Romance Slam Jam 2023 - a pleasant reunion of writers and readers

 

The family reunion we didn’t know we needed.

That's what some attendees called the 2023 virtual Romance Slam Jam conference held last month.

I agree.

As I wrote in my post last month, just before the 2023 convention began, I had not been to a conference of any kind since before the days of covid. And while I am an introvert, there are a few group activities I enjoyed. Hanging around with other writers was one of them. Thus, I decided to give this virtual conference a try. 

Romance Slam Jam gave me three days focused on page-turning romance and women's fiction books showcasing multicultural characters. Things started off early with a bonus session that brought us RomCom Screenwriting Comedy Expert, Steve Kaplan to discuss writing romantic comedy. Although I do not write in that genre, I found the information in that hour-long session extremely helpful in the work I do write. 

That also highlighted one of the issues with the main congerence. Three eight hour plus days of back to back sessions is not easy on my brain. The conference began at noon Eastern Time for three days in a row, with back to back sessions lasting until after eight PM. With no lunch, snack or dinner breaks.  The virtual format meant attendees from multiple time zones. I understand that having attendees in multiple time zones required some compromises. But for me, having to chose between skipping a session (and giving my brain a break) or gobbling food in front of the zoom screen while my butt ached from long hours in the chair, made this a negative. 

I couldn't help contrasting the back-to-back sessions with the way the conference was run in prior, in-person years. Sessions that started early in the morning, nine or even eight am, but which allowed time for lunch and networking breaks, and often included a dinner as part of the conference. And since they added in things like a games night after the last sessions, there was no official time for a dinner break either.  

 Organizers attempted to provide networking opportunities.  There were the games session, a scavenger hunt, and the Pajama Cafe Cliffhanger Night that included readings of steamy passages from some books,  during the evenings, to help simulate the networking available at in-person events. On several occassions, attendees were randomly assigned to small groups for discussion and more networking. Unfortuatly, at least in the groups I was placed in, there was always someone who hogged the limited time available.  

As I said, I am an introvert. At person events I might have managed even less networking. So I give them a B+ for effort. While there was no way to replace the dinner and dance sessions from in-person conferences, and something was lost by not being able to whisper a comment to the person seated next of you, we still laughed and enjoyed being with each other.

Past conferences included tours of the city where the conference was being held, historic information and visits to museums and other landmarks. Yes, that was balanced by not having to travel or stay in a hotel, but I missed those tours. I also missed the meet and greet opportunities with individual authors and their fans. No online bookselling event will ever be the same as walking up to an author’s table to chat and give that author the opportunity to persuade you to buy their book. 

I have spent the time since the conference weighing the good and the less good (I really can't say anything about the conference was totally bad). So ask me if I would do this again, knowing what I know about the cponference now.

Absolutely.  I have already signed up for the 2024 conference.  The craft and business information we got was good. The opportunities to meet with agents and editors at no additional cost, were excellent. At the end, I closed my Zoom window feeling energized, and knowing more than I did when I walked in. 

Romance Slam Jam Convention - 2023

 

I am hyped about attending my first writer's conference in years. Even though this three-day event will be held virtually, I can barely wait for the party to start. 

Romance Slam Jam (RSJ) is a readers and writers event promoting diversity in romance books. The first conference was held in 1995, in response to publishing gatekeepers who used to claim, "People won't buy black romance." Over the years, RSJ has helped demolish many barriers in the Romance Book industry. The conference, and now convention, is designed to provide networking opportunities, education, and support for African American romance writers and readers. Black romance, interracial romance, and LGBTQ+ romance are all part of the convention's focus.

Attending RSJ in the past has always felt like going to a family reunion. Both published and aspiring authors, as well as those who are 100% readers participate. The convention especially welcomes bloggers and reviewers who love romance books and want to meet authors, get free books, and a chance to win book related prizes (including a kindle). All are welcome to join in disussions on discussions on diversity in books, regardless of race and/or role in the publishing industry.

Me with authors KD King and 
Beverly Jenkins at RSJ 2018

In the past, RSJ was held in a variety of cities, including Chicago, Illinois, Dallas, Texas, Los Angeles, California, New Orleans, Louisiana, St. Louis, Missouri, and Detroit, Michigan. Unfortunatly, Covid impacted this event as it did so many others. But now RSJ is back as a virtual event, and I am ready. Entertainment included city and museum tours, dances, and even a dinner - mystery theater night. I have to admit being at home will not match that. 

