RWA Librarian's Day, Panel: Focus on Historical Romance

Focus on Historical Romance

 Speakers: Suzanne Enoch, Karen Hawkins, Sabrina Jeffries & Julia London

Left to Right: RWA's Stefani Fry, Suzanne Enoch, Julia London, Sabrina Jefferies, and Karen Hawkins.

This was the second panel of the day. Four well-known historical authors came to talk about the genre. Again, I did my best to transcribe, but these ladies were having a great time so there was a lot of laughter and Julia London's voice didn't project as well as the others. Please comment with questions.

Stefani from RWA was the moderator and to kick things off, she asked the speakers about their upcoming works.

Suzanne Enoch: Next book in Scandalous Brides series (women who've opened gentleman's club in London). Talking about cover art.

Julia London: Last Debutante comes out in Feb.

Sabrina Jeffries: Next book out in October.

Karen Hawkins: September. More of a romantic comedy.


Why historical in particular, why romance?

Suzanne: Big reader, read Anne McCaffrey as a youngin'. She started writing regency romance. "Even though it's only a ten year period, there's nothing like it." There are a lot of more dukes in romances than in reall life. As long as no one does census, we'll be alright

Julia: Also big reader. Didn't really think about genre right away. Judith McNaught.

Sabrina: When in college, she hated history. Nothing about how people lived. Really interested in social history, rather than dry dates & times. Interested in how women lived. Started out with Barbara Cartland. For her, it was always about the romance.

Karen: Used to visit Grandma every Sunday, in order to pass time, she'd beg her family to let her go to library. Georgette Heyer. Read Anne McCaffrey, always like bks with romantic element the best. Loved the historical trappings (dress, etc).

Sabrina: Compares the regency era to the sixties. Much looser, morally speaking, than the following Victorian era.


What do readers say they love about your books and what do they hate about them?

Karen: People didn't like the humor.

Sabrina: Addresses misconception that all historical readers are alike. You can't hand a historical to any historical reader & expect them to like it. Very compartmentalized. Readers take it personally when authors jump time periods. People who are looking for Georgette Heyer and find the bedroom door is wide open. [She's] writing about the exception, not the rule.

Suzanne: She hears about historical inaccuracies. "After a while, I think readers get their knowledge from the romances they read and take it as fact." Frustrating because they are fiction writers.

Sabrina: Rules for formal writing has always been different from conversational  speech. No way to know exactly how people spoke back them, short of time travel.


How strictly do they adhere to historical accuracy?

Sabrina: Use it as a baseline.  Depends on audience. Some people can't read historical inaccuracies because it throws them out of the story. Thinks her readers want the drama over the factual setting.

Julia: Use it for color.

Karen: Glossy version of heroines to make it an entertaining story. Doesn't put in certain facts to keep it enjoyable (sabrina: like the fact no one shaved their legs)



The last question was "who are your must-read authors?" but I was unable to catch anything except for Loretta Chase's Lord of Scoundrels. Georgette Heyer was referenced frequently throughout the panel, though.

RWA Librarian's Day, Panel: Creative Marketing: Connecting Romance Readers and Authors at the Library

Creative Marketing: Connecting Romance Readers and Authors at the Library

Speakers: Amy Alessio, Simone Elkeles, and Susan Gibberman

Amy Alessio, Susan Gibberman, Simone Elkeles

This was the first panel of the 2012 RWA Librarian's Day on July 25th. I had my iPad and transcribed the panel as best I could. These notes are pretty much 'as is' and I may have missed some things. If anyone has any questions, please comment and I'll do my best to answer.

The panel opened with introductions and then segued into each panelist talking about what types of programs they've done in libraries.

Simone does writing programs for kids, not necessarily romance. Emphasized good story is important, not so much genre. Does a lot of programs for school & public libraries. People like to hear stories about being an author. Panels with multiple authors work really well for her. Recently judged a writing contest, short story for YA by public library. Authors and editors appreciate librarians. Authors thinking editors are the gods, but editors thinking librarians are the gods. Promises to try not to swear. Everyone who entered contest got to enter Skype session with her. If you ask, authors will do writing workshop. She never goes to events expecting to sell books, about connecting with authors. Juvie boys love Perfect Chemistry series. Detention centers love her books. Kids on probation will use public libraries. Likes networking with school.

