Thursday, July 30
6:00-6:30pm
Registration
Booth
Registration Opens
Register now and beat the Friday Morning Rush
6:30-7:30pm
Room
TBA
Speaker Welcome Reception
We'll welcome our speakers and thank them for their time.
7:30-8:00pm
Room
TBA
Volunteer Reception
We'll welcome our speakers and thank them for their time.
8-9:30pm
Room
TBA
Pre-Conference Mixer
All registered RomanceLahoma attendees are invited to come mingle and meet new friends before the conference begins. There will be a cash bar, so be sure to bring cash for that.
Friday, July 31st, RomanceLahoma Writer Conference
7:30 - 8:25am
Registration
Desk
Registration Opens
OKRWG President, Sabrina Fish, will welcome attendees to RomanceLahoma 2026 & Introduce Our Speakers!
8:30 - 9am
Century
Ballroom
Welcome
OKRWG President, Sabrina Fish, will welcome attendees to RomanceLahoma 2025 & Introduce Our Speakers!
9:10 - 10:10am
Room:
Frontier
NOVICE: Writing a Shared Universe with Nina High
In this session, you'll learn how to create an addictive shared universe where readers fall in love with the characters and delight in seeing them over and over again.
9:10 - 10:10am
Room:
Great Plains
ADVANCED: But When Should They Kiss? Using Layers of Intimacy to Enhance Your Romance Tropes with Dawn Alexander
Stop guessing and start building tension that sizzles. This session explores how to build layers of physical and emotional intimacy to elevate your favorite romance tropes from predictable to unforgettable. From the first spark of awareness to the grand gesture, learn how to create a character connection that feels earned and authentic while hitting those essential trope expectations.
9:10 -10:10am
Room:
Green Country
NOVICE: Main Character Energy: Writing Underrepresented Characters with Kelsie Hoss
Let’s retire the sidekick role for good. This session dives into writing plus-size and other underrepresented heroines as fully realized, desirable main characters—drawing from real-life experience and reader expectations. We’ll also cover how to responsibly write identities beyond your own, including when and how to bring in sensitivity readers or community feedback.
9:10 - 10:10am
Room:
Red Carpet
ADVANCED: What an Asshole! How to write the over-the-top, seriously bad boy hero and how to redeem him...or not with Elizabeth Hoyt
The asshole hero perennially fascinates readers. Let’s explore the different types of asshole heroes, discuss how to make him compelling to the reader, and how to make him sympathetic without losing his edge.
10:20 -11:20am
Room:
Frontier
NOVICE: Non-Traditional Publishing Journeys for Beginners with C.M. Nascosta
Description TBA
10:20 - 11:20am
Room:
Great Plains
ADVANCED: Butter Blurbs with T. Taylor
Description TBA
10:20 - 11:20am
Room:
Green Country
NOVICE: From Idea to Finished Book: A Simple System for Writing Faster with K Webster
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed trying to turn an idea into a finished book, this class breaks it down into a simple, repeatable system that actually works. I’ll walk you through how I structure stories, use tropes and emotional beats, and keep my writing process streamlined so I can consistently finish projects without burnout. This is all about creating a workflow that takes you from “I have an idea” to “I finished my book” in a way that feels doable and sustainable.
10:20 -11:20am
Room:
Red Carpet
ADVANCED: Getting a Traditional Book Deal without an Agent with Erin Branscom
How to protect yourself and keep more of your own money in your pocket. How to advocate for yourself and sell your own books traditionally with the big five, foreign deals, and audio.
11:30 - 12:30pm
Room:
Frontier
NOVICE: TBA with Kristin Cast
Description TBA
11:30 - 12:30pm
Room:
Great Plains
ADVANCED: From Solo Author to CEO: Hiring Help That Actually Helps with Kelsie Hoss
If your to-do list never ends, it’s time to level up. In this workshop, we’ll cover how to think like a CEO, what tasks to delegate first, and how to choose between freelancers, agencies, and employees. Plus: practical tips for finding, vetting, and managing people so you can grow your author business without burning out.
11:30 - 12:30pm
Room:
Green Country
NOVICE: Universal Fantasy with T. Taylor
Description TBA
11:30 - 12:30pm
Room:
Red Carpet
ALL: Agents & Editors Panel
Panel includes:
Harlequin Editor, Susan Litman
Root Literary Agent, Samantha Fabian
12:30 - 1:45pm
Room:
One Broadway
Ballroom
S.W.A.K (Sealed with a Kiss) Luncheon
Speakers each host their own table. Table Guests receive Free Goodies.
