Wednesday

4:00 pm-9:00 pm Registration

 

7:30 pm                 Scene and Sip: The Writer Era Mixer Sponsored by Vellum  

 

Step out of the ‘solitary hermit’ phase of writing and into some Main Character Energy!

Come to meet your fellow attendees and engage in a little shop talk (or not), while sipping on our M&M-themed cocktail! Prizes! Drinks and/or snacks are self-pay.

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Thursday

6:00 am-11:00 am       Buffet Breakfast (Don’t Forget Your Ticket)

 

The only way you can eat breakfast with your

fellow writers is to book through our block of

rooms offered exclusively for conference attendees.

 

 

6:30 am-7:45 am       The “Up and at ‘em” Early Bird Writing Sprint 

Grab your coffee and get to writing! 

No speaker, no agenda! 

Just pouring your heart out onto the page!

 

 

7:00 am-7:45 am           Yoga and Gentle Stretching 

 

Namaste! Come one, come all to find your peace and calm before we kick off for the day. Mats will be provided! 

 

8:00 am-1:00 pm                 Registration

 

8:00 am-8:45 am       Plotting New Beginnings… Emerging Author Workshop

 

9:00 am           Welcome Remarks and Opening of Conference

 

9:15 am-11:45 am        Anna Grace, Craft Speaker

The Romance Series Playbook: Structure, Strategy and Series Bible 

for Binge Worthy Reads  

 

12:00 pm-12:50 pm     Buffet Luncheon

 

1:00 pm-5:00 pm       Workshops  

 

2:50 pm Coffee/Tea Break    

 

5:00 pm           Dinner on your own

 

7:00 pm-7:30 pm           The First Chapter-New Attendee Meet Up

 

Slightly dazed, confused or shell-shocked? Here’s your crowd!

 

7:30 pm-9:00 pm             The Writer’s Era Event- Celebrating Authors’ Alter Egos

 

When you have the opportunity to wear a costume, you should always say yes!

Come as your main character, a literary figure, yourself decked out in garb from your writing 'era’, or a combination of them all just to name a few ideas! Auction! Prizes! Music! Bar!

Please note the bar is credit only!      

 

9:30 pm-11:00 pm                      The Pajama Café presents ‘Swoon Worthy Snippets’-a romance slam

        

For those who stay up way too late to read ‘just one more chapter’! Bring out your bunny slippers and weighted blankets! Unpublished 

and published authors alike have four minutes of reading time to make you fall in love, gasp or swoon! Prizes awarded!

Bring your manuscript, favorite beverage and midnight snack. 

We’ll see you and your messy bun there!

 

Friday

6:30 am-7:45 am  “Up and at ‘em”  Early Bird Writing Sprint 

Grab your coffee and get to writing! 

No speaker, no agenda! 

Just pouring your heart out onto the page!

 

7:00 am Yoga and Gentle Stretching                 

Namaste! Come one, come all to find 

your peace and calm before we kick 

off for the day. Mats will be provided!

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6:00 am-8:30 am  Buffet Breakfast 

(Don’t Forget Your Ticket)

 

8:00 am-9:00 am       Last Chance Registration          

 

 

8:00 am-8:45 am       Pitch Perfect Tutorial: A quick tune-up before your agent/editor appointments

   

Your chance to pitch a little woo to

your fellow published conference attendees! 

See what’s working and where the 

soft spots are before the main event!

Open to everyone!     

 

9:00 am-11:50 am         Morning Workshops        

 

9:30 am-4:30 pm      Editor/Agent Appointments  

PLEASE SHOW UP 10 MINUTES EARLY TO CHECK-IN

IF APPOINTMENT IS IN PERSON!!

Latecomers will not be accommodated!

No Shows Will Have All Other Appointments Cancelled!

 

12:00 pm to 1:30 pm            Lunch with GRW Featured Speaker, Lauren Connolly | My Author Career is a Long Game

  

 

2:00 pm-2:50 pm               The Plot Thickens…Genre Meetups

Come meet with like-minded authors in your     

genre! Look for your hostess!

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Paranormal/Fantasy   

Contemporary/New Adult

Women’s Fiction/Chick Lit  

Suspense/Cozy  

Sweet Romance/Inspirational  

Historical                                    

Small Town

Sports

                                    

 

2:50 pm   Coffee/Tea Break          

         

3:00 pm-4:50 pm            Afternoon Workshops                  

 

5:00 pm   Dinner on your own

  

7:00 pm-9:00 pm       Ask the Author: The HEA Q&A

 

Trying to nail down that slow burn, find the perfect meet-cute, want to know some of the perks of self-publishing? This is your chance 

to ‘speed date’ 10 (traditional and self-published) authors! 

Bring your tough craft questions and your ‘is this over the top’ plot lines and get some real talk about the business of romance! 

Limited to the first 30 attendees to sign up

More details, including how to register, coming soon! 

 

7:30 pm -9:00 pm     Make Some Noise: Romance Edition

   

Where tropes are made up and word count does not matter!

In this fast-paced, improv, game show style event, contestants go through a series of chaotic, short-form comedy games based around romance. 

 

9:30 pm-10:30 pm                 Steamy Does It-M&M After Dark

 

Our most daring workshop ever!

Hosted by author Alexis Kole, late-night talk show style!

Turn up the temperature on your manuscript with this 

after-hours deep dive into the art of writing high-tension, 

high-heat romance as we interview those who keep things spicy

in their books! Join in for a candid, craft-focused 

conversation about writing intimacy with confidence 

and flair. This workshop moves beyond the basics to

 explore how to craft intimate scenes that feel 

authentic and unforgettable. Topics might include

 the slow burn vs. the instant spark, using evocative 

language to heighten the atmosphere without relying 

on clichés, and identifying the heat level in your own work.

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9:00 pm-11:00 pm   An Affair to Remember (To Finish My Project)

 

Lights up and projector on!

Work on your craft project as we watch a rom-com in the background! Bring your knitting, your scrapbooking, your collaging and any other craft under the sun! Don’t forget your

drinks and snacks! See you at the movies!

 

Saturday

6:30 am-7:45 am “Up and at ‘em”  Early Morning Writing Sprint  

Grab your coffee and get to writing! 

No speaker, no agenda! 

Just pouring your heart out onto the page!

 

7:00 am Yoga and Gentle Stretching                   

Namaste! Come one, come all to find 

your peace and calm before we kick 

off for the day. Mats will be provided!

 

6:00 am-11:00 am          Breakfast  

                    (Don’t Forget Your Ticket)

 

8:00 am-8:30 am        Plotting New Beginnings...

 Emerging Author Workshop Part 2  

                                                                                         

8:30 am-8:50 am Maggie Meeting  

(For Maggie Nominees Only)

 

 

9:00 am-9:50 am                  Marketing and Business Panel From Spark to Shelf 

 

This informative panel given by editors, agents and a bookstore owner, guides you through the best way to get an agent, what editors want to see to buy your book and what leads a bookstore owner/buyer to 

stock your novel.

It’s a Do Not Miss!

 

10:00 am-11:50 am                     Morning Workshops  

 

12:00 pm to 1:30 pm               Luncheon with M&M Featured speaker, Naima Simone “The Road In-Between”

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1:30 pm-2:30 pm The Romance Rendezvous  

 

Come and meet the authors behind 

your favorite reads! Purchase their books

and have them autographed! And maybe 

grab a selfie or two! 

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2:40 pm-3:40 pm     Afternoon Workshops  

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7:00 pm-10:00 pm       Maggie Awards 

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Sunday

6:00 am-11:00 am      Breakfast  

11:00 am   Check Out