We’re super excited about the fifth annual conference, now titled Read with Pride Northwest, that will be held on November 3-4, 2017 at the Seattle Central Library, but that won’t be our only event that will celebrate the awesomeness that is LGBTQIA Romance!

Along with our 2017 conference, RWP will be hosting other events throughout the year. We hope you can join us!

UPCOMING RWP EVENTS

November 3-4, 2017 – Read with Pride Northwest 2017

Seattle Central Public Library

The fifth annual Read with Pride Northwest conference (previously known as Gay Romance Northwest) will be held on November 3-4, 2017 at the Seattle Central Public Library. RWP 2017 will include a day of conference activities that focus on LGBTQIA romance fiction, including panels, swag, and a conference bookfest, and evening reading events featuring authors from across the field.

Read with Pride 2017 will be held in partnership with the Seattle Public Library and Gay City: Seattle’s LGBTQ Center. The November 4 conference will be free to attend.

Registration now open! Register Now.

*RWP ’17 is made up of two events–Write with Pride on November 3 and Read with Pride on November 4. if you wish to attend both, you will need to register for both. More on registration.

2017 RWP Schedule Snapshot (See Detailed Schedule)

Friday, November 3, 2017

• 10:00am – 12:00pm – NaNoWriMo Write-In (Seattle Public Library – Free)12:00pm – 5:00pm – “Write with Pride” writer-focused workshops* (Seattle Public Library)
  7:00pm – 9:00pm – RWP Author Reading Event (Gay City: Seattle’s LGBTQ Center – Free)

There is a sliding scale registration for the Write with Pride workshop on November 3.

• General Registration: $20
• Supporter Registration: $25
• Radical Hospitality: $0

Register for Write with Pride

Saturday, November 4, 2017

• 10:00am – 12:00pm – NaNoWriMo Write-In (Seattle Public Library – Free)
• 12:00pm – 5:30pm – RWP BookFest (Seattle Public Library – Free)
• 12:00pm – 4:00pm – Read with Pride Northwest conference (Seattle Public Library – Free)
• 4:00pm – 5:30pm – Read with Pride Author Signings at BookFest (Seattle Public Library – Free)
• 7:00pm – 9:30pm – RWP Author Reading Events (Gay City: Seattle LGBTQ Center – Free)

Register for Read with Pride 2017

Join the Community! Join our GoodReads group to follow news and updates about the 2017 conference and other RWP activities.

PAST EVENTS

May 4, 2017 – Trans Arts Month: Meet the Author

7pm @ Gay City (Calamus Auditorium, 517 E. Pike Street, Seattle)

This event is a part of TRANS ARTS MONTH, for more information about other trans arts events, visit http://gaycity.org/transartsmonth.

Join Gay City and Old Growth Northwest for an evening with local trans authors read from their latest works and share their perspectives on writing, from character development and tropes to publishing and promotion. Authors will include Austin Chant reading from his new book Peter Darling, Tobi Hill-Meyer, and Christopher Hawthorne Moss sharing from selected works.

Accessibility Info: The Calamus Auditorium at Gay City is ADA accessible, has two single-stall all-gender restrooms, and is a fragrance-free space. For more information about accessibility at Gay City, please visit gaycity.org/access

October 8-9, 2016 – GeekGirlCon 2016

Washington State Convention Center

Join us at GeekGirlCon 2016 for the panel “Out of this World! Exploring the Awesomeness of LGBTQIA Sci-Fi & Fantasy,” an out-and-proud discussion with sci-fi/fantasy authors as we explore the wonderfully queer realms of LGBTQIA representation in speculative fiction, as well as the various intersections found within, from race to gender identity, sexuality to ability. Magic, and potentially mayhem, may also ensue..

Panelists: Astrid Amara, Evan J. Peterson, Laylah Hunter, Matthew Buscemi, Nisi Shawl, and moderator Tracy Timmons-Gray

The Out of this World panel is co-hosted by Gay City Health Project and Gay Romance Northwest.

September 24, 2016 – Gay Romance Northwest Meet-Up

Seattle Central Public Library
12:00pm – 6:00pm

The fourth annual Gay Romance Northwest Meet-Up will be held on Saturday, September 24, 2016 at the Seattle Central Public Library. GRNW 2016 will feature a day of conference activities that focus on LGBTQ romance fiction, including panels, swag, and a conference bookfest, and an awesome after party.

GRNW 2016 will be held in partnership with the Seattle Public Library and Gay City and will be free to attend.

Registration open! (And it’s free!) Register now to reserve your spot.

2016 GRNW Schedule

• 12:00pm – 1:00pm – Registration, Meet & Greet with Attendees and Free Swag (Microsoft Auditorium)
• 12:00pm – 6:00pm – GRNW Book Fest (4th Floor, Room 1)
• 1:00pm – 2:00pm – Opening Keynote and Plenary Session (Microsoft Auditorium)
• 2:00pm – 3:00pm – Panels 1 (Various Locations on 1st and 4th Floor)
• 3:00pm – 4:00pm – Panels 2 & Character Type Love Match Game (Various Locations on 1st Floor and 4th Floor.)
• 4:00pm – 6:00pm – GRNW 2016 Author Meet & Greet at the BookFest (4th Floor, Room 1)
• 6:00pm – 10:00pm – GRNW 2016 After Party (Rendezvous, 2322 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98121) – A bus will be available to take attendees from the library to Rendezvous.

View the Schedule for GRNW 2016!

Meet the Authors of GRNW 2016!

Panel Submissions Now Closed! Visit the 2016 Panel Submissions page for more about the 2016 panel submission process. Panel Submissions closed on Sunday, June 26, 2016.

Join the Community! Join our GoodReads group to follow news and updates about the 2016 conference and other GRNW activities.

September 23, 2016 – TransFics + Love Bites

Hugo House (1021 Columbia St, Seattle, WA 98104)
7:00pm – 9:30pm

Join us at Hugo House for an evening celebrating LGBTQ stories with the two programs TransFics & Love Bites. This event is free and open to the public.

TransFics – 7pm – 8pm

Join us from 7pm – 8pm as we celebrate the fiction of trans, genderqueer, and nonbinary authors. Enjoy hearing the tall tales, luscious lines, and sexy stories from this truly transfixing group of writers as they share short reading from their work.

Readings by authors Austin Chant, Tobi Hill-Meyer, Laylah Hunter, EE Ottoman, JK Pendragon, and Alex Powell.

Love Bites – 8:30pm – 9:30pm

After enjoying your break at the Hugo House bar, come back to the stage to snack on a delicious array of 5 minute readings from a delightful crew of LGBTQ romance authors. From the saucy to the succulent, sexy to salivating, come satisfy your appetite for queer love stories in all their ravishing rainbow colors, and know that YES-OH-YES, there is room for dessert.

Oct. 5, 2015 – The Queer Detective Returns: Discovering LGBTQ Mysteries and Suspense

Reading Event with Jove Belle, Nicole Kimberling, and L.A. Witt

7pm – Seattle Central Public Library (Microsoft Auditorium, 1000 4th Ave.)

Murder, theft, cons and crimes shadow the streets within a mystery novel, but thankfully for its innocent denizens, there’s a hero or heroine on the case, striking fear into villains and solving the toughest of puzzles, all while alluding danger and living out of the closet.

