Here’s the situation… You’re a romance writer, and are looking to hone your craft and/or stake your claim in the industry. Your main objective is to reach new readers and network with other goal-oriented individuals. Here is a list of 2016 industry events for romance readers and writers you may want to add to your itinerary.
February 5-6, 2016: When The Heart Dreams
(Charlotte, NC)
When the Heart Dreams is for those of us who love to read romance novels and an opportunity for authors to meet and build relationships with new readers in a relaxed casual setting. This will be a fun-filled event covering all romance genres, Contemporary, Historical, Paranormal and Suspense. Mix with some of your favorite and soon to be favorite authors. Enjoy reader games and prizes, chats with the authors, readings, a luncheon, a book signing and a closing night themed party.
February 13, 2016: Romance Reader Rendezvous
(Honolulu, HI)
This FREE event for Oahu’s military community celebrates romance novels and the women who love them. What really makes this event special is that all of the authors you’ll meet have a connection to the military, including veterans, military spouses, those who write military characters, and those who share an enormous appreciation for the men, women, and families who serve. The Rendezvous authors write contemporary, suspense, western, paranormal, new adult, BDSM romance, and of course, military romance. Each author will have books for sale and they’ll be giving away books and prizes in a raffle too.
February 20-21, 2016: wRomance Weekend
(Portland, OR)
A weekend of writing and love will feature two days of activities for writers, readers, and those interested in learning more about the romance publishing industry. Attend one event or all of the events for a fun and information packed weekend.
February 25-27, 2016: The Wild Wicked Weekend
(San Antonio, TX)
Join the Belle Femme authors for a weekend of naughty fun and networking, plus a fabulous book signing party. It’s the best conference that refuses to be a called a conference!
March 12, 2016: Authors In The City
(Kissimmee, FL)
Authors in the City is a book signing for Romance Authors both independent and traditionally published authors. Please visit http://www.authorsinthecity.com for the full author list or http://www.facebook.com/authorsinthecity.
March 31-April 3, 2016: BDSM Writer’s Con
(Everett, WA)
This one-of-a-kink conference provides writers and readers with the ability to discover the complexities of Dominance and submission through workshops, live demos, and fascinating hands-on experiences. BDSM Writers Con brings together some of the TOP BDSM presenters in the world and veteran authors to help readers and writers explore the various nuances of the BDSM lifestyle and learning to write about it in a safe, playful and comfortable environment while you Mix and Mingles with your favorite and soon-to-be favorite authors.
April 7-10, 2016: Desert Dreams Writer’s Conference
(Scottsdale, AZ)
The Desert Dreams Writer’s Conference is four full days of workshops, pitches, and socialization! Included in your registration fee is access to all the fantastic workshops, sit down dinners for three nights, presentations, agent/editor appointments, book signings, raffles for amazing prizes and more!
April 7-11, 2016: The Novel Experience Event
(Atlanta, GA)
Romance Ink, Inc, a literary non-profit that brings you Authors After Dark has come up with a new event to fill a growing need in the publishing industry. The Novel Experience Event is the best parts of other more expensive events (signings, parties and craziness) without the prices. At The Novel Experience, all authors, traditionally published, self/indie published and small press will be signing alongside each other without the politics and issues that have come to rule the signing events of other conventions. Think of TNEE as a one stop shop! Readers will be able to get their reading fix and still be able to party with the authors and publishers they have come to love, in the genres they love.
April 12-17, 2016: RT Booklovers Convention
(Las Vegas, NV)
The RT Booklovers Convention is the book-industry event where you can mix business with pleasure. Attend more than 200 workshops as well as numerous parties and reader events that will keep you informed and in touch while having fun. It’s where friends new and old come together to learn about the industry we love and to have fun with authors and fellow book lovers. Fifty percent of conventioneers are first-time RT Convention attendees, and many travel by themselves. However, almost all leave having made new friendships they’ll cherish for years to come.
April 22-25, 2016: Wicked Book Weekend
(Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Wicked Book Weekend 2016 is the fifth Wicked Book Event. Our weekend is a little different. We limit it to 50 authors and 350 total attendees. Our signing is intimate and readers are encouraged to go to each author to discover their books. We even have a custom scrapbook for sale at cost for you to get each author’s signature. The lines are never more than 10 minutes long.
April 28-30, 2016: Romance Slam Jam 2016
(Detroit, MI)
“The Romance Slam Jam grew out of an early desire to recognize, and pay respect to OUR authors, and to celebrate their craft with their avid fans.” Emma Rodgers, Ashira Tosihwe and Francis Ray gave birth to the Romance Slam Jam in 1995 in Dallas, Texas, to demonstrate what Nikki Giovanni describes as “The Power, Passion and Pain of Black Love.”
April 29-30, 2016: Let Your Imagination Take Flight
(Burlington, MA)
The New England Chapter of Romance Writer’s of America brings you this conference with workshops on craft, business, writer’s life, and agent/editor pitch appointments.
May 6-7, 2016: Romancing The Capital
(Ottawa, Canada)
In May 2016, Ottawa is the place to be for Canada’s most awesome romance reader conference! At Romancing the Capital, you’ll interact with your favorite authors, discover new authors and meet other readers who share your passion for reading romance.
May 20-21: RWA 2016 Spring Fling Writer’s Conference
(Schaumburg, IL)
Join us for a weekend of keynote speeches, workshops, panels, publishing spotlights, pitch appointments with editors and agents, a public book signing, librarian and bookseller brunch, entertainment, and Hot Night critiques.
