Laura Ridgefield

This.

In the US. I have watched SO many videos with POV on what's better, and I think I have it narrowed down to KDP and Ingram. Seems like such a huge hurdle to decide, but I suppose nothing is final.

Thank you!

Contemporary romance indie authors - trying to decide between KDP, IngramSpark, Draft2Digital and Barnes & Noble for self publishing. Leaning toward KDP, but would love to hear your thoughts! #indiepublishing #writingromance #amwriting

One of the best writing conferences around for romance writers! Registration just opened with early bird pricing, and you can choose in-person or online! (But I hope you choose in-person so we can meet!) #amwriting #writingromance #chicagospringfling

Authors of #Romancelandia! In an attempt to get a jump on Bookstore Romance Day planning for 2026, I have opened up the author registration form. This information is shared w/bookstores who want to do events for BRD & for Bookstore Romance Day-presented virtual panels & events. Link in next post.

Today's the LAST DAY to submit a workshop proposal for Chicago-North Romance Writers' SPRING FLING conference in April 2026. You won't want to miss it!

Stained EVERYTHING

If the #StuffYourEReader event is too much to sift through -- @fatedmates.net have done the legwork for you. Just added these to my TBR! #romance

For those who want to GET ALL THE BOOKS -- a bunch of freebies for you! It's #StuffYourEReader day!

Confession - I hoard books (new, secondhand, library discards) like a miser. I have a very hard time getting rid of books. At last count, I had more than 1,100 in my shelves. Is that an excessive amount?

Can't argue with fashions...lol.

Agree, and think that's why regency is always so popular -- most restrictive, limited agency for women, the idea of being "ruined" by sex.

I'm normally not a fan of present-tense writing, but I just finished beta reading a fantasy novel from my agent-sibling, and it was SO good. I might have to rethink my bias.

Only 3 weeks away!

Me and my bsky bubble

Unbelievable....wait, completely believable. These companies have zero regard for the human element of creative expression. They can't fathom that the spark of humanity is necessary. It's repulsive.

An ivy covered single story fieldstone building. A wooded door with an iron latch sits in an opening that starts smaller at the bottom, then sweeps out towards the rounded top.

Near Lauragh, #Ireland: Sean O's Hobbit-ish forge.

#StreetPhotography
#Ivy
#door

Also -- I discovered there's a town called Lauragh, which is obviously a place that I, Laura, need to go! And it's beautiful!

The biggest problem with writing a romance novel set in Ireland is that you can get completely, wistfully lost when researching vacation rentals. Now all I want to do is plan another vacation there!

Writers, name five of the authors who most impacted your writing style or philosophy:

Betty Smith
Jane Austen
Victoria Holt
Sharon Kay Penman
Jude Devereaux

Ooh, good publishing news is always something to celebrate. Take the crumbs of joy you can find in this hellscape.

The teacher gave me full marks, but in the margins, he told me that my pen pal seemed to have the upper hand, debate-wise. LOL. I still have those letters somewhere in the basement, and never met the pen pal. He'd be about 52 now. (3/3)

The letters started off fine, but veered over time into double entendres, snarkiness and what I thought was witty repartee. So, throwing caution to the wind, I hole-punched the letters and turned them in. (2/3)

Oh, you just brought back a core memory! I loved writing, but was not discplined (gee, not much changed!) so at the end of the semester, I panicked. Instead of my journal, I submitted a series of letters I wrote to a (male) pen pal in NJ. He was friends with the boy at my school I liked (1/3)

a man in a suit and tie is sitting on a couch and making a funny face while talking about fruit roll ups ALT: a man in a suit and tie is sitting on a couch and making a funny face while talking about fruit roll ups

Ah, we've reached that intersection of heat & humidity where I can't sit on any chair in shorts for more than a minute. My legs stick to the chair like a fruit rollup to its wrapper.

There once was a "writer" named Frey
Who thought, I'm too busy to try.
My novels are dreck
But I still want a check
So I'll vomit some crap from AI.

What little respect he has for the profession, the craft and the readers. Why buy it? Just ask ChatGPT to summarize the plot, if you must.

You might even call us the Romance Novel Capital of America!

With THREE romance-only bookstores (@lovessweetarrow.bsky.social, @thelastchapter.bsky.social and now the new Pink Couch bookstore in Wilmette) in the Chicagoland area, it's absolutely a lock: CHICAGO IS THE BEST MARKET FOR ROMANCE NOVELS! 😍

Giveaway: Premier Registration for Chicago Books in Bloom 2025 2 separate winners will each receive ONE (1) Premiere registrationPremiere – $100 value (all Saturday activities-breakfast, panels, lunch,

Chicago Romance readers! It's the last few days to enter to win FREE passes to the Chicago Books in Bloom reader event The ticket giveaway ends May 30, so use this link to enter: socialman.net/c/1h7ey/