The image features the phrase 'one love reunion' written in bold, dark blue stylized letters with a heart-shaped clock inside the letter 'o' in 'one'.

New Orleans

Collage of three images with torn paper edges. The first shows a young man reading a book, smiling, wearing a gray cardigan and white shirt. The second shows two women lying on the floor inside a heart-shaped paper frame, laughing and smiling, one with curly hair in a rust-colored top, the other with an afro hair in orange. The third shows a group of five friends taking a selfie on the street, smiling and making gestures, two men and three women, one holding a smartphone, in a city setting.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2026

Event registration starts at 4 PM, and then, following, we will have our Welcome Reception at 7 PM.

NOTE: We're entertaining the option of a tour for the early part of Wednesday afternoon. This would be a separate ticket, not included in the registration fee. 

THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2026 

Our first full day of the conference will begin with lively panels and activities, followed by more bookish fun at a themed mixer.

FRIDAY, JULY 24, 2026

Another day of booklover joy with more panels, author workshops, activities, and a scintillating nightcap event. 

SATURDAY, JULY 25, 2026

Join us from 12 PM to 3:30 PM for our book signing event. This is your chance to purchase and get your books signed by your favorite authors and local book vendors. And, as we always do, we'll end this year's event dancing the night away at the Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball (formal attire and masks suggested) from 7 PM-11 PM.

Our Program

Discover Who You’ll Meet at #OLR2026

Attending Authors

  • A woman with brown hair and dark skin leaning against a wall outdoors, smiling, wearing a denim jacket and a maroon top with a chain necklace, with a blurred street scene in the background.

    A.C. Arthur

  • Minimalist user profile icon with a brown person silhouette on a light beige circular background.

    A. Blossom

  • Close-up of a smiling woman with braided hair and earrings, indoor setting with a window in the background.

    A.H. Cunningham

  • A woman with curly dark hair and a bright smile, standing outdoors with green plants and a wooden fence in the background, wearing a black blazer and floral dress.

    Addie Woolridge

  • A woman with long earrings and a gold necklace, wearing an off-the-shoulder pink dress, with red curly hair, standing outdoors with trees in the background.

    Aja

  • A woman with braided hair is standing in front of a wine rack, smiling, wearing a black leather jacket, a light gray sweater, and gold jewelry.

    Angela Seals

  • A woman with long curly hair and a bright smile, wearing a red and black plaid blazer, sitting in a modern room with white walls and pink curtains.

    Bailey West

  • Smiling woman with short hair, glasses, and earrings, sitting at a table in what appears to be a social gathering or event.

    Beverly Jenkins

  • A woman with curly black hair and pink lipstick taking a selfie in a room with blue walls and yellow cabinets.

    Charity Shane

  • Portrait of a young African American woman smiling, wearing glasses, hoop earrings, a nose ring, and a striped shirt.

    Chencia Higgins

  • Smiling woman with dark wavy hair, wearing a green top with gold buttons, standing outdoors with a blurred wood background.

    Darby Baham

  • Generic user profile icon with a gray background and a simplified person silhouette in dark red.

    Dria Andersen

  • Generic user profile icon with a beige circular background and a stylized red person silhouette.

    elle kayson

  • A smiling woman with dark, wavy hair and makeup, looking slightly to the side.

    Elle Wright

  • A smiling woman with short curly black hair, wearing glasses and a white shirt with black vertical stripes, standing outdoors in front of green plants.

    Farrah Rochon

  • Jacquelin Thomas

  • Profile icon with a maroon silhouette of a person on a beige circular background.

    Jamie Wesley

  • Smiling woman with black hair and pearl earrings, wearing a gray top, in front of a brick wall.

    Joy Avery

  • A woman with braided hair in a bun smiling and posing with her hand near her chin against a plain white background.

    K.C. Mills

  • A woman with dark hair smiling, wearing a red shirt, standing against a yellow textured wall.

    Karmen Lee

  • User profile icon with a person silhouette in dark red on a beige circular background.

    Katrina Jackson

  • A woman with short, curly red hair wearing large blue glasses, gold hoop earrings, a red sleeveless top, and lipstick, smiling and posing with her hand on her chin against a neutral background.

    Kay Shanee

  • Generic user profile icon with a beige background and a simplified silhouette of a person in red

    Kelsey Green

  • A woman with long, curly, burgundy hair wearing a red and black dress with sequins, smiling at the camera.

    Kia Barlow

  • A woman with dark skin wearing glasses, a blue head wrap, earrings, a black shirt, and a gray cardigan, posing with her hand near her chin against a beige background.

