Romantic Comedy
romantic comedy
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Shepherd’s Book Recs: Find Your Next Favorite Book
Love Is an Art Shepherd’s Book Recs: Find Your Next Favorite Book! Shepherd’s ask authors for their book recs, and so it’s a great site to find your next favorite read. They asked me to recommend five of my favorite books around a theme with the release of Love Is an Art. I was so honored.
I love their site. It feels like walking into a bookstore and asking for recommendations and being given so many good ones. As they say, “it’s like wandering the aisles of your favorite bookstore.”
As the founder writes:
To start, I’ve asked 9,000+ authors to share five of their favorite books around a topic, theme, or mood and why they love each book. This infuses each book with magic and meaning.
Then, we give readers fun and unique ways to follow their curiosity down rabbit holes and bump into those books and authors. At every step, you meet the person who recommended that book, the book list it came from, and what they are passionate about.
Ben FoxMy Shepherd’s Book Recs: Find Your Next Favorite Book To Read
If you click on the image above or this link to the site, you can read why I chose the books I did.
I wandered around the site and found so many books to read based on their recommendations. #neverendingTBR Lol.
For example, Partner Pursuit would fit in this list of the Best Chicklit Books on Lawyers from a Former Big Law Attorney. If you liked Partner Pursuit, you might want to check these books out. Or if you’ve read any of those books (which includes The Undomestic Goddess and Emily Giffin’s Something Borrowed), then you will probably also like Partner Pursuit.
Fun to Explore: What other authors liked Sophie Kinsella?
There are so many fun ways to explore the site. For example, I searched for other authors who’d chosen The Undomestic Goddess as one of their favorite books. I found the list above, but also a list by Octavia Butler of The Best, Romance, Chicklit and Women’s Fiction Books.
Love Is an Art is also featured on the RNA Blog!
Love Is an Art is also featured on the Romantic Novelists Association Blog, along with an interview of me giving writing tips and explaining how my journey to publishing. I think most of you know that I was in the RNA’s New Writer’s Scheme. I cannot recommend that highly enough to unpublished writers. It really made me so happy to see one of my books featured on the RNA Blog. They also asked me what was the inspiration behind Love Is an Art and what was the hardest part of the book to write.
Let’s Talk
Had you heard of Shepherd’s before? Did you go check it out and find any books to add to your #TBR? And if so, please share in the comments below.
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Love Is an Art! Teaser
Look at this great teaser trailer for Love Is an Art. It’s so clever. I love it!
Love Is an Art Book Trailer Love Is an Art Blurb
Love Is an Art Here’s the blurb:
He hates lawyers. So I’m a lawyer pretending to be an artist. Forgetting one tiny detail: I can’t paint.
Tessa: There’s something about the way the blond guy laughs and leans in to listen. My gaze keeps returning to him.
The only problem is, we’re at an art gallery after work, and I’ve swapped my lawyer suit for a paint-splattered shirt. I’m pretending to be a struggling artist, acting as bait to entice a scammer who conned my friend out of thousands of dollars.
I look pathetic. But still, I approach Hot Guy.
Our glances meet, and an awareness shimmers across. He offers to buy me a drink–we’re definitely flirting–and then he asks me what I do.
Just when Scammer Guy is in earshot.
I have no choice but to say I’m an artist. I can tell Hot Guy later that I’m not.But then he says he hates lawyers.
Now what?
Zeke: She’s the worst artist I’ve ever seen.
And I hate that that makes me suspect that she’s lying to me. After my ex-girlfriend cheated on me, trust is in short supply.
She makes me laugh, and it’s one adventure after another with her. Definitely different from my workaholic lawyer ex.
Maybe it’s time to give love a second chance.
All is fair in love and litigation, but when truth and deception clash, can you trust your heart?
*The romcom books in this series are interconnected standalones set in the same world. Each can be read as a pure standalone with a guaranteed happily ever after.
A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts Audiobook!
My author reading aloud of A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts is now all up on YouTube so you can listen to the whole book read aloud by me there. You can click the image above for the link. It’s like attending an author reading but in the privacy of your home 🙂
Let’s Talk
What are you watching/reading? I’m watching My Demon and Please Marry My Husband (both k-dramas). I’m reading When In Rome by Sarah Adams. And I’m hard at work on my next book.
