last year's theme was Arabian nights. I could do that with an exotic scarf, harem pants, top and sandals bought from the Op-shop. My outfit was appropriate but by no means outstanding. My romance writing peers really know how to play dress ups!

This year's cocktain party theme is Fantasy Island, where attendees are encouraged to dress as their favourite fantasy. It's not compulsory, but I'd feel like a piker if I didn't make an effort.

I suppose my big fantasy is going to the Oscars because the movie of my book (I will write it one day) is nominated for best film. It stars Cate Blanchett, Emily Blunt or Amy Adams in the heroine role and Clive Owen, Mark Ruffalo or Will Smith as the hero.

Then there's the champagne-filled bath afterwards...

An easier option would be to carry around my mobile phone all night, waiting for 'the call'!

Leave it with me.