Tara Conrad, a prolific romance author from Scranton, will sign copies of her books at The Little Book Place on Bridge Street in Tunkhannock at 11 a.m. on Black Friday, Nov. 27.
Conrad, who has written more than 20 romance novels since she embarked on a full-time writing career in 2021, said she looks forward to meeting readers and exploring downtown Tunkhannock on a holiday weekend.
She encouraged book lovers to support The Little Book Place and other small, independent bookstores and businesses, even though her book-signing will take place one day before Small Business Saturday.
Conrad said she met Stacy Hovan, owner of The Little Book Place, through local radio personality Kara Hart’s book club.
“I absolutely adore Stacy and her store, supporting small indie bookstores is a natural thing to do,” Conrad said. “I can’t wait. We have so much fun there. It’s a great little town … probably going to wind up being a setting in one of my books.”
Conrad was raised and still lives in Scranton, but her novels are set in a variety of places, she said. One of her most recent books is set in the nearby Pocono Mountains, though the story and setting take inspiration from Fallingwater, the famous house-museum in southwestern Pennsylvania designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
Her novels are all romances, but range in tone, Conrad said. Some are more serious and address issues such as mental health and trauma, while others are more light-hearted, she said.
Since it is taken for granted that all romance novels have happy endings, romance authors can explore serious themes without worries that readers will reject the books as too dark, Conrad said.
“We can explore difficult topics,” she said. “We do not shy away from mental health issues. We go through panic attacks and PTSD. It’s a very safe way to do it … the end of every romance is happily ever after.”
Conrad, 51, started to write at a relatively advanced age compared to some authors. When she was about 45 and dealing with significant stress and trauma, her husband, George, reminded her how she enjoyed keeping a diary and journal when she was much younger and suggested she give give writing a try.
Conrad took his advice. She started writing and has not stopped, cranking out a book every few months for more than five years. Her first novel was also her thesis when she earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from Southern New Hampshire University, she said.
Conrad said her future writing plans include a Christmas-themed novel set in the town of Jim Thorpe.
“I had a lot of stories and I still have a whole lot more,” she said. “I finally figured out what I want to do when I grow up.”
For information on Conrad and her work, visit: taraconradauthor.com/.