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MoMA Scavenger Hunt 2023
To celebrate the one-year anniversary of the publication of A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts, I created a new MoMA scavenger hunt 2023 for my readers and my newsletter subscribers! I was amazed at how many pieces of art that were on view for my original scavenger hunt were no longer on exhibit. I held the unofficial scavenger hunt event yesterday at the MoMA.
November 2023 unofficial MoMA Scavenger Hunt
- SECOND FLOOR
- Spiral for Shared Dreams. What is the name of the Aztec Goddess for fresh water, childbirth and sensuality?
- Doors with Bats. When was this work created? What is the name of the artwork?
- THIRD FLOOR
- What was the size of Picasso’s Fontainebleau studio? What is the name of one piece of art he created there?
- A shimmery painting with pink using industrial materials. “The shimmering, reflective surface she created oxidized and eroded, becoming a kaleidoscopic mirror in which we glimpse fragments of ourselves and our surroundings.” Who is the artist?
- Flag. Who is the artist? How many stars?
- Soup cans. How many panels? Why soup cans?
- Dial A Poem. What poet read you a poem?
- 10/27/69. “The works’ tension and free fall—subject to forces beyond the artist’s control—paralleled the social turmoil of the time.” This is part of a series called the Drape paintings. What is the name of the artist?
- Go for a swim. Take a photo in this room of cut-outs.
- FOURTH FLOOR
- Fish. What is the date of creation?
- In A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts, Kiara and Finn enter a room called Motion and Illumination. A video fills a large screen hanging from the ceiling, with a “flying train,” inviting the viewer into a twisting aerial view of a street from 1902. What country is this filmed in?
- Pines and Rocks. When did MoMA acquire this work?
- An artist known for colorful paintings (sometimes with cows in them) who interweaves many of the visual elements of Cubism, Fauvism, Symbolism and Surrealism. What is the name of one of his paintings with a cow in it?
- Henri Matisse. Construction by Means of Color. A painting with a red ball flower. What’s the name of the painting?
- A bicycle wheel. Who is the artist? What is the date?
- Charlie Chaplin becomes a cog in this machine. What is the name of the film?
- Hotel Sauce Pots. What’s the name of the hotel?
- In what room are the water lilies?
- Luncheon in Fur. What is the actual name of this artwork and artist? What is the date of creation?
- They did not always leave . . . Who is the artist? What is the painting showing? What painting is underneath it?
- FIFTH FLOOR
- OOF. What colors are in this painting? What is the year of creation?
- ***Which of the above works of art are mentioned in A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts?***
Thank you so much for participating in this unofficial scavenger hunt to celebrate the publication of A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts! It made me so happy to try this out for real 😊
A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts Read Aloud by Author
My author reading of Chapters One and Two of A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts is now up on YouTube! I will release a new chapter every week.
Let’s Talk
Who are some of your favorite artists? I hope you have a wonderful November!
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My Book Boyfriend Blog Tour
Thank you so much to all the bloggers and reviewers on the My Book Boyfriend Blog Tour organized by Rachel’s Random Resources!
It was amazing! Here are some excerpts from the reviews. For the full review, click on the link for each blog.
My Book Boyfriend was such a cozy, lighthearted, and heartwarming read! The bookish theme absolutely won my heart. I was looking for a quick read for my long flight back home for the semester break, and this was just perfect. The story played out like a rom-com movie in front of my eyes. It was so enjoyable!
Lily and Rupert had sizzling chemistry from the very beginning of the story. I really enjoyed seeing how they worked through the conflict that divided them! The witty banter, along with their bookish conversations, just made me melt. One of my favorite parts of the story was the realistic dispute between Lily and Rupert. Many enemies-to-lovers books have a supposed “enmity” just for the sake of it, but the way the trope was implemented in My Book Boyfriend was perfect!
I loved seeing how Lily and her friends came together to save the community garden. The community vibe was present all throughout the story, which made reading it so touching. The NYC setting was such a bonus too!
