Mary Stella works at a dolphin facility in the Florida Keys. “Writing can be so frustrating and lonely, but everyone here opens up and offers advice and support,” she said. “In fact, I got an invitation to submit my first book, All Keyed Up, at one of these conventions.”

Anna Volk of Mauston, Wisconsin, is a full-time office manager and the mother of two boys. Despite her frantic schedule, she’s managed to write four novels and get one of them published. “I’d love to crack the mass market and be really popular,” she admits. “But just knowing I’ve actually published a book is a dream come true.”

For the fans, dreams are what it’s all about. Jen Spaulding, a 34-year-old crisis intervention counselor from Bartlett, Tennessee, has been to three conventions. “For me, romance novels are an escape from the pressures of volunteering at the hotline.” Her friend Michelle Tribble, a nuclear medicine technician who shows dogs in her spare time, agrees. “Reading is a great form of stress relief.”

“ That’s the irresistible appeal of these books,” said Patti Lewis. “In troubled times, we all need a healthy escape. Romance novels are cheaper than a psychiatrist—and everyone loves a happy ending.”

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