“Queer” detectives, investigators, and mysteries solvers are not new to the noir world. Protectors of its dark cityscapes include such literary LGBTQ luminaries as Joseph Hansen’s dogged investigator Dave Brandstetter, Nicola Griffith’s steely heroine Aud Torvingen, and Josh Lanyon’s inquisitive bookseller Adrien English.

Join us at the Seattle Library’s Central Branch for an evening reading with three writers who spotlight crime solvers who find the culprit and celebrate LGBTQ love and relationships. This reading event will include Lambda Literary winner Nicole Kimberling (Bellingham Mysteries), Rainbow Award winner L. A. Witt (Hostile Ground) and Northwest suspense novelist Jove Belle (The Job).

This event is hosted by The Seattle Public Library, Gay City Health Project, and the Old Growth Northwest’s Gay Romance Northwest Initiative.

Visit the Seattle Public Library to learn more.

About the Authors:

Jove Belle started life in the middle of nowhere. Literally. That’s a place in southwestern Idaho where they grow a lot of crops, know each other’s business, and drive forever to buy groceries. Now she lives in the Pacific Northwest with her girlfriend of twenty years and an assortment of children and animals. Jove has been a part of the lesbian fiction publishing community for almost a decade. In addition to being an author and editor, Jove is a founding member and co-admin of the popular lesbian fiction blog Women and Words. Her novels include The Job, Edge of Darkness, and Love & Devotion.

Nicole Kimberling lives in Bellingham, Washington with her partner, Dawn Kimberling, two bad cats and countless mosquitoes. She is the author of various speculative fiction titles as well as a contemporary romantic mystery series Bellingham Mysteries. Her first novel, Turnskin, won the Lambda Literary Award for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. She is also the editor of the Bellingham press Blind Eye Books.

L.A. Witt is an abnormal romance writer and former Seattleite who has finally been released from the purgatorial corn maze of Omaha, Nebraska, and now spends her time on the southwestern coast of Spain. In between wondering how she didn’t lose her mind in Omaha, she explores the country with her husband, several clairvoyant hamsters, and an ever-growing herd of rabid plot bunnies. Her works, which number over 70 publications, include the lesbian suspense Razor Wire and the gay suspense novels Hostile Ground, The Walls of Troy, and If the Seas Catch Fire.

September 26, 2015 – Gay Romance Northwest Meet-Up

Seattle Central Public Library

The third annual Gay Romance Northwest Meet-Up will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2015 at the Seattle Central Public Library. GRNW 2015 will feature a full day of conference activities that focus on LGBTQ romance fiction, including writing workshops, a reader meet-ups, and a post-conference book fest and after party for book signings, mingling, and author readings.

Visit the 2015 Programming Page for more info.

View the GRNW 2015 Authors!

Register for GRNW 2015!

Join our GoodReads group to follow news and updates about the 2015 conference and other GRNW activities.

September 25, 2015 – #LoveWins: Celebrating LGBTQ Love Stories

Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

7:00pm – 8:30pm (Doors open at 6:30pm)

2015 is a monumental year for love stories in all its rainbow colors! Come join us for #LoveWins, as we present a special reading event at Hugo House with five amazing authors—Edmond Manning, Alex Powell, Radclyffe, Anne Tenino, and Yolanda Wallace. From contemporary romances to sci-fi space romps to college coming out stories, each writer shines a spotlight on LGBTQ lives, loves and relationships, and promotes the theme that there’s Happily Ever After for everyone, and Love really does win in the end.\

Join on Facebook!

September 25, 2015 – 5 Minutes in Heaven: Fast and Flirty LGBTQ Love Stories to Ignite Your Night!

Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

8:45pm – 10pm

Gird up your loins, my lovelies, because on Friday night, September 25, queer romance writers from across the country are coming (ahem) together to serve up the sauciest sauce that ever did sauce a plate, a bed, a shower, or that rickety hammock in the backyard that bravely attempted to meet your sex swing dreams. From the lava-hot erotic to the sweetly romantic—this is a night to celebrate the gaiety of boys and girls in love with other boys, girls, and those that happily proclaim “up yours” to the gender binary and transcend to new levels of love. Grab a glass of your favorite *cocktail* from the bar, pull up a chair, adjust what needs adjusting, and strap in to whatever (or whoever) has straps. It’s going to be a bumpy night!

Participating Authors include: Vicktor Alexander, Ralph Josiah Bardsley, Heidi Belleau, Austin Chant, Ethan Day, R.G. Emanuelle, Daisy Harris, Andi Marquette, Rick R. Reed, and  Karelia Stetz-Waters, and MC-ed by local author Evan J. Peterson.

Join on Facebook!

July 2 – Out of this World: A Night of Queer Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Speculative Fiction

7pm @ Gay City (Calamus Auditorium, 517 E. Pike Street, Seattle)

With authors Astrid Amara, Matthew Buscemi, Kim Fielding, Laylah Hunter, and Nisi Shawl

Gay City and Gay Romance Northwest are partnering together for a special Gay City “Meet the Author” event with five writers which will boldly explore star systems and fantasy realms while spotlighting LGBTQ main characters and relationships.

Join us on Thursday, July 2 at 7pm for an out-and-proud and out-of-this-world evening of readings by writers Astrid Amara, Matthew Buscemi, Kim Fielding, Laylah Hunter and Nisi Shawl. From Lambda Literary-nominated fantasies to powerful and thought-provoking science fiction stories, each author takes the reader on an exciting, imaginative journey.

Biographies:

Astrid Amara: Astrid Amara lives in Bellingham, Washington with her husband, four dogs, two goats, and one horse. She’s a graduate of Western Washington University, a former Peace Corps Volunteer, and a bureaucrat by day. She is an active volunteer for greyhound adoption and, when not doing anything with animals or writing, can usually be found sleeping, because she is also extremely lazy. She is the author of multiple novels, including the recent science fiction romance work Song of the Navigator. Her fantasy epic The Archer’s Heart was a finalist for the 2008 Lambda Literary Award

Matthew Buscemi is the author of three speculative fiction novels and one short story collection. He is also the founder of Fuzzy Hedgehog Press. He grew up in Illinois, but left to explore the world. He has taught English in Japan and Thailand, and has studied linguistics in Hawaii. Nowadays he lives with his partner in Seattle, Washington, where he types code by day and prose by night. He dreams of exploring the multiverse himself, but until humanity gets around to inventing a means of interdimensional travel, his imagination will suffice.

Kim Fielding grew up In Oregon but has lived the past two decades exiled to the boring part of California with her husband and two daughters. She is a university professor by day and a writer all the time. She has written over two dozen novels, novellas, and short stories, including the Rainbow Award-winning gay fantasy novel, Brute. Her work spans many genres–contemporary, fantasy, paranormal, and historical—and she’s very pleased when people call her eclectic.

Laylah Hunter is a third-gendered butch queer who writes true stories about imaginary people in worlds that never were. Most of hir work deals with queer characters, erotic themes, and the search for happy endings in unfavorable circumstances. Hir mild-mannered alter ego lives in Seattle, at the mercy of the requisite cats and cultivating the requisite caffeine habit, and dreams of a day when telling stories will pay all the bills. Hir works include multiple short stories and the fantasy novel Gabriel’s City.

