What’s new for the 2015 Gay Romance Northwest Meet-Up? The conference this year is a full day of programming, including panel discussions, a reader meet-up with games and giveaways, and a book festival at the Hotel Monaco. And don’t forget about our free events on the evening of Friday, September 25. 😀 (View the full 2015 Programming.).
Below are the descriptions for the 2015 GRNW Panels.
Registration: 9:00am – 10:00am
Opening Remarks and Keynote: 10:00am – 11:00am
Opening Remarks: Tracy Timmons-Gray (Gay Romance Northwest)
Keynote Address: “Read With Pride” with:
- Jessica Blat (Board Member, Old Growth Northwest)
- Susan Lee (Blogger, Boys in our Books)
- Austin Chant (Author, Silver and Gold)
Opening Plenary Activity:
The last session of the day is going to be built right here, during the first session. Come join us and share how YOU want to see the LGBTQ romance genre grow!
GRNW Panels Set 1 – 11:10am – 12:00pm
1- Celebrating and Elevating Underrepresented Characters in Queer Romance Fiction (1st Floor, Microsoft Auditorium)
The focus on this panel is to highlight and celebrate underrepresented main characters in LGBTQ romance fiction, whether it is characters of color, and/or of diverse abilities, religions, sexuality, gender, gender identity, economic background, etc. This panel discussion will examine, both amongst the panel members and with the audience, the different ways to authentically represent underrepresented characters and to elevate their stories within the genre.
Moderator
Tracy Timmons-Gray (Gay Romance Northwest)
Panelists
- CJane Elliot (Author, Serpentine Walls, Sex, Lies, and Video Games)
- Lane Hayes (Author, The Right Words, Better Than Good)
- Chris Muldoon (Acquisitions Editor, Riptide Publishing)
- J. K. Pendragon (Author, To Summon Nightmares, Ink & Flowers)
- Yolanda Wallace (Author, Murphy’s Law, Month of Sundays)
2- Writing a Historical, Fantasy, or Sci-Fi? Do your Research – And How (4th Floor, Room 1)
From historical periods to far-reaching futures, colonies on the moon to the politics of Byzantium… truthfully, whatever your genre, knowing your subject is a must. Lazy research is worse than none at all—but where to start? How about this panel?—where several verrrry enthusiastic research mavens will share their passion—as well as their arsenal of methods and sources—for making your prose authentic and authoritative. This panel is ideal for those interesting in reading and writing historicals, fantasy, science fiction, and speculative fiction.
Moderator
J Tullos Hennig (Author, Greenwode, Shirewode)
Panelists
- Astrid Amara (Author, The Devil’s Lancer, Song of the Navigator)
- Ginn Hale (Author, Lord of the White Hell, The Rifter)
- Heather Rose Jones (Author, Daughter of Mystery, The Mystic Marriage)
- Christopher Hawthorne Moss (Author, Angel Eyes, Beloved Pilgrim)
3- Like Fine Wine: Romance After 40 (4th Floor, Room 2)
Whether it’s a May/December, July/September or August/August love, falling in love again, or for the first time, in middle age can be sweet, powerful and hot. We’ll discuss the joys and pains of writing about not-so-young love. Is it ever too late? Is there a market for it?
- Kim Fielding (Author, Astounding!, Rattlesnake)
- David Holly (Author, The Heart’s Eternal Desire, The Raptures of Time)
- Jordan Castillo Price (Author, Among the Living, The Persistence of Memory)
- Radclyffe (Author, Above all, Honor, Against Doctor’s Orders)
4- Real-World Research for Your Contemporary Romance (4th Floor, Room 6)
Join this roundtable discussion to explore how to weave realism into contemporary stories, where the trials, conflicts, and plots that build up a contemporary romance still benefit from investigating beyond what can be found on the internet. This discussion will explore the merits of hands-on research, interviews, travel, and other resources, as well as discuss where to draw the line between the real world and fiction for the sake of plot. Perhaps most importantly, participants will share the weirdest thing they’ve ever done in the name of getting the details right.
