Pre-GRNW Conference Events – Sept. 19, 2014 – Seattle

Locations: University Bookstore, University District restaurants

5:00pm – 6:45pm: Pre-reading Meet-Up
(Flowers Bar and Restaurant, 4247 University Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105)

7:00pm – 8:30pm: QUEERLY YOURS Reading Event
(University Bookstore, 4326 University Way NE, Seattle WA 98105)

On the night before the conference, we hosted a free public reading event with GRNW authors E.E. Ottoman, Jordan Castillo Price, Radclyffe, and Rick R. Reed! Visit our Events page to learn more!

8:30pm – 10:30pm: Post-Reading Meet-Up
(The District Lounge, 4507 Brooklyn Ave NE, Seattle WA, 98127

Gay Romance Northwest Meet-Up – Sept. 20, 2014 – Seattle

Locations: Seattle Central Public Library; Hotel Monaco; Rendezvous/JewelBox Theater

Conference Duration: 10:00am – 11:00pm

PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE

Gay Romance Northwest Meet-Up

(Seattle Central Public Library, 1000 4th Ave., Microsoft Auditorium)

10:00am: Doors Open

10:00am – 10:30am: Morning Registration Period

10:15am – 12:00pm: Writing Workshops (4th Floor)

See the full description for all the morning writer discussion sessions, including panelists and topic descriptions.

10:15am – 11:00am: Writing Discussions Series 1
(Rooms TBD)

• Ask a Librarian!
• The Do’s and Don’ts of Marketing and Author Persona
• The Wonders of World-Building!

11:10am – 11:55am: Writing Discussions Series 2
(Rooms TBD)

• Writing Diversity – What to look for and what to ask?
• All the Things you wanted to ask an Editor (but were afraid to ask)
• The Mystery Panel! Writing Mysteries and Suspense

View the full descriptions for these sessions.

10:30am – 12:00pm: GRNW Reader Meet-Up! (Microsoft Auditorium)

Attendees joined us for a rollicking meet-up as readers gather to gab about their favorite books and authors. Plus, giveaways, FREE BOOKS, and the Character Type Love Match game!

10:30am – 12:00pm: Pitch Sessions with Publishers

GRNW hosted seven publishers who accepted appointments to hear pitches from authors. Publishers participating were: Bold Strokes Books, Decadent Publishing, Dreamspinner Press, eXtasy Books, Harmony Ink Press, Less Than Three Press, and MLR Press.

Please visit the GRNW Pitch Sessions page for more info.

12:00pm – 1:00pm: Afternoon Registration/Lunch Break*

1:00pm – 5:00pm: GRNW PROGRAMMING (Microsoft Auditorium)

1:00pm – 1:50pm: Opening Remarks and Keynote Address

Opening Remarks: Ideas to Action – Connecting Queer Romance to the Community

Gay Romance Northwest shared what they’ve learned from the last year of organizing LGBTQ romance events throughout Seattle and the Pacific Northwest, and provided tips on how similar activities can be done in your community.

GRNW Keynote 2014 – Write with Pride

Coming off of the successful June 2014 event “Write with Pride” at Gay City, we hosted a similar format for this year’s keynote where five writers shared letters to their past and future selves. and celebrating looking back and looking forward with love, respect, hope, strength, and pride.

The participating writers were E.E. Ottoman, Jordan Castillo Price, Radclyffe, and Rick R. Reed. We’ll also read remarks from author Rose Christo.

Plenary Panel Discussions’

Each panel consisteded of a discussion with the panelists and the moderator, followed by a Q&A session with the audience.

2:00pm – 2:50pm: Panel 1 – Writing the Rainbow: Exploring Queer Romance Writing

This panel discussion examined multiple perspectives on writing within the LGBTQ romance genre, including genre definitions and tropes, different subgenres, writing (or not writing) sex scenes, and other topics.

Moderator

Anne Tenino (Author, Frat Boy and Toppy, Too Stupid to Live)

Panelists

• Jove Belle (Author, Love and Devotion, Edge of Darkness)
• Ginn Hale (Author, Wicked Gentleman, Lord of the White Hell)
• Jordan Castillo Price (Author, Among the Living, Meatworks)
• Rick R. Reed (Author, Chaser, Legally Wed)
• Karis Walsh (Author, Sea Glass Inn, Mounting Danger)

3:00pm – 3:50pm: Panel 2 – Printed Love: A Discussion with LGBTQ Publishers

This panel explored LGBTQ romance from the viewpoint of publishers. Discussions included navigating the challenges of an evolving publishing market, submission recommendations, where they think LGBTQ romance is headed, and other topics.

Moderator

Tracy Timmons-Gray (Gay Romance Northwest)

Panelists

• Len Barot (President, Bold Strokes Books)
• Laura Baumbach (Owner, MLR Press)
• Megan Derr (Head of Operations, Less Than Three Press
• Tina Haveman (CEO, eXtasy Books)
• Anne Regan (Executive Editor, Dreamspinner Press/Harmony Ink Press)

4:00pm – 4:50pm: Panel 3 – The Evolving LGBTQ Romance Genre

Otherwise known as the return of the popular Diversity Panel! This panel explored special topics such as diversity (or lack thereof) in LGBTQ romance, and how the genre is evolving.

