RWA 2018 - Westward Bound (Part Two)

From the first day, it was apparent that this year's RWA national conference would be different. From Suzanne Brockmann's speech at the RITA® ceremony, to Sonali Dev's heartfelt address at the Librarians Day/Bloggers Day luncheon (listen to Sonali's speech here), to workshops, parties, hallway conversations, and more, two themes echoed throughout this year's conference: diversity and inclusion. It's time. Frankly, it's beyond time. Were all of the obstacles conquered? No, but nothing is accomplished without taking that first step and this year's conference was a solid step forward to a time when every reader will be able to open a romance novel and see herself reflected in the pages of a hopeful love story with a happy ending. Regardless of our skin color, ethnicity, gender, body type, disability, or sexual orientation, we all are worthy of that happy ending. Whether we're the recipient, experiencing the journey while reading a favorite novel, or the creator of that story, we all deserve the opportunity to love, be loved, and create love. And while both authors and readers should be able to see people like them on the pages of the books they write and/or read, we should also celebrate the books that reflect our differences.  

My circle of friends includes people from different countries, with different skin colors, different religious beliefs, different political points of view, different body types, challenges, weaknesses, and strengths. Knowing them does not bring strife into my life. Instead, it fills my life with a richness I might not have otherwise known. It promotes understanding and appreciation of experiences different from my own. So do the books written by authors of different colors, ethnicities, and sexual orientation that feature characters with life experiences far removed from that of a middle-class, heterosexual, caucasian woman raised in a midwestern U.S. state. 

A Princess in Theory was created by the exceptionally talented  Alyssa Cole and features a Nigerian prince hero and an orphaned NYC scientist heroine who has no idea that she might actually be a Nigerian princess. About as far from my upbringing as one can get, right? I loved it. In fact, it is one of my favorite books published this year. How sad it would have been if this author's words had not been published, if I had not bought this book written by an author of color with characters so different from me. And yet, that's exactly what happens with too many authors of color working hard for the opportunity to have their books published...and purchased. There are many diverse books and diverse authors out there just waiting to be discovered by all of us. We have only to step out of our comfort zones and give them a chance. I'm going to make a concerted effort to read more of them and bring them to your attention here at the blog. In the meantime, here are some of the talented, diverse authors I had the pleasure of chatting with at this year's RWA conference. Please, do consider reading their books.

Kianna Alexander & A.C. Arthur

Kianna Alexander and A.C. Arthur. 

A.C. Arthur hit my radar last month when she was a guest at the Romance of Reading page at Facebook. It was such a pleasure to meet her in person and I'm looking forward to reading her books. One Perfect Moment, the third book in her The Taylors of Temptation series was released in print July 17 and will be out in ebook on August 1. A.C. lives in Maryland and has worked in the legal field for more than 20 years.

Kianna Alexander has been a well-known name in romance for the past decade. Writing has helped her through difficult times in her life as I have no doubt her books have brought love and hope to those readers who buy them. The book she's holding in the photo is A San Diego Romance, part of the Millionaire Moguls series. 

And yes, both ladies were just as warm and friendly in person as they appear in the photo!

Pintip Dunn

Pintip Dunn is the author of Sci-Fi Young Adult Fiction. Her debut novel, Forget Tomorrow won the 2016 RITA® for Best First Book and the second novel in that series, Remember Yesterday won the 2018 RITA® last week for Best Young Adult Novel. Pintip is warm, engaging, intelligent (magna cum laude graduate of Harvard with a J.D. from Yale Law School), and an exceptionally talented writer. She's also one of the nicest people around. I just can't help but smile whenever I'm in her presence.

Alyssa Cole

Alyssa Cole was born to write. This accomplished, award-winning author of both historical and contemporary romances is a star on the rise. As I stated above, A Princess in Theory (contemporary romance)  is one of my favorite books of 2018. The second book in this new series, A Duke by Default, featuring a grumpy Scots hero and an American heroine finally taking control of her life, will be released July 31. It's another winner! In addition to writing romance, Cole is also a science editor and has contributed many romance-related articles to a variety of publications. Her novella, "Let Us Dream," in Daughters of a Nation was a 2017 RITA® Finalist. 

Beverly Jenkins

I don't know anyone in the world of romance who does not admire and respect Beverly Jenkins. This self-professed "slayer of words" has been bringing the stories of African-American characters to life for the past 25 years. From the American Civil War to the Old West to present-day Kansas, her complex and exquisitely crafted characters leap from the pages of her beloved novels. Awarded the 2017 Romance Writers of America Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award, Jenkins has also been nominated for the NAACP Image Award in Literature, was featured in the romance documentary, "Love Between the Covers." and on CBS Sunday Morning. Ms. Bev, as she's called by many, is smart, sassy, warm, inclusive, generous, kind, and immensely talented. Click here to read Hellie's Top Dish review of her historical romance novel, Breathless and here to read Janga's review of Chasing Down a Dream, the eighth book in her contemporary Blessings series. 

Rich Amooi, Sonali Dev, Silvi Martin

Sonali Dev was the luncheon speaker for this year's Librarians Day/Blogger Day event. The message of acceptance, opportunity, and inclusion that she delivered was heartfelt and timely. Though infused with plenty of her signature humor, this was a serious topic that, clearly, has impacted both her life and the lives of family members and dear friends. By the time she finished, there was not a dry eye to be found. The mastery of her words and depth of life experience shared in her speech, that reached the heart of each person at my luncheon table, are on full display in her award-winning novels featuring characters and customs from India, the country of her birth. 