May 21, 2016: The 2016 NEORWA Cleveland Rocks Romance Conference
(Strongsville, OH)
The 2016 conference will be a one-day workshop novel writing seminar aimed at writers in all phases of their career. Author and writing guru Bob Mayer will be presenting on an assortment of topics including the nuts-and-bolts craft of writing from idea to creation as well as the business of writing from the current state of the industry to the future of self-publishing and more.
June 1-5, 2016: Romance Novel Convention
(Las Vegas, NV)
The Romance Novel Convention includes writing, business, reader and other classes and panels, book fair, costume ball, parties, games, contests, NY Times & USA Today bestselling authors, cover models, free books, dancing, raffles, prizes, autographs, photos, and more!
July 13-16, 2016: Romance Writers of America
(San Diego, CA)
The RWA Conference is the place where career-focused romance writers meet, mingle, and get down to the business of being an author. RWA2016 Conference highlights include the “Readers for Life” Literacy autographing, the keynote speech, great speakers, book signings and the awards ceremony. Career-focused romance writers can anticipate education and information, networking with fellow writers, and interaction with editors, agents, publishers, booksellers, and other romance publishing industry professionals.
July 27–31, 2016: Babes on the Beach
(Emerald Isle, NC)
Featuring leading literary agents, editors, and published authors in the field, Babes On The Beach 2016 offers a variety of workshops to advance the serious writer with a goal of becoming a professional writer, or enhance the skills of the professional already equipped with a strong foundation in fiction writing. With instructional advice on how to find an agent, perfect queries and partials, to advanced workshops in character development, story plotting and much more… there is something at #BOTBWR2016 to suit every romance author’s needs.
August 18-21, 2016: BDSM Writer’s Con
(New York, NY)
This one-of-a-kink conference provides writers and readers with the ability to discover the complexities of Dominance and submission through workshops, live demos, and fascinating hands-on experiences. BDSM Writers Con brings together some of the TOP BDSM presenters in the world and veteran authors to help readers and writers explore the various nuances of the BDSM lifestyle and learning to write about it in a safe, playful and comfortable environment while you Mix and Mingles with your favorite and soon-to-be favorite authors.
September 29 – October 2, 2016: Moonlight & Magnolias Conference
(Atlanta, GA)
The Moonlight & Magnolias Conference includes book signings, pitch workshop, editor and agent appointments, basket raffle for literacy, critique raffle, and Maggie Award for Excellence Banquet followed by our annual dance fest.
September 30 – October 1, 2016: RomCon 2016
(Denver, CO)
RomCon was founded in 2009 and has welcomed over 600 authors (from NYT Bestsellers to newly published, traditional and indie). We are the first convention to put readers first. There are many romance cons out there today, but RomCon started the trend. We are unapologetic romance fans and create a culture designed to bring readers and authors together in a personal and meaningful way. RomCon is about building relationships, not hard-selling our authors. At RomCon no one gets lost in the sea of anonymity that exists at some of the larger cons, because our authors understand that every reader matters.
October 6-8: 2016: Indie Romance Convention
(Lebanon, TN)
The Indie Romance Convention (IRC) is a convention for authors and readers, not just a book signing event. IRC is a once-a-year event where indie, hybrid and small press authors and readers can learn more about writing and the publishing industry and have fun while doing so. We offer workshops and panels for authors to learn their craft and readers to learn how to do more for their favorite authors. Each year we try to expand, adding more workshops and panels for editors, cover artists, formatters, etc.
October 14-16, 2016: Emerald City’s Writers’ Conference
(Bellevue, WA)
Every fall, the Greater Seattle Romance Writers of America chapter holds the popular Emerald City Writers’ Conference, which is currently the largest romance writing conference on the west coast. Three hundred attendees are expected, including leading industry editors, agents, and phenomenal speakers.
November 11-13, 2016: Readers & ‘ritas Weekend Event
(Allen, TX)
Enjoy author parties, fun panels, and delicious meals. Readers & ‘ritas brings over 250 readers together to enjoy a weekend with authors.
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Don’t forget these other upcoming author events for February 2016:
February 19, 2016: The Writer’s Ball
(Atlanta, GA)
This Black Tie Charity Gala features readings, dinner, live entertainment, dancing, Red Carpet and more! A portion of the proceeds will support The Writers Ball Grant Program, created to bridge the gap between the financial reality and artistic creation by providing funding assistance for individuals with projects in artistic disciplines, including writing, performing or publishing original works.
February 19-21, 2016: The Inaugural Deckle Edge Literary Festival
(Columbia, SC)
The weekend-long Deckle Edge Literary Festival will feature readings, book signings, panel presentations, exhibitors, writers’ workshops, activities for children and young adult readers, and a wide range of other literary events for many interests and all ages. The festival will gather and foster the diverse branches of our region’s literary community through an inclusive weekend of public events and programming for readers, writers, and lovers of the written word.
February 27, 2016: The Literary Experience – CIAA Edition
(Charlotte, NC)
The Literary Experience (TLE) will feature bloggers, celebs, and authors in the city of Charlotte Feb 27, 2016. Join them for the social brunch of the year! TLE will take you between the pages of some of the bestselling novels with author- reader interaction, branding &blogging tips, surprise celebrity guests, food, music, drinks, exclusive red carpet interviews and more.
There are numerous other book releases, industry events, seminars, workshops, book signings, fests, and more coming up in 2016. Stay In The Know with Michelle Cuttino, and follow me on Twitter @MichelleCuttino, send me a friend request on Facebook /MichelleCuttino, or sign up for our monthly newsletter at www.MichelleCuttino.com.