    Kya Montague

  • A woman wearing a red cap with the text 'I ♥ Bad Boys', glasses, earrings, and a colorful patterned jacket.

    Lady Marie

  • Icon of a person or user profile illustration in brown on a beige circular background.

    LaQuette

  • A woman with long dark hair smiling and sitting behind two pink and purple books titled "Love You, Always" and "Love You, Finally" with a map art on the wall behind her.

    Lauren Lacey

  • Portrait of a smiling woman with dreadlocks wearing a white top and a delicate necklace, against a plain white background.

    Meka James

  • A young woman with glasses and black braided hair sits at a table, smiling at the camera. She wears a maroon T-shirt and beige pants. The table has books, a pair of glasses, a water bottle, and promotional materials.

    ML Bash

  • A woman with long, light brown dreadlocks, wearing a yellow blouse with long sleeves, sitting at a desk in an office with large windows and city buildings in the background.

    Monica Garner

  • A woman with long braided hair sitting by a water feature outside, wearing a navy blue dress with green tropical leaf patterns, posing with one hand on her knee and the other on the ground, looking directly at the camera.

    Monique Fisher

  • Portrait of a smiling woman with long curly black hair, wearing a patterned blazer and earrings, against a plain white background.

    Naima Simone

  • Portrait of a woman with dark wavy hair, wearing a dark green top with cut-out shoulders, jewelry including a heart-shaped pendant necklace, hoop earrings, and bracelets, standing against a plain background.

    Natisha Raynor

  • A smiling person with short curly hair, wearing glasses and a black shirt with red text, indoors against a plain wall.

    Nicole Falls

  • Minimalist icon of a person in red, on a beige circular background.

    Nina Crespo

  • A man in a blue suit ponders, resting his chin on his hand, against a black background.

    Norian Love

  • A woman with long braided hair looking to her left, wearing a striped shirt, a black jacket, and a pendant necklace, in an indoor setting.

    Rae Shawn

  • User profile icon with a minimalistic person symbol on a beige circular background.

    Rene Wolfe

  • A smiling woman with gray curly hair wearing black and white glasses, hoop earrings, and a red jacket against a black background.

    Renee Daniel Flagler

  • Silhouette of a person icon in brown color on a beige circular background.

    Robbi Renee

  • A smiling woman with medium skin tone, shoulder-length straight hair, wearing a sleeveless dress with a black, white, and red color block pattern, and a silver necklace with a teardrop pendant.

    Sean D. Young

  • Close-up of a smiling woman with wavy brown hair and light makeup, wearing a black top and a black blazer.

    Sherelle Green

  • A woman with shoulder-length black hair, wearing hoop earrings, a cross necklace, and a patterned top, sitting against a grey brick wall background.

    Sheryl Lister

  • User icon with beige background and simple brown silhouette of a person.

    Stephanie Nicole Norris

  • Icon of a person in a minimalist flat design style, with a circular head and rectangular shoulders, in shades of red on a beige background.

    Tiffany L. Warren

  • A woman with short curly hair and blue eyes resting her chin on crossed arms wrapped in a gray, fluffy sweater, looking directly at the camera in a room decorated with posters and pictures.

    Tigris Eden

  • Tiye

Literary Speakers

Latoya C. Smith

LCS Literary Services was founded by Latoya C. Smith in 2016 and offers editorial, ghostwriting, and management services. After graduating Cum Laude from Temple University in 2005, Latoya built her editorial career at Kensington Publishing and Grand Central Publishing (Hachette Book Group), acquiring hardcover fiction, non-fiction, and digital romance. She later served as Executive Editor at Samhain Publishing. Featured in Publishers Weekly, Forbes, and USA Today, she also appeared on C-SPAN2 to discuss the state of book publishing. Latoya is a New York Times bestselling ghostwriter, editor, and former literary agent, and the winner of multiple industry awards, including the RWA Golden Apple for Editor of the Year.

The Write Track Workshop: So You Wrote A Book, What’s Next?

Samantha Fabien

Samantha Fabien (she/her) is a literary agent at Root Literary, representing bestselling authors. She is drawn to high-concept, commercial, and upmarket fiction with all-or-nothing stakes, and has a deep passion for stories that highlight and uplift marginalized and underrepresented voices. Samantha holds a Bachelor's in PR and Journalism from Seton Hall University and a certificate from the Columbia Publishing Course. Her background includes roles as an International Rights Manager and support positions at Ayesha Pande Literary and Writers House. Over the past decade, she has volunteered with organizations including Literary Agents of Change, Gotham Writers, SCBWI, and the New York Writing Room.

