Conferenceship and SFWA Members

October 30, 2021

November 10, 2022

Indie Author Town Hall

November 10, 2022 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm

SFWA’s Indie Author Committee is pleased to announce our first in a series of Indie Author Town Halls. SFWA’s mission is “to promote, advance, and support science fiction and fantasy writing in the United States and elsewhere, by educating and informing the general public and supporting and empowering science fiction and fantasy writers.”

Indie authors have found great potential in being able to publish our own novels directly to the retailers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, and Kobo (not to mention create audiobooks and more). With that potential has come some hurdles, including communicating with giant technology companies to solve problems that develop. SFWA would like to be a voice of advocacy with the retailers for indie authors.

The first Town Hall was held Thursday, November 10th at 7 pm EST/4 pm PST. We want to hear from all independent authors — what are the knotty problems SFWA can advocate with the retailers to solve for every indie author? Contact indie-authors@sfwa.org to get involved.

Read more about Indie Author Town Hall

November 19, 2022

Romancing SFF Monthly Meetup – Featuring: Jeffe Kennedy

November 19, 2022 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

Panelists: Jeffe Kennedy
Track:

The SFWA Romance Steering Committee invites you to join us as we kick off our monthly virtual Romancing SFF Meetups.

Each month the Romancing SFF meetup will bring an expert speaker for thirty minutes of programming followed by opportunities to ask questions and network with the SFWA SFF romance community.

Read more about Romancing SFF Monthly Meetup – Featuring: Jeffe Kennedy

December 17, 2022

Romancing SFF Monthly Meetup – Social Gathering

December 17, 2022 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

Panelists: Chelsea Mueller
Track:

The December Romancing SFF Meetup will be a social gathering to build your romantic SFF network. Bring your 2023 goals to share with others. We’ll have breakout rooms for marketing, craft, spice level, and reading recommendation discussions. In January we’ll resume regular programming with a speaker at the beginning of each meetup. And we’ll be starting with Charlaine Harris, author of the Gunnie Rose, Sookie Stackhouse, Aurora Teagarden books and so many others!

Read more about Romancing SFF Monthly Meetup – Social Gathering

January 21, 2023

Romancing SFF Monthly Meetup – Featuring: Diana Gill

February 18, 2023 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

Panelists: Diana Gill
Track:

Ask an Editor! – Diana Gill spent more than twenty years as an executive editor in Big5 publishing, editing commercial fiction at Penguin Random House, Macmillan, and HarperCollins Publishers, including running Harper Voyager, the science fiction and fantasy imprint at HarperCollins, for twelve years. In this lively session, she will share common issues addressed in edit letters and take your questions in a live Ask an Editor round. You may also submit questions for Diana in advance in the #sff-romance channel on the SFWA Discord.

Each month the Romancing SFF meetup will bring an expert speaker for thirty minutes of programming followed by opportunities to ask questions and network with the SFWA SFF romance community.

Read more about Romancing SFF Monthly Meetup – Featuring: Diana Gill

Romancing SFF Monthly Meetup – Featuring: Charlaine Harris

January 21, 2023 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

Panelists: Charlaine Harris
Track:

Each month the Romancing SFF meetup will bring an expert speaker for thirty minutes of programming followed by opportunities to ask questions and network with the SFWA SFF romance community. In January, we welcome Charlaine Harris, bestselling author of the Gunnie Rose, Sookie Stackhouse, Aurora Teagarden, and so many other great series. Our prepared Q&A will focus on her use of romantic subplots within her stories, but please bring your questions. Questions for Charlaine can also be submitted in advance in the #sff-romance channel on the SFWA Discord.

Read more about Romancing SFF Monthly Meetup – Featuring: Charlaine Harris

March 18, 2023

Romancing SFF Monthly Meetup – Featuring: Leanna Renee Hieber

March 18, 2023 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

Panelists: Leanna Renee Hieber
Track:
Navigating a Cross-Genre Landscape – Actress, Playwright, Ghost Tour guide and Gothic, Gaslamp Fantasy Romance and Non-Fiction author Leanna Renee Hieber discusses how the cross-genre landscape has developed and shifted from the days of her award-winning debut Strangely Beautiful series, through the closing of publishers and changing genre landscapes, and what it takes to stay afloat and relevant no matter how many genres you juggle. More about Leanna: https://leannareneehieber.com
 
Each month the Romancing SFF meetup will bring an expert speaker for thirty minutes of programming followed by opportunities to ask questions and network with the SFWA SFF romance community.

