RWA in NYC ... Authors About Town

The Lions of NYC's Public Library are ready to welcome the Romance Writers of America (RWA) for its annual conference at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square from July 22 - 26, 2015.  Authors will be out and about at events open to the public.  Mahalo to Pamela Jaffee at Avon Romance for the press release detailing these events ... 

Why Are We Just Now Discovering Romance?

Tuesday, July 21, 2015
7:00pm 8:00pm
Fueled Collective, 568 Broadway, NY, NY 10012

For hundreds of years, romance novels have been derided as fluff, degraded as 'light reading' and ignored as a literary genre. Yet they're among the biggest revenue drivers for publishers from print to Kindle. And they're almost every woman's guilty pleasure, starring women making choices for themselves, their lovers, their children and their future

We explore power of the female protagonist over time, the multi-billion dollar romance novel industry and ever so much more in conversation between moderator (and author) Maya Rodale (Dangerous Books for Girls), Sarah MacLean (The Washington Post), Carla Neggers, and more.

Romance Authors. Hosted by Joyce Lamb, Happy Ever After Curator & Blogger, USA Today
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
12:30pm – 1:45pm

Bryant Park Reading Room

Robyn Carr, Never Too Late
Kristan Higgins, If You Only Knew
Elizabeth Hoyt, Dearest Rogue
Beverly Jenkins, For Your Love, Destiny’s Captive
Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Heroes Are My Weakness
Meredith Wild, Hardwired

Gotta love it! Harlequin, Avon, and Forever authors dish on their best-selling romance novels.

RWA's Readers for Life Literacy Autographing

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

5:30pm - 7:30 pm
Marriott Marquis, Westside Ballroom

At the "Readers for Life" Literacy Autographing, hundreds of romance authors meet with and sign books for fans in this two-hour event, with the proceeds from book sales going to literacy organizations. This year's beneficiaries are ProLiteracy Worldwide, Literacy Partners, and Literacy Assistance Center.

In 2014, Romance Writers of America raised more than $53,000 to benefit literacy organizations. Since 1990, RWA has raised more than $878,000 to fight illiteracy.

The stars will be shining bright in the Big Apple!  If you could attend the literacy signing, which author would you visit?   Here's the link to the participating authors.  One randomly selected commenter wins a book choice from my convention stash.  Comments are open through Saturday, July 18, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, July 19.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City 

Aloha to Susan Elizabeth Phillips and HEROES ARE MY WEAKNESS

This title is the anthem for romance readers - heroes are our weakness.   Susan Elizabeth Phillips adds a dash of Gothic mystery to her trademark wit for her new release from William Morrow:

The dead of winter.

An isolated island off the coast of Maine.

A man.

A woman.

A sinister house looming over the sea ...

He's a reclusive writer whose macabre imagination creates chilling horror novels. She's a down-on-her-luck actress reduced to staging kids' puppet shows. He knows a dozen ways to kill with his bare hands. She knows a dozen ways to kill with laughs.

But she's not laughing now. When she was a teenager, he terrified her. Now they're trapped together on a snowy island off the coast of Maine. Is he the villain she remembers or has he changed? Her head says no. Her heart says yes.

It's going to be a long, hot winter.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips, second from right, chat with
Avon editors at RWA/San Antonio

I am giving away a print copy of HEROES ARE MY WEAKNESS to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about Maine - what do you know about the Pine Tree State?  I know I love Maine lobster.

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, August 30, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, August 31.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

The heroine was probably as cold as the Scouts in winter camp ...