Festival of Romance - Hunton Park

  

Terrace at Hunton Park

 On 21st-22nd October I attended the Festival of Romance at Hunton Park. What a wonderful venue for a great event and I found it without using my SatNav. My room was luxurious by my standards and there was unlimited tea/coffee/chocolate/fruit tea and also fruit bars, fresh fruit and biscuits. In the wardrobe in my room (which I didn't use) I discovered a hairdryer, iron and an ironing board. This.didn't leave much room for clothes for those that might have been staying more than one night.

View from the garden to the house.

View from terrace to the fountain.

Fountain  -featured in first Harry Potter film.

Drawing room

Ballroom (I think)

 You will see from the photographs that the house and grounds are stunning. At dawn, when I was out taking my photographs, there were a pair of muntjac deer on the lawn.
I apologise for the random positioning of the photographs – I've no idea how clever people manage to get the text to wrap around the pictures.

These are the brave authors who appeared in costume as one of the characters from their book.
Can you guess which book the character comes from?

Mandy Baggot;Sue Moorcroft;Jean F; Christina Courtney; Kate Allan;Talli Rowland

Jean Fullerton in Victorian costume.

Fenella Miller & Jean Fullerton doing talk..

Jean and I did a gallop through our favourite historical romance. We gave the delegates suggestions for books they might not have heard of before. It seemed to go down well.

This was the icing on the cake -The gorgeous semi naked man handing out free cupcakes -I had to include a photo of him.

Hunk with cup cakes.

I also took part in a Regency panel with Jan Jones and Annie Burrows.We could have done with a few more in the audience but I think they were all drinking coffee.
All sessions that I attended were worth going to. I particularly liked the historical panel discussing the impact of war on romance.
Carol Matthew was the keynote speaker and she was interviewed by a very glamorous young lady who I think runs a website related to romantic fiction. It was an interesting, amusing and informative talk.

Carole Mathew
 interview- not sure who the other person is..

Kate Nash and her winning band of helpers did a brilliant job and I hope that next year it will be bigger and even better.
I mustn't forget to mention the winners of the inaugural Festival of Romance Awards.
Jean Fullerton won the historical prize; Henri Gyland one the new writers award and Sue Moorcroft won the contemporary fiction award. Carole Matthews was given a lifetime achievement award.

Hunton Park at dawn.