Amy has a lot of teens on advisory board. Unvalentine parties. Mad libs: used pags from romance novels, took key words out. Advisory board has a lot of input into programs. Chocolate tasting programs. Teen chocolate tasting. Good program to kill time and it turned into actual club for various foodstuffs. online teen romance group because teens won.t come in and say they want to read romance. Run by minimally paid volunteer, trivia, quizzes, etc. Hires a YA author to teach teen writing workshops once a month. Favorite writing icebreaker is story round robin.

Susan:  All for Love. Charity event at the library, 100% proceeds went to the American Heart Association. Like a fair. Lasted for 10 years, raised over $25000 dollars. Some people are not great speakers and you don't know this until they show up and start doing. Reiterates, don't intend on selling books, goal is to connect with authors. Library offers free writing seminars. Racy-ish title piques interest, which is necessary when competing with other programs. Cross-promotioon, all five libraries advertise for each other.  Decorating flowerpots/rain barrels, public vote on the best decorated & prize won. Themed contest with books.

Simone handed out free books at a skate park. Enjoys receiving emails from readers who have a personal connection with her books.

The question was asked "What other ways do you market reader's advisory?"

Simone was given books in school she had to read and she hated them, turned her off of reading. So she writes things she wanted to read as a teen. She tells kids who say they hate to read that they'll like her book beccause it's for people who hate to read. Book Tour wanted her to read to Honors English class & she wanted to read for the remedial kids because that's who she connects with. Decided to do a rap video trailer for her book, Perfect Chemistry. Wrote rap, hired producer from Chicago, auditioned actors, & everyone liked it because it didn't take the book seriously. Internet kids, this is how she connects with them. Thinks her heroes are better than Edward. Very picky for role of Alex. Wanted dude from Katy Perry's Hot n Cold video. Found him on Linked In. Put up money to hire him. Dude agreed to do it, "sounds like it'll be  funny." She told producer to take his shirt off despite lack of shirtless scene in book. Found third brother through Facebook, actor in Freedom Writers. Encourage teens to make book trailers. Encourages librarians to reach out to authors.  Also tells librarians to reach out to authors to do guest posts on library blogs.

When Simone spoke about meeting supermodel Alex Rodriguez, Amy held up this huge poster with scenes from trailer.  All of the speakers were excellent, but Simone was particularly funny.

Susan says poll revealed most of her patrons get program information from the main library program guide, which means they have to compete with other programs. Uses HootSuite to manage library twitter accounts because she can schedule tweets. Does a special program guide just for her departments so she can put as much information as she wants.  Get every staff member involved so that if a patron inquires for writing reference materials at ref desk, reference librarian can say , hey, we have these writing workshops.

Robin D. Owens just blew my mind.

I was logged in here because I was going to write something. It might have been about my internship with the literary agent. It could have been about the RITAs. But I had an email in my beta-reading account. So I checked it. And it was Robin D. Owens.

I've actually spoken to Owens in real life, at last year's RWA literacy signing, but my part in the conversation largely consisted of grabbing Heart Journey(which I already owned) from her piles and shoving it in her direction, mumbling 'Sign please. I love your books.' I am hoping to somewhat redeem myself this year. However, I'm irrationally excited about the possibility of an avian Fam, a native species no less, and going by how I already babbled about this to her editor, it doesn't bode well. I foresee myself grabbing Heart Search from her piles (which I already own), shoving it in her direction, and, in a crackly voice, saying 'I can't wait for Heart Secret and a bird Fam, that's so cool, native species too, that's awesome, can't wait to read it. I love your books.'

So when Robin D. Owens sent me an email, let me tell you, my brain just exploded. Especially since it went to my beta-reading account and I didn't realize at first how she got it and my instinctive reaction at seeing her email address was 'I AM NOT BETA-READING FOR ROBIN D OWENS, IT WILL RUIN THE MAGIC AND I'D RATHER CONTINUE TO PESTER BERKLEY FOR ARCS OR SUFFER THE AGONY OF WAITING THAN LOSE THE MAGIC.' Then when I realized she read the review I wrote for Enchanted Again, I freaked again, because I knew I'd been disappointed in the book and WHAT DID I WRITE?!?

