Retreat FAQ

 

Where is the retreat being held in 2024

    All events and our reserved room block are at the Sheraton Airport Hotel and Convention Centre

What is the best way to get to the conference?

    Toronto is easily accessed by air, by bus, by train and by car.  The hotel is very close to Pearson Airport and a free shuttle is available for guests who arrive there.

    Discounted Parking of $10/day is being offered to all of our guests as part of their stay

    Trains and Buses to Toronto will sometimes stop at the Airport, but more likely will drop you off downtown at or near Union Station.  You can quickly and easily get from Union to Pearson by grabbing the UP Express where you can pick up the hotel shuttle.

I'm from the US. do I need a Passport to come to Canada?

    If you are travelling by air, the answer is YES.

    If you are driving over the border, passports are recommended, however you can also cross if you have a NEXUS card or an enhanced drivers license.

I have dietary restrictions or allergies, will the hotel be able to accommodate?

We have been assured that yes, dietary restrictions and allergies can be accommodated - a more detailed form will go out in May for all registered attendees to gather this info.

Are there restaurants within walking distance of the hotel? 

Yes, there are several restaurants and coffee shops within a 20 minute walk of the hotel.  More information about this will be available closer to the event.

Can I get an Uber? Lyft? Taxi?

Yes to all - Uber, Lyft and taxies are plentiful in the area, especially given our proximity to the airport

What about UberEats, DoorDash etc?

UberEats, DoorDash and Skip the Dishes are all available in the area.  You can also have Instacart delivered to your hotel room as well.

The event itself:

Which authors will be there?

This event is to celebrate queer romance in all it's forms -so any author who writes queer romance or books in any genre with a queer romance sub-plot are welcome to join us!  If you need more specifics - that includes sapphic, gay, non-binary, trans, ace, bi, two-spirit, non-heteronormative relationships of any flavour!  

Fantasy, sci-fi, horror, mystery, paranormal, erotica, BDSM... it's all good as long as the romance is present!  

Write books in multiple pairings? - we want you!  As long as you offer queer pairings in some of your books, you are welcome to sign any books for your fans.

What is the schedule?

Overall, the first two days will be a chance for Queer authors and aspiring authors, as well as PAs & related professionals to meet up for workshops, collaboration, brainstorming and of course the sprint room!  The specific topics and timeline are TBD based on the authors attending, but some of the topics suggested include Patreon/Ream, Selling Wide as an indie author, Collaborating, Plotting, Character and World building...  The PA's will be doing their own thing too!  This part of the event is also designed as a retreat, so we are not expecting everyone to be at every session - writing words in your room, outside at the picnic tables or even in the lounge areas is definitely encouraged!  There will be coffee & snack stations set up near the meeting rooms, but meals will be on your own Wednesday and Thursday.

Friday, Saturday & Sunday are VIP Reader Days - readers will join the event and the real party will start!

On Friday, there will be reader led sessions, author meet and greets, a chill zone and more!  We'll get together for a big welcome lunch to kick things into high gear, but you'll be on your own for dinner.  I expect that there may be some opportunities for evening games and chatting too!

Saturday will be a whirlwind - with VIP reader access to the signings before the doors open to the public, both morning and afternoon, a little downtime as we shift gears and the Rainbow Romance Reception giving us a chance to mix, mingle and make memories!

Sunday we'll get a chance to wind down with breakfast and a chance to say goodbye before the conference officially closes by noon so everyone can head home with all their swag, books and memories!

A more detailed schedule will be available around the beginning of May

Do I need to pre-order paperbacks?

Many of the authors will be travelling from the US or other parts of Canada and may not have a lot of stock on hand to sell, so if there are titles you know you want to add to your collection, pre-order is best.  We will start collating a list of all authors offering pre-order beginning in May, so watch this space!

Can I bring copies of books I already own?

Of course! You are welcome to bring your own copies of books for authors to sign.

I am an e-book reader, can I ask the authors to sign something else?

Most authors are open to autographing other items - some may have postcards , bookplates or bookmarks at their table for this purpose, but you are also welcome to bring scrapbooks, autograph books, kindle covers, tote bags, t-shirts or whatever else you can dream up!

If you have a question, please email northernrainbowromanceretreat@gmail.com