Highly recommend!
What Irin ReadsMany of the book bloggers have been reviewing my books since the beginning, and it makes me so happy that they keep signing up to review another one. I consider that the hugest compliment! And I’m also so thrilled that new bloggers have signed up.
Reviews from Returning Bloggers
Thank you to Zooloo’s Book Diary for this review: “I devoured this in one setting. I knew I would. Kathy’s writing is so easy to lose yourself into. She writes real characters, whose plight are relatable and generally feel pretty real! I feel like this could be a story your friend is going through. I adore Lily and Rupert.”
As you know, Splashes Into Books always creates a rhyming review–and I’m always blown away by her ability to do that. She called My Book Boyfriend a “fab, fun read.” And here’s part of the review:
“Can she trust him to be true or is he leading her astray,
Can they be together, come what may?
A fun read full of character and dilemmas, too,
Where sometimes you hope your dreams can come true!
For my complimentary copy of this book, I say thank you,
I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and this is my honest review.”
But definitely check out the full poem review at Splashes Into Books!
Tizi’s Book Review brought some tears to my eyes as she wrote: “There are authors that you don’t even need a blurb of their books to know that you will read it anyway. And Kathy Strobos is for sure a great addition to that kind of list of mine!” As did Tara’s Bookish Blog: “Kathy Strobos has proved to me again why she’s one of my go to authors, for HEA, for feeling happy and warm and making the world feel a better place.”
So we were already on a sure thing for me in knowing I’d enjoy this book, but in case these things aren’t ticking your boxes, I shall add that Kathy’s writing is wonderful, it’s engaging, the kind of writing where you forget your reading and two hours later you swear it was only 5 minutes ago you opened the book. She writes fantastic characters, ones I love or fall in love with, never perfect, always realistic, relatable and flawed people you really connect with.
Tara’s Bookish BlogThank you so much to Beauty Addict for this touching review (and definitely check out the rest of her review on her site):
“Having already read and loved Partner Pursuit and Is This For Real? by Kathy Strobos – I knew I was going to love My Book Boyfriend just as much – and I totally wasn’t wrong.
Beauty Addict
My Book Boyfriend is a beautifully written story with fantastic characters – a total must-add to your TBR pile this summer.Thank you so much for these reviews too!
“This was a great summer read, it was a real page turner… A great quick cozy read
https://www.instagram.com/scotsbookworm/This was a cute romance. . . This made me reminisce about all the times I visited my younger sister when she lived in NYC.
https://lisalovesliterature.bookblog.io/Such a cute, easy read with a great take on the enemies to lovers romance trope. . . I flew through this so fast, I was instantly hooked.
https://www.instagram.com/insomniacbookwormbookreviews/Let’s Talk
Thank you again to all the book bloggers! I’m going to do a Part 2 to cover the rest of the reviews. Such positive reviews make it all worthwhile!
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Go on a date with Love Is an Art
Go on a date with Love Is an Art! The paperback is now out on Amazon!
Here’s the blurb:
He hates lawyers. So I’m a lawyer pretending to be an artist. Forgetting one tiny detail: I can’t paint.
Tessa: There’s something about the way the blond guy laughs and leans in to listen. My gaze keeps returning to him. The only problem is, we’re at an art gallery after work, and I’ve swapped my lawyer suit for a paint-splattered shirt. I’m pretending to be a struggling artist, acting as bait to entice a scammer who conned my friend out of thousands of dollars.
I look pathetic. But still, I approach Hot Guy.
Our glances meet, and an awareness shimmers across. He offers to buy me a drink–we’re definitely flirting–and then he asks me what I do.
Just when Scammer Guy is in earshot.
I have no choice but to say I’m an artist. I can tell Hot Guy later I’m not.
But then he says he hates lawyers. Now what?
Zeke: She’s the worst artist I’ve ever seen.
And I hate that that makes me suspect that she’s lying to me. After my ex-girlfriend cheated on me, trust is in short supply.
She makes me laugh, and it’s one adventure after another with her. Definitely different from my workaholic lawyer ex.
Maybe it’s time to give love a second chance.
