Read with Pride Northwest discussion

For GRNW 2015 that will be held on Sept. 26, 2015 at the Seattle Public Library, we are trying something new and asking writers and readers to help create the 2015 program!

What does this mean? For the first time, we're accepting panel submissions!

What kind of panels can people submit? Please see our Panel Submission Guidelines. We'll be looking for submissions that include the entire panel, including topic and panelists, and not just an idea for a panel.

UPDATED: When are submissions due?: January 31, 2015.

Have an idea? Please feel free to discuss!

You can contact us directly to bounce off ideas for a panel, but you can also use this space and this folder on GR to discuss ideas, ask for recommendations on who to reach out to, and any other topic related to creating a panel. :)

We'd love your help in making GRNW 2015 a great program!

I would like to propose a panel discussion for GRNW 2015. Let me know if I should use any other format than the following.

GAY ROMANCE GENRES

I would like to propose a panel discussion on the pros and cons of various gay romance genres. For instance, I would include mysteries/suspense, science fiction/fantasy, historical, erotica and YA.

I would be the panelist for historical. and would include representatives, at least one each, from the other genres.

Questions for the panel:

Why are you drawn to writing in your genre?
What sort of specific knowledge and skills do you need to write in your genre.
What is your audience and what do they get out of reading work in your genre?
What special challenges do you face with your genre?

My purpose in suggesting this panel is to offer writers, including new writers, an idea of what the genres take and whether there are rewards for writing in them. I also want to increase awareness of each genre and interest new writers in attempting them.

I have the historical genre rep, namely myself. and the science fiction rep Heather Rose Jones. I would love to ask Josh Lanyon for mystery but haven't asked him yet. I could use suggestions for the other genres. I am with Dreamspinner and Harmony Ink Press. Heather is with Bella.

Let me know if you have any questions or whether I should send this proposal to anyone in particular. I can suggest panelists or take suggestions. I am an experienced panel leader and can direct the conversation.

Thank you! I wanted to be on the committee to decide these things but managed to get the date wrong on the meeting in October. I plan to be at the November 8th meeting.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Are we meeting this Saturday?

Kit Moss

Christopher wrote: "I would like to propose a panel discussion for GRNW 2015. Let me know if I should use any other format than the following.

GAY ROMANCE GENRES

I would like to propose a panel discussion on the ..."

Thanks, Kit! These all sound like keen ideas! As a reminder for all those interested, for the formal submission, we'll need you to email them in by December 14. Email and full guidelines here: http://gayromancenorthwest.wordpress.... (Guidelines mention also that all panelists will need to be included in the submission.)

For this weekend, we are meeting at Gay City at 2pm, but this isn't in relation to panels or to the GRNW program. It's the Seattle LGBTQ Romance Reader Group meeting and we talk about what books we're reading. It's not a formal committee for the conference, so if you come, please bring your book recommendations, but we won't be discussing panels or future programming. :-)

I was hoping for some recommendations of panelists for:

Mystery/thriller
Erotica
Young adult
Horror/suspense
Contemporary western
Others?

That's why I posted that.. so I can fill it out with some authors.

Kit

Christopher wrote: "I was hoping for some recommendations of panelists for:

Mystery/thriller
Erotica
Young adult
Horror/suspense
Contemporary western
Others?

That's why I posted that.. so I can fill it out with some..."

I can provide some ideas from ideas from our 2014 Authors list. There's a treasure trove of options there.

Mystery/Thriller/Suspense: Lori L. Lake, Nicole Kimberling, Lou Sylvre
Young Adult: David Matthew Barnes, Hayden Thorne, Jeffrey Ricker
Western: L.C. Chase
Contemporary Romance: Jove Belle, Daisy Harris, Rick R. Reed

Rick also used to write horror, so could probably provide some feedback on that as well.

Those are just a few ideas. Does anyone else have others to share? Also feel free to chime in about other panel ideas!

Those are wonderful. Thank you so much!

Lori L. lake and I are putting together an anthology of historical fiction short stories.. and we scored Diana Gabaldon for one of them! It was as a result of meeting at GRNW that Lori and I started talking about this.

Kit Moss

Hi, I've been talking with Jordan Castillo Price about putting together a panel on mature heroes/heroines, the over 40 crowd. Any suggestions of other people who write those folks who might also be in Seattle?

Dev wrote: "Hi, I've been talking with Jordan Castillo Price about putting together a panel on mature heroes/heroines, the over 40 crowd. Any suggestions of other people who write those folks who might also be..."

