Authors Dish SaSS26 Richmond with Authors Ginni Conquest, Meg Napier, Monica Burns, Sara Snow, Jenna Jaxson, and Nicole E. Kelleher

Jul 18, 2026 | AJ Renee, Authors Dish, Blog, Ginni Conquist, Jenna Jaxson, July 2026, Meg Napier, Monica Burns, Nicole E Kelleher, Sara Snow

Welcome to Authors Dish featuring authors and industry professionals attending the 10th Anniversary Sexy and SaSSY 2026 Signing in Richmond, Virginia. If you are joining us for all the bookish fun or just traveling over the summer we hope their tips or packing ideas are helpful no matter where your travels take you. If you are heading to #SaSS26 next month please don’t forget to pre-order your books early to guarantee your books are waiting for you (details and links can be found on the facebook group page.) If you are bringing your favorites from home don’t forget to make room for all the extra bookish stuff you’ll find while you are in Richmond. May these posts inspire you to shop early, make your lists, and triple check so you are prepared for just about anything. 

Thank you to all who have dished and those yet and soon to featured. Stay tuned for more comments and be sure to follow the blog so you don’t miss these posts.

Grab a cuppa and join Authors Ginny Conquest, Meg Napier, Monica Burns, Sara Snow, Jenna Jaxson, Nicole E. Kelleher, and AJ Renee

Rae: What genre(s) do you write and what are you currently working on?

Ginni: Contemporary Romance with my focus on my 80’s Rockstar Romance series “Song of the Heart.”  I have three books so far released in this series.  The cover models are from the VA based Premier 80’s Rock band TEAZE.  I know they are a favorite here in VA. I used to be the Lead Singer in my own original rock band in NYC called SPYZ.  Who better to write a Rockstar romance than someone who experienced it.   Here is a link from YouTube with some songs from our CD “Thumb’s Up.”

Meg: I primarily write romantic suspense and just published SECOND WHISPER. It’s a mixture of women’s fiction, suspense, and romance with a touch of the paranormal thrown in! Here’s the back cover description: 

Amanda taps just enough of her psychic skills to comfort, support, and occasionally entertain her suburban Washington DC clients. She’s therefore startled when an urgent message comes in from the other side telling her to act quickly to help her long ago high school boyfriend, who’s now in terrible danger. If only that message didn’t include instructions to work with Keith, her old beau’s brother, and the one she’s always secretly loved.  

Violence, secrets, and frustratingly inconsistent help from beyond keep Amanda and Keith running from one crisis to the next. Can Amanda find the courage to give her gifts preeminence in her life, and if so, will Keith step forward and join her on her path?

Monica: I write really steamy (open door, deeply emotional sex scenes. One review a few years ago said, “No one sets fire to the page like Monica Burns,” but that before steam became mainstream. My genres are  historicals with psychics, time travel, and just straight historicals with two sheikh books. I’m huge lover of Ancient Egypt and Ancient Rome, so they’re mixed in with a lot of my books. I also an urban fantasy series deeply tied to Ancient Rome, and I’m currently working on a romantasy that is very similar to my urban fantasy series in terms of the action and ARC running through the series. I played D&D in college, skipped a LOT of biology classes to play in the commons area. I miss not playing, but I don’t have anyone I know who plays, so I write the campaigns in my books. I even have my old campaign stories where I interacted with others on BBs before Facebook. So, I’m excited about the romantasy because it blends my love of fantasy, action adventure like Raiders of the Lost Ark, and lots of mystical themes, whatever I can get away with. I tend to push the envelope. I believe in writing what I love and what feels right. The cover is already finished for the romantasy. Incentive to get the book finished, right after I write the last two chapters of my current historical, which is book 7 in my Reckless Rockwoods, a family of psychics.

Sara: I write YA paranormal romance. I am currently working on Queen of Vengeance, a dark paranormal romance.

Jenna: I write historical romance in a variety of periods. I’ve written everything from medieval to Georgian to Regency to Victorian. I am currently working on Gem of My Heart, a mid-Victorian romance that is book 5 of my Welwyn Marriage Wager series for Dragonblade Publishing. The premise of the series is that the Duke of Welwyn has wagered his six grandsons that they cannot all get married within a year. If they do, each receives landed estates, carriages, and a 10,000 pound cash prize. If all six do not get married, then no of them win, even if the others have married. In book 5, the hero very desperately wants to marry the woman he’s in love with, however, she’s his mistress and refuses to marry him because of the scandal it will bring down on the hero’s family and the fear it will estrange the hero from them (including his twin brother) forever. So he has to convince her that his family will accept her. However, he doesn’t know the secret she’s been keeping from him that may make their marriage completely unacceptable.