All is fair in love and litigation, but when truth and deception clash, can you trust your heart?
I’d like to take you on a date with Tessa and Zeke in Brooklyn.
Go on a Date with Tessa and Zeke in Love Is an Art
Zeke and Tessa have their first date in DUMBO, Brooklyn. DUMBO stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. That’s the Manhattan Bridge framed by the buildings.
Then Zeke and Tessa walk down to the waterfront and see this pathway, which has such a beachy feel.
And indeed it leads to beach down by the East River.
From there, let’s head back to the restaurants. Look at that beautiful Dutch architecture. I just love the rounded windows.
And walk up to rooftop of this building. There are more restaurants up top here so Zeke and Tessa grab dinner. Here’s a view out one of the windows.
Here’s one last view to leave you with! But the date continues now with a bike ride. And much more.
Thank you!
Thank you so much to all the readers, reviewers and bloggers who have already left such positive reviews of LOVE IS AN ART. I can’t wait for you to meet Tessa and Zeke!
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She loves her community garden. He wants to bulldoze it.
The short tagline for my next book, My Book Boyfriend, is: “She loves her community garden; He wants to bulldoze it for housing. When feelings grow, will they blossom or turn to rubble?”
A laugh-out-loud, enemies-to-lovers, feel-good romantic comedy! It releases August 10. It will be on sale for 99 cents for August, and then the price will increase to $2.99.
(Thank you to my critique partner, Giulia Skye, for the short blurb, and I highly recommend her books.)
Conflict
In this book, I finally had my two love interests in direct conflict, as recommended by several classes on writing romance. As Linnea Sinclair says in her classes, “conflict is two dogs, one bone.” (I’m excited to take her upcoming classes this August and September.) It certainly makes writing that enemies-to-lovers snappy banter easier. But I have a hard time making them enemies such that they truly hate each other. I still think that the absolute best enemies-to-lovers is Sally Thorne’s The Hating Game.
She Loves Her Community Garden
Community Gardens in New York City – the Elizabeth Street Garden
As a result, I researched community gardens in New York City. The website of the Elizabeth Street Garden in the Little Italy neighborhood of New York City was particularly helpful. Here are some pictures of this lovely garden that is under the threat of demolishment.
We may have had too much fun blurring faces. 
No, the park was not filled with headless zombies! 
This article was also incredibly interesting and full of information: https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/07/us/elizabeth-street-garden-nyc-development-ctrp/index.html
If you read My Book Boyfriend, I think you will recognize many of Lily’s arguments for supporting the garden from the above article.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading all about how Lily loves her community garden and Rupert wants to bulldoze it!
Let’s Talk
What are you reading? What are you watching?
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Caper Crush is on SALE!
Caper Crush, my opposites-attract romantic comedy e-book, is on sale for $0.99 for the first time!
And I’ve created a teaser video, working with the studio, Warraich Group. So much fun!
Here’s the blurb:
Somebody stole my painting! The one I need for the career-defining Vertex Art Exhibit.
I have mere weeks to find my painting or lose my artist dream forever—but it’s going to mean working with William.
William Haruki Matsumura. Good-looking, if you like the Secret Service type. You know, law-abiding, protector of women and children. That’s all fine, but I can never tell what he’s thinking. Which drives me crazy.
He insists on coming along to do “damage control.” As if “accidentally” wandering into certain areas is “breaking and entering.” I may be an emotional artist, but William shouldn’t dismiss my investigative skills yet.
William is definitely my opposite, and if there’s one takeaway from my parents’ divorce, it’s that opposites might attract, but it doesn’t last. But detecting with William is kind of fun—and fluttery. I definitely can’t trust these feelings, or can I? However this caper ends, I think this may be more than a crush.
Caper Crush Is ON SALE and Reaches #27 in Women’s Humorous Fiction! #Top30AmazonBestseller
Here’s a picture of it on the Amazon charts:
Let’s Talk
I really love Caper Crush, and so I’m super happy to see it selling so well now. I definitely think that some scenes were inspired by the k-dramas that I’ve become addicted to 🙂
Anyway, I highly recommend it. And although I may be biased (just a little), it also won an Independent Press Award for Distinguished Favorite in Romantic Comedy. And you can see my previous post here for other reviews.