Literary Agent

Brooklyn, native son Myles Washington is an award-winning romance audiobook narrator who has voiced over 100 titles. Known for his rugged, raspy, yet smooth vocal tone, Myles’ music and acting background enhance his ability to bring characters to life, spanning from athletes to politicians, firemen, paranormal shifters, gangsters, and many more, showcasing his range. In stories filled with romance, love, and passion, Myles brings authenticity to every project, creating immersive audio experiences as he takes listeners on a journey. He works with numerous publishers and many independent authors, operating from his professional home studio equipped with a Custom Iso booth, Neuman TLM and Senheiser 416 microphones, Universal Audio Apollo MKII audio interface, ProTools, and Source Connect.

Narrator

Myles Washington

Midnite Michael is a sought-after audiobook narrator, voiceover artist, and musician based in Huntsville, Alabama, celebrated for his rich, emotionally layered delivery. His growing audiobook catalog spans premier publishers including Tantor Media, Podium Entertainment, Penguin Random House, and Bee Audio. He is also the founder of Are You Spoken For™, a luxury Black-owned audio production house specializing in producing, mixing, and mastering immersive audiobooks, partnering with authors and publishers to transform manuscripts into cinematic listening experiences. His signature voice has also been featured in national campaigns for powerhouse brands including BMW, Nike, ESPN, the NBA, NASCAR, Gatorade, and FIFA.

When Midnite speaks, people listen.

Narrator

Midnite Michael

Wednesday, July 22

Registration | 4 PM - 7 PM

Welcome Mixer | 7 PM - Until

Thursday, July 23

Registration | 9 AM - 4 PM

Panels, Workshops, and Activity Sessions | 9 AM - 4 PM

Call Him Zaddy. | PANEL

Age is nothing but a number, but for these authors, the sexy, irresistible, and charismatic older man is chef’s kiss! Aja, Robbi Renee, Stephanie Nicole Norris

Reduce the Redlines. | THE WRITE TRACK

 Led by freelance editor and author Nicole Falls, Reduce the Redlines is an editing seminar that will help make the self-editing process less daunting for writers. With tips and tricks on everything from formatting to tense/point of view consistencies, this seminar will be an interactive session in which Falls will share some tools of the trade as well as provide a space for attendees to be able to pick her brain with any specific, burning questions they may also have about the many types of editing processes.

The Darker, the Better. | PANEL

Come on in and close the door tight because we’re taking a deep dive into dark romance. What about this tantalizing sub-genre turns you on? What does it take to write morally gray characters that take you on these deeply emotional rides? Sherelle Green, Naima Simone, Elle Kayson, KC Mills

So You Wrote A Book, What’s Next? | THE WRITE TRACK

Everyone always talks about finishing the book. But once you do, what happens next? In this workshop, Latoya C. Smith will discuss everything from turning your draft into a final manuscript, how to shop for the right editor at this stage, and what to expect when searching for an agent and/or publisher to accomplish your career goals.   

Where the Heart Goes. | PANEL

From small towns to big cities, cowboys to CEOs, authors discuss how they set the stage from meet-cute to HEA. Joy Avery, Farrah Rochon, Jacquelin Thomas, Karmen Lee, Bailey West

Not Just A Book Boyfriend: Building Characters Readers Fall For. | THE WRITE TRACK

Building your favorite characters takes more than just a creative pen-it takes heart, depth, and chemistry. This interactive workshop, presented by author and writing coach Robbi Renee, goes beyond tropes to help you create main characters that feel real, raw, and irresistible. Using guided exercises and a character-building workbook, you'll shape heroes and heroines with emotional layers, magnetic tension, and unforgettable connection.

Making The Rounds: Buy A Book Bae! | ACTIVITY

Go shopping at each author’s table and make an offer (with play money, of course, lol) to buy the author’s Book Bae that interests you most. Collect a bill of sale signature from each author and be entered to win!

Get Your Freak On. | PANEL

If spice is the time you’re on, this is the place to be. Authors discuss writing their hottest scenes, kinks, and pushing the envelope as far as it will go! Aja, A.H. Cunningham, Katrina Jackson, Kay Shanee, Norian Love

Timeless Tropes. | PANEL

 Checking in to see which tropes you’ve been feeling so far this year. What are your faves? Which ones are you ready to retire? Sean D. Young, Charity Shane, Elle Wright, Natisha Raynor

Friday, July 24

Registration | 9 AM - 4 PM

Panels, Workshops, and Activity Sessions | 9 AM - 4 PM

Get on the Field. | PANEL

Are you catching all the great sports romance books? Chat with the authors who bring their A game to the sub-genre every time! A. Blossom, Nicole Falls, Tiye, Lauren Lacey, Jamie Wesley

Harlequin Publishing Spotlight | THE WRITE TRACK

More information coming soon.