Nisi Shawl – Nisi Shawl’s story collection Filter House co-won the James Tiptree, Jr. Award.  She was a Guest of Honor for WisCon 35 in 2011 Shawl coauthored Writing the Other: A Practical Approach, a manual for writers wishing to depict difference.  She edits reviews for the literary quarterly Cascadia Subduction Zone, and recently co-edited two anthologies.  Strange Matings: Science Fiction, Feminism, African American Voices, and Octavia E. Butler appeared from Aqueduct Press in 2014, and in 2015 Rosarium published Stories for Chip: A Tribute to Samuel R. Delany.  Shawl’s Belgian Congo steampunk novel Everfair is forthcoming from Tor in 2016.  She serves on the boards of Clarion West and The Carl Brandon Society.  She’s fairly active on Twitter and Facebook, and promises to update her homepage soon.

Visit Gay City’s website

Join on Facebook

July 12, 2015 – Guardians of the Gaylaxy – Celebrating LGBTQ Science Fiction and Fantasy

1:30 pm at Another Read Through, (3932 North Mississippi Road, Portland, OR 97227)

With authors Talya Andor, Kim Fielding, Amelia Gormley, Ginn Hale, and Nicole Kimberling

Another Read Through and Gay Romance Northwest are partnering together again for a special author event with five writers which will boldly explore star systems and fantasy realms while spotlighting LGBTQ main characters and relationships.

Join us on Sunday, July 12 at 1:30pm for an out-and-proud and out-of-this-world afternoon of readings by writers Talya Andor, Kim Fielding, Amelia Gormley, Ginn Hale, and Nicole Kimberling. From fantasy epics to sci-fi thrillers, each author takes the reader on an exciting, imaginative journey.

Biographies:

Talya Andor: Talya lives in the Pacific Northwest with her girlfriend and their girl-kitty who they believe to be cutest cat in the world, and is constantly balancing a busy slate of boylove stories to write with her day job, hobbies to upkeep, and nail polishes to collect. She is the author of multiple novels, including the sci-fi action thriller Signal to Noise and a contributor to the recent sci-fi anthology Keep the Stars Running.

Kim Fielding grew up In Oregon but has lived the past two decades exiled to the boring part of California with her husband and two daughters. She is a university professor by day and a writer all the time. She has written over two dozen novels, novellas, and short stories, including the Rainbow Award-winning gay fantasy novel, Brute. Her work spans many genres–contemporary, fantasy, paranormal, and historical—and she’s very pleased when people call her eclectic.

Amelia C. Gormley may seem like anyone else. But the truth is she sings in the shower, dances doing laundry, and writes blisteringly hot M/M erotic romance while her son is in school. She has published multiple novels, including the thriller Player vs. Player and the dystopian novel Strain.

Ginn Hale’s fantasy/steampunk novel Wicked Gentlemen was a Lambda Literary finalist and won the Spectrum Award for best novel. Her other works include the 10-part fantasy epic The Rifter, the two-part fantasy series Lord of the White Hell, and it’s sequel duology Champion of the Scarlet Wolf, and a contributing story in the urban fantasy anthology Irregulars.

Nicole Kimberling lives in Bellingham, Washington with her partner, Dawn Kimberling, two bad cats and countless mosquitos. She is the author of various speculative fiction titles as well as a contemporary romantic mystery series Bellingham Mysteries. Her first novel, Turnskin, won the Lambda Literary Award for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. She is also the editor of the LGBTQ speculative fiction press Blind Eye Books.

Visit Another Read Through’s website

February 14, 2015 – Queer Valentine: LGBTQ Love Stories with Talya Andor, Lori L. Lake, Cait Spivey, Ethan Stone, and Anne Tenino

LGBTQ Romance Reading Event and Portland Reader Meet-Up

12pm – 5pm – Another Read Through (3932 North Mississippi Road, Portland, OR 97227) and other locations. (See Schedule below)

Save the date for Valentine’s Day, 2015! We’ll be in Portland for a LGBTQ romance reading event at the bookstore Another Read Through. Come celebrate LGBTQ love stories with readings by five amazing local LGBTQ romance authors!

• Talya Andor, author of A Cut Above the Rest and Signal to Noise
• Lori L. Lake, author of Eight Dates, Like Lovers Do, and Gun Shy
• Cait Spivey, author of I See the Web and A Single Thread
• Ethan Stone, author of In the Flesh and Wolf Moon
• Anne Tenino, author of Frat Boy and Toppy and Sweet Young Thang

Event Schedule

• 12pm-1:15pm: Portland Reader Lunch Meet-Up (Location pending, near the bookstore)
• 1:30pm – 3:00pm: Reading Event at Another Read Through!
• 3:00pm – 5:00pm+: Post-Event Reader Meet-Up (Location pending, near the bookstore)

February 13, 2015 – Writing Romance (A Seminar on the Construction of the Love Scene) with Daisy Harris, Amber Kell, and Rick R. Reed

Vermillion Art Gallery and Bar (1508 11th Ave, Seattle, Washington 98122)

6:30pm – 9:00pm

Join Old Growth Northwest on Friday, February 13, at Vermillion Art Gallery and learn to write love scenes with authors from the Gay Romance Northwest Initiative. Following readings from Rick R. Reed, Daisy Harris, and Amber Kell and a brief Q&A on crafting stories with steamy and/or romantic intimacy, participants will follow writing prompts to create their own.

Featured Authors:

• Daisy Harris, From the Ashes, After the Rain, Nothing but Smoke
• Amber Kell, The Vampire King’s Husband, Wandmaker, My Shining Star
• Rick R. Reed, Legally Wed, Husband Hunters, Blink

Join this event on Facebook!

December 5, 2014 – An Evening with Aleksandr Voinov and L.A. Witt!

7:00pm – Gay City (Calamus Auditorium, 517 E. Pike Street, Seattle)

We celebrated two of the most dynamic and daring duos of queer fiction, Aleksandr Voinov and L.A. Witt, at Gay City’s latest Meet the Author event on Friday, December 5, 2014.

Witt and Voinov—Lambda Literary finalists, Rainbow Award winners, and possibly secret superheroes–have co-written ten works together, as well as authored enough books on their own to overwhelm a library shelf, from historical fiction to contemporary romance, cyberpunk sci-fi to sexy BDSM club erotica. If you can imagine the genre, Voinov & Witt have conquered it, written it, and are working on the sequel as you read this.

They won a 2014 EPIC ebook award for their short fiction Quid Pro Quo, were 2013 Lambda Literary finalists for their novel Capture & Surrender, and won the 2013 Rainbow Award for the novels If it Flies and If it Fornicates.

This event started at 7pm at Gay City’s Calamus Auditorium, and was free and open the public.

Meet the Authors: Aleksandr Voinov and L.A. Witt was cohosted by Gay City and Gay Romance Northwest.

Join this event on Facebook.

