Book Club Chat, RT, RWA, Links and Other Reminders

Reminder! The Sizzling Book Club Chat for the April pick, Family Man by Marie Sexton and Heidi Cullinan, is this Thursday at 9pm ET!

I cannot wait to chat with you about this book. I've noticed a few folks talking about how surprised they were by it. I hope you can join us!  

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Many, many thanks to Leah V. for this link: Researcher: Men in kilts swing free, have happier sperm.

You might credit the legendary Scottish male virility of past time to single malt whiskey, or the sometimes brutal weather, or the fact that haggis is the national dish, but a Dutch researcher is proposing another answer:

It was the kilts.

Kilts, worn as they were meant to be worn, without underwear, lets our laddies swing freely in the breeze, creating, according to researcher Erwin Kompanje, the “ideal physiological scrotal environment.” Exposed to the bracing Highland coolness, testicles will make robust sperm.

This brings a whole new set of possibilities to Scottish romance, doesn't it?

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Romantic Times BookLovers Convention 2013 is next week, and I wanted to remind you of a few events if you're going: 

Thursday 2 May: Ebook, Indie and Graphic Novel Expo – $5.00 (for non conference attendees)

On Thursday May 2 from 4 – 6 pm you will meet more than 300 e-book and small press authors and many graphic novel authors. Get autographs, chat with some of your favorite authors and purchase e-books and small press print books. We recommend that you download any QR Code Reader from iTunes since many authors will have a QR (Quick Response) Code on their promo materials. With this QR Reader you can scan the code on your mobile device and go right to the book you want to purchase.

 

Saturday 4 May: Giant Book Fair – 11am – 2pm – $5.00 at the door (for non conference attendees)

When they say “giant,” they mean it: over 450 authors are registered to sign. You can get signed books, or bring collectible or personal copies to have signed. if you've ever wanted to see a really big group of romance readers and authors in one place, with squeeing and eagerness and possibly costumes, this is the event to attend. My favorite thing is the groups of parents and teens who come together, often in matching shirts, to meet their favorite authors. The young readers are the best part, easily. 

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A few folks have emailed me with questions about RT, such as Do I have to dress up? Do I have to wear a costume? How formal are the evening events? The answer I've given is, wear what makes you feel happy, confident, and comfortable, and likely someone else will be wearing something similar. Some dress up, some bring incredible costumes, some are casual, and some do a mixture of both. 

This year will be the first year I'm bringing a costume to RT – I've never dressed up before, but I'm part of the Romance Pride: Over the Rainbow party on May 2 from 2:45-3:45pm in Gillham Hall B. Tulle is involved, as is a tiara, as I do my best to transform into the Good Bitch of the North. I have so much bling going on, it's not even funny. And I've never dressed up before so this is a first.

I hope you'll stop by and try to win a prize – and many thanks to everyone who helped me pick out my tiara online!

 

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Hey, did you know tonight, 23 April 2013, is World Book Night! It's true! And one of the books chosen for giving away to readers as part of World Book Night?

Nora Roberts' Montana Sky! That's one of my favorites – and yours too, from our list of Nora Roberts reader recommendations. 

There are a tremendous number of excellent books as 2013 selections for World Book Night – and you can find events and more information about tonight's events on their site. 

Many, many “Givers” are going out tonight to hand out books. I know my mother in law is one – are you a book giver on World Book Night?

And speaking of books, thanks to @cayenne9T1 on Twitter for this link:  30 Things to Tell a Book Snob, from Matt Haig:

There is something innately snobby about the world of books. There is the snobbery of literary over genre, of adult books over children's, of seriousness over comedy, of reality over fantasy, of Martin Amis over Stephen King. And it is unhealthy. If books ever die, snobbery would be standing over the corpse.

So here is my message to book snobs:

1. People should never be made to feel bad about what they are reading. People who feel bad about reading will stop reading.

2. Snobbery leads to worse books. Pretentious writing and pretentious reading. Books as exclusive members clubs. Narrow genres. No inter-breeding. All that fascist nonsense that leads commercial writers to think it is okay to be lazy with words and for literary writers to think it is okay to be lazy with story.

3. If something is popular it can still be good. Just ask Shakespeare. Or the Beatles. Or peanut butter.

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Romance Writers of America is hosting a series of events using online gathering software Shindig to promote each category in the 2013 RITA awards. This Thursday, the nominees in the novella category will be chatting online, and readers can join the event and ask questions about the nominated stories. You can register online – though space is limited.

There's a schedule of events through May and June – you can register for each one if you'd like to attend them all.

I'll be moderating the Short Contemporary Series Romance Shindig on May 23  with Jessica Hart, Day Leclaire, Susan Meier, Sarah Morgan, Robin Perini, Christine Rimmer, and Loreth Anne White at 8:00 pm ET. I hope you'll join us!

Per the RWA website, “you'll need a computer, Internet connection and a webcam and computer microphone (if you want to participate via video). The events are free to the public, but only the first 1,000 people to RSVP will be granted access to each of the weekly events.”