The Long Island Chapter of Romance Writers of American held their annual luncheon on Friday, May 9th, at the one of the loveliest venues in Nassau County, Fox Hollow. This was the place to be for romance authors, editors, and agents.

 

Reminiscent of an estate of old with picturesque gardens and winding paths.

 

The grounds, tucked into eight acres of woodland, were especially glorious with spring blooms showing their colors.

 

 

My dear friend, author Jenna Victoria, is the Chair of the Long Island Chapter of the luncheon. I’m sure that means she’s the chief cook and bottle washer. At any event, she did a terrific job at bottle washing this time.

 

The affair opened with a white gloved, champagne welcome.

 

 

I understand the event started seventeen years ago as a Victorian tea in a member’s back yard and has grown to a gala event.

The room is impressive. The meal was delish, with the most incredible chocolate mouse cake for dessert. And then after that…they had a ice-cream sundae bar. I swore to my table I would NOT have a sundae…but you know, of course, I did. Good too.

 

This year’s keynote speaker was Bette Lee Fox, Managing Director of Library Journal and the recipient of the 2013 RWA Stephens Industry Award. She spoke on the value of libraries to writers. Many times writers think when their book goes into a library and it’s borrowed, they are losing sales. Bette assured the group this is not so. Armed with stats, she pointed out that library goers out paced other readers in the purchase of books and ebooks. In fact they often bought books they’d previously borrowed.

 

At the end of the event, winners from the raffle of baskets upon baskets of wonderful romance novels and other goodies were announced.

Me and Jenna…