Xio Axelrod

Xio (pronounced ZEE-oh) Axelrod writes contemporary romance, romantic fiction, and what she refers to as strange, twisted tales. She also writes erotica under the name of Xio Nin. When not busy creating stories, this multi-talented woman can be found in a music studio, writing and/or recording. This USA Today bestselling author was honored this year as one of the 2018 RWA Service Award recipients. Last year, she founded the Philadelphia Chapter of RWA and she's also a founding member of Philly Loves Romance, an author group dedicated to raising the profile of romance in their area. 

Brenda Jackson

Brenda Jackson is a trailblazer in the romance genre who has published more than 100 novels and novellas and has more than 10 million books in print. Stop and think about that for a moment. Ten. Million. Books. Jackson was the first African-American author to be published by the Harlequin/Silhouette Desire line and also the first African-American author to hit the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists for series romance. Jackson has received many awards in her distinguished career, including the 2012 Romance Writers of America Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award. Not content to rest on her laurels, she continues to write (full-time now that she's retired from her non-writing career), attend events where readers can meet her, and give back to her community in a variety of ways, including educational scholarships. One of her books, Truly Everlasting has been made into a movie which has been featured on Netflix. Another book, A Silken Thread is set to be made into a movie that will be directed by the multi-talented Debbie Allen and distributed by Lions Gate. 

Alisha Rai

The first time I met Alisha Rai, I heard her before I saw her. While gifted with gorgeous, dark eyes and a wide, beaming smile, it was her exuberant, unfettered laugh that drew me across a crowded room, intent on meeting this woman who was filled with so much joy. She continues to draw people to her, both personally and through her books. Complex, emotional, and deeply sensual, these are stories not to be missed. Rai is the first author to have an indie-published book named to The Washington Post's annual Best Books list and has also been on annual Best Books lists at NPR, Entertainment Weekly, Amazon, Kirkus, and Cosmopolitan Magazine. 

Nicki Salcedo & PJ

From my introduction to Nicki Salcedo at the Georgia Romance Writers Moonlight & Magnolias conference almost ten years ago, it was clear there was something very special about this woman. She's someone I admire, respect, and am proud to call my friend. We tell people we're sisters. You see the resemblance, right? (by the way, the matching blue outfits were not planned) Nicki is a whip-smart Stanford grad and gifted writer who shares her talent through books, essays, short stories, mentoring, and speaking engagements. She's also a hardworking wife and mom with a full-time job outside of her writing/speaking commitments. Her essays are thought-provoking (check out Intersections, a collection of essays published in her weekly column at Decaturish.com) and her debut novel, All Beautiful Things has a special place on my keeper shelf. 

Cheryl Etchison, Marielle Browne, Tracey Livesay

I met Tracey Livesay (far right) at last fall's Buns and Roses Tea in Texas and was immediately impressed by her intelligence and wit...not to mention her fabulous fashion sense (click here for Buns & Roses photo). A former criminal defense attorney, she left her law career behind to pursue her passion of writing romance and those of us who read her books are glad she did. Her novels have been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, and on CBS This Morning. If you haven't read Livesay's books yet, I recommend any of them but especially Love Will Always Remember. 

Alexis Daria, PJ, Priscilla Oliveras

And last, but certainly not least, Alexis Daria and Priscilla Oliveras. 

Daria, an award-winning contemporary romance author from New York is gaining fans left and right. Her debut novel, Take the Lead which features a Puerto Rican heroine and a romance that unfolds during a TV celebrity dance competition not only was named one of the Best Romances of 2017 by Entertainment Weekly and The Washington Post but was a double finalist for the 2018 RITA®  and took home the award for Best First Book. Daria also received the RWA New York City Chapter's 2018 Golden Apple Award for Author of the Year. Like so many romance authors I've met, Daria also enjoys giving back. She states on her website that her most fulfilling job has been as a group facilitator at a women's empowerment community where she was instrumental in helping other women follow their creative dreams.

As Priscilla Oliveras shares on her website, with a Mexican American father who served in the US Navy and a Puerto Rican mother who earned her business degree from the University of Puerto Rico, it stands to reason her contemporary romances would be filled with a beautiful blend of her Latino heritage and, as she puts it, "good ol' US of A traditions." Her debut novel, His Perfect Partner was a 2018 RITA® double finalist and earned starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. This busy mom who holds one bachelor's degree and two master's also enjoys tennis, running, theater, dancing, and sports. Because she's a Cubs fan (yay!) and so darn nice, I'm going to overlook the fact that she also cheers for the Florida Gators. ;-) 

Both Oliveras and Daria are part of the 4 Chicas, a group of four romance authors celebrating life, love, and romance with a Latinx flavor. Find them on Facebook. 


Have you read any of the authors spotlighted above?


Do you have any favorite books written by diverse authors or featuring diverse characters that you'd like to recommend?

One person who leaves a comment before 11:00 PM, July 28, 2018 will receive a package of books and swag from this year's RWA conference. (U.S. addresses only)