About the Authors

Aleksandr Voinov is an emigrant German author living near London, where he works as a writing coach, complementary therapist and freelance corporate editor. At 39 years of age, Voinov has written more than a dozen novels and commercially published five print books with German publishers. After many years working in the horror, science fiction, cyberpunk and fantasy genres, Voinov is now primarily writing contemporary and historical erotic gay fiction.

L.A. Witt is an abnormal gay romance writer currently living in the glamorous and ultra-futuristic metropolis of Omaha, Nebraska, with her husband, two cats, and a disembodied penguin brain that communicates with her telepathically. In addition to writing smut and disturbing the locals, L.A. is said to be working with the US government to perfect a genetic modification that will allow humans to survive indefinitely on Corn Pops and beef jerky.

This is all a cover, though, as her primary leisure activity is hunting down her arch nemesis, erotica author Lauren Gallagher, who is also said to be lurking somewhere in Omaha. Gallagher’s latest novel is the lesbian suspense Razor Wire.

November 17, 2014 – Guardians of the Gaylaxy: Exploring Queer Science Fiction and Fantasy Fiction

7pm – Seattle Central Public Library (1000 4th Ave, Seattle, Microsoft Auditorium)

GRNW, Gay City, and the Seattle Public Library presented a free public reading event highlighting local LGBTQ science fiction and fantasy authors. Authors reading included: Astrid Amara, Ginn Hale, Laylah Hunter, Langley Hyde, and Nicole Kimberling.

Visit the Seattle Public Library to learn more!

RSVP on Facebook!

Pre-Reading Meet-Up at Vovito!

For those that want to meet prior to the reading, GRNW will be hanging out at the Vovito cafe across from the library from 5:00pm – 6:30pm. Just look for the table with the GRNW sign! 😀

About the Authors:

Astrid Amara, author of the Lambda Literary-nominated fantasy The Archers Heart, and the new fantasy novel set during the Crimean War, The Devil’s Lancer.

Ginn Hale, is a Lambda Literary nominee and Spectrum Award winner for her fantasy/steampunk novel Wicked Gentlemen, and author of the new novel Champion of the Scarlet Wolf.

Laylah Hunter’s first novel, the fantasy Gabriel’s City, releases November 2014. Laylah is also the author of short fiction, including “Safe Harbor.”

Langley Hyde, is a Clarion Writer’s Workshop graduate whose first steampunk fantasy novel Highfell Grimoires was released spring 2014.

Nicole Kimberling, winner of the Lambda Literary award for her speculative fiction novel Turnskin and founder and editor of the LGBTQ speculative fiction press Blind Eye Books.

November 8, 2014 – Seattle LGBT Romance Reader Group

2pm – Cafe at Gay City (517 E. Pike Street, Seattle)

Come join us for the next meeting of the Seattle LGBT Romance Reader Group, where we chat about our fave romance books. All are welcome! Just look for the table with the GRNW sign! 😀

October 11-12, 2014 – GeekGirlCon 2014

Washington State Convention Center

Join us at GeekGirlCon 2014 for the panel “Gaylaxy Quest: Exploring Queer Sci-Fi and Fantasy Fiction” where LGBTQ speculative fiction authors will explore how stories can both be out-of-this-world and out-and-proud! From fantasy epics to sci-fi space romps, each author takes their characters on exciting, imaginative journeys, all while highlighting LGBTQ characters and relationships.

The Gaylaxy Quest panel will be on Sunday, October 12 at 2pm. See you there!

Panel Authors include:

Astrid Amara, author of the Lambda Literary nominated fantasy The Archers Heart

Amber Dawn, Lambda Literary winner for her speculative fiction novel Sub Rosa

Ginn Hale, Lambda Literary nominee and Spectrum Award winner for her fantasy/steampunk novel Wicked Gentlemen

J. Tullos Hennig, author of the novels Greenwode and Shirewode, and winner of the 2013 Rainbow Award for Best B/T & LGBT Fantasy, Paranormal Romance & Sci-fi / Futuristic

Langley Hyde, a Clarion Writer’s Workshop graduate whose first steampunk fantasy novel Highfell Grimoires was released spring 2014

Nicole Kimberling, winner of the Lambda Literary award for her speculate fiction novel Turnskin and founder and editor of the LGBTQ speculative fiction press Blind Eye Books.

The Gaylaxy Quest panel is co-hosted by Gay City Health Project, Queer Geek, and Gay Romance Northwest.

October 11, 2014 – Seattle LGBT Romance Reader Group (Cafe at Gay City, Seattle)

Another great meeting of the Seattle LGBT Romance Reader Group! Thank you to everyone who joined us! 😀

September 20, 2014 – Gay Romance Northwest Meet-Up

Seattle Central Public Library

The second annual Gay Romance Northwest Meet-Up was held on Saturday, September 20, 2014 at the Seattle Central Public Library. GRNW 2014 featured a full day of conference activities that focused on LGBTQ romance fiction, morning writing workshops, pitch sessions with publishers, reader meet-ups, and a post-conference book fest and after party for book signings, mingling, and author readings.

Visit the conference page for more info.

See the 2014 GRNW Program Schedule!

For authors, learn more about the 2014 Publisher Pitch Sessions.

Join our GoodReads group to follow news and updates about the 2014 conference, or check out the GRNW Authors page to see the over 50 LGBTQ romance authors who are attending.

RSVP on GoodReads and Facebook.

September 19, 2014 – Pre-Conference Reading Event!

Queerly Yours: A Celebration of LGBTQ Fiction

7:00pm – University Book Store (University District Location)

Gearing up for the Sept. 20 conference “2014 Gay Romance Northwest Meet-Up” at the Seattle Central Library, GRNW presented a special reading event at the University Book Store with four authors attending the Meet-Up—E.E. Ottoman, Jordan Castillo Price, Radclyffe, and Rick R. Reed. From coming-of-age stories to paranormal mysteries to contemporary romances, each writer shines a spotlight on LGBTQ lives, loves and relationships, and promotes the theme that there’s Happily Ever After for everyone.

Rose Christo had to unfortunately cancel her Seattle trip this year and was unable to participate in the reading.

RSVP on Facebook.

Visit the University Book Store to learn more!

June 25, 2014 – Write with Pride

7pm – Gay City (Calamus Auditorium, 517 E. Pike Street, Seattle)

If you could go back in time and talk with your past self, what would you say?

Join us on Wednesday, June 25 at Gay City’s Calamus Auditorium for an evening celebration as LGBTQ writers from across the community perform messages to our futures and to our pasts, a night of spoken and written words that share our hopes and reflect on how our hopes change.

Write with Pride performers include Lambda Literary winner Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore, spoken word performer Roma Raye, Pride Foundation’s Gunner Scott, The Seattle Lesbian’s Sarah Toce, and more!!

Join us for this fantastic evening as writers and voices from across the LGBTQ spectrum and across generations come together to celebrate looking back and looking forward with love, respect, hope, strength, and pride.

This event is hosted by Gay City and Old Growth Northwest’s Gay Romance Northwest initiative. Contact Susan Rees at susan@gaycity.org for any questions about Write with Pride.

Visit Gay City to learn more or RSVP on Facebook for this event!