Read more about Romancing SFF Monthly Meetup – Featuring: Leanna Renee Hieber

April 15, 2023

Romancing SFF Monthly Meetup – Featuring: Jeannie Lin

April 15, 2023 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

Panelists: Jeannie Lin
Track:

Whether traditionally or independently published, authors are expected to promote and market their books to some extent. Beginning authors are often unsure where to focus their efforts, so we often end up trying to be everything, everywhere all at once, with little to show for all the blood, sweat, and tears. Jeannie Lin’s “Hard Facts about Marketing as an Author” discusses lessons learned from someone who has been though the ups and downs of marketing as both an author and an entrepreneur. From social media, to publications, to Amazon, to Kickstarter – here’s a candid talk about what to focus on and what to possibly let go when trying to get your books out to the world. More about Jeannie Lin at: http://www.jeannielin.com/

Each month the Romancing SFF meetup will bring an expert speaker for thirty minutes of programming followed by opportunities to ask questions and network with the SFWA SFF romance community.

Read more about Romancing SFF Monthly Meetup – Featuring: Jeannie Lin

May 20, 2023

Romancing SFF Monthly Meetup – Featuring: Monique Patterson

May 20, 2023 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

Panelists: Monique Patterson
Track:
Ask an Editor! The market continues to welcome more fantasy romance and make fresh paths for authors and readers alike. The SFWA Romancing SFF Meetup is delighted to welcome Monique Patterson, the VP and Editorial Director at Bramble, a new romantic imprint at Tor Publishing. Monique brings her keen knowledge of the market, sharp eye for what works in fantasy romance, and the inside scoop on the new Bramble imprint and what it means for writers of fantasy romance and the market as a whole. Bring your best questions to this lively session. Alternatively, you may submit questions for Monique in advance in the #sff-romance channel on the SFWA Discord and a member of the Romance Committee will ensure the question is asked during this recorded session.
Each month the Romancing SFF meetup will bring an expert speaker for thirty minutes of programming followed by opportunities to ask questions and network with the SFWA SFF romance community. Please log in to access the recording of this session!

Read more about Romancing SFF Monthly Meetup – Featuring: Monique Patterson

Romancing SFF Monthly Meetup – Featuring: Monique Patterson, room

May 20, 2023 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

Panelists: Monique Patterson
Track:
Ask an Editor! The market continues to welcome more fantasy romance and make fresh paths for authors and readers alike. The SFWA Romancing SFF Meetup is delighted to welcome Monique Patterson, the VP and Editorial Director at Bramble, a new romantic imprint at Tor Publishing. Monique brings her keen knowledge of the market, sharp eye for what works in fantasy romance, and the inside scoop on the new Bramble imprint and what it means for writers of fantasy romance and the market as a whole. Bring your best questions to this lively session. Alternatively, you may submit questions for Monique in advance in the #sff-romance channel on the SFWA Discord and a member of the Romance Committee will ensure the question is asked during this recorded session.
Each month the Romancing SFF meetup will bring an expert speaker for thirty minutes of programming followed by opportunities to ask questions and network with the SFWA SFF romance community. Log in to join this event!

Read more about Romancing SFF Monthly Meetup – Featuring: Monique Patterson, room

June 17, 2023

Romancing SFF Monthly Meetup – Featuring: C.L. Wilson

June 17, 2023 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

Panelists: C.L. Wilson
Track:

Romantasy – Two Great Tastes that Taste Great Together – “Romantasy”, aka romantic fantasy, combines two popular genres – the rich, boundless imagination of  fantasy and the emotional engagement of romance – into an addictively delicious sensory smorgasbord that will leave readers deliriously happy and begging for more.   The key is knowing how to merge the two genres without shortchanging either one.

Join romantic fantasy pioneer, CL Wilson, to discuss the challenges and rewards of combining fantasy and romance in a way that does justice to both genres.

Each month the Romancing SFF meetup will bring an expert speaker for thirty minutes of programming followed by opportunities to ask questions and network with the SFWA SFF romance community.

Read more about Romancing SFF Monthly Meetup – Featuring: C.L. Wilson

July 15, 2023

Romancing SFF Monthly Meetup – Featuring: Leslye Penelope

July 15, 2023 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

Panelists: Leslye Penelope
Track:

One of the most important decisions a writer will make is determining who is telling their story. Writing from more than one character’s perspective can add depth and richness to your story, but also presents unique challenges. Learn why and how to write from multiple points of view, including how to structure your story, switch between characters, develop distinctive voices, and manage timelines and pacing.