Luckily, while I was clear in my disappointment, my die-hard fangirlness tempered my usual bluntness. The review turned out to be more 'The first book was great, I don't know what happened with this one, but it's Robin D. Owens so we'll just not talk about it, m'kay?' than what I probably would have done if it'd been almost any author, i.e. 'Why are her books by Publisher A so much better than her books by Publisher B?' Which, I guess, I just did it, but it's Robin D. Owens, so let's not think about it too hard, m'kay?

Anyway, the email was short and Owens was nice and said she was sorry I didn't like it and directed me to excerpts for the next book. I'm not gonna be reading those excerpts for three reasons.

1. Sometimes I'll read an excerpt, like if it's for book 2 at the end of book 1, but then I'll start reading book 2 when it comes out and I get confused because it'll be familiar. I read at least, at least, 300 books a year. I don't always remember what I've read so if something seems familiar, I have to double-check my GoodReads account to make sure I didn't read it as an ARC or something. Therefore, as a general rule, I don't seek out excerpts.


2. When I do read excerpts from a book, it generally shapes my opinion of the book. So if I wrinkle my nose at the excerpt, I'm likely to pass on the book. Since I've already been disappointed, I don't want to take the chance that something in the excerpt will send up red flags. As long as I don't look, I can continue to live in hope. 


3. A book by Robin D. Owens is on my auto-read list. Smart Bitches, Dear Author, Romantic Times, GoodReads, whoever, could all say Book X by Owens is made from remnants from the Staten Island landfill and sprinkled with bat guano and my reaction will be 'Really? That's kinda extreme. I better read it to find out if it's true.' I might not buy it, but I'd definitely read it. Hell, I'm still up to date on Lora Leigh and Laurell K Hamilton, and I think we can agree some of their books were heavily flavored with bat guano.

Re-reading this post. Was there a point to this? What's a good ending? I don't know. I'm slowly coming down from the high of ROBIN D. OWENS EMAILED ME. *sigh* I'm totally gonna make an ass of myself in July...

Incoming!: RWA 2012

So, my plane for RWA and Anaheim leaves 29 days from today. I am beginning to freak out. You wouldn't think it would be that big of a deal because it's not like I have anything riding on this. I'm not trying to make a sale. My career doesn't rest on making a connection with an agent or an editor. Indeed, aside from attending Librarians' Day on Wednesday, most of my time will be spent at Disneyland.

I think what I'm really worried about is missing something. I haven't been to Disneyland since I was ten and a lot of new things have opened. We are big Disney people so I'm also excited about having the chance to pick up some Disneyland-exclusive merchandise. The summer is the busy season for Disney, of course, so there's a lot of strategy involved to make sure I hit all the important stuff: Cars Land, the Little Mermaid ride, World of Color, the Storybook Canal, etc. My best friend who moved back to CA last October is driving over to join us on Saturday and she's asked me to pick up some things she can't get there (i.e. Dunkin' Doughnuts coffee).

I've been invited to a publisher party and I'm a little apprehensive. What do I say? What do I do? What should I wear? My tentative plan at the moment is to try to hook up with an author I know who's with that house and try to hang out with her. While I don't have a book to sell, I would like to try to network a bit. My future career plans are kinda nebulous, but I definitely want to stay in the book field. Whether that means staying in libraries, jumping to publishing (most likely an editor-type position), or, maybe, thanks to a shiny new internship, trying out agent-hood, I don't know. Therefore, it's important for me to go against type and try to talk to as many people I can. There are going to be a LOT of people in the romance business in a mile and this is a great opportunity. No pressure, right?

Money is also a factor. I'm definitely doing the literacy signing, but the question is how much I can afford to spend. My usual strategy is to go through the author list and figure out which signed book I want the most. I'm also thinking about doing an autograph book. Some bloggers will bring canvas tote bags and have authors sign the bag, then do a giveaway on their blogs. Authors are usually just thrilled that someone knows who they are. It's definitely true that the romance genre is one of the best communities to be a part of.  I can count on one hand the number of people who treated me poorly in one capacity or another. So you wouldn't think I'd be too nervous.

EXCEPT I TOTALLY AM!