About the Performers

Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore is most recently the author of a memoir, The End of San Francisco, winner of a 2014 Lambda Literary Award. Sycamore is also the author of two novels and the editor of five nonfiction anthologies, most recently Why Are Faggots So Afraid of Faggots?: Flaming Challenges to Masculinity, Objectification, and the Desire to Conform, an American Library Association Stonewall Honor Book. Mattilda is currently finishing a third novel, Sketchtasy.

Roma Raye is a teacher, parent, partner, burly butch poet who lives in a little house in the suburbs of Seattle. She has a best friend who she make pacts with when things get to be too much. Roma reads comic books, believes in Disneyland, owns a little faith and keep her confidence stashed in an old tin lunch box. She is currently accepting applications from places that wish to employ her.

Gunner Scott: Trading in the Northeast for the Northwest, Gunner left Boston with his two cats and his husband for Seattle’s music scene, dog friendly culture (promptly adopting Betty, a rescue dog), and Pride Foundation. Previously, he was the executive director of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition where he led the successful Transgender Equal Rights campaign which added non-discrimination protections for transgender youth, adults, and families in Massachusetts. Gunner brings over a decade of experience leading change in the LGBTQ community along with extensive experience in training and curriculum development, program management, public education and legislative campaigns, fundraising, and communications. Gunner believes that equality should know no boundaries, including state lines, city limits, or rural routes and Pride Foundation’s work will help to advance equality for LGBTQ youth, adults and families across the Northwest.

Sarah Toce: Award-winning journalist Sarah Toce has interviewed and profiled many of the world’s most influential players ranging from high-level politicians to A-list celebrities, health experts, and key civil rights advocates. She is the founder and publisher of Seattle’s only lesbian-fronted magazine – The Seattle Lesbian. In its first year alone, The Seattle Lesbian reached a threshold of one million readers on a global scale. In 2014, Sarah attended a national journalists convening in Washington, D.C. where she joined top LGBT media publishers and reporters in visiting the White House. She also began writing for Huffington Post Gay Voices.

June 24, 2014 – Old Growth Northwest Reading and Open Mic

7:00pm – 9:00pm (Jewel Box Theater, 2322 2nd Ave, Seattle WA 98121)

Suggested Donation: $5

Old Growth Northwest is proud to present a new volume of our Reading & Open Mic Series for June. Our headlining readers will three local authors assembled from across the city: Treg Isaacson, Amber Nelson, and GRNW 2014 author Rick R. Reed.  Read more about our authors below:

Rick R. Reed is all about exploring the romantic entanglements of gay men in contemporary, realistic settings. While his stories often contain elements of suspense, mystery and the paranormal, his focus ultimately returns to the power of love. He is the author of dozens of published novels, novellas, and short stories. He is a three-time EPIC eBook Award winner (for Caregiver, Orientation and The Blue Moon Cafe). His novel, Raining Men, won the Rainbow Award for Best Contemporary General Fiction. Lambda Literary Review has called him, “a writer that doesn’t disappoint.” Rick lives in Seattle with his husband and a very spoiled Boston terrier. He is forever “at work on another novel.”

Amber Nelson is the co-founder and poetry editor of alice blue review. She is also the founding editor of two presses, alice blue books and shotgun wedding, and the author of the Dutch Baby Combo, as well as three previous chapbooks. Elizabeth Robinson described the poems of her recent collection In Anima: Urgency as “distinct and densely sounded lyrics [that] seem at first to come from another age, to rhyme and pun with another language.”

Treg Isaacson is a psychotherapist at a university student health center. He lives in Seattle and plays in an African Marimba Band. He has been published in the Monarch Review.

Visit Old Growth Northwest to learn more or RSVP on Facebook!

June 14, 2014 – Seattle LGBT Romance Reader Group

1pm – Cafe at Gay City, 517 E. Pike Street, Seattle

Thanks to all who joined us on June 14 for our Seattle LGBT Romance Reader Group meeting at the café at Gay City! It was a great time, and we loved chatting about our favorite books with you!

Visit the Seattle LGBT Romance Group thread on GoodReads for more news about upcoming meetings.

June 8 – Old Growth Northwest Anniversary Party!

4pm – 7pm – Vermillion Art Gallery, 1508 11th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

Tickets: $25

Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate Gay Romance Northwest’s hosting organization, Old Growth Northwest, for their first year of programming on June 8th! Old Growth held the event at the Vermillion Art Gallery in Capitol Hill from 4-7pm.

The event will included:

• Featured readings and presentations from the literary programs of Old Growth Northwest, including a presentation on Gay Romance Northwest and readings by GRNW 2014 authors Laylah Hunter and Andrea Speed.
• A Writing On The Wall installation
• A raffle event to fundraise for the upcoming year
• Dessert and appetizers

Book Drive:

• In support of Old Growth’s partner, University Beyond Bars, Old Growth held a book drive for students of their prison workshops. Books will be donated to the University Beyond Bars library for use by all students at Monroe Correctional Complex.

Visit Old Growth Northwest to learn more.

June 5, 2014 – Love with Pride: A Celebration of LGBTQ Romance Fiction

Reading Event with Nick DiMartino, Daisy Harris, J. Tullos Hennig, and Laylah Hunter

7:00pm – University Book Store (University District Location)

On Thursday, June 5, GRNW and the University Book Store celebrated Pride month and LGBTQ love stories with a special reading event with four northwest writers—Nick DiMartino, Daisy Harris, J. Tullos Hennig, and Laylah Hunter. Whether they explore romance in the modern day or medieval times, each author shines a spotlight on LGBTQ relationships and the universality of love.

(Due to unforeseen circumstances, Jove Belle and Kade Boehme were no longer able to attend this reading.)

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Nick DiMartino has had over twenty plays in full-run productions across the United States. He’s been the campus book-buyer for the University Book Store at the University of Washington for over forty years, hosts two book clubs, and reviews international fiction online for Shelf Awareness. His books include: Student Union, The Devil in Love, Joseph Golem, Women Who Can’t Stop Talking, Love in the American Empire, Pineapple Moon, Changes, Dude, Ghost Novels, Christmas Ghost Story, University Ghost Story, Seattle Ghost Story, Memoirs, Mars versus Maple School, and Throw Me Among My Own

Daisy Harris lives in Seattle in a house full of dogs and children. When she’s not writing gay romance, she can be found experimenting with new ways to cook kale. Every once in a while, she goes out to pay homage to the party of gods of her youth—and maybe to find a little trouble. She is the author of multiple gay romance novels including From the Ashes, After the Rain, Nothing but Smoke, and the Men of Holsum College series.

J Tullos Hennig has had varied professions over a lifetime—artist, dancer, teacher, equestrian—but has never successfully managed to not be a writer. J Tullos is blessed with an understanding spouse, kids, and grandkids, and is alternately plagued and blessed with a small herd of horses and a geriatric collie…. Hennig’s works include the novels Greenwode and Shirewode. Greenwode was a 2013 Rainbow Award winner for Best B/T & LGBT Fantasy, Paranormal Romance & Sci-fi / Futuristic.

Laylah Hunter writes speculative fiction, often queer, often erotic, often concerned with power dynamics, and sometimes all of those things at once. Hunter’s mild-mannered alter ego has a day job in one of the driest and stuffiest corners of the publishing industry, a video game habit, and two cats who consistently fail their aloofness checks. Hunter writes best on rainy days and is powered mostly by lattes, which made moving to Seattle a wise career choice.

