If you’ve not heard of it before, then it’s a site you need to be aware of. People from all over the world now have the opportunity to set up their own radio show and interview people of interest to their growing audiences.

I had the wonderful privilege of speaking today on We Love Girl Talk which is a Christian Women’s Radio Show. Sandra and Sarah, the show’s hosts were wonderful and made me feel totally at home! They are trying to build up their ratings for the show as the BlogTalkRadio features shows on their front page so why not pop by and give them a rating! They have a number of interviews available there.

I went to a great deal of trouble this year searching for travel baggage that had colours or patterns that would show up on baggage carousels and on planes. I didn’t want my baggage to go missing or get taken by someone else and I wanted to be able to identify it quickly. But I think all speaker travellers need to have a look at what Tim Gard from the US does. He’s a scream! Enjoy.

I had the pleasure of speaking at the Executive Assistant & Personal Assistant 2008 Conference in Perth earlier this week. Most attending I did not know but there were a small number of familiar faces there. And I met face-to-face some I just know via email.

My topic was on Networking for Success and I was amazed at the numbers there who did not have business cards for the businesses they represented. To me this is an important part of networking – even if you’re connecting with the photocopier technician to get something done. How is he going to know who to call back?  Obviously there are some things still the same – 15 years after I left the corporate world!

It was also good to see the excitement amongst some who’d never heard of the VA industry and wanted to know more. I look forward to hearing from those ladies very soon!

I recently learnt about the Melbourne Writers Festival through Aussie Bloggers Forum. I think I’ll go along to some of it – some of the events are already sold out. Wish I’d known about it sooner! Anyway, I thought any budding writers who will be in Melbourne end of August might like to go along.

This is the Message from the Festival Director:

Welcome to the 23rd annual Melbourne Writers Festival. I am thrilled to present this year’s program – it is without a doubt the largest and richest program we’ve presented and the breadth and depth of the talent is dazzling.

Last year, two of the most eloquent festival events concerned the poetry of WH Auden. This year, join us in St Pauls Cathedral where we have chosen to celebrate the Russian poet Anna Akhmatova. Akhmatova lived through the darkest period of twentieth century Russian history and her poetry was a beacon of hope for ordinary citizens – the you and me of that time.

The other events which make my heart beat faster are both on the evening of Sunday 24 August when we link with our concurrent sister festival, the Edinburgh International Book Festival, by satellite. For the first time our audiences will be able to connect to Edinburgh’s event with Sir Salman Rushdie and their audiences will be able to connect with Nam Le here in Melbourne. I hope this is just the start of a long and productive relationship between these two great festivals.

Finally I’d like to welcome you to our new home in Federation Square and the Australian Centre of the Moving Image where most of our festival will take place. Please do take time to study fully our hard copy program and our website with its more detailed information – circle madly, choose wisely and then join us and your friends in your lunch hour, after work, or on the weekends for ten days of entertainment and enlightenment.

More details can be found at Melbourne Writers Festival site.

I hope you like my new look site. It’s a work in progress so please do come back and visit often.

I’ve added a blog component to this site and will use it to keep you updated on events that I’m speaking at, or books that are being launched and other items. So feel free to comment, ask questions and keep in touch!