I am so looking forward to networking with passionate readers, and with other authors who write diverse books. I'm especially looking forward to the pajama party event. The night's schedule includes "cliffhangers," readings from stories that are designed to leave us on the edge of our virtual chairs.  My fingers are crossed that we will achieve some of the energy that the in-person events always produced. 

I have already marked the schedule with the sessions I want to attend and hope to learn from. There is always room for more information on marketing.  The other sessions I am hyped about include workshops on comedy writing, pitcing, deep POV, cultural diversity and LGBTQIA+ romance books. I'm even looking forward to one called "Novel Writing Basics."  It sounds like something for beginners, but every writing workshop I have ever attended has taught me something I could use to improve my own craft.  

There will also be meetings and discussions with publisher representatives from BETHANY HOUSE PUBLISHERS and HARLEQUIN, along with scheduled pitch sessions with several agents and editors.

I admit, three days of Zoom sound a bit overwhelming. But the chance to talk and listen, to discover diverse authors new to me, and talk with readers from across the country, leave me eager to get started.

Bring it on!

PS - I get a box of books sent to me as part of the convention! 

#KwameRules

Hi everyone! I am YA author B A Binns , writer of contemporary and realistic fiction for teens. My tagline tells you what I am about - Stories of Real Boys Growing Into Real Men - and the people who love them. 

This month I'm dishing out inspiration.

On Saturday and Sunday I was privileged to be at the SCBWI winter conference.Yes, it was February in New York and the weather was atrocious. But inside the hotel things were warm, people mingled, and Kwame Alexander gave a speech entitled Dancing Naked On The Floor - How To Say Yes To The Writerly Life.

In case you don't know, Kwame Alexander just won the Newberry Medal for his novel in verse, The Crossover. And I do mean just won, the award was announced the Monday before his Sunday speech.

The SCBWI committee invited him to speak at this conference long ago, and therefore we were the privileged group who saw him  make his first speech post award. He mounted the podium in a new, berry-colored suit. His Newberry suit, he proudly announced.

He kept the audience captivated with details of his agonizing wait for the 6 am call the committee made to the winner, unable to sleep, barely able to think. He turned on TV shows he couldn't remember, eventually giving up and going to bed at seven, certain he'd lost. Just as his wife was comforting him on the loss, the phone rang.

He'd forgotten all about the time zone difference!

When he spoke he was simply awesome, inspiring, riveting...he is a poet after all. He started out writing love poems. He recited a few he used to woo his wife and that generated the kind of feelings 50 Shades only wishes it could. (She is one lucky woman.)


I could have listened to Kwame all night even though the words were meant for someone else. For those of us who write romance, consider creating a silver-tongued poetic hero. I'll be standing in line for the release of that book. Yes, I like sports figures, six pack abs and bottomless wallets. But give us a truly heartfelt poem or ballad... But for me, move over, Mr. Grey. I want a man with a Golden Voice who can woo me with the beauty of his words.


Kwame shared his philosophy of always saying "YES" to opportunity.

• YES when offered a job reading poetry to kids in an alternative school (talk about the blackboard jungle)
• YES to reciting poetry to a church congregation. The minister didn't know Kwame specialized in love poems. he was appalled, the church women demanded more.
• Most of all, he said YES when asked to write for children.

The Crossover is one of many results of that decision. Kwame spoke eloquently about the years of effort that went into that book.  He listened when editors told him it needed something more, even when they could not tell him exactly what that elusive something was. He even hired a writing coach to work with him for almost a year on the book stating that he didn't pay her nearly enough for all the work she did with him. In the end he knew he had something awesome and was preparing to self-publish if necessary. Then, a publisher said YES.

Audience members spent the time tweeting his pearls of wisdom, sending the hashtag #KWAMERULES viral.  His philosophy about saying YES, and the need for a community of people around you who will tell you the truth, even (maybe especially) when you don't want to hear it.

