Teacher Feature: Dana Staves

Take Dana’s Class: The Advanced Romance Workshop which begins on Tuesday, October 6 7-9:30pm EST!

Genre fiction is not only lucrative – it’s a relentless pursuit of joy. That’s what Dana loves about romance: the happiness factor, the HEA – or happily ever after – is required, and that opens up a world of hope within the story that we sometimes can’t find elsewhere, either in books or in life.

Dana believes strongly in fostering a creative environment where we focus on learning, whether students are being workshopped or providing the feedback. The group dynamic in a romance workshop is always fun – romance writers are first and foremost romance readers, and the conversation is always lively and well-informed.

Dana’s favorite authors:

• Gail Carriger writes paranormal historical romance, and she recently claimed the spot of my favorite author. Her Parasol Protectorate series is wildly funny and smart and romantic. I burned through it with a quickness, and I will circle back to it again and again.
• In terms of contemporary romance, I am such a fan of Alisha Rai. Her writing is smart and sexy and so full of heart. I love the spirit she brings to the romance genre and the broader landscape of Romancelandia.

Learn more about Dana here, on her website, or Twitter! Read her work on Book Riot here!