Happily Ever After

Experience a wide spectrum of romantic storytelling as you enjoy chocolate and wine. Enjoy live readings from published local romance authors Brent Archer, Eve Kasey, Morgan Lockhart, KL Parsons, Emily Rath, Penny Reid, Jo Segura, and Eliana West. This special evening will showcase the genre's impressive range from spellbinding romantasy to spicy contemporary encounters. Authors and local booksellers Away with Words and Wicked Words will have books available to browse and purchase.

Whether you're a devoted romance reader or romance-curious, treat yourself to an evening of bookish indulgence, games, and special surprises, emceed by romance authors Serena Bell and Julie Farley. This 21+ event offers the perfect Valentine's season experience, whether you're coming solo, with friends, or with a partner.

Eliana West:

  

Recipient of the 2022 Nancy Pearl Award for genre fiction, Eliana crafts tales featuring characters and communities that reflect the diversity of our world. Weaving together elements of love and hope, she creates stories that grip readers from the very first page and are filled with poignant moments that both tug at heartstrings and leave readers spellbound. Perhaps it’s her love of Jane Austen that draws Eliana to write about small towns, close-knit communities, and both found families and the complex dynamics of the families into which we're born. Eliana loves stories that bring people from different backgrounds together through the common language of unconditional love and acceptance. When she’s not writing, you’ll find Eliana adventuring with her husband — wandering the back roads in their beloved vintage Volkswagen Westfalia, affectionately named Bianca. Don’t be surprised if those back roads lead to a vineyard.   

Emily Rath:

Emily is a New York Times, USA Today, and #1 Amazon bestselling author of fantasy and romance. Emily started her career as an indie author, self-publishing books with little more than a hope and prayer. Now, on Amazon alone, she’s had over 600 million pages read of her books. Her works have been translated into 14 languages and counting.

Brent Archer:

Brent was born in Spokane, Wash., and lived there most of his adolescent life. At 18, he left for Seattle and the University of Washington to study electrical engineering, but ended up with a bachelor of arts degree in international studies and a minor in history. After graduation, he pursued an acting career in musical theater and dance. Once 30 hit, however, he focused on numbers, getting a certificate in accounting, and became the financial controller of a non-profit arts and music organization. He was laid off during the first year of the Covid pandemic, so he hung up his ten-key and never looked back. Although writing most of his life, he never thought to submit his work for publication. In 2012, he visited his cousin Delilah Devlin in Arkansas, and she prodded him to write a story and submit it. So, he did, and it sold right away. With the encouragement of Delilah, his other writing cousin Elle James, and his husband, Brent embarked on a writing career. He’s loving the journey, finding inspiration and a story everywhere he goes, whether it be the local coffee shop or riding the train to explore the world.

Eve Kasey:

Local romance author Eve Kasey creates emotional, steamy, love-forward stories featuring big feelings, urgency, and lots of heart. It you like character-driven reads with depth and humor, she's one to meet.

Morgan Lockhart:

Morgan hails from the Pacific Northwest, where she lives with her partner, children, and pack of fur babies. A longtime writer of video games and short stories, her debut novel, "A Spell for Midwinter's Heart," was released in fall 2025 from Dutton.

K. L. Parsons:

The Stranded in Leavenworth Series is the first complete series by K. L. Parsons. When she isn’t writing sexy, swoon-worthy romcoms, she can be found hiking, rock climbing, and generally exploring the natural wonders of the Pacific Northwest. She lives among the lush evergreens of Washington State with her husband, son, and doodle named Frank.

Penny Reid:

Penny is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of the "Winston Brothers and Knitting in the City" series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she writes kissing books. Penny is an obsessive knitter and manages the #OwnVoices-focused mentorship incubator/publishing imprint, Smartypants Romance. She lives in Seattle with her husband, three kids, and dog named Hazel.

Jo Segura:

USA Today bestselling author Jo Segura lives in the Pacific Northwest with her doggo, who vies for her attention with his sweet puppy dog eyes whenever she’s trying to write. Jo's stories feature strong, passionate heroines and draw upon aspects of her life, such as her love of good food and great cocktails, dancing, her Mexican heritage, and her fascination with archaeology, which inspired her debut romcom, "Raiders of the Lost Heart," published in December 2023 by Berkley Romance, and the forthcoming sequel, "Temple of Swoon" (Jan. 7, 2025). When she’s not writing, you can find her practicing law, perusing the aisles at Trader Joe's, or sitting out on the patio doing Buzzfeed quizzes (although she doesn’t care what the chicken nugget quiz said, her favorite fruit is not banana). Jo is represented by Jill Marsal at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. 

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