By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

If you are in love with love stories, you’ll want to be at South Seattle College‘s Brockey Center on Saturday (June 14).

The Emerald City Romance Writers group is bringing in more than 60 authors to meet fans, sell books, and revel in all things romantic.

This is the second year for the event, held in August last year. We talked with ECRW’s president, who writes as EL Roux. They explain that the event was created to “help promote local romance writers in the local community.” In other words – you’ve heard the exhortations “shop local,” “eat local,” etc., so consider this “read local”!

It’s not just about reading. Other participants include what EL describes as a tattoo-art business run by veterans, who’ll be offering, of course, romance-themed tattoos. Podcasters are expected.

You’ll get the chance to purchase directly from authors, and a mobile romance bookstore will be on site too.

You’ll also find fun ways to discover new – or, new to you – authors, such as “Blind Date with a Book” – you specify the “trope” (the type of romance, for example, “enemies to lovers”) and you’ll get a book to try.

Hottest current trends in romance stories? Romance/fantasy, for young-adult readers (say, early 20s). Just so happens that EL specializes in romance/fantasy, as well as romance/sci-fi, in fact. Take a look at all the genres that will be featured, and the writers and vendors related to them!

Alessa Winters – Paranormal Romance
Alex Washoe – Contemporary Romance, Fantasy Romance, Historical Fiction, Mysteries
Amanda Shelley – Contemporary Romance, New adult, Sports Romance, Single Parent Romance
Amelia Cole – Fantasy, dystopian, and scifi romances & urban fantasy
Anna Alkire – contemporary romance, romantic comedy
Annabeth Albert – LGBTQ, contemporary, romance, small town,
Asa Maria Bradley – Paranormal Romance & Romantasy
Becca Ryden – Fantasy/Romance
Beguiled Books – Seattle mobile romance bookstore
Boobs Non-Profit – All genres
Bookmomma and candy daddy – Blind date with a book
Bree Wiley – Queer Contemporary Romance
Brent Archer – Gay contemporary romance
Brittany Tucker – Adult & YA Fantasy
C.L. Collier – Contemporary romance
Chanté A. Campbell – Fantasy Romance
Chelsey Ann Tompkins – Adult Fantasy Romance
Christian Braver – Steamy contemporary romance
Christina Sol – Romantic suspense
Claire Marti – Contemporary Romance; Romcom
Coral Alejandra Moore – Fantasy and Paranormal Romance
D.W. Marshall – Romance: Suspense, contemporary, steamy,
Darcy McGuire – Historical Romance
Denise Wells – Contemporary, rom-com-suspense
Deysi O’Donal & Poppy Aster – Scifi romance (Deysi) dark paranormal romance (Poppy)
E. M. Epps & Augustine Lang – e Fantasy and Romantic Fantasy, Regency Romance
E.L. Roux – Scifi Romance and Low Fantasy Romance
Erika Vanzin – Spicy Contemporary Romance
Heather Greye – SciFi Romance/Futuristic Romance
James L. Sutter – Queer young adult romance, fantasy
Jaycee Jarvis – Fantasy Romance
Jen Flanagan – Cozy mystery & paranormal romance
Jessica Salina – Urban fantasy romance & romantic comedy
Joelle Lynne – MM Contemporary Romance
Julia Wyld – Romance Fantasy, Contemporary Romance
Justin Schuelke – LGBTQ+ m/m romance, urban fantasy, murder mystery
K. L. Parsons – Adventure Romance
Kari Harrison – MC Romance
Kate Pelczar – Romance
Kelly Vincent/Kat Vinson – YA Contemporary/LGBTQ and Adult Contemporary Romance
Kerrie Biehl – Paranormal Romance
Kerry Kilpatrick – LGBTQIA
Lily Riley – Paranormal romance, sci-fi romance, fantasy romance
Lindsey Sparks – Time Travel Romance, Fantasy Romance, Sci Fi Romance
Lore Townsend – Contemporary Romance
Lynne Hancock Pearson – Contemporary Romance
Maida Malby – Contemporary Romance
Mason Frost – Gay Romance
Matilda Lockwood – Historical romance
Meredith Spies – MM and MX paranormal romance, contemporaries, cozies
MsMorbid Art – Fantasy & Monster Romance Illustration
Nicola Tyche – Fantasy Romance, Romantasy
Paperback Pleasures – Romance Podcast, Booktok, and Store
Romance Recs Podcast – Romance Podcast
S.M. McCoy & Stevie Marie – Fantasy Romance, Sci-fi Romance, Alien Romance, Mythology and Legends
Samantha Jon – Upmarket romance, literary fiction, gothic romance
Serena Bell – Romantic comedy
Shelli Stevens – Spicy contemporaries and one paranormal series
Sonya Rhen – SciFi, Romance, Poetry
Stephanie K Clemens – Fantasy, Mystery and Cozy Fantasy
Tantri Wija – Romance, detective, fantasy, paranormal, fiction
Tori Fields – Contemporary, Instalove Romance
Victoria Weyland – Monster Romance
Victoria Woods

EL says they used feedback from last year for planning this event, so you’ll notice changes if you went to that one – more one-on-one time with authors, for example. Tickets are available online – 11 am early VIP admission, or general admission at noon; the event runs until 5 pm.