Moderator

Nicole Kimberling (Author, Turnskin, Primal Red)

Panelists

• David-Matthew Barnes (Author, The Jetsetters, Swimming to Chicago)
• Lori L. Lake (Author, Gun Shy, Under the Gun)
• Pearl Love (Author, The Uncertain Customer, ‘Til Darkness Falls)
• E.E. Ottoman (Author, Selume Proferre, The Memory of Blood and Lotuses)
• Alex Powell (Author, Rangers Over Regulus)

4:50 – 5:00pm: Closing Remarks and Looking Ahead

We capped off the conference will a call to action as well as information about the book fest and the conference after party.

Other 2014 GRNW Meet-Up Conference Activities:

* Loads of free books from authors and publishers!

* The Gay City LGBT Library Book Driver ran throughout the conference. For every book donated, a donor received a raffle ticket and a chance to win a free Kindle, thanks to Extasy Books!

* Free conference snacks and swag were available.

Gay Romance Northwest Meet-Up Book Festival

(Hotel Monaco, 1101 4th Ave.)

The GRNW 2014 Book Fest was free to enter and open to the public!

5:30pm – 8:00pm: Book Festival (Paris Ballroom, one floor down from the lobby.)

5:30pm – 7:30pm: Signings and Meet & Greet with GRNW Attending Authors

Please see the list below or visit the GRNW Authors page for a full list of the 2014 Attending Authors.

Other Book Fest Activities:

* The Book Fest featured free appetizers and a cash bar for cocktails and other drinks.

* Lots of free swag from publishers and authors!

* Select titles by GRNW Attending Authors were available for sale during the Book Fest courtesy of the University Book Store.

* The Gay City LGBT Library Book Drive ran throughout the Book Fest.

7:55pm: Bus leaves to After Party (Hotel Monaco to Rendezvous)

The After Party was in downtown Seattle at the Rendezvous Bar.

GRNW After Party

(Rendezvous Bar/JewelBox Theater, 2322 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98121)

The After Party was free to enter and open to the public!

8:00pm – 11:00pm: After Party and Mingling (Rendezvous Bar)

8:30pm – 10:00pm: “5 Minutes in Heaven” Short Readings (JewelBox Theater*)

Attendees listened to saucy and fun short readings by attending authors at the Jewelbox Theater.

5 Minutes in Heaven was MC-ed by the wonderful Ashley Cook, founding member of Queer Geek! and contributing author to the graphic novel anthology Anything that Loves.

GRNW Authors reading will be:

• Amelia Gormley
• David Holly
• Z.A. Maxfield
• Kate McLachlan
• Charlie Richards
• Jeffrey Ricker
• Heidi Belleau
• Lou Sylvre
• Jay Vaughn
• L.A. Witt
  

*The JewelBox Theater is inside the Rendezvous.

GRNW 2014 Attending Authors

GRNW 2014 Authors were available for meetings fans and answering questions during the Book Fest. 2014 Attending Authors include:

• Lori L. Lake
• Emma Lanner
• Pearl Love
• Z. A. Maxfield
• Belinda McBride
• Kate McLachlan
• Sasha L. Miller
• M.J. O’Shea
• E.E. Ottoman
• Samuel Jarius Pettit
• Alex Powell
• Jordan Castillo Price
• Radclyffe
• Blak Rayne
• Rick R. Reed
• Devon Rhodes
• Charlie Richards
• Jeffrey Ricker
• EJ Russell
• Tara Spears
• Andrea Speed
• Ethan Stone
• Draven St. James
• Lou Sylvre
• Anne Tenino
• Jay Vaughn
• Karis Walsh
• L.A. Witt

Visit the 2014 Authors page to learn more about who is attending!.

GRNW Sponsors and Partners

Old Growth Northwest and the Gay Romance Northwest Meet-Up wish to thank the following organizations for their support of GRNW 2014:

GRNW Sponsors: Blind Eye Books, Bold Strokes Books, Decadent Publishing, Dreamspinner Press, eXtasy Books, Harmony Ink Press, Less Than Three Press, Loose Id, MLR Press, Riptide Publishing, Samhain Publishing

With partial funding by: Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs and Pride Foundation

GRNW Partners: Gay City, Gay City LGBT Library, Hedgebrook, Inland Empire Chapter of the Romance Writers of America, Lambda Literary Foundation, Queer Geek!, Rainbow Romance Writers, Rose City Romance Writers, The Seattle Lesbian, University Book Store

Questions?

Questions about the schedule for the 2014 Gay Romance Northwest Meet-Up and Book Fest? Please contact Tracy Timmons-Gray, Event Coordinator, Gay Romance Northwest Meet-Up.