There were other speakers during the weekend. We had Q/A sessions with panels of Publishers, and

then Agents. I attended a late-night get-together of LGBTQ writers, illustrators and interested parties. We were treated to a talk by Kami Garcia, co-author of Beautiful Creatures who spoke on The Truth About Writing and reminded us that sometimes you have to write for yourself, not for what you think the market wants.  If she had been worried about the market Beautiful Creatures would never have happened. Instead, she took a dare from teenagers and created a book left her with emails from kids who told her the characters reminded them they weren't the only people who ever felt alone

 Even though I'm not a picture book writer or illustrator, I enjoyed the presentation by Herve Tullet on his joy at writing for young children. We ended the conference with a surprise cheer-up talk by Henry Winkler, actor, director and children's book author reminding us why we write and hope to inspire readers.


My favorite quote from the weekend conference: This writing life is not just about sitting in your room with your pencil & paper. It's about going out in the world. #kwamerules

I would love to hear any comments or words of wisdom that have helped you in any endeavor.  Leave  a comment, share with the world.

Inspiration on the Schedule: Hooray for Conferences

By Linda Lovely

Danielle Dahl and me at Booksmith signing.

How does an author who writes romantic suspense and mysteries stay motivated? For me, writers’ conferences and other events that let me spend time with and learn from fellow authors, publishers, agents, editors, law enforcement experts and, yes, readers are a big factor. Today I’m taking an enjoyable look back at the 2014 conferences and author events that kept me inspired and were plain old fun.  Some are annual musts—Georgia RWA’s Moonlight & Magnolias conference in Atlanta, the Writers’ Police Academy (moving to a new Wisconsin home in 2015), and a book signing at The Booksmith, my local independent bookstore in Seneca, SC.

I add other conferences/events as budget and geography allow. For example, in 2015, I’ll attend my first Bouchercon. It’s in Raleigh, NC, the first time this huge conference will be held in driving distance.

For authors making up their 2015 wish lists, here’s what I enjoyed most about the 2014 conferences/events I attended.     

February: Murder in the Magic City & Murder on the Menu  This is an Alabama double-header. Authors spend one day in Birmingham, the next in Wetumpka.  I drove down with several author friends and we had a grand time. The hosts treat every author like he/she is a NYT best-seller. It’s a great chance to meet and talk with readers as well as fellow authors. I offered a character name as an auction item to raise money for the library and I’ve had great fun getting to know the winner—Deborah Holt.    

May: SC Book Festival Here’s another opportunity to chat with readers about what characters/ plots/ writing styles they enjoy most and what would make them recommend a book to others. Had lots of fun working the Lowcountry Romance Writers Association booth with fellow romance author Synithia Williams.

June: Sisters in Crime Des Moines  I grew up in Iowa and returned last June for a family celebration—my sister and brother-in-law’s 50^th wedding anniversary. While in state, I was delighted to be asked to speak at a local Sisters in Crime chapter in Des Moines. A very fun and savvy group of writers.

August: Lowcountry RWA In August, I spoke to this chapter about audiobooks. A fun opportunity to spend time with some of my favorite regional authors in one of the South’s premiere cities—Charleston, SC.

September: Writers Police Academy This was my third year at WPA. And, yes, you could go every single year and keep learning every visit. This year I served as Volunteer Staff. As a result, I learned a lot of new skills, including how to register some 250 people for two different events via Constant Contact. As always, Lee Lofland, WPA founder, cajoled an amazing number of experts to help writers separate myth from reality and have hands-on experience in a variety of situations going through some of the same training as police officers. I also met Jeannette Barouth, who was attending from Germany. We bonded over German chocolate and she’s going to translate DEAR KILLER into German for me in 2015.

October: Moonlight & Magnolias This is a great conference. Small enough that you’re not overwhelmed, large enough to attract top-notch speakers and publishing professionals. If you live in the South and write in any genre that includes a dash of romance, this is my number one recommendation for a conference.

October: SCWW Conference This year’s conference at Myrtle Beach, SC, gave me the opportunity to get to know and pick the brains of two fellow audiobook panelists—Karen White and Elliott Walsh, both talented narrators. Audiobooks are hot, and I’m proud to say all four of my published novels are now available as audiobooks.  K.C. Cowan has been my narrator for all of them and what a joy she is to work with.

November:  Booksmith Book Launch Let’s hear it for independent bookstores! The Booksmith has 

been kind enough to host each of my book launches. They advertise, provide goodies, and hand sell my books. If you’re an author, do yourself a favor and get to know your local bookstores and their staff. But don’t just show up when you have a book to sell. Be a customer! 

Believe me I'm signing up for more inspiration in 2015. So what must conferences/events are on your schedule?