Authors Dish SaSS26 Richmond: Authors Gwen Parks, Blye Donovan, Angela Casello, & Nikki Davenport
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 Gwen Parks, Blye Donovan, Angela Casella, and Nikki Davenport.
Rae: What genre(s) do you write and what are you currently working on?
Gwen: contemporary romance. Working on book 3 of my enemies to lovers trilogy. Book one released June, and Book 2 releases July 24.
Blye: I write romantic suspense and am currently working on book 2 in a military romantic suspense series. Plus, I’m launching a new pen name J.B. Donovan this summer with my first paranormal romance!
Angela: I write romantic comedies. I just finished up my Babes of Brewing series of interconnected romances, and my next series launches in September with Falling for Mr. October, a fall fake dating romcom about the internet-famous Shirtless Chef, who hides out at his childhood friend’s farm after his face is revealed on camera. There’s fake dating, fall festivities, and a romance book club at the retirement home where the heroine works (complete with the D0ng of Discussion, which they pass to the person who’s talking).
Right now I’m writing my Christmas book, Kissing Mr. Mistletoe, the follow-up to Mr. October, and also a super-secret project!
Nikki: I write steamy contemporary romance and romantic suspense. Think royal romance reimagined in an all-Black, Wakanda-meets-Bridgerton universe. My Crown & Heart series is perfect for readers who crave high-stakes passion and intrigue, where love isn’t the only thing at risk and every choice can change a kingdom.
Right now, I’m working on Healing Reign with fan-favorite second-in-command Cenn. Still rebuilding after loss, she finds herself fake dating a widowed ER doctor from a gloriously complicated family. She’s stubbornly self-reliant, but she’s no match for a man who’s determined to treasure her exactly as she is.
Rae: What is your favorite decade?
Gwen: I’m a millennial, so the 90’s have to be my fav.
Blye: I’m an 80s baby and a 90s kid. The 90s will always be my favorite. I mean . . . boy bands, no cellphones, and so many good movies and tv shows. Can’t beat it.
Angela: The 1980s. I MAY have convinced my daughter to choose the 1980s American Girl Doll, Courtney, because I was obsessed with all of her accessories. She has one of those transparent phones we were all obsessed with!
Nikki: Depends on the category!
Music? The ’80s.
Fashion? The ’60s.
Rae: What five things do you have to pack when attending a conference?
Gwen: My Banner, My books, and a good outfit.
Blye: Oh gosh, there are so many things, but five that I can think of off the top of my head are, 1. table decor because I love decorating my space, 2. books (because, yeah, lol), 3. a blazer—it’s kind of my signature “Blye” look for signings, 4. stickers because I’m kind of obsessed with them and have tons as
swag, and lastly . . . is it bad if I say Prosecco?
because usually it’s a girls trip and that’s a requirement, lol.
Angela:
Books. If I forget those, people will be mad at me.
Warm clothes – I’m basically a reptile, and I get cold in conference rooms.
Freebies – I love giving away bookmarks, stickers, and other fun stuff
My sister as my assistant – She’s way better at promoting me than I am 
Lip gloss – I can’t go five seconds without it
Nikki:
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Business cards and postcards
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A mini rechargeable fan (because conference rooms have trust issues)
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My pocket apron—it keeps all the important things within reach
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My trusty Dr. Grip pen for signing books
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Rae: What is your snack attack must haves in your day bag?
Gwen: Anything chocolate or a bottle of water.
Blye: I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and have to be careful with what I eat, but I’m obsessed with peanut butter. I eat it everyday. It’s my favorite snack, especially with an apple or some grapes.
Angela: PRETZEL GOLDFISH. They’re kind of disgusting, and I’m obsessed with them.
Nikki: Salty chocolate or sour gummy bears. When it comes to emergency provisions, my sweet tooth refuses to choose sides.
Rae: What’s the one thing you forget to pack and swear to remember next time?
Gwen: My business cards.
Blye: Throat lozenges. I forget how loud convention rooms can be and how much you can strain your voice talk
Angela: I always need to bring a sweater, because I get freezing in conference rooms no matter how warm it is outside. I also always promise myself I’m going to be more organized next time. (I am never more organized next time.)
Nikki: A second microfiber bath sheet. I always travel with my own, but I somehow never remember to pack a second one for the pool. Every trip, same conversation with 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!
Gwen Parks is a reader first and a writer second. She started reading young adult books during middle school and started writing during high school. Her first forms of work were poems and lyrics for songs, that are currently unpublished.
Barnes and Noble is considered her home away from home, and when she has the chance she visits as often as she can. She is fascinated in a world where couples can overcome the hardest of obstacles and the tragic hero sweeps his leading lady off her feet. What she enjoys the most is a good plot twist, which inspired her to start writing her own stories. Currently, her favorite books are We Were Once by S. L. Scott and Altercation by Mignon Mykel.
In her downtime, she relaxes at home with her family in Maryland, discovering new books and playing with her Pomeranian pup. Her biggest dream is to have a book signing to meet any fans of hers. Sleep is her favorite pastime because it always evades her when her mind is running a mile a minute with new book ideas.
Find Gwen Here:
Tiktok
IG
Facebook
Website
Blye Donovan is a military brat and a veteran. She lives in the lowcountry of South Carolina with her wonderfully supportive husband, who doesn’t complain when she ignores him for hours on end, and their fluffy companion dog, who forces her to leave the writing cave for sunshine and fresh air. When she’s not feeding her addictions to peanut butter, coffee, or shoes, she writes pulse-pounding romantic suspense books. Her characters typically include alpha protectors and strong heroines overcoming dangerous villains, while finding love along the journey. Familiar tropes in her stories are forced proximity, woman on the run, and grumpy/sunshine.
Find Blye here: All the links
ANGELA CASELLA is a romcom fanatic. Writing them, reading them, watching them—she’s greedy, and she does it all. In addition to her solo releases, she was lucky enough to collaborate with Denise Grover Swank on three complete series.
She lives in Asheville, NC. Her hobbies include herding her daughter toward less dangerous activities, trying to trick her corgis into behaving, the aforementioned
romcom addiction, and dreaming of a self-cleaning house.
Find Angela here:
website or Angela and Denise’s shared website
Facebook
Instagram
Nikki Davenport writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense with Wakanda-meets-Bridgerton energy. Her Crown & Heart series unfolds in a lush, all-Black universe where queens are elected, the Elite Guard is fiercely protective, and love is never the only thing at stake.
Known for emotionally rich stories, high-stakes passion, and deeply loyal heroes, Nikki creates worlds centered on Black love, Black joy, and the bonds of family—both chosen and inherited. Her stories blend romance, intrigue, and unapologetic hope, with characters who fight fiercely for love and legacy.
A breast cancer survivor and dragon boat paddler, Nikki lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, a snarky teen, and two spoiled feline overlords. She is rarely without an audiobook, a podcast, or plans for her next happily ever after.
All the links to find Nikki: Linktree