Meet Euro Pride Con Attendee: Lori @GoIndiMarketing #LGBT #Guestpost #EuroPride

Hi guys today I would like to introduce you to another Euro Pride Con attendee, Lori. She is the moderator for the MM Romance Group over on Goodreads.  Lets give her a big RGR Welcome.

Welcome to the family…the M/M Romance family.

When I read my first male/male sex scene in a mainstream vampire series (not the sparkly kind), I was hooked.  I had no idea where to go for recommendations, or if there even was such a thing as an M/M romance genre.  Nobody I knew was reading them and nobody in the Goodreads groups I was in were discussing them.   On a whim, I did a group search and found the M/M Romance group.  When I joined in 2009, there were 11 members and not much discussion going on.  I was so  desperate to find other fans of the genre to talk to that I sent the founder of the group a message and asked her if she’d make me a moderator so I could try and get the group going.  Soon after, Jen and Jase joined me and together we worked tirelessly to grow the group and set the ground work for what it’s become today…the 5th most popular group on Goodreads with over 17,000 members.   Over the years we’ve enlisted the help of some amazing people who shared our passion and our vision for what the group could become.  We never imagined it would become so popular or that it would change so many lives.  Not only did we offer a safe place for fans of M/M Romance readers to come together and discuss books, we also helped launch the careers of lots of aspiring authors who just needed a platform to showcase their talents.

In 2010, as part of our holiday celebration, “25 Days of Christmas”, we invited members to write a letter to Santa.  These weren’t your typical “Dear Santa” letters.  Oh no.  These were very special letters that contained a sexy photo and a request that “Santa” fulfill their naughtiest Christmas wish by putting a steamy story in their stocking.  Authors from the group were then encouraged to select a letter and write an original tale.  That was the beginning of our “Don’t Read in the Closet” annual writing event.   We’ve just kicked off our 5th event which has grown into something that so exceeded our expectations, we’ve had to create a team of amazing volunteers and moderators just to manage it all.

This “little” writing event brought the group members and the authors together into a collaborative effort that really gave everyone involved a sense of community.  Every time I attend a con, I’m blown away by the number of authors who approach me to thank us for putting on the event and for helping them find their confidence, their voice and their audience.   It’s one of the reasons I love going to cons.  Its amazing how quickly you connect with other readers and authors and how after a few short days, you leave feeling like you’ve found a new family, one that you can’t wait to see again.

This year I’ve had to step back from being as involved as I’d like to be in the Goodreads M/M Romance group while I work to get my book promotions company, Indigo Marketing & Design, off the ground.  It’s because of the group and attending cons like the Euro Pride Con, that I’ve been fortunate enough to build relationships with authors and publishers that have been invaluable in starting my business.  Whether you’re an author or a reader, attending cons can be an amazing experience and one you’ll walk away from feeling like you’ve found your tribe.

If you’re interested in joining the M/M Romance group you can find us at the following places:

Goodreads Group

Facebook Group

Website
If you’d like to learn more about the services provided by IndiGo Marketing & Design, you can find us here.