Cupid & The Supernatural: Relating to the Unrelatable | PANEL

How do paranormal, fantasy, and speculative romance storytellers make the magic physically and emotionally relatable? This engaging panel explores the techniques authors use to build believable supernatural worlds while ensuring that readers connect with the characters’ desires, struggles, and relationships.  A.C. Arthur, Dria Andersen, Rene Wolfe, Tigris Eden

It all Starts with a Story. | THE WRITE TRACK

If you’re the author of a novel, novella, short story, memoir, or long poem and have ever thought, “this could make a good movie” or television series, you are not alone. Bestselling author and producer, Tiffany L. Warren, shares the blueprint for getting those words from print to screen.

Women’s Fiction v. Romance: What’s the Difference? |‍ ‍PANEL

Hear it straight from the authors’ mouths what makes their stories women’s fiction or romance. Beverly Jenkins, A.C. Arthur, Monica Garner, Sheryl Lister

“Throw me something, babe!” | ACTIVITY

We’re putting a fun New Orleans’ twist on bookish speed dating! Drop by each author’s table to hear about their latest release and pick up some swag. But don’t leave their table without getting your throws! The more you collect, the more chances you’ll have to win the spectacular Grand prize! Winners must be present to accept all prizes!

THE ROMANCE ROOM | EVENING DELIGHT

An unforgettable evening crafted especially for romance readers! Experience the magic of storytelling with captivating live readings by Myles Washington and Midnite Michael. This intimate event promises a night filled with passionate tales, enchanting music, and delicious drinks—all set in a warm, welcoming atmosphere where romance comes alive.

Saturday July 25

Mega Book Signing (open to the public) | 12 PM - 3 PM

Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball | 7 PM - 10 PM

 Wear black, wear a mask, best mask contest!

A dark blue door hanger with a hook at the top, displaying the logo 'OLR' with the tagline 'One Love Reunion' beneath it.

Hotel Information

City street in the evening with historic buildings, palm trees, streetlights, and modern skyscrapers in the background.
ROOM BLOCK CLOSED

Sponsors

  • Black Girls Who Write Logo

 FAQs

  • One Love Reunion 2026 will take place in New Orleans from Wednesday, July 22, to Saturday, July 25, 2026.

  • By submitting an #OLR26 registration form, you are agreeing to these One Love Reunion cancellation/refund terms. Should you cancel your registration:

    • $100 of your payment (considered your DEPOSIT) is NON-REFUNDABLE.

    • 25% of all subsequent payments are refundable until 9pm Eastern, Monday, March 2, 2026.

    • There will be NO REFUNDS after 9 pm Eastern, Monday, March 2, 2026.

    ALL requests to transfer registration from one person to another MUST be submitted for approval to onelovereunioninfo@gmail.com

  • One Love Reunion is proud to foster an inclusive, caring and comfortable atmosphere for our attendees, authors, vendors and staff. We maintain a ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY for harassment of any kind. Harassment or discrimination will result in warnings or immediate removal from the event, without a refund. Some examples of harassment include, but are not limited to: offensive or unwanted verbal comments and/or physical gestures, physical assault, unwanted sexual comments or gestures, stalking, inappropriate and unwanted physical contact or attention. Some examples of discrimination include, but are not limited to: disability, appearance, religion, race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender presentation, sexual orientation and/or citizenship.

  • The event and host hotel is the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel.

    You can fly into Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.

  • At One Love Reunion, we come together to celebrate our love of romance and women’s fiction books. Those books oftentimes contain adult content. A number of our panels and/or activities may contain a high level of adult content.

    We encourage spouses/partners to attend, we like to plan something special for them to participate in.

    All spouses/partners and children over the age of 12 MUST have a paid registration (this can be full event registration or a Saturday Only ticket).

  • The full event schedule will be announced between May - June. Please check the website and social media for updates.

  • As always, the location for our future event is announced during the themed dance party at the current event. Date announcements, follow soon after.

  • Authors interested in attending One Love should first, complete the Author Interest Form.

    Further instructions on the attendance process are listed on the form. Once our author slots are full, names will be placed on a waiting list.

ONE LOVE REUNION

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Storytelling

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Love

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Community

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ONE LOVE REUNION ● Storytelling ● Love ● Community ●