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My Book Boyfriend!
I’m thrilled to announce that I’m releasing another book, My Book Boyfriend, in a new series, New York Spark on August 10, 2023! Available to pre-order here. And I hope you find many book boyfriends in this series 🙂
Thank you to my newsletter readers for helping me pick the title of my new series.
New York Spark!
Welcome to the New York Spark series! It features a group of friends living in New York City:
Lily – a librarian
Tessa – a lawyer (She is Miranda’s roommate from Caper Crush and Kiara’s sister from A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts)
Iris – A cyber-security analyst
Maddie – a reporter
And more to be determined! One of their favorite places to visit is a bookshop that also serves hot drinks and cookies called Banter & Books. It’s a spin-off series from the New York Friendship Series.
My Book Boyfriend
Tall, dark and handsome. That’s what I thought the first time I saw Rupert Evans in the library.
But then I found out he was the developer who just sent my community garden a cease-and-desist letter because he plans to raze the garden and construct some towering monstrosity there.
The only one who is going to cease and desist is him. That community garden is my found family.
But then he asks me out at book club night.
Suspicious, right?
I’m attractive but I’m not the type hot bachelors are lining up around the block to ask out. Let’s be real. I’m still in the brunch date spot with my next-door neighbor after a year of my pursuing him.
Rupert is trying to butter me up and lead me down the garden path so I concede. Never.
He has no idea what we’ve planned to stop him. Our little community group may look like a bunch of frail roses, but we’ve got thorns. As long as I weed out these pesky feelings for him, I know we can win.
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A Romantic Comedy Distinguished Favorite!
Caper Crush is a 2023 Independent Press Award Romantic Comedy Distinguished Favorite. Woo hoo!
Independent Press Award Distinguished Favorite. In 2023, the INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD had entries worldwide. Authors and publishers from countries such as Australia, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, Norway, Scotland, and South Africa participated. Submitted books included writers based in a variety of cities: Albuquerque, Atlanta, Cape Town, Halifax, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, New York City and many others. Submissions came from well-known indie publishers such as Barefoot Books; Friesen Press; Greenleaf Book Group, Koehler Books; Loyola Press; Merack Publishing; Red Chair Press; Red Hen Press; Rowman & Littlefield; Rutgers University Press; SAE International; She Writes Press; and TouchPoint Press. And now Strawbundle Publishing!
Caper Crush also placed as a QuarterFinalist in the Screencraft Cinematic Book Writing Competition.
Caper Crush is a Quarterfinalist! One day, I hope to write a screen play version.
Caper Crush
Caper Crush is my opposites attract, slow burn romantic comedy caper wtih a mystery.
Here’s the blurb:
Somebody stole my painting! The one I need for the career-defining Vertex Art Exhibit. This upcoming art show is my chance to finally be recognized as an artist—after ten years of waitressing and being asked if I still have that “lovely painting hobby.”
I have mere weeks to find my painting or lose my artist dream forever—but it’s going to mean working with William.
William Haruki Matsumura. Good-looking, if you like the Secret Service type. You know, law-abiding, protector of women and children. That’s all fine, but I can never tell what he’s thinking. Which drives me crazy.
He insists on coming along to do “damage control.” As if “accidentally” wandering into certain areas is “breaking and entering.” I may be an emotional artist, but William shouldn’t dismiss my investigative skills yet.
William is definitely my opposite, and if there’s one takeaway from my parents’ divorce, it’s that opposites might attract, but it doesn’t last. But detecting with William is kind of fun—and fluttery. I definitely can’t trust these feelings, or can I? However this caper ends, I think this may be more than a crush.
K-Drama Recommendations
I’ve also been meaning to write a post with some more K-Drama recommendations. Here are a few new favorites.
Love to Hate You (Netflix)
An enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy. A woman who hates losing to men meets a man (one of the top romantic actors) who she thinks is a misogynist and decides to teach him a lesson.