Visit the University Book Store for more info.

RSVP for this reading on Facebook.

May 9, 2014 – Lambda Literary Finalists Reading with LC Chase

7pm – Elliot Bay Book Company (1521 Tenth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122)

This evening we celebrated with Northwest writers who are finalists for the 2014 Lambda Literary Awards, honoring books published in 2013. The Lambda Literary Awards celebrate the best lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender books of the year.

Readings included: Nicola Griffith, finalist in Bisexual Fiction, with Hild (Farrar, Straus & Giroux), Chavisa Woods, for The Albino Album (Seven Stories Press) for Lesbian Fiction; Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore, for The End of San Francisco (City Lights), for Transgender Nonfiction; Amber Dawn for How Poetry Saved My Life (Arsenal Pulp), Lesbian Memoir; Roma Raye for This Assignment Is So Gay: LGBTIQ Poets on the Art of Teaching, edited by Megan Volpert, (Sibling Rivalry Press); L.C. Chase, Pickup Men (RipTide) for Gay Romance; and editor Evan Peterson and contributors to Ghosts in Gaslight, Monsters in Steam: Gay City 5 (Minor Arcana Press).

We’re excited to join GRNW 2014 author LC Chase for this wonderful event!

Visit the Elliot Bay Book Company to learn more or RSVP on Facebook

May 4, 2014 – Andrea Speed at the Parkland/Spanaway Pierce County Library!

2:00pm – 3:30pm – 13718 Pacific Ave. S., Tacoma 98444

GRNW 2014 author Andrea Speed stopped by the Parkland/Spanaway Pierce County Library to discuss her popular paranormal fiction series, Infected. She shared what inspired her to become an author, her experiences with the writing and publishing process and her other works of fiction.

Visit the Parkland/Spanaway Pierce County Library to learn more.

April 30, 2014 – The Queer Detective: Discovering LGBTQ Mysteries and Suspense

Reading Event with Nicole Kimberling, Lori L. Lake, and Lou Sylvre

7pm – Seattle Central Public Library (Microsoft Auditorium, 1000 4th Ave.)

Murder, theft, cons and crimes shadow the streets within a mystery novel, but thankfully for its innocent denizens, there’s a hero or heroine on the case, striking fear into villains and solving the toughest of puzzles, all while alluding danger and living out of the closet.

“Queer” detectives, investigators, and mysteries solvers are not new to the noir world. Protectors of its dark cityscapes include such literary LGBT luminaries as Joseph Hansen’s dogged investigator Dave Brandstetter, Nicola Griffith’s steely heroine Aud Torvingen, and Josh Lanyon’s inquisitive bookseller Adrien English.

Join us at the Seattle Library’s Central Branch for an evening reading with three northwest writers who spotlight crime solvers who find the culprit and celebrate LGBT love and relationships. This reading event will include Lambda Literary winner Nicole Kimberling (Bellingham Mysteries), Rainbow Award winner Lori L. Lake (Gun Shy) and Lou Sylvre (Loving Luki Vasquez).

This event was hosted by The Seattle Public Library, Gay City Health Project, and the Gay Romance Northwest Meet-Up.

About the Authors:

Nicole Kimberling lives in Bellingham, Washington with her partner, Dawn Kimberling, two bad cats and countless mosquitos. She is the author of various speculative fiction titles as well as a contemporary romantic mystery series Bellingham Mysteries. Her first novel, Turnskin, won the Lambda Literary Award for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. She is also the editor of the Bellingham press Blind Eye Books.

Lori L. Lake is an Oregon writer, teacher, speaker, and author of mystery, drama, romance, and general fiction, most of which is about lesbian protagonists. Her work includes the “Gun” police quadrology, The Public Eye Mystery Series, three standalone drama/romances, two short story collections, the Lambda Literary finalist anthology The Milk of Human Kindness, and the WWII novel Snow Moon Rising.

Lou Sylvre hails from southern California but now lives and writes on the rainy side of Washington State. When she’s not writing, she’s reading fiction from nearly every genre, romance in all its tints and shades, and the occasional book about history, physics, or police procedure. She pens the Vasquez & James mystery series from Dreamspinner Press, which include Loving Luki Vasquez, Delsyn’s Blues, Finding Jackie, and Saving Sonny James.

Visit the Seattle Public Library to learn more!

Join this event on Facebook!

April 27, 2014 – Portland LGBT Romance Reader Group Meeting (with Dreamspinner visitors!)

1:30pm – Tangier on Pine Street, 221 SW Pine St, Portland, OR

It was an excellent meeting of the Portland LGBT Romance Reader Group meeting on Sunday, April 27, which happened to coincide with the tail-end of the Dreamspinner Press writers workshop that was in Portland this year!

And thank you to all the wonderful writers who joined us! Lynda Aicher, Sue Brown, Elizah J. Davis, Charley Descoteaux, Kim Fielding, Rhys Ford, LE Franks, Andrew Gordon, Amelia Gormley, Andrew Grey, Morticia Knight, Amy Lane, Pearl Love, EM Lynley, Rowan McAllister, Tere Michaels, Devon Rhodes, EJ Russell, B. Snow, Anne Tenino, Jonathan Treadway, and K.C. Wells!

And thank you always to the amazing Lori for doing such an amazing job organizing our Portland activities!

Visit the Oregon LGBT Romance Group thread on GoodReads for more news about the event.

April 12, 2014 – Seattle LGBT Romance Reader Group (Cafe at Gay City, Seattle)

Another great meeting of the Seattle LGBT Romance Reader Group! Thank you to everyone who joined us! 😀

March 20, 2014 – Drawn To Diversity: Queer Sexuality, Identity, and Humanity in Comics

7pm – Gay City (Calamus Auditorium, 517 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122)

If you haven’t been to a comics shop since you were a kid (or ever), you might not be aware that comics long ago burst out of their kiddie-friendly confines, and now often attempt to speak to the complexity and diversity present in the adult world. One sign of that maturing of the comics industry is the vibrant queer comics community, which is representing the diversity of the LGBTQ community with more fierce honesty and eloquence every year.

Join Northwest Press publisher Charles “Zan” Christensen, editor of the recent anthology Anything That Loves, and a panel of comics and writers as they discuss how they use the medium to speak about their lives and their community, and what the future holds for comics. Presented in partnership with Queer Geek and Gay Romance Northwest Meetup.

Drawn to Diversity Panel

Charles “Zan” Christensen is a guy who writes and publishes comics. He was the founding President of the nonprofit organization Prism Comics, which supports LGBT comics, creators and readers. He currently heads up Northwest Press. He lives in Seattle.

David Kelly is the creator of Rainy Day Recess: The Complete Steven’s Comics. His work has appeared in numerous zines and anthologies including QU33R, Juicy Mother, Gay Comics, and Boy Trouble. David is currently working on a new graphic novel and seeking a MFA in Comics at California College of the Arts. Get acquainted with David’s work at rainydayrecess.com.

