Representation and Culture in Romance: An AAPI Celebration

In celebration of Asian American & Pacific Islander Month, we invite you to join us at Verbatim Books at 6:30 PM on Sunday, May 19 for a conversation with Authors, Mia Hopkins, Kaye Rockwell, Liz Durano, Jeannie Choe and Elle Cruz as they reflect and discuss AAPI Representation and Culture in Romance in a panel moderated by Kat De Los Reyes.

Elle Cruz - https://www.ellecruz.com/

Elle Cruz is an author of contemporary romance. She has a bachelor’s degree in English and doctoral degree in nursing. By day she works in the medical field, but at night she writes swoon-worthy stories perfect for all the hopeless romantics out there. In addition to being an author, Elle is active in the writing community and loves to mentor and give advice to new authors. She lives with her husband and two kids in Southern California. Elle is represented by Naomi Davis of the Bookends Literary Agency.

Social Media Link:

IG - https://www.instagram.com/ellecruzauthor/

Liz Durano - https://lizdurano.com/

Liz writes women's fiction and romance with angst. When she's not living through her heroines, she's usually drinking too much coffee while wondering what to cook next in her air fryer. 

Social Media Link:

IG - https://www.instagram.com/lizdurano/

Mia Hopkins - https://www.miahopkinsauthor.com/

Mia Hopkins writes lush romances starring fun, sexy characters who love to get down and dirty. Her award-winning books have been featured by many publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today and Entertainment Weekly. She lives in Los Angeles with her family. Hopkins is represented by Deidre Knight of The Knight Agency. She is also a member of The Authors Guild.

Social Media Link:

IG - https://www.instagram.com/miahopkinsxoxo/

Kaye Rockwell - https://kayerockwell.com

Influenced by her mother, Kaye discovered her love of reading pretty early on in life. At the age of 10, she finally put a pen to paper and wrote her first poem. At age 14, she wrote her first story, a novel that will become "Glad You Exist." Throughout the years writing became an escape for her. Now that she's a mom and has found her own happily-ever-after, she is determined to write swoon-worthy and heartwarming diverse stories that speak about the journey to finding HEA even after loss and life happen.

Social Media Link:

IG - https://www.instagram.com/thenomaddreamer/

Jeannie Choe - https://www.jeanniechoeauthor.com

Specializing in New Adult/Contemporary Romance Novels, Jeannie offers stories ranging from angsty/emotional to heartfelt and outright adorable. Living off an endless number of paperbacks, cold brews, and 2000’s rom-coms, Jeannie lives in Southern California spending her days with her family and two attention seeking elder dachshunds.

Social Media Link:

IG - https://www.instagram.com/not_choe.typicalwriter

MODERATOR INFO:

Kat De Los Reyes 

Kat De Los Reyes is @booknerdkat on Instagram and the host of the annual #APIBookstagramTour. Kat is an avid book reviewer, supporter of the public library and independent bookstores, and enjoys promoting books --especially works from BIPOC authors. A first-generation Filipino immigrant, she is active in the AAPI community and has a career in public service. 

Social Media Link:

IG - https://www.instagram.com/booknerdkat