COMING FEBRUARY 2026!
As a newer author in the world of LGBTQ+ romance, I'm always trying to learn more about this market, my readers, my craft, as well as my fellow authors and other professionals in the genre. We are such an amazing and diverse group of people, but I often find many other retreats or conferences aren't aimed specifically at us and our unique needs. Thankfully, I am a woman of action! That's why I decided to tackle this problem head on and create my own retreat for authors and other professionals in the wonderful world of LGBTQ+ romance!
Although much is still in the planning phase for this event, I can share the following tentative details:
This will be a 3-day virtual conference
Friday: Aimed at new or aspiring authors/professionals with more beginner level workshops and presentations.
Saturday: Aimed at more established authors (with at least 5 or more books published) and other professionals who have completed 5 or more relevant projects (audiobooks, book covers, editing contracts, etc). Workshops and presentations.
Sunday: Networking day! A chance for attendees to interact with each other, with some special sessions geared around getting to know authors, PAs, editors, audiobook narrators, cover and character artists. We will also potentially have reps from entities like Kobo Writing Life, Bookfunnel, etc. around to give presentations about what they have to offer. Some of the sessions on this day would be open to everyone, and some would be exclusive (for instance, a session just for PAs to network and talk about issues specific to what they do). Other panels and events would be open to all.
Registration: People will need to register and there will be a small fee to participate in the retreat. This is mostly to cover some costs associated with organizing and running this event with the help of my PA. It's also to ensure that only serious people are signing up since the event will be capped (500 is the maximum I can accomodate but I may cap things at 300). Nevertheless, I'm aiming to keep this fee modest (under $100) to ensure greater accessibility to all. Once all fees for hosting the virtual retreat are paid for, all remaining money will then be donated to an LGBTQ+ charity. (There will also be an opportunity for folks to sponsor some participants if for some reason they cannot afford the entry fee.)
Recordings: Due to the fact that some participants may live in time zones that make it difficult for them to attend all of the events in real time, I will be recording the panels, workshops, and presentations to make those accessible to all attendees. These will be available (and included in your registration) for at least two years after the event.
Inclusive Approach: I envision this retreat as being inclusive of the whole rainbow spectrum when it comes to LGBTQ+ romance. I also want to include professionals in our field like audiobook narrators, editors, PAs, cover artists, and more to be part of these conversations about our industry and the ways in which we can all work together and support each other.
Long Term Outlook: I am planning this retreat as a bi-annual recurring event to help us all stay abreast of the latest issues and developments in LGBTQ+ romance, and the ever evolving business-side of our indie industry.