Ashley “Nerdtastic” Cook lives in the wonderfully geeky city of Seattle where she writes about comics, tabletop RPGs, story games, and video games. She is active in the local gaming community and plans events for Queer Geek!, including a monthly Ladies Gaming Night. She speaks on panels at various conventions on topics related to comics and gaming. She also recently had her first comics work published in the Northwest Press anthology Anything That Loves. Catch up with Ashley at nerdtastic.org.

Christopher “Stu” Lange is the creator of the local queer comic Capitol Hillbillies that’s been going strong for over 5 years. He strives to put his passions and hobbies into his art, including video games, lasting friendships, sexual awareness and education, and butts. Lots of butts. Chris graduated from the Evergreen State College and continues to call Capitol Hill his home. You can see his comic work at capitolhillbilli.es and other work at stereotype-studio.com.

Visit Northwest Press to learn more.

March 8, 2014 – Seattle LGBT Romance Reader Group (Cafe at Gay City, Seattle)

Thanks for everyone who joined us at the café at Gay City on Saturday, March 8 at 1:00pm for the third meeting of the Seattle LGBT Romance Reader group, where readers can come discuss their fave LGBT romance books! It was an excellent, plus a great excuse to check out the Gay City library surplus book sale!

Special Stuff: We had some FREE BOOKS to give away to attendees, including books by GRNW 2014 authors Rick R. Reed, M.J. O’Shea, and Kim Fielding, thanks to the wonderful people from Dreamspinner Press!

Time: 1pm – 3:00 pm

Visit the Seattle LGBT Romance Group thread on GoodReads for more news about the event.

Join this event on Facebook and GoodReads.

February 21, 2014 – Gaylaxy Quest: A Celebration of Queer Sci-Fi & Fantasy Fiction

Reading Event with Astrid Amara, Ginn Hale, Laylah Hunter, and Samuel Jarius Pettit

7pm – Gay City (Calamus Auditorium, 517 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122)

Gay City, Queer Geek, and Gay Romance Northwest are partnering together for a special Gay City “Meet the Author” event with four Washington State writers wh boldly explore star systems and fantasy realms while spotlighting LGBT main characters and relationships.

Join us on Friday, February 21 for Gaylaxy Quest: A Celebration of Queer Sci-Fi and Fantasy for an out-and-proud and out-of-this-world evening of readings by local writers Astrid Amara, Ginn Hale, Laylah Hunter, and Samuel Jarius Pettit. From Lambda Literary-nominated fantasies to taut sci-fi thrillers to racy space romps, each author takes the reader on an exciting, imaginative journey.

The event will start at 7pm and will include readings, a Q&A with the authors, and a post-event reception. The event is free.

About the Authors

Astrid Amara is a Lambda Literary finalist for her fantasy epic The Archer’s Heart, and is known for both her contemporary and speculative romance works, including Policy of Lies, Water, and the urban fantasy anthology Irregulars.

Ginn Hale’s fantasy/steampunk novel Wicked Gentlemen was a Lambda Literary finalist and won the Spectrum Award for best novel. Her other works include the 10-part fantasy epic The Rifter, the two-part fantasy series Lord of the White Hell, and a contributing story in the urban fantasy anthology Irregulars.

Laylah Hunter writes speculative fiction, often queer, often erotic, often concerned with power dynamics, and sometimes all of those things at once. Hunter’s work includes stories in the fantasy anthologies All Wrapped Up and Masks Off Too!

Samuel Jarius Pettit is the author of the sci-fi novel Aklesh. Along with his writing, Pettit has appeared with Seattle Opera, Barrington Stage Company & VT. He teaches at Studio East in Kirkland and has worked regionally as choreographer and director of many stage productions, including Legally Blonde, Oliver, and Pirates of Penzance.

Visit Gay City’s Meet the Author page to learn more.

Join this event on Facebook and GoodReads.

February 13, 2014 – Rainbow Valentine: A Celebration of LGBT Romance Fiction

Reading Event with GRNW’s Daisy Harris, M.J. O’Shea, Rick R. Reed, and Sheri Lewis Wohl

7:00pm – University Book Store (University District Location)

On February 13, readers celebrated love stories with Old Growth Northwest’s Gay Romance Northwest initiative as we presented a special reading event at Seattle’s University Book Store with four Washington State writers—Daisy Harris, M.J. O’Shea, Rick R. Reed, and Sheri Lewis Wohl. Whether they explored the darker edges of love (with vampires), heat up the night (with firefighters), or set the stage for new romance (with pop singers), each author shined a spotlight on LGBT relationships and the universality of love.

Daisy Harris is a retired party girl and science fiction enthusiast who spends most of her time writing sexy romance and plotting the fall of Western civilization. She is the author of multiple gay romance novels including From the Ashes, After the Rain, and the Men of Holsum College series.

M.J. O’Shea has been writing romance since algebra class in sixth grade. When she’s not writing, she loves listening to nearly all types of music, painting, and reading great authors. She has written multiple gay romance novels, including One Small Thing, Catch My Breath, and Coming Home.

Rick R. Reed is all about exploring the romantic entanglements of gay men in contemporary, realistic settings. While his stories often contain elements of suspense, mystery, and the paranormal, his focus ultimately returns to the power of love. He is the author of dozens of published novels, novellas, and short stories and is a three-time EPIC eBook Award winner for his novels Caregiver, Orientation, and The Blue Moon Café, and a 2013 Rainbow Award winner for his novel Raining Men.

Sheri Lewis Wohl grew up in northeast Washington State and though she always thought she’d move away, never has.  Despite traveling throughout the United States, Sheri always finds her way back home.  And so she lives, plays, and writes amidst mountains, evergreens, and abundant wildlife. She is the author of multiple lesbian paranormal romance novels, including Crimson Vengeance, Burgundy Betrayal, and Scarlet Revenge.

Visit the University Book Store site to learn more.

Join this event on Facebook or GoodReads.

February 1, 2014 – Seattle LGBT Romance Reader Group Meeting

Time: 1:00pm – 4:00pm (Gay City, Calamus Auditorium)

Address: 517 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122

Thanks to everyone who came out to our second Seattle LGBT Romance Reader Group meeting on Saturday, February 1 at Gay City! It was great to chat with everyone about their fave books and meet new readers. And congrats to reader Felicia for winning the gift certificate to Samhain Publishing!

Visit the Seattle LGBT Romance Group thread on GoodReads for more news about the event.

January 11, 2014 – Oregon LGBT Romance Reader Meeting – Portland

3:00pm – 8:00pm (Courtyard Portland City Center)

Address: Courtyard Portland City Center, 550 SW Oak Street, Portland, Oregon 97204

Thank you to everyone who joined us on January 11 at the Courtyard Marriott in Portlant for the first meeting of our Oregon LGBT Romance Reader group!. It was a wonderful event dedicated to LGBT romance, where readers and writers came together to discuss their fave LGBT romance books (and meet some new friends!)

Visit the Oregon LGBT Romance Group thread on GoodReads for more news about the event.

November 9, 2013 – Seattle LGBT Romance Reader Meeting

1:00pm – 2:30pm (Gay City, Calamus Auditorium)

Address: 517 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122

We celebrated our first Seattle LGBT Romance Reader Group meeting on Saturday, November 9 at Gay City. Thank you to everyone who came and chatted about LGBT romance books! And congrats to Jerina for winning the gift card to Less Than Three Press!