Nicole: Epic Romantasy & Paranormal Suspense, plus an upcoming Political Thriller

AJ: I write a variety of romance: contemporary, paranormal, new adult, romantic suspense, and romantic comedy. Currently I’m working on book four of my Black Widow Security series. It’s a spinoff of my St. Fleur series. The first book released in May and book two will come out in October.

Rae: What is your favorite decade?

Ginni: The 80’s!  Hands down. No discussion. Best musical era in my opinion. lol.

Meg: I’d have to say the 2010s. My kids were old enough to not need 24/7 monitoring, and I finally gave my writing time some priority.

Monica: To write in or in life? I love 1897-1912 era for my historicals, my time travels always jump back to 1890s era (sine I believe in past lives, I know that era well, knowing things before I research them sort of details. Same goes for Egypt. In my book Mirage, I picked the actual location of Ramesses’s summer palace, six months before it was actually found. I did do some research, but no one could determine where it was out of three or four different locations. I knew exactly where. I don’t believe in coincidences.*grin*

My award-winning urban fantasy series, Order of the Sicari is a favorite of mine. These characters live as if they were still living in Ancient Rome. They’re vigilantes of a sort, and execute with only swords as it’s a refined technique. Anyone can point and fire a gun. A sword requires skill, but there’s a big ARC there where the heroes/heroines are fighting a formidable enemy over the past 2000 years. One of the guilds is based in Chicago, and every time I visit, I have to drive by 200 Wacker Drive where my heroes/heroines have their guild taking over about the top seven floors. I do wish they were real.

If we’re talking present day era, then my 40s were my best decade, despite losing my mother just before I turned 40, but the rest of the decade I rocked it all.

Sara: The 1990s! That was when I was in high school, and I miss the days of having zero responsibilities.

Jenna: For writing or just for fun? For writing my favorite period is actually Georgian, 1760-1770. Lots of swordplay and dueling that’s fun to write. For fun, my favorite decade is the 1950s. Poodle skirts, dance crazes, and an innocence that also dripped sensuality. Grease meets Hairspray meets West Side Story (not to mention American Graffiti and Happy Days)

Nicole: All of them, but the 90s were definitely the most fun. I was seriously shy, but managed to pull myself out of it during those years. I admit, though, that I’ll never get over feeling awkward at cocktail parties!

AJ: I’m a contemporary girl. Every decade has its pros and cons, but if we are talking music, I’d say 90s and early 2000s.

Rae: What five things do you have to pack when attending a conference?

Ginni: All the essentials of course: books, promo materials, my stand up banner that scares the hell out of me when I put it up and take it down.  Being 5’1, it’s a challenge to set it up. I also bring something to drink as I talk a lot at these events and my email sign up book.

Meg: To attend a conference I have to pack my laptop. Unlike the rest of the world, I don’t function well on my iPhone, and I’m even challenged at times on my iPad. But I love working/doing email/wasting time on my laptop!  I also try to remember bookmarks to give out, vegan snacks, since I’m always hungry, a sweater since I’m always cold, and my glasses!

Monica: Books, swag, signage, comfortable clothes, and a laptop. I’m bipolar, ADHD, OCD, so if I’ve a spare minute or need to back away from all the noise, I’ll write for about an hour in my room. This year, since the event is in Richmond, I’ll be commuting. I’m not sure how I’ll escape the noise. Probably go to the bar, drink some wine, have cheesecake, try to block out the noise, and use paper and pen to write. *grin* Then again, if I’m having fun, I’ll be where the action is.

Sara: Water Bottles (I have POTS so this is a must have since I am always drinking water!), Giveaways/Swag, Amethyst and Diamond Crown (got to have the bling!), Comfortable Shoes (I wear purple Converse with my wolf logo on them to match my outfit), and Sharpies in purple, gold, silver and bronze (and lots of them).

Jenna: Swag, make-up, special signing pen, electric kettle, English Breakfast tea

Nicole: All the book stuff, of course, but if you’re asking about the extras, it varies based on if there’s a hotel stay involved, so I’ll go with these in no particular order of importance: snacks (chocolates and savories); wine to relax with when I’m watching corny movies after the event; slippers so that I don’t need to put on shoes when I go to find the ice machine; false eyelashes—they are perma-packed, and I’ve never had the courage to wear them!; and always, always, always, some new swag item that I think readers will like and that takes me a few weeks of mad-assembly to finish in time. For example, you may ask? 200+ tissue paper corsages, each one uniquely colored and with its own satin ribbon. 

AJ: Necessities, a battery pack, water, comfortable shoes, and electrolytes in addition to my book/author things.

