Mary Bly
“Romance is one of the very few meritocracies left. I think you can be a chef, cooking is a meritocracy and romance is a meritocracy.
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MARY BLY
Tenured Shakespeare professor by day, bestselling romance author ELOISA JAMES by night. This romance heavy-hitter navigates the high-powered New York publishing industry with her friend and personal assistant Kim Castillo, who helps to make Eloisa James the Harper Collins “rock star of social media.”
“I love fiction because it’s fiction. Fiction is not real and it’s not supposed to be. Fiction is a dream. Fiction is a desire. Fiction is hope.”
Len Bardot
LEN BAROT
Surgeon, farmer, publisher, and well-known author of lesbian romance fiction, writing under the pen names RADCLYFFE and L.L. RAAND. Bold Strokes Books, the publishing house Len founded a decade ago, now publishes more than 140 authors worldwide, providing both advice and safe haven to its authors and readers.
Beverly Jenkins
“I read everything. I read science fiction. I read fantasy, westerns, you know, Zane Grey, everything, and I also read romance. But there was nothing for somebody who looked like me.”
BEVERLY JENKINS
Pioneer of African American romance, author of historical, suspense and inspirational romances. Beverly and her vibrant community of readers explore their heritage through love stories rich in history, powerful heroines, and gallant heroes. She’s amazed and humbled knowing that she makes a difference in people’s lives “with just paper and ink.”
“Susan: This is a female powered engine of commerce. And it’s a multi-billion dollar industry. Celeste: An industry that would falter and crumble without romance. You know, we pay the bills. Susan: For all of fiction. For all of popular fiction. Celeste: Yeah. We’re the ones who keep the lights on.”
Susan Donovan & Celeste Bradley
SUSAN DONOVAN and CELESTE BRADLEY
Best friends, divorcees, single mothers, and New York Times bestselling writing partners. Susan and Celeste write through personal tragedy and professional disaster, confronting the publishing industry head-on. It’s them against the world.
Joanne Lockyer
“I knew that the only way that I could write my novel was I had to actually walk away from my job, and I had to walk away without a safety net and just trust that it was going to work out.
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JOANNE LOCKYER
A young Australian environmental consultant and aspiring romance author trying to publish her first novel. Her critique partner and good friend, Elizabeth Essex, helps her as she navigates writing challenges and huge career decisions.
Love Between the Covers includes amazing interviews with romance readers and many romance authors, including:
We hear from romance industry insiders:
And we hear from leading romance scholars:
“You see romance authors helping one another, giving blurbs for one another, reading one another’s work, critiquing works, saying, ‘Hey, this is a good outlet. Try that,’ introducing people. There’s just this tremendous sense of friendship and community.”