Thanks also to Seattle Public Library’s Marlene Harris who gave the keynote address at the 2013 GRNW Meet-Up on Sept. 14, and who was our special guest for this meeting.

Visit the Seattle LGBT Romance Reader Group thread on GoodReads to learn more about this event.

September 14, 2013 – Gay Romance Northwest Meet-Up

12:00pm – 8:00pm (Seattle Central Public Library; Hotel Monaco)

Save your seat now for the Gay Romance Northwest Meet-Up on Saturday, September 14 at the Seattle Central Library!

This half-day conference is open to the public and will feature panel discussions with Gay Romance authors and publishers, Q&As with the audience, and a post-event happy hour across the street at the Hotel Monaco for more mingling, book signings, author readings, and giveaways.

Schedule of GRNW Events for September 14

Gay Romance Northwest Meet-Up
(Seattle Central Public Library, 1000 4th Ave.)

Registration: 12pm-1pm, Microsoft Auditorium
Panel Discussions: 1pm-5pm, Microsoft Auditorium

View the Programming Schedule

Gay Romance Northwest Meet-Up Happy Hour
(Hotel Monaco, 1101 4th Ave.)

Happy Hour: 5pm-8pm, Paris Ballroom
Author Signings and Meet & Greet: 5:30pm-6:30pm
“5 Minutes in Heaven” Author Readings: 6:30pm-7:30pm

Conference passes include admission to both the Meet-Up at the Library and the Happy Hour at the Hotel Monaco. Buy your ticket now.

Join the event on Facebook and GoodReads.

September 13, 2013 – A Happily Ever After for All: Presenting Four Gay Romance Northwest Meet-Up Authors

Reading Event with GRNW’s Megan Derr, Andrea Speed, Ethan Stone, and Anne Tenino

7:00pm – University Book Store (University District Location)

Old Growth Northwest presents a special GRNW reading event with four authors attending the Sept. 14 Gay Romance Northwest Meet-Up—Megan Derr, Andrea Speed, Ethan Stone, and Anne Tenino. From paranormal mysteries to comedic romances, each writer shines a spotlight on LGBT love and relationships, and promotes the theme that there’s a Happily Ever After for everyone.

Megan Derr is a long-time resident of gay romance fiction, and keeps herself busy reading, writing, and publishing it. She is often accused of fluff and nonsense. She is the head of operations for the independent publisher Less Than Three Press, and is the author of multiple novels including Dance with the Devil, Prisoner, and the Missing Butterfly.

Andrea Speed was born looking for trouble in some hot month without an R in it. She’s the author of the paranormal mystery series Infected for Dreamspinner Press, which is now at volume #7, Undertow, and the Josh of the Damned series for Riptide Publishing. In her spare time, she arms lemurs in preparation for the upcoming war against the Mole Men. Viva la revolution!

Ethan Stone is a single father with a wonderful and aggravating teenage son. He also has a Pomeranian who thinks he’s a Pitbull and a Corgi who think he’s God. Stories starring gay men have always been in his head, but he thought they would always be relegated to erotica websites. And then he discovered the wonderful world of gay romance publishing. His novels include Wolf Moon, Past Tense, and the mystery series In the Flesh.

Anne Tenino was raised on a steady media diet of Monty Python, classical music, and the visual arts. She rocked the mental health world when she was the first patient diagnosed with Compulsive Romantic Disorder. Since that day, Anne has taken on conquering the gay romance world through therapeutic writing. Her novels include Too Stupid to Live, Frat Boy and Toppy, Sweet Young Thang, and 18% Gray.

Select books by each author will be available for purchase at the event.

Visit the University Book Store to learn more.

Join this event on Facebook and GoodReads.

September 5, 2013 – Love is Love: Four Authors who celebrate Gay Romance

Reading Event with GRNW’s Kade Boehme, Daisy Harris, Lou Sylvre, and Rick R. Reed

7:00pm – University Book Store (University District Location)

Old Growth Northwest presents a special GRNW reading event with four Washington state writers—Kade Boehme, Daisy Harris, Rick R. Reed, and Lou Sylvre. Whether they write taut thrillers or powerful romances, each author shines a spotlight on LGBT relationships and the universality of love.

Kade Boehme is a southern boy without the charm, but all the sass. Currently residing in Seattle, he lives off of ramen noodles and too much booze. He is the author of the novel Don’t Trust the Cut, and the novellas You Can Still See the Stars in Seattle and Wide Awake.

Daisy Harris is a retired party girl and science fiction enthusiast who spends most of her time writing sexy romance and plotting the fall of Western civilization. She is the author of multiple gay romance novels including From the Ashes and the Men of Holsum College series.

Rick R. Reed is all about exploring the romantic entanglements of gay men in contemporary, realistic settings. While his stories often contain elements of suspense, mystery, and the paranormal, his focus ultimately returns to the power of love. He is the author of dozens of published novels, novellas, and short stories and is a three-time EPIC eBook Award winner for his novels Caregiver, Orientation, and The Blue Moon Cafe.

Lou Sylvre hails from southern California but now lives and writes on the rainy side of Washington State. When she’s not writing, she’s reading fiction from nearly every genre, romance in all its tints and shades, and the occasional book about history, physics, or police procedure. She pens the Vasquez & James mystery series from Dreamspinner Press, which include Loving Luki Vasquez, Delsyn’s Blues, and Finding Jackie.

Select books by the authors will be available for sale at the event.

Visit the University Book Store to learn more.

Join this event on Facebook and GoodReads.

July 25, 2013 – Zero Gravity’s Rainbow: Four Writers who blend Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Gay Romance

Reading Event with GRNW’s Astrid Amara, Angela Benedetti, Ginn Hale, and Laylah Hunter

7:00pm – University Book Store (University District Location)

Gearing up for the Sept. 14 conference Gay Romance Northwest Meet-Up at the Seattle Central Library, Old Growth Northwest presented four Washington state writers—Astrid Amara, Angela Benedetti, Ginn Hale, and Laylah Hunter, who explore new and future worlds in their writing while prominently including gay characters and gay romantic relationships.

Astrid Amara is a Lambda Literary finalist for her fantasy epic The Archer’s Heart, and is known for both her contemporary and speculative romance works, including Policy of Lies, Water, and the urban fantasy anthology Irregulars.

Angela Benedetti lives in Seattle with her husband, and shares a skull with a small horde of diverse other people. She pens the Sentinels urban fantasy series, which includes a selection of short stories and two novels, A Hidden Magic and Emerging Magic.

Ginn Hale’s fantasy/steampunk novel Wicked Gentlemen was a Lambda Literary finalist and won the Spectrum Award for best novel. Her other works include the 10-part fantasy epic The Rifter, the two-part fantasy series Lord of the White Hell, and a contributing story in the urban fantasy anthology Irregulars.

Laylah Hunter writes speculative fiction, often queer, often erotic, often concerned with power dynamics, and sometimes all of those things at once. Hunter’s work includes stories in the fantasy anthologies All Wrapped Up and Masks Off Too!

Visit the University Book Store to learn more.

Join this event on Facebook and GoodReads.