Guests encouraged to bring a gift for their table host.
(Prior ticket purchase required, no walk-ins)
2:00 - 3:00pm
Room:
Frontier
NOVICE: The Anti-Swoon: Love Scene Mistakes That Kill the Mood with Dawn Alexander
Ready to turn up the heat? Make your next love scene memorable for all the right reasons. In this candid, no-nonsense workshop, we’ll break down the most common mistakes authors make that cause readers to wince instead of sigh by getting real about everything from emotional connection to the essential role of consent. Leave the awkwardness behind and gain the confidence to craft passionate, authentic scenes that stay with your readers long after the last page.
2:00 - 3:00pm
Room:
Great Plains
ADVANCED: Mining Social Media for Story Ideas with Nina High
In this session, you'll learn how to turn innocuous posts and articles into full on stories. Everything is a narrative if you look with the right lens.
2:00 - 3:00pm
Room:
Green Country
NOVICE: Universal Fantasy with T. Taylor
Description TBA
2:00 - 3:00pm
Room
D
ADVANCED: World Bibles That Sell: Building Addictive Story Universes with K Webster
This class dives into how to build story worlds that keep readers coming back for more. I’ll share how I create and organize world bibles for interconnected books/series, track characters and timelines, and set up series that naturally lead to higher read-through. We’ll talk about both the tools (like Scrivener) and the mindset behind building a scalable story universe, so you can write faster, stay organized, and create worlds readers don’t want to leave.
2:00 - 5:00pm
Pitch
Room:
Kiamichi
Pitch Room
Interested in traditional publishing and have a book ready to go? Pitch your book to our visiting agents & editors. Pre-Sign ups allowed for 1 appointment per attendee allowed. Check to see what they are looking for and to sign up HERE
3:10 - 4:10pm
Room:
Frontier
NOVICE: Author on a Budget: How to Build a Successful Author Business on a Shoestring Budget with Erin Branscom
Do you need a PA? What can you do on your own? Tools and Resources I use for free, and what I pay for.
3:10 - 4:10pm
Room:
Great Plains
ADVANCED: Patreon for Authors with C.M. Nascosta
Description TBA
3:10 - 4:10pm
Room:
Green Country
ALL: The Face and the Voice of Romance: Q&A with Wander Aguiar & Tor Thom
On this panel:
Romance Cover Model & Photographer, Wander Aguiar
Romance Audiobook Narrator, Tor Thom
3:10 - 4:10pm
Room:
Red Carpet
ADVANCED: TBA with Kristin Cast
Description TBA
4:20 - 5:20pm
Room:
Green Country
ALL: TBD with Scarlett St. Clair
Description TBA
4:20 - 5:20pm
Room:
Red Carpet
ALL: Behind the Books: Q&A with Sierra Simone & Julie Murphy
Description TBA
6:30 - 9:00pm
Room:
One Broadway
Ballroom
Heart Awards Gala
Announcement of 2026 Heart Award Contest Winners
(Registration Required, Tickets Not Sold at Door)
9:00 - 10:30pm
Room:
Wine Room
Next to the Bar
After Party Game Time!
Informal, Come & Go, Board Games, Cards, & Dominoes
The bar is only steps away
Saturday, August 1st, Red Dirt Romance Book Event
7:00 - 9:00am
Room
TBA
Author & Vendor Table Set Up for Red Dirt Romance Book Event
All signing author & Vendor tables must be set up by 9am
Vendors Should be at their table and ready to go by 9am
Authors/PAs at their table and ready for the VIP Early Access by 9:45am.
10am - 12pm
Room
TBA
VIP Early Access
Readers who purchased a VIP ticket to the Red Dirt Romance Book Event can start lining up at the Registration Booth at 9am
12:00 - 1:00pm
Room
TBA
Lunch
RDR Staff & Signing Authors Only (Registration Required, No Walk-ins)
(Authors not registered for the provided lunch and Attendees can get lunch at the onsite restaurant or any of the surrounding restaurants)
1:00 - 5:00pm
Room
TBA
Red Dirt Romance Book Event
VIPs, GA+, and General Admission ticket holders may start lining up at 11:30am
Registration opens at 12:30pm(to give staff 30 minutes to eat lunch after VIP session)
5:00-6:30pm
Transition from RDR Signing
All readers must exit the RDR Signing event by 6:30pm
7pm
Room
TBA
Passionate PJ Party Keynote Dinner with Sierra Simone
Registration opens at 6:30pm
Registration Required, No Walk-ins
Doors Open at 6:45pm
Prizes given for Sexiest(public decent), Funniest, and Coziest PJs