Each month the Romancing SFF meetup will bring an expert speaker for thirty minutes of programming followed by opportunities to ask questions and network with the SFWA SFF romance community.

ABOUT LESLYE PENELOPE

Leslye Penelope has been writing since she could hold a pen and loves getting lost in the worlds in her head. She is an award-winning fantasy and paranormal romance author. Her novel Song of Blood & Stone was chosen as one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time. Equally left and right-brained, she studied filmmaking and computer science in college and sometimes dreams in HTML. She hosts the My Imaginary Friends podcast and lives in Maryland with her husband and furry dependents. Visit her at: http://www.lpenelope.com.

Read more about Romancing SFF Monthly Meetup – Featuring: Leslye Penelope

August 19, 2023

Romancing SFF Monthly Meetup – Featuring: Lindsay Buroker

August 19, 2023 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

Panelists: Lindsay Buroker
Track:

The SFWA Romance Steering Committee invites you to join us at our monthly virtual Romancing SFF Meetup. Each month, the Romancing SFF meetup features an expert speaker for thirty minutes of programming followed by opportunities to ask questions and network with the SFWA SFF romance community.

 

Ask an Indie Author! The SFWA Romancing SFF Meetup is delighted to welcome Lindsay Buroker, a prolific author of over one hundred science fiction and fantasy novels. Lindsay brings her experience writing and publishing independently for over a decade, her deep understanding of an entrepreneurial mindset, and a love for romantic stories involving dragons and spaceships. Bring your best questions to this lively session.

Each month the Romancing SFF meetup will bring an expert speaker for thirty minutes of programming followed by opportunities to ask questions and network with the SFWA SFF romance community.

About Lindsay Buroker

Lindsay is a full-time independent fantasy and science fiction author who loves travel, hiking, tennis, and vizslas. She’s written over one hundred novels, appeared on the USA Today bestseller list, and has been twice nominated for a Goodreads Readers’ Choice Award.

She grew up in the Seattle area but has itchy feet and moves every couple of years. She’s currently living in Woodinville, WA, and working on the next book.Visit her at: https://lindsayburoker.com/.

Read more about Romancing SFF Monthly Meetup – Featuring: Lindsay Buroker

September 16, 2023

Romancing SFF Monthly Meetup – Featuring: TB Markinson and Miranda MacLeod

September 16, 2023 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

Panelists: TB Markinson and Miranda MacLeod
Track:

Each month the Romancing SFF meetup will bring an expert speaker for thirty minutes of programming followed by opportunities to ask questions and network with the SFWA SFF romance community.

ABOUT TB MARKINSON AND MIRANDA MACLEOD AND I HEART SAPPHFIC

TB Markinson has published over 30 novels, many of them making the Amazon bestseller lists for lesbian fiction and lesbian romance. In 2017, TB founded I Heart SapphFic (iheartsapphfic.com), a place for authors and readers to come together to celebrate sapphic fiction. When she isn’t writing, she’s hiking, watching sports, visiting historical sites in New England, or reading.

Originally from southern California, Miranda MacLeod now lives in New England and writes heartfelt romances and romantic comedies featuring witty and charmingly flawed women that you’ll want to marry. Or just grab a coffee with, if that’s more your thing. Before becoming a writer, she spent way too many years in graduate school, worked in professional theater and film, and held temp jobs in just about every office building in downtown Boston. To find out about her upcoming releases, be sure to sign up for her mailing list at mirandamacleod.com/list.

I Heart SapphFic offers fresh content six days per week, including reading challenges, books on sale, free books, best of the best polls, books of the month, pet photos, random facts about authors, SapphFic community news, author resources, and so much more. Plus the original Tuesday New Release Newsletter, of course.

With the launch of our rebranded and redesigned website on October 3, 2022, I Heart SapphFic is thrilled to bring a new resource to the reading community: the I Heart SapphFic BookFinder. Our database of traditionally and independently published sapphic literature was launched with over 1,000 entries. We ended 2022 with nearly 2500 books, and we continue to grow daily!

 

The SFWA Romance Steering Committee invites you to join us at our monthly virtual Romancing SFF Meetup. Each month, the Romancing SFF meetup features an expert speaker for thirty minutes of programming followed by opportunities to ask questions and network with the SFWA SFF romance community.

Read more about Romancing SFF Monthly Meetup – Featuring: TB Markinson and Miranda MacLeod

Scroll to Top