Rae: What is your snack attack must haves in your day bag?

Ginni: Definitely a protein energy bar. I try to stay away from things not good for me, but when that snack cart comes around, I’ll take a bag of Doritos or Kettle Corn popcorn.

Meg: I eat vegan protein bars, but I prefer the ones with only a few ingredients. I also love Killer Dave’s Bold Buffalo Snack Bites!

Monica: My “snack attacks” are generally done in the restaurant where I get cheesecake three or four times during a conference. I could buy it at Costco, but it would gone in two days. 

Sara: Protein bars in case I don’t get to eat at all.

Jenna: Well, since I’m both gluten and lactose free, I have very specific snacks and food I have to take (because no one supplies either at conferences). Gluten free bread and peanut butter, Naten’s GF Madeleines, GF crackers and Cabot cheese slices, apple slices, and I’ve just discovered Drizzlicious rice cakes! A must have from now on.

Nicole: It’s insta-love for me and rice krispies treats, coke-a-cola on ice, and water.

AJ: I don’t snack often, but when I do it’s sour Haribo or Albanese candy and Chesters hot fries.

Rae: What’s the one thing you forget to pack and swear to remember next time?

GInni: Luckily, I haven’t forgotten anything.  Items are arranged in my home office so I just grab what I need for each book signing.  When I do SASS, I’m visiting my mom and brother here too so I guess you can say I overpack. 🙂

Meg: Last time I was at a conference I forgot my “signed by author” stickers, and now I remember that I planned to order more.

Monica: Me?? LOL Oh, I can’t remember the last time I forgot something. I pack the kitchen sink and bring stuff I don’t need, but being prepared means I don’t have to stress. I’ve done so many conferences in the past 20 years, I’m a pro. As for swearing, the F-bomb is my favorite word, so I use that at least once in every conversation.

Sara: Batteries

Jenna: A sewing kit! It used to be a glue gun, but I do remember that one now.

Nicole: I’m a list maker, an inherited trait from my mom. I have lists for every type of trip I take, from book events (attending author or an attendee) to vacations (multiple versions based on destination, transportation mode, a hotel or a rental), my lists keep me focused.  Recently, I forgot to pack my pop-up sign, but woke up at 4 a.m. and remembered, thank goodness. Wait, I may have one thing, my bathing suit—but that might not count as forgetting it “might” be intentional. 

AJ: The electrolytes, ha! Especially on trips where I need to drive a lot and dehydrate myself.

Thank you so much authors! If you are an attending author or industry professional and you want to join in on the fun please e-mail me and we’ll be sure to add you on a future post!

I’ll be keeping a running list and will post a master packing list a week before #SaSS26 Richmond. I’ll see you soon for new authors and more ideas!

Born in New Jersey, Ginni found her love of writing romance stories a few years ago. With a bit of intrigue, scandal, conflicted love, she enjoys creating these sweet and sexy stories that her readers can identify with. Ginni attributes her younger years of reading Harlequin romance books for putting her on the path she is on now.

Song of the Heart: The Beginning, and the next five books in this series, come from her love of music while singing in her own original rock band in New York City in the late 80s and early 90s. It’s been a dream of Ginni’s to write a Rock Star Romance series where she can call upon her own experiences of what it takes to be in a rock band.

Her book “Unlawful Love” MC Club Romance book was one of the stories featured in the “Locked Up/Lawyered Up” Anthology Series through TNT/NYC. Teaming up with Amazon Best Selling Author Barbara Nolan, both writers supplied “crossover” stories which are now published as standalone novels through Amazon.

Ginni’s Christmas story, “Believe and It Will Happen,” was part of another Anthology Series, “Mistletoe Over Manhattan,” that made the Amazon Best Seller Anthology list in Australia and Canada.

Celebrating her 42nd Anniversary as Senior Agent and Co-Director Wilhelmina Models in NYC, Ginni juggles her writing time in the evenings and weekends. She resides in New Jersey with her husband and adorable Basset Hounds, Jameson and Grayson.

She loves motorcycle riding, Cape May and 80s hard rock, especially KISS, Foreigner, Queensryche, and Heart and Pat Benetar.

You can get book signing and book release information on her website

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Meg Napier began dreaming about romance sometime in second grade when she accepted her first proposal. It came with a tiny package of rock candy, and her addiction to love and sweets was cemented in one fell swoop. Sadly, she lost touch with her first beau, but the idea of life being better when hearts are entwined stuck with her.

 Over the years, Meg allowed other commitments to take priority over writing, but she remained convinced that without love, nothing else has meaning. She has been blessed throughout her life to find love everywhere: in supportive parents and siblings, magnificent teachers, good friends, crazy pets, caring co-workers, cherished children, and a wonderful and supportive husband. The titles of Meg’s books and stories all contain the word “second” because most things/people worth fighting for require more than we can possibly imagine during chapter one. And just as fine chocolate is often better savored on the second bite, love, too, always rightfully demands a second chance.

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Monica Burns is a bestselling author of spicy historical, contemporary, and paranormal romance. She is also the winner of the 2015 Gold Medal International Book Award, 2016 IPPY Bronze for FOREVER MINE. At the age of nine, Monica displayed an aptitude for psychic abilities. It was then she wrote her first romance and signed it with the pseudonym she uses today—Monica Burns. She’s bought four houses based on her dreams and been within $500 of all sale/purchase prices. No she hasn’t been able to predict lottery numbers, although she sure wishes she could.

Her historical book awards include the 2011 RT BookReviews Reviewers Choice Award and the 2012 Gayle Wilson Heart of Excellence Award for Pleasure Me. She is also the recipient of the prestigious paranormal romance award, the 2011 PRISM Best of the Best award for Assassin’s Heart. From the days when she hid her stories from her sisters to her first completed full-length manuscript, she always believed in her dream despite rejections and setbacks. A workaholic wife and mother, Monica is a survivor who believes every hero and heroine deserves a HEA (Happily Ever After), especially if she’s writing the story.

Monica is a survivor, and it’s a topic she has become well versed in. A survivor of date rape at the age of 19, writing erotic romance has aided her in the life-long process of healing. Her writing has helped her reclaim some of her self-worth, and you can read her story here.

Monica has suffered from bipolar disorder since childhood, but was not diagnosed until much later in life. The condition according to the National Institute of Mental Health affects 5.7 million American adults or about 2.6% of the population (18 years and older). She is also a survivor of the genetic disorder Long QT syndrome and subsequent heart defibrillator implant.

Her most recent struggle is her recent diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer. Her determination to overcome these challenging life experiences is a reflection of her belief that there truly are happily ever afters. Writing romance is a therapeutic process as it allows Monica to explore the themes of hope, trust and love in her work. She believes romance books empower women to believe in themselves and that their only limitations are the ones they set for themselves.

I also moonlight as as an author assistant, graphics and web designer. If you’re interested in checking out my services, visit Marolid Design Services Website

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Sara Snow is an international bestselling author of YA paranormal romance where the stakes are high, the magic is wild, and the love interests occasionally turn into very dangerous creatures. If you love wolf shifters, dragon shifters, magical wars, and enemies-to-lovers tension, you’ve come to the right place.

Sara is originally from Texas, but now she calls Northern Virginia home, where she lives with her husband, two grown kids, and two trusty canine sidekicks, Loki and Pepper (who are experts at snuggling and reminding her when it’s time for a snack). When she’s not busy plotting ways to torture her characters, you can find her playing mahjong, sipping on a decaf peppermint mocha by the fire, or getting completely absorbed in a great audiobook.
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Jenna Jaxon is a best-selling author of historical romance, writing in a variety of time periods because she believes that passion is timeless. She has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager. A romantic herself, Jenna has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise. She tries to incorporate all these elements into her own stories.

She lives in Virginia with her family and a small menagerie of pets–including Olive, an almost silent cat, Earl Grey, a very curious bunny, and a Shar-pei mix dog named Frenchie.

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From San Diego, where I met my Montanan husband, to San Francisco, where I married him, and then to Chicago, where our twins were born, this Michigander-and-wanderer-at-heart settled once and for all in Northern Virginia.

Now a Virginian for over twenty years, I continue to write spicy novels for your inner romance warrior, work at a local university, and play. Oh, and post pics of #LucyTheVizsla.

I’m currently drafting book five of the Heart & Hand series, and have released Thrice Bound: a Romantic Paranormal Suspense, and my first contemporary title!  

For exclusive content like deleted chapters—“Strawberries” and “Belly Button” to name two—subscribe to my newsletter.

P.S. M Go Blue! Lions and Tigers and not the Bears, oh my! And RIP, our beautiful Tully. You are forever in our hearts.

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AJ Renee grew up in a military family and moved around until her family settled in Florida. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with a M.S. in Criminal Justice and a B.S. in Psychology. She currently resides in Virginia and spends her time with her Air Force husband, three daughters, dogs, and cat. She loves to travel and see family and friends whenever she gets a chance. She has a love of music, movies, and anything that can make her laugh. AJ believes in reading books with humor and mystery that end in a happily ever after to help ease our minds and hearts of life’s daily struggles.