Hangout with Julia Quinn

Earlier this year the Australian Romance Readers Association (ARRA) got together with Louise Sherwin-Stark from Google Play to discuss the possibility of using Google Hangouts to promote romance fiction.

If you haven’t heard about Hangouts, the idea is that up to 10 people from anywhere in the world can get together for a group video chat. All they need is a webcam, microphone and a Google+ account.

What we have been working on is a format called ‘ARRA Author of the Month’, where an author of our choice is the guest, and is simultaneously promoted on Google Play.

Well, after months of planning – the wait is over!

That’s right … it’s time for the first Google Hangout with the inaugural ARRA Author of the Month … Julia Quinn!

On Saturday 9 June at noon (AEST) via the +Australia Romance Readers Association page, Julia will be taking time to Hangout with some lucky ARRA members. During the Hangout Julia will be answering questions from ARRA members and chatting about her new book A Night Like This.

If you would like the opportunity to Hangout with Julia and ask her those burning questions you’ve always wanted answered then head to the ARRA Hangouts page and enter the competition.

The competition will close on 6 June and we will notify the lucky winners on 7 June.

Note that you must be an ARRA member to enter the competition. You can find out how to become a member on the ARRA website: http://www.australianromancereaders.com.au/join.html

If you miss out, don’t despair; the Hangout will be broadcast from the +Australia Romance Readers Association page, which means you can watch the discussion in real time. Plus, time permitting, the questions you submit for Julia as part of the competition might be asked during the Hangout with full acknowledgment so Julia can personally address her answer to you!

In order to participate in the Hangout, either as a winner or simply watching the broadcast, you need to have a Google+ account and you will need to follow +Australia Romance Readers Association. To find out how to join Google+ and get setup for an ARRA Hangout head to: https://australianromancereaders.wordpress.com/hangouts/set-up/

To find out more about what you can do with your Google+ account head to: http://www.google.com/intl/en/+/learnmore/

If you’re not sure what a Hangout is then head to the Google Hangouts information page: http://www.google.com/+/learnmore/hangouts/, or you can check out a recent Hangout here.

Please don’t forget to follow +Australia Romance Readers Association to enable you to receive information about the Hangout and to watch the Hangout in your stream on the day.

If you have any questions about the competition, contact Wendy at arra.hangouts@gmail.com.

About Julia Quinn

No. 1 New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn loves to dispel the myth that smart women don’t read (or write) romance, and in 2001 she did so in grand fashion, appearing on the game show The Weakest Link and walking away with the $79,000 jackpot. She displayed a decided lack of knowledge about baseball, country music, and plush toys, but she is proud to say that she aced all things British and literary, answered all of her history and geography questions correctly, and knew that there was a Da Vinci long before there was a code. Ms Quinn is the youngest member of Romance Writers of America’s Hall of Fame, her books have been translated into 24 languages, and she currently lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest.