IRAE 27 September Edition Newsletter Vol.1
September 2026 Volume 1
What Is It Worth?
Lately, I've been thinking about money.
Not in the Lord, why is everything so damn expensive? way.
Okay. Maybe a lot in that way.
But mostly, I've been thinking more about value.
We work hard for our money. (I literally just hummed the song.) Budget it. Save it. Stretch it. And if you're like me. Occasionally stare at our bank accounts and wonder, what the hell happened? Well, we know what happened but I digress.
And somewhere in all of that, we make choices.
Some are necessary. The rent/mortgage doesn't particularly care whether paying it brings us joy. Neither does the electric company.
But then there is the money we choose to spend.
And I've started wondering if maybe the question shouldn't always be, How much did it cost? Maybe sometimes the better question is:
What did I get for it?
I don't mean the thing in the bag or box. I mean, what did it give me?
Did it make me happy? Did I discover something? Did I laugh? Did I spend time with somebody I love? Did I meet somebody new? Did I come home with a story I'll still be telling five years from now?
Because there is a difference between cost and value.
A book might cost $15. But what is it worth if you discover a character who stays with you for years?
Dinner with friends has a price on the receipt. But what's the value of sitting around that table laughing long after everybody should have gone home?
A weekend away costs money. But what is a weekend worth when you leave with new friends, new books, inside jokes, photographs, and memories you didn't have when you arrived?
That's where IRAE comes in.
Yes, IRAE has a price.
I'm not going to pretend it doesn't.
You have to get here. You need somewhere to sleep. There are registration costs. You'll probably buy books. And knowing this crowd, somebody is absolutely going home with something they had no intention of buying. (Smile) Probably several somethings. But when we began building IRAE 2027, we didn't want to create a weekend where you paid admission, walked through a room, bought some books, and went home.
We kept asking a different question:
What are we giving you for your choice to be here?
Because to me your money matters. Your time matters too.
So does the fact that out of everything you could do with one weekend in April, you chose to spend it with us. That's why we're building more than a book signing.
We're building moments.
Places to sit down and actually talk. Things to discover. Reasons to laugh. Opportunities to meet someone you might never have met otherwise. A weekend where readers aren't standing on the outside of the story looking in. You're part of it. Will every moment have a dollar value attached to it?
No.
That's rather the point.
Because maybe the best things we spend our money on aren't always things.
Sometimes we're buying ourselves the opportunity to experience something.
And sometimes, if we're lucky, what we bring home is worth considerably more than what we spent.
Welcome to Once Upon a Weekend.
Beyond the Castle Gates.
We have been busy.
And by busy, I mean there are conversations happening, plans being made, boxes being filled, ideas getting slightly out of hand, and at least one person saying, “Wait... we're doing WHAT?”
Yes. Yes, we are.
IRAE 27 is becoming more than what you see on the schedule.
Some things we'll announce publicly. Some things we won't.
Because part of Once Upon a Weekend is walking through the doors and discovering something you weren't expecting.
What can we tell you?
There will be opportunities to play. There will be reasons to explore.
There will be moments created specifically for readers and authors to connect.
And there may be a few things tucked into this weekend that have absolutely nothing to do with standing in line at a signing table. That's all you're getting from me right now.
Are You Coming?
Why Not At Least Get On The List?
Here's the thing about IRAE 27: Social media will not get everything.
Our mailing list is where we'll share important announcements, early information, little peeks behind the curtain and, occasionally, something just for the people who bothered to open the email.
Why?
Because algorithms are fickle little beasts.
Email?
Email knows where you live.
Okay. That sounded creepy. But you know what I mean.
Email knows where your inbox lives. Better.
If you're already on the list, you're exactly where you need to be.
If somebody forwarded this newsletter to you, first of all, you have an excellent friend. Second...
Get on the list.
Because between now and April, we're going to start opening those castle gates a little wider.
And take my word for it.
You might want to see what's on the other side.
HOUSEKEEPING
A few important IRAE updates before we get back to the fun stuff!
Where Are We Staying?
Our host hotel is the Hampton Inn Jacksonville Beach.
Reservations are OPEN!
When making your reservation, look for the group rate under:
Interracial Romance Author's Expo
Get that room handled now so Future You has one less thing to worry about. 💜
✨ Sponsorships Are OPEN!
Want to put your name, business, brand, or books in front of the IRAE community?
We've got a spot for you.
📖 IRAE Program
Full Page Sponsorship — $70 4 slots available
Half Page Sponsorship — $40 6 slots available
🍬 IRAE Candy Bar — $50
5 slots available
Help us keep the sugar flowing while getting your name in front of our attendees.
🛍️ IRAE Tote Bag — $200
1 slot available
Your logo will appear on our IRAE tote bag.
👀 IRAE Surprise Weekend Gift — $25
10 slots available
Your name and logo will appear on a flag used during our sexy IRAE scavenger hunt.
Yes. I said sexy scavenger hunt.
You'll have to come to IRAE to find out what we're up to. 😏
💌 Ready to Sponsor?
Click the button below and:
REQUEST AN INVOICE
IRAE 2027: THE DETAILS
❤️💜💛💚 Our Colors
We're painting Once Upon a Romance in:
Dark Red • Royal Purple • Gold • Evergreen
Rich. Romantic. A little regal.
Exactly where we're headed.
Let's Talk Money
I've shifted things around, stretched the timeline, and looked at the numbers every way I could.
And I think there is a payment plan that can fit into your budget.
Readers — $300
Authors — $350
Spouses — $150
Want to break your registration into payments instead of paying everything at once?
You can.
Payment Plan
$75 Deposit Non-refundable
First Payment Due September 30, 2026
Final Payment Due January 30, 2027
How much you pay between those dates can be structured through your invoices, so let's find something that works for you.
If you'd like to set up your payment plan, contact me directly and I'll get your invoices started.
Click the button below.
SET UP MY PAYMENT PLAN
Take a Coffee Break With Us
Coffee Addict is a collection of short stories served hot, where a discreet café can appear on any little-known street and you never quite know who, or what, might walk through the door.
Now Coffee Addict has a voice.
Listen to original audio stories on the Taste_The_Romance YouTube channel, beginning with our Halloween release:
Premieres Thursday, 10/1/2026
Hard Moonshine & Stale Coffee A Mars love story that may not survive the night.
Join us on our members' app to stay updated and keep in touch.
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