Laura Ridgefield
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lauraridgefield.bsky.social
Laura Ridgefield
@lauraridgefield.bsky.social
1.2K followers 930 following 94 posts
HEA forever. Romance novelist ("Under the Influencer" coming soon!) Board Member, Chicago North Romance Writers. #romancelandia PR practitioner, mom, bleeding heart. She/her
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#Romancelandia -- if you want to keep up with the antics and amazing writers of the renown @chicagonorthrw.bsky.social, I've assembled this handy-dandy starter pack. go.bsky.app/79Fbp47
This.
Can’t decide what to buy on Prime Day?

Try: absolutely nothing, and then go support indie bookstores instead 📚
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
Chicago North Spring Fling Writers Conference 2026 registration is now available!
Workshops, agent pitch sessions, blogger bookseller meet and greet, book signing, gala, charity auction, networking! #Authorsky #romancewriters
www.chicagonorthromancewriters.com/spring-fling
Reposted by Laura Ridgefield
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!
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
Get these excellent romances for free today!

Jess K Hardy's LIPS LIKE SUGAR
amzn.to/4lf4boA
Nikki Sloane's THE INITIATION
amzn.to/3FKUxv6
www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/...
Sara Whitney's TEMPTING HEAT
amzn.to/3HMfjeb
www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/...
Annika Martin's DARK MAFIA PRINCE
amzn.to/3HKcGtD
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!
Where are the #Chicagoland romance readers?
Our Books in Bloom event:
8 author panels including romance book podcasts Fated Mates, Whoamance!, Cantina Book club, Midnight Ace podcast and Chicago's Last Chapter Bookshop!
Tea & book-themed fashion show
Book signing!
www.chicagobooksinbloom.com
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.
Reposted by Laura Ridgefield
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
Writers, name five of the authors who most impacted your writing style or philosophy:

JRR Tolkien
CS Lewis
Libba Bray
Ken Follett
Lemony Snicket
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)