Romance Novelists Unite in New York City

          ( HOUSTON , TX ) – Romance Writers of America (RWA) brings the best-selling stars of romance fiction and thousands of dollars to fight illiteracy to midtown Manhattan this July at their 24^th Annual RWA National Conference.
          More than 2,000 published and aspiring romance novelists, literary agents and publishing executives will meet in New York, Wednesday, July 16 – Saturday, July 19, 2003, for their “RWA ©s NY” Conference. During the four-day event ,the group will toast the stars of romance publishing, raise money for literacy, and offer more than 100 workshops on the craft and business of writing romance novels. The conference will be held at the New York Hilton on Sixth Ave.
          Romance Writers of America is the world’s largest genre writers’ association. It boasts 8,500 writer-members whose career range from beginning writer to New York Times best seller.
          International best sellers Nora Roberts, Jayne Ann Krentz, and Susan Elizabeth Phillips are just a few of the hundreds of published authors who will attend the conference and hold workshops. New York Times best-seller Jennifer Crusie and award-winning author Jo Beverley will be the Conference’s keynote and special-luncheon speakers.
          The annual “Readers for Life” Literacy Autographing on July 16 will allow New York romance readers to meet their favorite authors. The public is invited to attend the Autographing and meet hundreds of romance novelists who will sign and sell their books. All money raised from books purchased at the autographing will go to RWA’s national literacy charity. Half of the donation will be given to fight New York ’s own illiteracy battle, the other half will go to literacy campaigns elsewhere in the nation. The autographing will be from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the New York Hilton.
          Saturday evening, July 19, RWA will celebrate the glitz and glamour of its annual black-tie RITA and Golden Heart Awards Ceremony. Winners of this year’s RITAs, the highest award of excellence for published romance fiction, will be revealed during the festivities.
          RWA author-members write the romance novels that represent 55% of all popular paperback fiction sold, and that generate more than $1 billion yearly.
          Press passes may be obtained for all Conference events; for more information please contact Charis Calhoon in the RWA Office at (202) 841-4047, e-mail to ccalhoon@rwanational.org, or visit RWA’s Web site at www.rwanational.org.

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