Welcome to the Rainbow Romance Writers!

Knowledge is power!

As part of the Rainbow Romance Writers ongoing mission to gather meaningful data on LGBT romance readership, our fabulous Research/Retail Committee has compiled a snazzy survey to help us determine reader habits and interests. The survey covers everything from reading habits, subgenre preferences, pricing, and access to books.  The survey is completely anonymous, and the information gathered will prove invaluable for our chapter literature and ongoing public advocacy LGBT romance with vendors, distributors and media.

The Rainbow Romance Writers are trying to get a more coherent picture of the ways people read and acquire romantic fiction, so every response helps us survey the romantic landscape properly. By gathering data about readers of LGBT romance and romance in general, we hope to clarify the broadening appeal and expanding market for folks who love hard numbers and clean statistics, both within the romance community, the media, and retail channels.

Note: this is a survey for all romance readers, not only readers of LGBT romance.

If you have a moment and would like to make your voice heard, please take a moment to fiull it out and to help spread the word to as many other romance readers as possible.  We encourage everyone to use the buttons here to promote this survey on their websites, twitter feeds, blogs, and other social media hubs or simply link to https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RRWReaderSurvey.

This past Saturday, the RRW spent all day at the 2012 Rainbow Bookfair connecting with old friends and new members and hundreds of readers. We had an absolute blast: connections were made, manuscripts solicited, memberships sought, and sexy plots hatched on behalf of the chapter. Under the masterful guidance of the CLAGS organizers, the Rainbow Bookfair has tripled in size and now occupies the entire NY Gay and Lesbian Center for the day.

The Rainbow Bookfair has become one of the must attend events of the LGBT romance calendar. If you’re interested in attending (or exhibiting) next year, keep an eye on their website for updates. Many thanks to everyone who came out to support LGBT fiction on such a beautiful spring day. And cheers to all the Rainbow Romance Writers who came and helped make the day such a rousing success.

We’ve just gotten wonderful news from the national organization acknowledging two modifications to their language regarding diversity and tolerance within the Romance Writers of America and its chapters. The RRW Officers just sent them a letter of thanks for acting so quickly and decisively to address issues raised by the recent discrimination kerfuffle:

To the full body of the Romance Writers of America National Board:

As the board of the Rainbow Romance Writers, we have seen the amendments and additions you have made to RWA in your March meeting hot sheet, and we write today to express our approval and thank you for this great step forward towards equality. We are aware how challenging this issue must have been for you and for RWA as an organization, that you were obliged not only to work towards fairness for all members but within the legal boundaries constraining an organization of this size and scope.

It is our hope that this issue is now permanently tabled, that your words will inspire all chapters and contests to be inclusive not exclusive. We look forward to continuing to participate in RWA as full and equal members no matter our orientation or those of our characters.

Sincerely,

Heidi Cullinan

President, Rainbow Romance Writers

www.rainbowromancewriters.com

Damon Suede

Vice-President, Rainbow Romance Writers

Amberly Smith

Secretary, Rainbow Romance Writers

Lara Brukz

Treasurer, Rainbow Romance Writers