Moderator
Anne Tenino (Author, Wedding Favors, Frat Boy and Toppy)
Panelists
- Ethan Day (Author, Love Me Tomorrow, Self Preservation)
- Jove Belle (Author, The Job, Love & Devotion)
- Edmond Manning (Author, King Perry, Filthy Acquisitions)
- Sheri Lewis Wohl (Author, Vermilion Justice, Twisted Echoes)
GRNW Panels Set 2 – 12:10pm – 1:00pm
1- Traditional or Self-Publishing? Which Route to Choose? (1st Floor, Microsoft Auditorium)
Self-publishing is the latest gold rush but is everything that shines gold? Especially, within the narrower market of LGBTQ romance it’s vital for authors to make the right choices when publishing their work. This panel will discuss the pros and cons of various modes of publishing.
Moderator
Susan Lee (Blogger, Boys in Our Books)
Panelists
- Lou Harper (Author: Spirit Sanguine, Dead in L.A.)
- Nicole Kimberling (Editor-in-Chief, Blind Eye Books, and author, Turnskin, Primal Red)
- Sandy Lowe (Senior Editor, Bold Strokes Books)
- Jordan Castillo Price (Owner, JCP Books and author, Among the Living, The Persistence of Memory)
2- Changing Dynamics of Lesbian Romance (4th Floor, Room 1)
How has lesbian romance changed over the last few years? What barriers and challenges exist for lesbian romance fiction to gain more visibility, and what opportunities are out there to increase awareness? The panel will discuss the current state of lesbian romance, how it’s evolving, and how it can grow.
Moderator
Jove Belle (Author, The Job, Love & Devotion)
Panelists
- R. G. Emanuelle (Author, Add Spice to Taste, Skulls and Crossbones)
- Jill Malone (Author, A Field Guide to Deception, Giraffe People)
- Andi Marquette (Author, From the Hat Down, From the Boots Up)
- Kate McLachlan (Author, Ten Little Lesbians, Rip Van Dyke)
3- Loving Kink, Hot Kink: Why and How to Write it Responsibly (4th Floor, Room 2)
How can one write about kink with accuracy, credibility, and responsibility? Whether you are experienced in kink culture or are a newbie discovering new delights, come join a discussion on the breadth and depth of sexual and sensual material that can be incorporated into stories, and explore the ways that both writers and readers can find their own comfort levels within kink and erotic romance fiction.
- Vicktor Alexander (Author, The Perfect Mistake, Groom of Convenience)
- Grace R. Duncan (Author, Devotion, Turning His Life Around)
- Amelia C. Gormley (Author, Saugatuck Summer, Strain)
- Morticia Knight (Author, Hollywood Bound, All Fired Up)
- Joseph Lance Tonlet (Author, Grif’s Toy)
1:00pm – 2:00pm – Break*
* Come by the Microsoft Auditorium around 1:50pm to find some new free book giveaways!
2:00pm – 3:00pm – Final Plenary Session
The Evolving LGBTQ Romance Genre – Where do you want the genre to go?
In the past, GRNW’s last panel of its annual conference examined diversity and how the genre is growing, and this year, we’re “evolving” the evolving panel, keeping the theme around where *you* want the genre to go, but taking it in new directions, and the content will be built by the audience during the opening session. Come find out what everyone voted on, and see how you want the genre to grow and prosper!
Moderator
Gunner Scott (Program Director, Pride Foundation)
Panelists
- Austin Chant: (Author, Silver and Gold)
- Laylah Hunter (Author, Gabriel’s City, Resurrection Man)
- Alex Powell (Author, Rangers Over Regulus, Sky Knights)
- Karelia Stetz-Waters (Author, Something True, Forgive Me if I’ve Told You This Before)
3:00pm – 3:15 – Closing Conference Remarks
3:15pm – 4:00pm GRNW Reader Meet-up and Celebration
While the GRNW authors head over to the book fest to set-up, come join the second annual GRNW Reader Meet-Up for a rollicking good time as readers gather to gab about their favorite books, grab giveaways, and once again, play the amazing interactive game Character Type Love Match! You decide the couple that ends all couples for GRNW 2015!
Interested in seeing what else is happening at GRNW 2015, including the Book Fest and After Party? Check out our 2015 Programming Schedule.
Read with Pride Northwest 