NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — This is for sure. We all know that person always reading a romance novel. Maybe you are that person. Well, there is something uniting the fans of steamy stories.
I happened to be looking through a NewsChannel 5 archive tape from 1994. Scrolling through, I came across a romance novel convention being held at Municipal Auditorium. The cover models from the books were there, and attendees were lined up to give them a kiss and re-enact a romantic book cover.
"Then his mouth closed over hers!" one woman read from a book at the 1994 event. "It was a kiss of possession!"
"That warm, full mouth was made for kissing," added another woman reading a book aloud.
32 years ago, these people were living their best lives. I shared some pictures of the event on Facebook. That's when I got a message.
"Hi! Any interest in doing a piece on a present day romance book event here in Nashville?"
Alright.
I went to the Hutton Hotel for an event called Tempted By Fiction. A bunch of people were brought together by a shared love.
"Smut!" laughed Alexa Sierra.
Sierra is who sent me the message. The event was created by Sierra and friend Maryssa Edwards.
"Alexa got me into reading smut!" added Edwards.
It was three years ago the two launched a book club called, what else, Nashville Smut. It started with monthly meetings of only eleven people.
"Over time, it grew and grew and grew, and now there's a little over 2,000," Edwards explained.
It was big enough to hold an event with people getting books, art, and cookies with an eight-pack model in the icing.
"I've got a biker here!" said attendee Taylor Rodrigues, looking at a cookie. "Hot obviously. It's by So Sweet By Hailey."
It was a chance to meet authors like Danielle Bigsby-Matlock.
"You're saying this is one of those steamy books?" I asked her.
"Very steamy!" she answered. "Nice and hot."
In fact, there's a five chili pepper scale on how hot the books get. So, what's it take for a book to get five chili peppers? Actually, don't answer that.
Now, some things have changed for romantic fiction events over 32 years. I saw no smooching at the Tempted By Fiction event.
"Fabio's not here today?" I asked Sierra.
"No Fabio today!"
Knowing a little book club started by two friends can turn into this, it says something.
"I think it says that the world is full of a lot of romantics, and I think it's awesome," said Sierra.
Do you have a positive, good news story? You can email me at forrest.sanders@newschannel5.com.
As we honor those who have served our country and made the ultimate sacrifice, it is also heartening to see the military right a wrong. Chris Davis brings us the moving story of a Purple Heart ceremony two decades in the making. It's worth a watch.
A heartfelt thanks to all who bravely serve.
- Carrie Sharp
