Coffee and Conversation with the #RomanceGems

Today, we're introducing a new feature ... Coffee and Conversation! If you ask ... the Gems will answer. So grab yourself a cup of your favorite beverage and join us for some great conversation. This month's topic: As a romance author, when you read for pleasure, what do you read?

"I write contemporary romance (unless it's a time travel) so I prefer to read historical romance to relax away from contemporary world issues. I do enjoy Regency and my favorite authors there are Gail Whitiker (so very proper) and our own Cheryl Bolen. Another favorite is Elizabeth Hoyt. ~ Bonnie Edwards

"Because I write historical romance, much of my personal reading consists of non-fiction research books that put me in eighteenth century England. I also enjoy biographies, particularly of dead English women and Englishmen. When I’m craving fiction, I gravitate to English mysteries set between the twentieth-century wars. If they feature a bit of humor and throw in a romance, I’m in heaven. Favorite authors are Jane Austen and Josephine Tey." ~ Cheryl Bolen

"Since the stories I write are character driven with strong dialogue, I am drawn to cozy mysteries—heavy in narrative, internal thoughts, along with a body or two landing in the middle of a scene, for my personal reading pleasure." ~ Connie Vines

"I love to read dark twisted romance that includes mafia romances and I enjoy office/billionaire romances. I love to read stories by Skye Warren, Bella J, Willow Winters, Whitney G. and Ali Parker. I spend a lot of evenings reading, and have already blown up two kindles and my iPhone. (LOL) There are two authors who are non-romance that I enjoy reading as well, Jonathan Kellerman and Patricia Cornwall." ~ Constance Bretes

"I've recently discovered Tess Gerritsen and a new mystery author named Victoria Selman." ~ Jan Scarbrough

"I'll take Romance—Romantic Comedy, Romantic Suspense, actually, Romance of just about any persuasion—along with mystery/suspense/thrillers." ~ Joan Reeves

"When I read, I want to immerse myself in the flow of the words, how they conjure up an intriguing setting, show enhanced senses and the turbulent emotions of the characters. I enjoy Barbara O’Neal (loved The Art of Inheriting Secrets), Sarah Addison Allen’s magic realism, Jayne Ann Krentz’s Arcane books and, for a bit of fun, anything by Susan Elizabeth Phillips." ~ Judith Hudson

"Because I write 4 books a year, paranormal romance or romantic suspense, I love to read outside my genres. I adore a good Fantasy book and lately, I've been reading a lot of Young Adult Fiction. Maybe some day I'll try my hand at writing one!" ~ Karen Whiddon

"I have to admit that my favorite genre to read is also romance. There's nothing quite like seeing two people, who for some reason shouldn't be together, manage to fall in love, fight for that love, fix their differences, and end up living happily ever after." ~ Kari Lemor

"Whatever I read it has to be a page-turner. When I can stop analyzing the writer’s craft and just be a reader is the best." ~ Kathleen Lawless

"History! As in non-fiction, with science a close second. Because of the circles I travel in—mostly paranormal enthusiasts, writers, and history buffs—I’m always heading down a rabbit hole. Victorian lifestyle, folklore, and space exploration are a few favorites. Lately, I’ve been immersed in WWI trench warfare as research for an upcoming book. That’s the only spoiler I'll give. Of course, it’s romance. Happily-ever-after is my jam!" ~ Kathryn Hills

“Although my own writing sticks to sweet romance and a newspaper column, my pleasure reading revolves around new books by long-time favorites, re-reads for comfort, and Favorites by Friends. Not to mention the occasional cozy mystery or, the other day, just because, Understood Betsy. Betsy was a muse for me since elementary school days—she still is.” ~ Liz Flaherty

"I read cozy mysteries and I adore JD Robb In Death Series. In addition I have a huge TBR pile as I am a lover of bookstores and am always picking up several unknowns. I like to think that other book readers will give my novels a chance too." ~ Lucinda Race

"Since I write across multiple romance genres, my creative brain is always scrambling. Whether it's a new plot idea, or just keeping three different genres straight, it's often a super-highway of confusion in there! When I read for pleasure, it's either cozy mysteries or very light romantic comedy." ~ Nancy Fraser

"When I'm not writing about people in love or jeopardy, I love to read biographies. Recently I read Marion Ross's story, My Happy Days, about her life and becoming a celebrity in her fifties. I also read Trailblazer about the first black woman journalist for the Washington Post. When she went to get a story, the doorman always told her to use the back door for the maids. Just a sample of how she was treated." ~ Nora LeDuc

"Since my favorite tv shows are usually crime dramas ala Law and Order and Criminal minds, I usually find myself reading police procedurals, romantic suspense and murder mysteries for pleasure." ~ Peggy Jaeger

"I like to read a variety of romance sub-genres, such as contemporary, romantic suspense, and paranormal romance. I also enjoy reading science fiction, post-apocalyptic, and YA. Some of my favorite automatic "one-click" authors are Kit Rocha, Lexi Blake, Susan Kaye Quinn, Ilona Andrews, Sarah Lyons Fleming, Elizabeth Hunter, and Nora Roberts." ~ Satin Russell

We'd love to hear from you!  Add your questions or comments below or send via email through the "contact us" link on the bottom of the left sidebar. You can also make a suggestion on what you'd like to discuss here in the future.

Thanks for joining us.

The Romance Gems

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