Events

Join us at Verbatim Books Sunday, October 15, for a captivating evening of literary exploration and cultural celebration.

In the enchanting event ‘Diversity in Romance – Celebrating Filipino American Diaspora,’ we embark on a captivating journey through a vibrant tapestry of love stories, marked by the enduring spirit of resilience, all woven intricately within the rich fabric of the Filipino American experience. The all Filipina-American panel of authors, including Elle Cruz, Liz Durano, Mia Hopkins, and Kaye Rockwell, guided by the award-winning author and moderator Tracy Badua, will lead you on a journey through the pages of romance literature. Discover the universal themes of love, hope, and resilience against the backdrop of Filipino American heritage. Don’t miss this opportunity to open your heart to the magic of words and immerse yourself in the beauty of Diversity in Romance.

—

Elle Cruz – https://www.ellecruz.com/

Elle Cruz is an author of contemporary romance. She has a bachelor’s degree in English and doctoral degree in nursing. By day she works in the medical field, but at night she writes swoon-worthy stories perfect for all the hopeless romantics out there. In addition to being an author, Elle is active in the writing community and loves to mentor and give advice to new authors. She lives with her husband and two kids in Southern California. Elle is represented by Naomi Davis of the Bookends Literary Agency.

Social Media Link: IG – https://www.instagram.com/ellecruzauthor/

Liz Durano – https://lizdurano.com/

Liz writes women’s fiction and romance with angst. When she’s not living through her heroines, she’s usually drinking too much coffee while wondering what to cook next in her air fryer.

Social Media Link: IG – https://www.instagram.com/lizdurano/

Mia Hopkins – https://www.miahopkinsauthor.com/

Mia Hopkins writes lush romances starring fun, sexy characters who love to get down and dirty. Her award-winning books have been featured by many publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today and Entertainment Weekly. She lives in Los Angeles with her family. Hopkins is represented by Deidre Knight of The Knight Agency. She is also a member of The Authors Guild.

Social Media Link: IG – https://www.instagram.com/miahopkinsxoxo/

Kaye Rockwell – https://kayerockwell.com/

Influenced by her mother, Kaye discovered her love of reading pretty early on in life. At the age of 10, she finally put a pen to paper and wrote her first poem. At age 14, she wrote her first story, a novel that will become “Glad You Exist.” Throughout the years writing became an escape for her. Now that she’s a mom and has found her own happily-ever-after, she is determined to write swoon-worthy and heartwarming stories that speak about the journey to finding HEA even after loss and life happen.

Social Media Link: IG – https://www.instagram.com/thenomaddreamer/

MODERATOR INFO:

Tracy Badua – https://tracybadua.com/

Tracy Badua is an award-winning Filipino American author of books about young people with sunny hearts in a sometimes stormy world. According to her grandmother, Tracy inherited this love of the written word from her great-grandfather, a school teacher in the Philippines. To Tracy, this means writing is in her blood, and she continues this family tradition by telling stories with her own spin in an accessible, heartfelt way. She is represented by Natalie Lakosil of Looking Glass Literary & Media Management.

Social Media Link: IG – https://www.instagram.com/tracybaduawrites/