Good question. I would contact Sandy Lowe at Bold Strokes Books for one. I think they would have a few people to recommend that may be interested in committing to attending.

Anyone else have recs for authors who write MCs over 40?

My novel coming out next July from Bold Strokes involves a man of forty one who is in love with a man seven years younger who has a dissociative identity disorder.

I've also published loads or erotica including sf, fantasy, horror, and the list goes on. I'm an experienced panelist (and an experienced panel moderator). I'm always interested in being on panels, doing readings, etc.
David Holly
http://gaywriter.org/

Bering part of that group, I nevertheless have had pointed out to me by my SO that I always write about young people...

You might take a look at the authors in the book A TASTE OF HONEY from Dreamspinner.. many of the characters in that set of short stories are a bit older.

And I just reviewed a novel WELLSPRING with a couple who age during the book and are absolutely fascinating. I don't think the author is NW though.. Johns Hopkins actually, that's NJ, right?

I will post on the Dreamspinner author list to see what they know.

Kit Moss

Thanks everyone - those are some good places to start. Sept 2015 is a long way away. I suppose we ought to be putting together 5 person panels instead of just 3 since plans may change, eh?

My wife Lee Lynch writes characters who are 40+. We live on the Oregon coast, she writes for Bold Strokes Books and is attending GRNW - she said to sign her up if a panel opens up.

Dev wrote: "Hi, I've been talking with Jordan Castillo Price about putting together a panel on mature heroes/heroines, the over 40 crowd. Any suggestions of other people who write those folks who might also be..."

This is from the Dreamspinners author discoussion group:

The summer daily dose is looking for submissions with at least one
character over the age of forty. Authors who are looking to submit to that,
or who had a story in the *Snow on the Roof *anthology, may be a resource.

Anne Regan
Executive Editor, Dreamspinner Press
anneregan@dreamspinnerpress.com
www.dreamspinnerpress.com

For those interested in the Over 40 panel, I recommend touching base with Dev directly. (Elaine, I would recommend for Lee reach out.) Definitely the best way to aim for a panel spot is to either submit a panel or chat with someone creating one.

Sarah Black, who is in Idaho, may also be a good author to touch base with since several of her characters, like in The General and the Horse-Lord, are over 40.

I also agree with Kit, the anthology Snow on the Roof could be a good place to go to look for other writers.

Lori, I've done both, self and corporate publishing and could be part of the panel on it. I know that there are pros and bons to both, but that self publishing can be a lot more remunerative if done right.

Kit Moss

Just an update, guys. We're pushing back due dates for panels to Saturday, January 31, 2015.

We heard enough feedback that this would be easier. :-)

@Lou--I could talk about hybrid options--going with a bigger NY publisher (Kensington) as well as doing some self-pub, if you need another author for your proposal.

I think I have pretty much dropped the ball with my idea for an all-genre panel. If there is still time, OK, I can get back to it. Otherwise if anyone else is interested in doing this I can be your historical novel rep.

I joined the Gender Odyssey planning committee and will be doing their blog, so that's my priority right now.

Thanks, y'all.

Kit Moss

I'm sorry to hear that Kit is dropping the idea of the genre panel -- I was looking forward to participating. I'd love to be part of the 2015 event but I don't really have any other contacts in the organization who might think of asking me to participate in something. (I write historic fantasy and do in-depth historic research on pre-modern lesbian themes.)

Heather Rose Jones

Well..... if there is still time and especially if someone wants to help me find people to represent the different genres, them I am still game. Shall we do it?

Kit/Christopher

I'd be willing. Email me off list.
-Jen

Christopher wrote: "Well..... if there is still time and especially if someone wants to help me find people to represent the different genres, them I am still game. Shall we do it?

Kit/Christopher"

I'd be happy to try to help rounding up more panelists. Perhaps we can all take this to e-mail and see what we can do.

Thanks, all. We'd love to have your submissions, and since the due date is now Jan. 31, still lots of time to plan. :-)

Heather wrote: "I'm sorry to hear that Kit is dropping the idea of the genre panel -- I was looking forward to participating. I'd love to be part of the 2015 event but I don't really have any other contacts in the..."

Check your messages Heather! I sent you one about a panel you might be interested in!

Well cool! Let's do it then.

Now, how do I find your emails? Why not drop me a note at christopherhmoss at gmail dot com.

Kit/Christopher