Romancing the Blog | Romance Authors and Readers Who Blog

While the authors attending the RWA Conference
have their goals set for when they’re there

– going to seminars,

–

snagging editor time,

–

and networking in general

–

so too do the publishers have goals. The various publishing houses will want to reach out and connect with their established authors in a social way that serves many purposes. It’s a way of showing appreciation for their creative works and also to show that, while writing each book comes primarily from a solitary effort of the author often aided by her editor, the entire line of books actually consists of a community of authors that don’t often see each other. It’s like working in an office cubicle and finding out that there’s someone else a lot like you doing a very similar job, but that someone is in a floor away. Authors’ writing spaces may be better appointed than the office cubicle, but it can be just as isolating. The publisher’s little parties accomplish a lot of things in a little time, and sometimes in a little space.

I got to tag along to one of the Harlequin line parties last night, one held in a small suite so it was a bit crowded as you will see from some of the pictures. The party the following pictures came from was the Harlequin BLAZE party, and many BLAZE authors showed up.

Established Blaze authors greet new Blaze authors,

and authors who’ve known each other for what seems forever get to share some good conversation.

It’s always the case that I’ll take pictures of people and never catch their names

One perk for some of the authors was the oversized covers of upcoming books.

The authors got to keep their oversized covers.

More publisher parties tonight, including the large Harlequin shindig that I hope to also sneak into! The big parties are always fun with strong drink, music and dancing. Very few men, hundreds of women. And me on a short leash.

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