The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
RomantiConn is Trumbull writer’s passion project
Kitty Berry’s relationship with writing is not unlike that between the heroine of a romance novel and her forbidden love interest.
For years Berry was cool, almost hostile to the written word. “I never did read for enjoyment,” says Berry during an interview in her Trumbull home.
But at some point, there was an undeniable attraction, perhaps spurred by the fact that her mother was an avid reader, who always wanted to become a writer. Soon, Berry also began reading, exclusively favoring romance novels. And from this attraction grew an unquenchable desire — the desire to write her own books.
“There were some books where I would say ‘This is so awful!’ and my husband would say ‘Well, why don’t you write your own book?’ ” Berry remembers.
Today, Berry is not only the author of multiple selfpublished romance novels, she’s the driving force behind RomantiConn, a romance author signing event that will take place Aug. 3 at the Trumbull Marriott. The event will feature 60 authors, most of them Connecticut residents, from all subgenres of romance signing books and chatting with fans.
RomantiConn will also include such vendors as LuLuRoe, Red Headed Scents, Pampered Chef and others hawking their wares. Berry also plans to unveil her own 16th romance novel at the event.
For Berry and the other authors who plan to attend, the conference is a promotional opportunity, but also a passion project. Berry says she’s not sure what exactly drew her to writing romances, but she has a theory.
“I guess it’s an escape into a life that we don’t have,” Berry says.
She believes most people — and certainly most women — dream of being swept away by a glamorous stranger with a mansion and a private jet.
“I don’t have that,” Berry says. “My husband drives an Accord.”
Romance lovers are predominantly female, at least according to a 2017 survey by the trade group Romance Writers of America. The survey, in which a sample of 2,000 romance book readers were asked their demographic information and reading habits, showed that 82 percent of those surveyed were female, and only 18 percent were male. Romance readers were also found to be predominantly white, heterosexual and between the ages of 35 and 39.
Perhaps the femaleness of its fanbase is part of the reason that romance has a somewhat scandalous reputation. “You do have your population that looks down
on it and thinks it’s just mommy porn,” Berry says.
Regardless of what people think, romance writing sells. In 2013, the Romance Writers estimated that sales of romantic novels amounted to $1.08 billion.
Berry says when she first began writing, she was interested in selfpublishing because it allowed her to keep all the rights to her material, and her sales.
She now has an exclusive contract with Amazon. Her books are available for purchase through the company, and are free digitally to members of Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited program. Berry’s books include the “Anatomy of Love Trilogy,” about three physicians and longtime friends who practice medicine together at a New York City hospital, and the “Stone Series,” an adult contemporary romance series.
Much like her path to becoming a writer, Berry’s journey to starting a convention began with fandom. She traveled to a few different author signing events in the region, including one for arguably the patron saint of selfpublished erotic fiction writers, “50 Shades of Grey” author E.L. James.
And, as with novelwriting, Berry realized that organizing a conference was
something she could do herself. She says she and some other authors got to talking about book conferences. “And we said ‘This sounds like something fun. Let’s try it,’ ” Berry says.
Though the idea was fun, the process itself was “difficult and time consuming,” Berry says.
She had to find a venue, find authors and vendors who were willing to show up, and promote the whole thing. So far, the process is going well. As of late June, Berry had booked what she saw as an appealing mix of authors across the spectrum of romance subgenres, including romantic comedy, historical romance, erotica and even Christian romance.
Berry admits that her slate was, for a while, exclusively female, but she has added at least one male author.
Perhaps the best known of those attending is bestselling historical romance novelist Christi Caldwell, whose works include the bestselling “Wicked Wallflowers” and “Heart of a Scandal” series. Others who will appear include romantic comedy writer Elizabeth Hayley (actually two writers working together under a pseudonym) and contemporary novelist Taylor Delong of Trumbull.
Berry says, if the event is a success, she would love to do it again. “I’m already looking at potential dates for next year,” she says.
RomantiConn will take place from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3 at the Trumbull Marriott, 180 Hawley Lane. For the complete list of authors/vendors and to purchase tickets, visit romanticonntickets.eventbrite.com. Amanda Cuda is a staff writer.