In late 2023, I heard whispering of a new conference specifically for 2SLGBTQIA+ readers and writers. Another event, GayRomLit Retreat, has long been the go-to event for folks who enjoy this flavour of romance, but it’s exclusively held in the United States, in various locations. This new conference, the Northern Rainbow Romance Retreat, would be in Toronto, which meant it was far more affordable and reachable for us folks on this side of the border.
Hell to the yes! I signed up to attend immediately.
The inaugural Northern Rainbow event was held in October 2024, and it was wonderful. It’s a space for writers and readers, with enough crossover between the two groups to keep everyone happy but not overwhelmed. The first part of the event is geared toward industry professionals, with workshops for authors, aspiring authors, and personal assistants, a dedicated writing room, and plenty of networking opportunities. The second part of the event is for readers, featuring author lounges where they can chat with their favourite authors, and a huge, multi-part signing where readers can buy books or bring their own to be signed.
For me, personally, it was a chance to learn from others in the industry about what’s worked for them and what hasn’t, and to get new ideas for things to try. I got to meet up with Toronto writer friends, see online friends in person for the first time, and meet readers from all over Canada and elsewhere. On top of that, I was able to spend four whole days talking about one of my favourite subjects – books! I was a very happy author that week.
You can bet I reserved a spot for 2025.
I’ll be in Toronto again for the event. The name has changed slightly—it’s now Northern Rainbow Readers and Writers—and it will be from August 20 to 24, 2025.
I’m so happy I’ll be able to go again! Tickets are still available if you’d like to join us.
Some tips if you attend Northern Rainbow Readers and Writers
I recommend staying at the conference hotel. For the first event, a friend and I rented an AirBnB rather than staying at the hotel, but it was a 10-minute drive to get to the venue. That doesn’t sound terrible, right? Except it was 10 minutes because Toronto traffic is so bad. It was far enough that walking wasn’t an option, and I don’t think there are any accommodations (besides other hotels) closer, due to the location near the airport. So make it easy on yourself and book a room in advance.
Take some time to explore Toronto. There’s a hotel shuttle that goes to the airport nearby, and from there, you can catch the UP train to take you to downtown Toronto. There, you can do some shopping, go to the Hockey Hall of Fame (which is what we did) and maybe even get a tattoo (also what we did – check out the matching tattoos Kelly Jensen and I got!).
Other ideas include going to Ripley’s Aquarium, taking in a baseball game, or going to the zoo. Toronto’s transit system is quite good, but there are also rideshare services that you can use to get around. Unless you’re used to driving in a big city, I would recommend not driving in downtown Toronto yourself if you can avoid it.
Enjoy the huge variety of cuisine Toronto has to offer. You can find almost any type of restaurant in Toronto you could possibly want to eat at. Korean BBQ, Italian, Japanese, and other flavours, as well as some American chains that haven’t spread to the rest of Canada yet. One night, we went to a spot that served Uyghur food, which I had never heard of, but it was so good. I seriously didn’t have a bad meal at any point. Make sure you budget for dining out, and be prepared to use rideshares to open up your options to more than just the area around the hotel.
Bring extra luggage to pack your books in. It’s a super rare opportunity to get personalized books, so you’re probably going to buy more than you think! It’s also a great chance to find new authors or buy copies of favourite reads for your keeper shelf.
For American authors, be aware that your card reader for book sales won’t work in Canada. You’ll need to figure out workarounds to take electronic payments. A lot of my American author friends asked about transferring money via Venmo, but we don’t have Venmo in Canada. An option is a PayPal QR code—it’s a little clunky, but it works. American readers, you can use your American credit cards for purchases anywhere in Canada without a problem.
If you’re coming from the States, it won’t cost as much as you think. Our dollar is worth about two-thirds of the US dollar, so some things in Canada work out to be cheaper than what you’re used to. For example, the event ticket cost of $400 Canadian for authors works out to just $280 US! Something to keep in mind as you’re creating your budget.
I hope to see you at the event! If you do attend, make sure to drop by my table and say hi.
Jenn Burke has loved out-of-this-world romance since she was a preteen reading about heroes and heroines kicking butt and falling in love. She’s the author of a number of paranormal and science fiction romance titles, including the fan favorite not Dead Yet series. She’s been called a pocket-sized and puntastic Canadian on social media, and she’ll happily own that label. Jenn lives just outside of Ottawa, Ontario, with her husband and two kids, plus two dogs named after video game characters.
HEA Canada: A CanLit Romance Hub 