Call It Love (Viki)
Call It Love Poster Another enemies-to-lovers K-drama. In Call It Love, Woo-joo wants revenge on her father’s mistress and decides to target the son of her father’s mistress. Only he is a good person, and she’s falling in love with him and wants to protect him. I’m watching this one right now and loving it. Kim Young-kwang and Lee Sung-kyung are conveying their characters brilliantly and with such subtle nuance. They are both very talented actors, and their previous shows, Gogh, The Starry Night and Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo, have been among my favorite k-dramas.
Let’s Talk
I’m so thrilled that Caper Crush is a 2023 Independent Press Award Romantic Comedy Distinguished Favorite and that it placed as a quarterfinalist in the Screencraft Cinematic Book Writing Competition.
What are you reading or watching right now?
Happy Spring!
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Happy Valentine’s Day
Happy Valentine’s Day! Is This for Real?, my fake dating, friends-to-lovers romantic comedy, is on sale for 99 cents! It was picked for an Apple, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble promotion!
Here’s the blurb:
Love is all fun and games until somebody gets hurt. Usually, me. I admit it. I’m a relationship recluse. Ironic, given that I write romantic comedies. So, I’m on a sabbatical from dating.
Which is why fake dating my best friend, Rory, is foolproof. Rory suggested it because he needed a date for work functions. And I can use our experiences as fodder for my romcom novel. Plus, my sister doesn’t know it’s not real and she is thrilled that I’m not walling myself off emotionally. Her words, not mine. But I do wish she would stop saying that she always suspected there was something more between me and Rory. She should realize that we’ve been friends forever so I’m immune to his appeal.
We would never work. Rory is such a romantic; he still believes in that perfect love similar to his parents’ marriage. My parents fought bitterly. So, we are better off as friends. I can’t risk losing our friendship, even if this might be my chance—before his ex-girlfriend wins him back.
Those flickers of attraction? Easily extinguished by cold-water reality, like a two-mile hike in drenching rain over sand with wheelie luggage.
But our relationship is not sticking to the plot—or is it?
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When I was on a blog tour for Is This for Real?, one blogger asked who would I cast for Penelope if Is This for Real? was made into a movie. My answer was: I think Lucy Hale would make a great Penelope. If you’ve read it, who would you cast as Penelope or Rory?
Some Movies to Watch for a Happy Valentine’s Day
Love to Hate You promotional poster I really enjoyed two recent movies/TV series: LOVE TO HATE YOU (Netflix) and SHOTGUN WEDDING (Amazon). LOVE TO HATE YOU is a Korean drama about a man who thinks women just marry for money, and a woman who thinks men just use women and hates the patriarchal double standard. I completely binged the latter. It was so good. SHOTGUN WEDDING is about a couple having a destination wedding when their wedding is invaded by pirates!!
Some Book Recommendations for a Happy Valentine’s Day
For YA romantic comedies, I absolutely loved Lynn Painter’s Better than the Movies. It is a perfect YA romantic comedy.
For adult romantic comedies, I recommend ,of course, Is This for Real? or any of my other books. Lol. I plan to read my current draft WIP and Mr. Wrong Number by Lynn Painter. I’m excited!
And if you’re having a Galentine’s Day celebration, I highly recommend The Girl’s Guide to Fishing and Hunting by Melissa Banks, which is on sale for $1.99. It’s one of my favorites.
Writer Plans for a Happy Valentine’s Day?
The Romantic Novelists Association in the UK is having a FREE Mini Virtual LitFest tomorrow on Facebook (and one session on Instagram). The sessions are as follows (in UK time):
10am-11am Respect RomFic
11am-12 noon What Publishers/Editors want
12-1pm The Key to Writing Bestselling Romance
2pm-3pm Research and Writing Historical Fiction
3pm-4pm Being a Hybrid Author (Instagram @romanticnovelists)
4pm -5pm Editing Session with Hayley Milliman ( ProWritingAid)
Here’s a link to the RNA Facebook page.: https://www.facebook.com/Romantic.Novelists.Association
Thank you!
Thank you to every reader, librarian, media reviewer, blogger, literary festival, influencer and champion of love stories. As a writer of Romance, I’m proud to support the #RespectRomFic Movement. Happy Valentine’s Day!