Romance readers and writers invited to Lady Jane’s Salon
Local romance writers Tracey Devlyn and Adrienne Giordano had long talked about visiting Lady Jane’s Salon, a Manhattan-based gathering in which writers read from their novels to a live audience.
So while attending a conference on Manhattan in the summer of 2010, they made a point of stopping at Lady Jane’s.
“It was just a wonderful experience,” Giordano remembered.
“The energy was just really high,” Devlyn recalled. “It was a great way for authors to connect with their readers.”
Now the two writing buddies and critique partners plan to replicate that experience with the launch of Lady Jane’s Salon-Naperville, a bimonthly reading series that will have its grand opening at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, at Le Chocolat du Bouchard, 2nd Floor, 129 S. Washington St., Naperville.
“It’s kind of an exciting, different thing. I don’t know of any other reading salon in the Chicago area,” Devlyn said.
Featured writers will be Blythe Gifford, a teller of romantic medieval tales; Karen Doornebos, whose debut novel is titled “Definitely Not Mr. Darcy”; and New York Times best-selling mystery writer Denise Swanson.
The launch of the salon has created a buzz on Facebook and Twitter, where the two founders have been talking it up, Giordano said.
“I don’t think people realize how loyal romance readers are, and how many romance readers there are,” she said.
Citing figures in the Business of Consumer Book Publishing 2011, Giordano said romance claimed the biggest share of consumer book publishing in 2010 at 13.4 percent. Romance fiction generated $1.358 billion in sales in 2010 and is estimated at $1.368 billion for 2011.
The Western suburbs are home to many romance writers and readers, said Giordano, a member of Windy City chapter of Romance Writers of America and co-founder of RomanceUniversity.com.
Her own credits include the romance suspense novels “A Just Deception,” “Risking Trust” and “Man Law” from Carina Press. Naperville-based Sourcebooks Inc. will publish Devlyn’s debut historical romance thriller, “A Lady’s Revenge,” in April.
At the salon, each featured author will give a 15- to 20-minute presentation and participants will have a chance to chat with them afterward, Devlyn said.
If that’s not enough for romance fans, there are prizes to be had. Drawings will be held for gift baskets, book bundles from Sourcebooks and Carina Press, and the grand prize — one Kindle Fire e-reader that comes with 12 novels.
Admission is $5 or one gently used paperback romance novel. Proceeds will be donated to Celebrate Differences, a grass-roots, not-for-profit dedicated to helping children and individuals with disabilities reach their full potential.
Reservations are requested. “Seating is limited. There’s room for only 40 to 45 people,” Giordano said.
For details and to RSVP, visit LadyJanesSalon/Naperville.com. For information on the founders, see AdrienneGiordano.com and TraceyDevlyn.com. To learn about Celebrate Differences, see celebratedifferences.org.
If you go
If you go
What: Lady Janes Salon-Naperville
When: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7
Where: Le Chocolat du Bouchard, 129 S. Washington St., Naperville
Admission: $5 or one gently used paperback romance novel
RSVP: LadyJanesSalonNaperville.com